If tourism has a dark side, it’s our own fault: Thai editorial

[webfact]

If tourism has a dark side, it’s our own fault
By The Nation

 

Allowing our guests to be swindled and abused makes us poor hosts – and the country poorer

 

Thailand – an alluring destination for foreigners from the earliest days of Persian and Chinese trade missions and Portuguese explorers – has counted tourism as its single biggest money earner since advances in aviation made air travel affordable in the latter part of the last century. The number of tourists arriving from all over the world has never stopped growing, with this year’s tally likely to top 30 million. The Kingdom has much to offer indeed – the sub-tropical climate, elegant temples, revered food, gorgeous beaches and majestic mountains with their colourful ethnic tribes.

 

And yet, as with all good things, here as everywhere, there is always a worrying downside to tourism. While Thai culture is sturdy enough to resist the worst of foreign influences, we have our own tendency to curry favour among those visitors who arrive with agendas that have nothing to do with beaches or Buddhism. Quite apart from the revenue gleaned from hotel bookings, guided tours, elephant rides and admissions to attractions, there is just as much money to be made from sordid activities that routinely see women and wildlife abused, health and lives put at risk. Ultimately, they also see the country’s overseas reputation further stained.

 

The dark side of Thai tourism includes overpricing, lurid sex shows in bars, gang-controlled prostitution, dangerous means of transport, robbery of every scale and, increasingly, violent assaults on tourists.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/opinion/today_editorial/30302588

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-12-22

 

[ezflip]

Preaching to the choir. Yet, falling on deaf Thai ears...again.

[PatOngo]

Congratulations in order here, someone brave enough to look inwardly for a change. Well done.

[petermik]

Will the powers that be accept and acknowledge this.................I think not

[fruitman]

Thailand could become the touristic hub of Asia if they just invested seriously in tourism...it has to be safe in all ways, speaking english (police/hospitals/shops/restaurants/malls/busdrivers/taxidrivers and so on).

 

Build some serious attractions which are unique to Thailand like a huge fruit-resort where ALL tropical fruit of the world can be eaten.

 

Stop dual pricing, make it all affordable without cheating and dirty low tricks. Make it totally possible to walk around on good sidewalks everywhere, nice parks, clean air, clean beaches/sea, good places for diving/snorkling/swimming/dining/drinking.

 

Chinese who live in huge cities would love to go to a green relaxed place down to earth, see animals and nature and just relax (after going to the designer outlets for shopping first).

 

Thailand needs serious attractions which attract thousands of visitors a day, huge waterparks, gardens, forests, wildlife reserves, attraction parks western standard and much more.

 

Stop with growing rice and give the land back to nature and animals. Organise great jungletours with boattrips, eating from tree's/plants , animal feeding, bird watching, elephant watching, waterfall swimming and so on.

 

But first of all, make it organised and install a real policeforce who also speaks english and gets a decent salary.

[tukkytuktuk]

Vietnam is becoming increasingly more popular than Thailand for young tourists.

[boomerangutang]

I find: the more tourist-packed a place, the ruder and more morose the locals' attitudes toward farang.

 

I reside in Chiang Rai.  Compared to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Bkk, and Pattaya, we're not packed with tourists.  Therefore, we have friendlier locals.  price gouging is rare.  No morose eyes-half-closed mumbling responses to questions - as found in touristy regions.  When I enter a restaurant here or in Burma, I don't ask/look at prices.  I just ask if they have what I want, and I trust the price will be fair (same as price charged for locals) .....and it always is.   I also don't tip automatically at restaurants, because waiters quickly get in a habit of expecting tips.   I do, however, tip for services elsewhere, such as bricklayers, weed cutters, ditch diggers, car washers, etc,..... whomever does a better-than-expected job.

[NCC1701A]

30 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Thailand could become the touristic hub of Asia if they just invested seriously in tourism...it has to be safe in all ways, speaking english (police/hospitals/shops/restaurants/malls/busdrivers/taxidrivers and so on).

 

Build some serious attractions which are unique to Thailand like a huge fruit-resort where ALL tropical fruit of the world can be eaten.

 

Stop dual pricing, make it all affordable without cheating and dirty low tricks. Make it totally possible to walk around on good sidewalks everywhere, nice parks, clean air, clean beaches/sea, good places for diving/snorkling/swimming/dining/drinking.

