Special Report: Are Days Numbered For The Thai Tourist Industry?

[spidermike007]

On August 4, 2016 at 1:38 PM, digibum said:

 

So true.  So true.  

 

And yes, there are been many premature reports of the death of tourism in Thailand but Thailand's two main strengths as a tourism destination were:

 

1.  It was cheap

2.  It was the most western-friendly destination in the region

 

Thailand isn't cheap anymore.  Especially in the tourist areas.  For some thing, like nightclubs and drinking, I'm not so sure you couldn't do the same cheaper back home.  600+ baht cover charges for dance clubs?  <deleted>?!  And when compared to Thailand's neighbors, the prices are ridiculous.  

 

And Thailand was never western-friendly.  It was simply the most western-friendly.  Some might argue that it's become increasingly hostile to foreigners recently.  

 

Regardless, Thailand's neighbors are throwing the doors open, learning English, and trying the best they can to accommodate westerners.  

 

Several years ago I went to Cambodia for a visa run and spent the night in the capital.  I walked around the city and I was spoken to more times in English, good English, by Cambodians than I would hear in a week in Thailand.  Little kids trying to sell me water saying stuff like, "Hey, it's hot out.  You better drink some water.  It's cold."  

 

Would a Thai even put in that much effort to sell you a bottle of water?  Even on Sukhumvit you would be lucky if they could be bothered to look up from their phones let alone speak English well enough to do anything more than quote you a price.  And gawd forbid you want two bottles and they have to break out the oversized calculator to tally it up.  

 

I know when I write stuff like this it sounds like I'm bashing Thais but I really do root for them.  But it's just so painful to watch them constantly screw themselves.  

 

Thailand's biggest problem is that they're not hungry.  They got handed the market for tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, and regional distribution by virtue of having avoided a war with the US, a crazy dictator who slaughtered an entire generation of educated people, and communism.  They never fought for it or earned it so now that other countries are taking it away from them they have no clue as to how to counter it.  They think simply being Thai entitles them to it.  

 

I don't know if they even have it in them to change course.  I mean, they're still blaming the tourists for not understanding Thai culture.  

 

 

 

 

All very good points. When you visit the Philippines, you realize Thailand was has never really adapted to Western tourism. It is like another planet for most people. The place is so foreign, the culture so remote and incomprehensible, for some it is just too much. Being in a place for a few weeks where few practice common sense or reason can be difficult. There are some great resorts here. And some nice temples and such, but the attractions just do not compare to an Anchor in Cambodia, Bagan in Burma, or some of the pristine mountain ranges and beaches in Vietnam, and the National Parks and interior ranges of Malaysia. Nor the exceptionally beautiful waters of Indonesia, once you get off the beaten track. On the Andaman side there are some nice beaches, and the water is gorgeous, but with the exception of the West coast of Phuket, few are able to take advantage of that. Most are exposed to only the Gulf, which is a fairly foul body of water, due to the horrific lack of environmental policy on the part of the government, and the continued allowance of drain off from the Ayutthaya area industrial estates, the Gulf coast waters lack the cleanliness and allure of so many other areas. 

 

So, what does Thailand offer? It is much like the LA area. It is coasting on it's long lost reputation, of the glory days of yesteryear. Most Westerners have more or less gotten that. That combined with the military rule, the lack of traffic and public safety policy, the complete lack of vision of the Tourism Ministry, the inability or unwillingness to tackle the continuing tourist problems with regard to the jet ski, boat rental, jewelry, false arrest, and bike damage scams, plus the lack of the clean up of the beaches and the water, Western tourism continues to decline, at an alarming rate, and it is being replaced by the zero baht Chinese tourists, who will unwittingly be eventually responsible for the collapse of the industry. 

 

And you are right. The Thais are just not trying too hard. Little effort is being made to improve things here for tourists. Prices keep climbing, even though there is not the kind of service to back it up, that justifies the price increases. There is no progressive policy here in regard to just about anything. And there are few in the government with the intelligence and the vision to even be aware of the real issues. 

 

Thailand will drop to #6 within ASEAN economically, and perhaps with regard to tourism, within 15 years, in my humble opinion. Behind the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Burma. They are trying harder, and all of them are more progressive. Thailand is not. The current economic policy here has been a disaster. 

 

To the world at large, being Thai means nothing. Some of us realize that there are some rather special qualities to being Thai. At least to those of us who have been here awhile, have an open mind, and know some really lovely Thai people. They do have alot of amazing qualities. But, for most people, being Thai is an illusion that exists only in the mind of a Thai person, who has been subject to a lifetime of nationalistic doctrination. 

[Winniedapu]

56 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

 

 

All very good points. When you visit the Philippines, you realize Thailand was has never really adapted to Western tourism. It is like another planet for most people. The place is so foreign, the culture so remote and incomprehensible, for some it is just too much. Being in a place for a few weeks where few practice common sense or reason can be difficult. There are some great resorts here. And some nice temples and such, but the attractions just do not compare to an Anchor in Cambodia, Bagan in Burma, or some of the pristine mountain ranges and beaches in Vietnam, and the National Parks and interior ranges of Malaysia. Nor the exceptionally beautiful waters of Indonesia, once you get off the beaten track. On the Andaman side there are some nice beaches, and the water is gorgeous, but with the exception of the West coast of Phuket, few are able to take advantage of that. Most are exposed to only the Gulf, which is a fairly foul body of water, due to the horrific lack of environmental policy on the part of the government, and the continued allowance of drain off from the Ayutthaya area industrial estates, the Gulf coast waters lack the cleanliness and allure of so many other areas. 

