If the Thais just smile all the tourists will come flooding back!

[chilli42]

Good news for the TAT chiefs ... they have a ready made excuse for a decline in tourist numbers.  They don't even have tofudge the numbers this year.

[louse1953]

4 hours ago, Bullie said:

I've been hearing very good things about Cambodia lately.... 30 percent cheaper, genuine smiles, infrastructure much improved, very palatable food (french influence!) for the farang taste at normal prices. Even the chinese tourists are happier there. Easy visa's, beautiful beaches and women and still an abundance of nature to enjoy.

The Thai can start smiling all they want again,  they are loosing the race for the "quality tourists", and all this can only end in tears for them.

 

Well,instead of listening,get over and have a look.I rekon you will change your mind.

[louse1953]

4 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Disagree cambodia is a true hell hole.thailand is a far better place to spend your time on every aspect maybe only the visa regulations procedure is a less hassle in cambo.

easier to get weed.

[ThaiWai]

When TAT and Immigration stop working against each other and start working with each other, things will improve.  Nothing feels worse then believing an advertisement to visit a country just to be met by a miserable prick in the airport upon arrival.

[louse1953]

Some of you blokes make me laugh.Not only can profile smiles in Thailand but this ability crosses borders to Cambo,truly amazing farangs.

[Thaidream]

Spot on- the Immigration Department in Thailand and its lack of understanding who is a real tourist and who is not is causing actual long term tourists to avoid Thailand because they are getting hassled and this is causing Thailand to lose money.  A perfect example is the limit to 2 land border crossings- inhibiting tourists who want to visit several countries in SE Asia and use Thailand as a base- simply avoid Thailand. in addition,  expats living in countries adjacent to Thailand coming frequently by land to do shopping and medical issues are limited to 2 crossings. This makes no sense at all and again costing Thailand needed revenue. Throw in the oil/gas workers who dorotations that get hassled about trips to Thailand and you have a losing situation.

 

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, wavemanwww said:

It's simple but not for the economists running this lovely country their maths and minds are too simple. I'm married to a Thai. She and I have been living in Auatralia since 2013 where I spent a year in Thailand in 2013. exchange rate then was 30 bah= 1 US dollar which equalled $1 Au dollar then.

 

Now $1 Au = 25 Bah and Aussie dollar is now about 75 % of US dollar  yet the Thai economy is going down the toilet? Reason the Thai Bah is clearly fixed and overvalued wih the US dollar. No matter how bad their economy gets. So solution FLOAT the Thai BAH.  My wife as a Thai sends less and less from Australia as the exchange rate is so bad to her family in Thailand. Same theory with number of torists with quality. Less and less

Jeez mate,how could you be so wrong on all counts.Don't blame Australia's decline and your poverty on Thailand,look closer to Canberra.A wise man cashed in big time at 32 baht and is still living of it,i knew it wouldn't last.Should have been here in the late 90's,17 baht/$a1.

[Jane Dough]

1 hour ago, Suttisan said:

At 42 baht to the pound many won't be back for a while, myself included. 

So where are you going to get lots for your pound? Cleethorpes? 

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, tropo said:

Road blocks are becoming a huge annoyance in Pattaya too. It's hard to go for a ride at night without running into one.

One day there is not enough police on the road checking drunks,licences,ect.,now there is too many,spoils the ride.Can't win,can they.

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, rawaimike said:

Had A Restaurant in Rawai for almost ten years, 3 years ago it started get quieter, lucky I could see what was coming and sold up, today all my friends who are still hanging on there say its really dead there now. Price of alcohol has doubled, and with the baht at just 42 to the pound not cheap anymore.

Not for Poms anyway,the rest of us are ok.

[tropo]

3 minutes ago, louse1953 said:

One day there is not enough police on the road checking drunks,licences,ect.,now there is too many,spoils the ride.Can't win,can they.

 

The can't win, as long as they are too focused on profit taking.

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, Thaidream said:

Some of the smaller hotels in Bangkok are doing all right but the larger ones that are charging too much are hurting. The same in Pattaya and other tourist destinations. The problem in Thailand is that the cost continues to rise and the service decines.  there are better alternatives in the area.

Add in the Immigration/Visa situation ; the police harassment; and overcharging/crime and you have a losing situation.