 

Chinese who live in huge cities would love to go to a green relaxed place down to earth, see animals and nature and just relax (after going to the designer outlets for shopping first).

 

Thailand needs serious attractions which attract thousands of visitors a day, huge waterparks, gardens, forests, wildlife reserves, attraction parks western standard and much more.

 

Stop with growing rice and give the land back to nature and animals. Organise great jungletours with boattrips, eating from tree's/plants , animal feeding, bird watching, elephant watching, waterfall swimming and so on.

 

But first of all, make it organised and install a real policeforce who also speaks english and gets a decent salary.

you are describing a completely different country.

Thailand is at least 40 years away from this and there would need to be a armed revolution.

And if this could happen overnight, the cost of living would soar and many expats could not live here.

 

NOT TO SAY THESE ARE NOT GOOD IDEAS.

 

 

Edited December 22, 2016 by NCC1701A

[boomerangutang]

13 minutes ago, tukkytuktuk said:

Vietnam is becoming increasingly more popular than Thailand for young tourists.

 

 

wow, can someone clone that girl? I want one.  I met an El Salvador gal last year while traveling.  Yeeoww.

[fruitman]

16 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

you are describing a completely different country.

Thailand is at least 40 years away from this and there would need to be a armed revolution.

And if this could happen overnight, the cost of living would soar and many expats could not live here.

 

NOT TO SAY THESE ARE NOT GOOD IDEAS.

 

 

 

It doesn't have to cost that much but yes takes 10 years if they work really hard on it.

 

The invested money could come back 10-100 times in the decade after it.

 

Thailand has education and schools but i wonder what they learn there. Technical schools seem to be boxingrings, the level of education from there is extreme low and can only be improved by Japanese or Westerners, same goes for english language.

 

But the Thai have to change their mindset and go for the long run. It also takes at least a decade to get rid of the bad name they have for cheating, low quality, sex, safety and being selfish.

 

When they see a rich customer they want to extort him, that's first thought. If they change that in making him a returning customer they would be smart. But they lost me as their customer already, have been cheated/extorted too many times..Last weekend i was in a "real 5*" hotel and had to hear circular saws from breakfast and all day long....(cape Dara pattaya).

[CantSpell]

A very good article, though one part amused me:

 

 We have a solid Tourist Police force that by most accounts does a fine job of aiding and protecting visitors

 

I kind of lol'd :)

[yellowboat]

The article is a breath of fresh air.   Thailand is or was a very nice place, but it is a broken society full of very good and very bad people.   You have to be careful and patient.  

[mike324]

problem with Thailand is that education never caught up, instead its slipping backwards, no government in the past two decades were serious about tackling the problem, yet the Education Ministry has one of the highest education budgets around the world too!

 

Government simply think that if we buy tablets and equipment, thai kids will automatically get smarter and we will be like a first world country in 4 years time.

[Enoon]

"The dark side of Thai tourism includes overpricing, lurid sex shows in bars, gang-controlled prostitution, dangerous means of transport, robbery of every scale and, increasingly, violent assaults on tourists. "

 

Bold = Tourist not like.

 

The rest draws more tourists than it scares away.  If indeed it scares away any at all.

 

Edited December 22, 2016 by Enoon

[Rhys]

the draw the charm people come and go, so be it.

[Enoon]

 

"While Thai culture is sturdy enough to resist the worst of foreign influences"

 

Please tell us more about the character/faults of your potential customers.

 

 

Edited December 22, 2016 by Enoon

[bodymassagemyfriend]

2 hours ago, fruitman said:

Thailand could become the touristic hub of Asia if they just invested seriously in tourism...it has to be safe in all ways, speaking english (police/hospitals/shops/restaurants/malls/busdrivers/taxidrivers and so on).

 

Build some serious attractions which are unique to Thailand like a huge fruit-resort where ALL tropical fruit of the world can be eaten.

 

Stop dual pricing, make it all affordable without cheating and dirty low tricks. Make it totally possible to walk around on good sidewalks everywhere, nice parks, clean air, clean beaches/sea, good places for diving/snorkling/swimming/dining/drinking.

