TAT rethinks plan as China arrivals fall

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, surinderek said:

Chrissables post saysit all. Been twice in the last few months and tourists ate flocking to Vietnam,

They are,but not sure how mass Chinese tourism will go down with the locals.

[spidermike007]

The TAT is one of the least competent organizations that has worked within this country for perhaps the past several decades. The degree to which this entire administration is in over their heads boggles the mind. It is apparent by now that by courting the Chinese tourists, and virtually ignoring the Western tourists, the current administration is sabotaging an industry that has taken four decades to build. Talk about myopic. Talk about a complete lack of vision. Talk about a lack of experience, and appointing the wrong people to the wrong positions. It is a blunder of historic proportions, and unfortunately millions will lose their jobs over time, and billions will be lost on four and five star hotel investments. Perhaps a decade or two from now, they will teach about this stage of history in tourism industry classes, and it will be a lesson in what not to do.

 

For now, the common, good, hard working people of Thailand are made to suffer. The loss of trade for them must be devastating. For many of us, this is a good thing. The baht will no doubt drop further, as will the Thai economy. Hotels will continue to drop their prices, as demand will fall off, even more. But, I do not like seeing the local people suffer, while these deluded fools continue with completely arrogant and foolhardy policies, and their astounding lack of vision.

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

If you watch NHK World TV they're all flocking to Japan, where they're made very welcome with all sorts of attractions laid on for their benefit. Also some of the larger electrical and clothing stores are selling goods at reduced prices which are a lot cheaper than buying at home.

Also the Japanese government has slashed tax tariffs on goods purchased to a duty free status to further promote travelers!

Maybe Thailand should watch & learn how to entice & keep tourists.. not see them as a one off cash cow!

Thailands idea is get them in the country, rip them off & send them home fleeced, or worse still, rob them at knifepoint or kill them on the roads/beaches.

NHK,through their travel shows,especially the train one,has encouraged me to go next year.

[louse1953]

59 minutes ago, Sparkles said:

If I was living overseas and considering a holiday in Thailand,Vietnam,Laos or Myanmar Thailand would be fourth on the list.The arrogance of TAT and stupid restrictions on alcohol hours,closing times and treating adults like naughty children are coming back to bite them in the rear end.The parties over.

 

 

55,can't get a beer between 2 and 5 and the early party start is over.Every good alcho knows where to get a beer at any hour of the day,i do.

[Jonmarleesco]

So the TAT is rethinking the plan it didn't think about in the first place.

[JackThompson]

17 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The TAT is one of the least competent organizations that has worked within this country for perhaps the past several decades. The degree to which this entire administration is in over their heads boggles the mind. It is apparent by now that by courting the Chinese tourists, and virtually ignoring the Western tourists, the current administration is sabotaging an industry that has taken four decades to build. Talk about myopic. Talk about a complete lack of vision. ...

 

Bear in mind, TAT is contending with Immigration policies being set by other authorities, which are sabotaging their goals by making it harder for Westerners to spend more time and money in Thailand.

[louse1953]

43 minutes ago, seadigital said:

I've been vacationing in Chiangmai for almost 5 years now and THIS year, (all in one week) I've been stopped 4 times for not having a international drivers licence. Fined 2 out of 4 times even though I had all correct paperwork besides a license which was never a problem before and I showed them my SETV from Cambodia. 

 

I also got to witness a cop fine my 74 yo friend 1,000 baht in BKK when we were driving back from Hua Hin. He said my friend made an improper lane change (which was total BS). My friend was wondering if we were in the correct toll lane from when we first entered and luckily we were so we stayed in that lane.

 

Hope they stop scamming western tourists. I keep telling my family all the reasons why I love Thailand and encourage them to come!

 

P.S. The Chinese tourists I've met have been inconsiderate and rude. I stayed 2 weeks at Banyon Tree BKK @ 400 USD / night I let a Chinese tourist cut in front of me to eat. (I wai'ed) Then 9 more of her Chinese friends cut in front of me and then my thanks was they just walked through me like I wasn't even standing there! None of them thanked me!

Time after time the Chinese are showing me how rude they are. I can't believe they know how to live with other people. Off the sky train 6 Chinese tourists decided to walk against traffic and through all the people; including me! In TOP supermarket they all cut in front like me and my Thai friend were invisible. I hope they stop coming; they are like animals with no respect, dignity or manors. They are inconsiderate. Good riddance if you ask me.

You were not stopped because you had no Int license,they are not mind readers.No Thai license or Int license to back up your other country license is a fine.They actually did you a favour by only fining you twice.When dealing with Chinese you have to think Chinese,they get out of my way.I speak Thai to them so the locals know what i am doing.