As one of the posters stated- the average Thai doesn't have much to smile about and the TAT instead of providing realistic solutions and help simply states everything is fine. the problem is not smiles; it is a lack of private- government brainstorming and action and a  crackdown on the continuing scams/crime that are driving tourists away.

Add in the Immigration/Visa situation

And what has changed there for tourists,nothing.

[louse1953]

1 hour ago, GreasyFingers said:

I thought the topic was about Samui but mostly negative general Thai replies. I lived on Samui for 3 years (mainly for the beach) and could not understand why any tourist would go to the island for a beach holiday at this time of the year. Once the winds turn easterly (onshore on the east coast) about November the water is "rough" and dirty from all of the crap thrown into the Gulf of Thailand. But the tourists would still swim in it. It does not generally change until the wind turns southerly (April/May) and then the water is clear, warm and flat, absolutely beautiful.

I thought last wet season was bad but my friends there tell me it is much worse this year.

Someway or another it always develops into Thai's and Thailand's fault,GF.Many members haven't been to the hall of mirrors for a long while.

[Muayboy]

4 hours ago, canthai55 said:

 

I take it you have never been inside a hospital there

 

[louse1953]

51 minutes ago, ThaiWai said:

When TAT and Immigration stop working against each other and start working with each other, things will improve.  Nothing feels worse then believing an advertisement to visit a country just to be met by a miserable prick in the airport upon arrival.

I have heard it all now,Thailand is in decline and tourists are not coming because IO doesn't smile.How would you feel if a plane load have just got off the plane from Beijing or Shainghi and nothing was filled out.I couldn't care less about his/her demeaner,just stamp the bloody passport.In fact i have found them ok,for the 2 minutes i'm there.Or is the miserable prick your mate and he is not happy about putting you up.

[Jim walker]

 My last holiday in Asia we went to Cambodia and had a brilliant holiday and they even sell Leo so who needs Thailand the land of scammers and muggers and worse sometimes long haul tourists are learning more to Asian than Bangkok and Pattaya. They had the goose but they ate it up now nothing left sorry Thailand you had your chance.   

[sinbin]

The reason why Thailand is known as the 'Land of Smiles' is because there are 13 ways in which a Thai smiles, and each has a name.

 

 

Quote

 

The 13 Smiles Of Thailand

1. Yim yaw / ยิ้มเยาะ

This smile can be used in two ways: Firstly, when teasing someone, and secondly when wanting to express the words “I told you so”, without actually having to be so harsh.

2. Yim cheun chom / ยิ้มชื่นชม

This smile is a controlled yet beautiful smile that expresses the words, “I admire you”, or, I’m proud of you”.

3. Yim mai awk / ยิ้มไม่ออก

This is the smile used when concealing difficult emotion. It’s the “I’m trying my best to smile but I’m struggling” smile. This might be used when someone is brokenhearted or physically hurt.

4. Yim mee lessanai / ยิ้มมีเลสนัย

This is a devious smile that masks bad intent. If you really upset your Thai partner, you should probably worry if you get this smile in return.

5. Yim chuead chuean / ยิ้มเชือดเฉือน

Similar to Yim mer lessanai, but more the “Mwhahaha” bad guy smile, this would be used by a person who has gotten the upper hand over someone.

6. Yim dor dhaan / ยิ้มต่อต้าน

This smile indicates that you disagree, but will entertain the idea or go along with the action regardless. It’s the “You can go ahead, but you know I disagree and that your idea isn’t a good one” smile.

7. Yim sao / ยิ้มเศร้า

This is the standard smile of sadness, one that indicates someone really isn’t happy.

8. Yim haeng / ยิ้มแห้ง

 This is the dry smile, also known as the “I know I owe you the money but I don’t have it” smile.

9. Yim suu suu! / ยิ้มซื่อซื่อ

 This is the smile of encouragement, the  “You/I can do it” smile.

10. Yim yoh-yae / ยิ้มเหยาะแหยะ

This smile is the Thai equivalent to suggesting that it’s not worth getting upset over something that seems pretty bad, but has happened and can’t be changed.In essence, it’s the “no point in crying over spilt milk” smile.

11. Yim thang nam daa / ยิ้มทั้งน้ำตา

This smile must be interpreted in context, as it can mean two different things. On one hand it can mean “I’m so happy I’m crying inside”, and on the other, given different circumstances, “I’m so sad inside, but I’m still smiling”.