 

Chinese who live in huge cities would love to go to a green relaxed place down to earth, see animals and nature and just relax (after going to the designer outlets for shopping first).

 

Thailand needs serious attractions which attract thousands of visitors a day, huge waterparks, gardens, forests, wildlife reserves, attraction parks western standard and much more.

 

Stop with growing rice and give the land back to nature and animals. Organise great jungletours with boattrips, eating from tree's/plants , animal feeding, bird watching, elephant watching, waterfall swimming and so on.

 

But first of all, make it organised and install a real policeforce who also speaks english and gets a decent salary.

No thanks , no 'attraction centers' which capture all the revenues that could be given to many small business . Country growth mainly means giving the money to the upper class. Would be enough for the country to look like a peacefull ,safe and exotic destination. Not ruined by malls , condos and Disneyland like centers. The American model of tourism is precisely what destroyed the place. With all the McDo , Starbucks. Where is Thailand now? Where are the gorgeous beaches?  Out of reach for the average tourist.

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

robbery of every scale and, increasingly, violent assaults on tourists.

Better cancel the internet line for the BIB focus focus focus. 

[tukkytuktuk]

Thailand is losing its smile. In its place is a stare, the kind of stare you give when you look through someone. The kind of stare you get in New York or London. No more the bend over backwards to help you attitude but the stare.

A bit like the stare people used to give Pakistani and Indian people when they started to live in England.

The English teacher doesn't get the stare much he's obviously been here a while, with that tanned skin and his Thai customs. But the tourist is spotted and stared at. Especially the children.

When I first came to Thailand over 15 years ago it was always a smile you got from every one you made eye contact with then they would look down after a while in a shy manner. Now its the stare.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, CantSpell said:

A very good article, though one part amused me:

I kind of lol'd :)

 

Yes, can't quite imagine where The Nation got that idea re the Tourist Police.

 

Other than that, a decent assessment and a decent editorial -- which will go entirely unheeded by pretty much all.

 

[elgordo38]

I 

Just now, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Yes, can't quite imagine where The Nation got that idea re the Tourist Police.

 

Other than that, a decent assessment and a decent editorial -- which will go entirely unheeded by pretty much all.

 

Tourist police is that the number you dial and never get an answer. 

[elgordo38]

To solve the problem the police need to be weaned off the police culture (way) of doing things. Put all the high muckety muck officers handmaidens on patrol visible patrol they do not need handmaidens they are not cripples physically anyways. I have seen them with 2 or 3 flunkies fawning over them. Instill a value system not via brown envelopes. Give them a foot patrol area like policing was years ago. There is just to much of a police kiosk culture here more movement is needed. Take all illegally parked motorbikes especially on sidewalks to the cop shop to be redeemed with cash. 2nd time more cash. When a motorbike is due for licensing tell the owner to fire it up if its to loud no license extension. Bring it back when the problem is fixed. Put more onus on the owner to do things right rather than selective policing. Rather than using a shotgun policing method provide some sort of awareness of the law being broken. The police have to stop sitting at choke points to look for offenders and in some cases using the uniform to prove that they are "right" Thailand needs less subs and a higher paid police force. I guess until the higher ups get their priorities straighten out there will be little change. The Darth Vader dark side will remain. 

Edited December 22, 2016 by elgordo38

[WhizBang]

Good that someone is pointing the finger back at Thailand and Thais, however they completed missed that one of the biggest source of problems is the RTP.

 

Untill the RTP and the Thai justice system gets a complete top to bottom reform, NOTHING will change in this country where money trumps the law or any form of justice.   Prayut is simply a puppet of the Thai elite.
 

By the way, where are these 'lurid sex shows'?  I have been here over 15 years and have never seen a lurid sex show, and not for want of looking, I might add.  

 

Edited December 22, 2016 by WhizBang

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, fruitman said:

Thailand could become the touristic hub of Asia if they just invested seriously in tourism...it has to be safe in all ways, speaking english (police/hospitals/shops/restaurants/malls/busdrivers/taxidrivers and so on).

 

Build some serious attractions which are unique to Thailand like a huge fruit-resort where ALL tropical fruit of the world can be eaten.