[bikerbri]

Chinese tourism is booming,................ in countries that have casinos. They are flooding into Cambodia. 

[chrissables]

3 hours ago, mcfish said:

Nice for you and your bike but the rest of us end up in Hanoi or Saigon surrounding by a million backpackers and a million scooters All blowing their horns in unison, it's deafening! And not a go go in sight. And the street hawkers are so relentless that I was forced in restaurants to sit as far inside as possible.
Not thanks but you enjoy your tour though.

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk
 

I did actually stay at 40 hotels in different towns and cities. The whole of Vietnam is not in those two cities, as Bangkok is not how all of Thailand is.

[mcfish]

I did actually stay at 40 hotels in different towns and cities. The whole of Vietnam is not in those two cities, as Bangkok is not how all of Thailand is.

No doubt bike tours are fantastic in Vietnam and I follow a group on Facebook that do just that across all of South East Asia increadable scenery but reality is most of us will never visit 40 hotels or tour on a bike.

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

[CGW]

59 minutes ago, louse1953 said:

55,don't you rekon they are used to that in China.

I have been to China many times and for sure they have some huge queues to pass immigration and for sure they deal with the masses a lot quicker than they do in Thailand!

[Jackin1960]

Don't put all your eggs in one basket and when Thailand finally returns to some democratic norm you might see a real rise in trade and tourism. 

[onthesoi]

6 hours ago, Dukeleto said:

 

Yes nationalise OA Transport and send a very terrifying message

 

Exactly ....send a terrifying message through the entire sector which says if you engage in scam activity towards tourists, to the extent it effects the health of the thai ecomony, then your assets will be seized and redeployed under different management.

 

Not only that but it would kick start the chinese tour industry again, this time without the scams.

 

You think the same people who manage the entire country cannot manage a bus service?

 

I dont expect you to understand, your hatred of the thai government is obvious from your post, hatred always skews judgement.

Edited December 19, 2016 by onthesoi

[chrissables]

1 hour ago, louse1953 said:

55,can't get a beer between 2 and 5 and the early party start is over.Every good alcho knows where to get a beer at any hour of the day,i do.

I think you are missing the point. It's the total control for no reason that is so infuriating. 

[chrissables]

34 minutes ago, mcfish said:

No doubt bike tours are fantastic in Vietnam and I follow a group on Facebook that do just that across all of South East Asia increadable scenery but reality is most of us will never visit 40 hotels or tour on a bike.

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk
 

Checking in 40 times was a pain!

 

I did the trip alone, so free to travel where i liked. I actually liked both Hanoi and Saigon, it was a nice mix and some of the rural places. Although as you said, Saigon especially, is noisy!

[onthesoi]

7 minutes ago, chrissables said:

I think you are missing the point. It's the total control for no reason that is so infuriating. 

 

Thai alchohol laws are pretty much the same as western countries.

[lvr181]

OMG - anyone with their feet on the ground (rather than their heads in the  clouds i.e. cuckoo land/la la land) would have realised what has been going on.  

 

I wonder if the Minister realises this yet? Anyone told her? 

[Jim walker]

Thai tourist hosts are getting better organised for fleecing tourists from tuk tuk driver bus operators and even the hotel operators all getting good at taking scamming money from the inexperienced travellers plenty more geese and golden eggs once these ones are finished.  put up all the prices easy cure for getting more takings   

[chrissables]

1 hour ago, onthesoi said:

 

Thai alchohol laws are pretty much the same as western countries.

Where, certainly not where i used to go. Although it has been many years since i was there.

[onthesoi]

13 minutes ago, chrissables said:

Where, certainly not where i used to go. Although it has been many years since i was there.

 

In the UK for example: alcohol can be sold between the hours of 10am and 10pm. Some stores may have further restrictions, namely that alcohol can only be sold on a Sunday between the hours of 12:30pm and 10pm.

 

Once you know the laws in Thailand and the lay of the local area then working around them is easy.

 

If you want an example of draconian measures in the west that make Thailand seem like an alcoholics wet dream in comparison then read this link:

 

The following list of dry communities by U.S. state details all of the counties and municipalities in the United States of America that ban the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Map showing   dry (red),   wet (blue), and   mixed (yellow) counties in the United States.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dry_communities_by_U.S._state

 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2016 by onthesoi

[Thailand]

2 hours ago, CGW said:

I have been to China many times and for sure they have some huge queues to pass immigration and for sure they deal with the masses a lot quicker than they do in Thailand!