 

So, what does Thailand offer? It is much like the LA area. It is coasting on it's long lost reputation, of the glory days of yesteryear. Most Westerners have more or less gotten that. That combined with the military rule, the lack of traffic and public safety policy, the complete lack of vision of the Tourism Ministry, the inability or unwillingness to tackle the continuing tourist problems with regard to the jet ski, boat rental, jewelry, false arrest, and bike damage scams, plus the lack of the clean up of the beaches and the water, Western tourism continues to decline, at an alarming rate, and it is being replaced by the zero baht Chinese tourists, who will unwittingly be eventually responsible for the collapse of the industry. 

 

And you are right. The Thais are just not trying too hard. Little effort is being made to improve things here for tourists. Prices keep climbing, even though there is not the kind of service to back it up, that justifies the price increases. There is no progressive policy here in regard to just about anything. And there are few in the government with the intelligence and the vision to even be aware of the real issues. 

 

Thailand will drop to #6 within ASEAN economically, and perhaps with regard to tourism, within 15 years, in my humble opinion. Behind the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Burma. They are trying harder, and all of them are more progressive. Thailand is not. The current economic policy here has been a disaster. 

 

To the world at large, being Thai means nothing. Some of us realize that there are some rather special qualities to being Thai. At least to those of us who have been here awhile, have an open mind, and know some really lovely Thai people. They do have alot of amazing qualities. But, for most people, being Thai is an illusion that exists only in the mind of a Thai person, who has been subject to a lifetime of nationalistic doctrination. 

 

I'm quite sure you're right about most of this.

 

It's a normal function of everyone's mind to base their opinions of a population upon just a few people. I, for example do not enjoy the company of most Thais (and many westerners for that matter) because of past experiences with other of their countrymen/countrywomen, and from what I see of what they say and do (and appear to think). It's normal but not really the politically correct nonsense many people like to trot out because they heard it somewhere and it sounded all cool and enlightened and stuff.

 

I suspect that your rosy view of some/many Thais is based on your personal experience of some Thais (probably only a few), whom you happened to like personally, and it's only natural to extend that across a larger number of people. Only natural, and sensible from an evolutionary psychology viewpoint, but not solid reasoning.

 

I do think you're right about Thailand's future, but the disjoint between those comments you made about the collective population and those you made when were having recollections of friends or good acquaintances in mind was pretty stark.

 

:...and know some really lovely Thai people. They do have a lot of amazing qualities."

 

I doubt Thais have any propensity for loveliness or any amazing qualities which are not shared by every other nation on earth, this is your personal perception speaking and not the probable reality of what was implied - the 'meta-meaning' of what was written. On the other hand, it would be reasonable to attribute the currently obvious decline in Thailand's fortunes, precisely to the Thai people, their culture and how they behave (though probably not the ones you had in your mind's eye when writing your post).

 

Whimsy is a wonderful thing sometimes, but Thailand has ceased to be a country where whimsy is either quaint or charming, and it is rapidly become the place that an unfashionable few of us always knew it would; the apparent decline in tourism is just one more confirmation of it. In my view.

 

Not a criticism in any way of your post, because I think you're largely right, but I do feel that having a sentimental view of some Thais is unhelpful when considering their inevitable decline into obscurity and self-destruction. Which I suspect is very much closer than is generally thought.

 

Winnie

 

 

Edited August 7, 2016 by Winniedapu

[Ronuk]

Ao Manoa is superb.  There is even a very nice hotel there with pool.

It's kept away from tourist advertising. They don't want it ruined like tourists have ruined most of Thailands beach resorts. Never ever been asked for a passport or ID. You are free to drive and walk around as you please. Just be careful where you park. They do not like you parking or stopping anywhere other than in designated parking areas of which there are plenty. There are also beautiful beaches and numerous places to stay and eat outside of the Military Base. The military Base is only a very small part of Ao Manoa.

[spidermike007]

5 hours ago, Ronuk said:

Ao Manoa is superb.  There is even a very nice hotel there with pool.

It's kept away from tourist advertising. They don't want it ruined like tourists have ruined most of Thailands beach resorts. Never ever been asked for a passport or ID. You are free to drive and walk around as you please. Just be careful where you park. They do not like you parking or stopping anywhere other than in designated parking areas of which there are plenty. There are also beautiful beaches and numerous places to stay and eat outside of the Military Base. The military Base is only a very small part of Ao Manoa.

 

 

That entire region is one of the top regions in all of Thailand, and certainly the top region on the Gulf, for countless reasons. 

[DrTuner]

The locusts have eaten the land clear and it's time to move. Nothing new there. All that's left to wonder is which nation will be invaded next. Vietnam seems like the likely candidate in SEA, followed by Myanmar.

[derator01]

Please stick to the topic.