 

Stop dual pricing, make it all affordable without cheating and dirty low tricks. Make it totally possible to walk around on good sidewalks everywhere, nice parks, clean air, clean beaches/sea, good places for diving/snorkling/swimming/dining/drinking.

 

Chinese who live in huge cities would love to go to a green relaxed place down to earth, see animals and nature and just relax (after going to the designer outlets for shopping first).

 

Thailand needs serious attractions which attract thousands of visitors a day, huge waterparks, gardens, forests, wildlife reserves, attraction parks western standard and much more.

 

Stop with growing rice and give the land back to nature and animals. Organise great jungletours with boattrips, eating from tree's/plants , animal feeding, bird watching, elephant watching, waterfall swimming and so on.

 

But first of all, make it organised and install a real policeforce who also speaks english and gets a decent salary.

Very well said, but Thailand does not have the brain power to do all these things, they are too busy sending long term tourists to the borders for an in and out stamp, and risking their lives on border run mini buses.

[boomerangutang]

Did you hear (true story); a small group of backpackers were going from one airport to the other in a van.  The Thai driver kept nodding off while speeding along.  The passengers would giggle and wake him. After several times, some of the passengers wanted to get out.  The driver wouldn't allow them to leave.  ......luckily, all survived. 

 

The one and last time I took a taxi to town from a Bkk airport - when we got to the destination, the driver wouldn't allow me to take my pack out of the trunk/boot until I paid him a 200 baht tip.  I didn't, but I got my pack out anyway.  If I was like the average out-of-shape, eager-to-please tourist, I would have tipped him

[Wilsonandson]

I have never been to the Phillipines but have met many Filipinos over here in Thailand. Most were very nice, friendly people. I'm seriously thinking of going on holiday there instead of Thailand next year. I know the President is a bit crazy but that won't put me off. This video is interesting because the guy in it says you can actually make real friends with Fillipinos. In Thailand I have Thai friends but are they real friends? They need alot of attention my Thai friends. If you go away for a week or two and come back it takes a few days to re introduce yourself to them and get talking normally again. Anyways heres the video. Which is best for a holiday Thailand or the Phillipines?

 

[onthesoi]

7 hours ago, petermik said:

Will the powers that be accept and acknowledge this.................I think not

 

They do accept and acknowledge this, but when they try to do something about it, for eg cracking down on 'zero dollar tours' or cleaning up the side walks and making them safer, then the falang on TV start whining about the junta and democracy etc....

Edited December 22, 2016 by onthesoi

[freebyrd]

6 minutes ago, Wilsonandson said:

I have never been to the Phillipines but have met many Filipinos over here in Thailand. Most were very nice, friendly people. I'm seriously thinking of going on holiday there instead of Thailand next year. I know the President is a bit crazy but that won't put me off. This video is interesting because the guy in it says you can actually make real friends with Fillipinos. In Thailand I have Thai friends but are they real friends? They need alot of attention my Thai friends. If you go away for a week or two and come back it takes a few days to re introduce yourself to them and get talking normally again. Anyways heres the video. Which is best for a holiday Thailand or the Phillipines?

 

 

Make real friends with Filipinos - who the hell are they trying to kid?!

 

I lived 5 years in PI, most are as shallow as puddles.

 

Sirrrr, it's my birthday, what you give me? 6 months later,  Sirrrr, it's your birthday, what you give me? 

 

I left 10 years ago and will never go back. They are worse than Thais as they can lie fluently and cheat and steal just as well.

[thehelmsman]

The only improvement I wish for are nicer beaches. Everything else should be left alone. Not necessary to Disneyize the entire planet. Don't understand why some are so determined to change Thailand. So what if it's not the right place for fat Helga and Hans. Something else I don't understand are parents who bring babies on holiday to Thailand. What are you thinking?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

44 minutes ago, onthesoi said:

 

They do accept and acknowledge this, but when they try to do something about it, for eg cracking down on 'zero dollar tours' or cleaning up the side walks and making them safer, then the falang on TV start whining about the junta and democracy etc....

 

The crackdown on Chinese "zero dollar tours" had nothing to do with making Thailand a better place for tourists.

 

It only had to do with the Thai authorities ensuring that Thai business interests got their cut of the financial spoils and didn't end up being cut out by their Chinese counterparts.