China border crossing in to Macau from the Zhuhai side on just a normal day is something special, never seen so many people,but very efficient. And they do do have an "express" line for the over 65's.

[chrissables]

3 minutes ago, onthesoi said:

 

In the UK for example: alcohol can be sold between the hours of 10am and 10pm. Some stores may have further restrictions, namely that alcohol can only be sold on a Sunday between the hours of 12:30pm and 10pm.

 

Once you know the laws in Thailand and the lay of the local area then working around them is easy.

 

If you want an example of draconian measures in the west that make Thailand seem like an alcoholics wet dream in comparison then read this link:

 

The following list of dry communities by U.S. state details all of the counties and municipalities in the United States of America that ban the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Map showing   dry (red),   wet (blue), and   mixed (yellow) counties in the United States.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dry_communities_by_U.S._state

 

 

 

Although Pattaya ignores the rules, or has an exception. For me, being a tourist city it is crazy to have these laws.

 

I actually never or rarely drink in the day. But when i travel i don't want to think about how to bypass the rules. Of course it is easy if you live in a city, but i can remember last year in Pai, many people scratching their heads in the local 7-11 as it was past 2pm. Even a restaurant could not serve a beer. 

[DSJPC]

duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!...but then T I T, ain't it???

[onthesoi]

13 minutes ago, chrissables said:

 but i can remember last year in Pai, many people scratching their heads in the local 7-11 as it was past 2pm. Even a restaurant could not serve a beer. 

 

You can buy between 11am-12pm excluding the 3 hours between 2-5pm.

 

The UK for example sell alcohol only 2 hours more per day in comparison. 11am-11pm.

 

Certain tourist areas, Nana, Pattaya etc get longer serving times, up to 3am etc but this fluctuates on how well the venues keep their noses clean.

 

If people are scratching their heads it's because they haven't bothered their arse to learn the laws.

[The Deerhunter]

A week is a long time in Thai politics.  Hoe many days ago were Chinese tourism numbers going to save Thai tourism.  Must nearly be time to lower some prices and start being polite to tourists.  The  game plan of being a 30 year but still temporary favoured tourist destination is being inexorably being played out.  It was great while it lasted but all good things must end. Look out Vietnam, here they come, but get it while you can.  Biafra or North Korea must get a turn soon.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

13 hours ago, simon43 said:

Syria, Syria, Syria! They are all trying to leave their country.  There lies the new source of tourists.

 

... And then Afghanistan

 

... And maybe Iraq

I said the same about two weeks ago

[6thST]

Hmmmm I wonder why! With the police harassing them on rented Scooters and demanding  tea money and all the tour shops cheating every chance they get and the list goes on so why would they want to return to Thailand,they tell all their friends in China,not to come here because of all the corruption.Have a nice day!!!  

[TSF]

7 minutes ago, 6thST said:

Hmmmm I wonder why! With the police harassing them on rented Scooters and demanding  tea money and all the tour shops cheating every chance they get and the list goes on so why would they want to return to Thailand,they tell all their friends in China,not to come here because of all the corruption.Have a nice day!!!  

That's it. Go back 10-20 years everyone said YEAH come to Thailand, it's great. I used to write letters to my friends & family encouraging them to come here next holiday. Now I tell people not to bother, try elsewhere..Vietnam, Cambodia, other places.

[Mooner]

3 hours ago, onthesoi said:

 

You can buy between 11am-12pm excluding the 3 hours between 2-5pm.

 

The UK for example sell alcohol only 2 hours more per day in comparison. 11am-11pm.

 

Certain tourist areas, Nana, Pattaya etc get longer serving times, up to 3am etc but this fluctuates on how well the venues keep their noses clean.

 

If people are scratching their heads it's because they haven't bothered their arse to learn the laws.

I understand the laws and think they are fine regarding bars. My issue is I live on a island and when I make my trip to the mainland and arrive at Makro or Tops it tends to be after 2 because of work commitments. Also I need to be back at the pier to get home by six so I often find myself out between 2-5pm not able to by some beer Loas or some Kirin.

[onthesoi]

1 minute ago, Mooner said:

I understand the laws and think they are fine regarding bars. My issue is I live on a island and when I make my trip to the mainland and arrive at Makro or Tops it tends to be after 2 because of work commitments. Also I need to be back at the pier to get home by six so I often find myself out between 2-5pm not able to by some beer Loas or some Kirin.

 

For eg, why not call ahead during hours and pay in advance using a cc, then you can collect your order between 2-5pm.

 

There will be people in every country in the world who find licensing laws inconvenient because they live in remote locations.   It's just a case of finding a solution to work around.