 12. Fuoon Yim / ฝืนยิ้ม

This is the “mai jing jai” (literally translated as ‘not real heart’) smile.  It’s a stiff and somewhat fake smile. For example, “I should laugh at the joke, but it’s not funny, so I’ll do this smile instead and help you move on”.

13. Yim taak thaai / ยิ้มทักทาย

This is the smile of convenience, a polite smile that enables you to acknowledge someone you don’t know that well, or someone you aren’t going to get into a long conversation with. It’s pretty much the most common smile you’ll get when out and about in Thailand.

 

 

[Khon Kaen Dave]

"Smile,though your heart is aching,smile even though its breaking.Any one remember that one.

[moe666]

6 hours ago, jimstar1 said:

Dead as a Doh Doh in Chiang Mai Bt what do you expect with Police with road blocks on evry corner ripping of the Farang with fake Offences

What are you playing too, my girlfriend works in a hotel with 102 rooms and everyone has been booked since xmas, another 2 friends have guest houses both full up. The old city is full of young farangs as well as chinese. No Chiang Mai has more tourist than I have seen in two years

[mikiea]

9 hours ago, Thechook said:

I thought tourist numbers were at record high levels

if it is monday thru wed  it is high levels , if it is the week end they whine and cry poor mouth .

[Bartman1369]

7 hours ago, sahibji said:

smiling alone will not help. you have to restore confidence by catching and severely punishing the rouges who beat up tourists, commit snatch thefts, mug people and other activities that make life unpleasant for the visitors.

 

never forget many countries have beaches as good as thai  and you have to be ahead of the competition to get the tourists dollars and smiling will certainly, on its own, not achieve it.

Rip off taxis charging 200 baht for 1km. I thought the government were stopping all of the "mafia" taxi scams???

 

Different price structures. Price for Thai then different price for Farrang. People become tired of being robbed all of the time.

[Thechook]

6 hours ago, louse1953 said:

Someway or another it always develops into Thai's and Thailand's fault,GF.Many members haven't been to the hall of mirrors for a long while.

Well thais are in control of their tourism industry so who else's fault is it.  You can't blame the tourists if they don't like what is being offered.  Not my fault it's the bloody foreigners.

[DILLIGAD]

For Kho Samui the phrase 'flooding in' seems quite appropriate right now!
Oops!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bangon04]

8 hours ago, sinbin said:

The reason why Thailand is known as the 'Land of Smiles' is because there are 13 ways in which a Thai smiles, and each has a name.

 

which one is the smile that means - "I know you are talking complete and utter BS but because you are my Thai social superior I have to pretend that I believe you and I cannot call you on it."

 

often used when listening to TAT announcements...

[lvr181]

TAT = la la land 

[Suttisan]

9 hours ago, Jane Dough said:

So where are you going to get lots for your pound? Cleethorpes? 

Aldi

[fish monger]

14 hours ago, Bullie said:

I've been hearing very good things about Cambodia lately.... 30 percent cheaper, genuine smiles, infrastructure much improved, very palatable food (french influence!) for the farang taste at normal prices. Even the chinese tourists are happier there. Easy visa's, beautiful beaches and women and still an abundance of nature to enjoy.

The Thai can start smiling all they want again,  they are loosing the race for the "quality tourists", and all this can only end in tears for them.

 

Keep running your mouth and all those nice things you "heard" about Cambodia won't exist after a short while....But I do understand how it is difficult for some people NOT to blow a good thing.

[futsukayoi]

 

If the Thais smile how would the tourists notice ?  Whenever I go into Chawaeng nearly all the staff are Burmese.

[hotchilli]

Although I'm an expat as apposed to a tourist I've learnt that in general when a Thai smiles at me the alarm bells start to ring, as I'm about to be ripped off!
I think it's going to take more than a smile to do it, as for a happy ending people will draw their own conclusions, I think that's getting a bit stale in this country, the same can be found elsewhere without the added dangers or rip-offs!

[carmine]

18 hours ago, Bullie said:

I've been hearing very good things about Cambodia lately.... 30 percent cheaper, genuine smiles, infrastructure much improved, very palatable food (french influence!) for the farang taste at normal prices. Even the chinese tourists are happier there. Easy visa's, beautiful beaches and women and still an abundance of nature to enjoy.

The Thai can start smiling all they want again,  they are loosing the race for the "quality tourists", and all this can only end in tears for them.

 

 

Correct, they just don't get it.  This place is losing its tourists because they just don't learn from their mistakes.