Bangkok Bank not Recieved Funds From Wise.

[webfact]

Integration pushed as vital for tourism
By MANOTE TRIPATHI
SPECIAL TO THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- ASEAN tourism ministers gathering at the WTTC global summit in Bangkok vowed to promote regional travel and tourism integration through air, land and maritime connectivity.

 

Constraints such as out-of-sync regulations, insufficient infrastructure and inconvenience continue to hamper freedom of travel in Asean, the World Travel and Tourism Council summit heard.

 

Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul expressed optimism about closer cooperation for Asean integration with Thailand as the hub. 

 

“Asean is 50 years old, but Asean tourism acts like a 15-year-old,” she said in opening the session on “Freedom to Travel: Can Asean countries lead the way?”, which moderated by noted broadcaster Linda Yueh on the second day of the two-day summit that wrapped up yesterday.

 

Kobkarn said Asean has dual tourism and travel strategies – long-haul and intra-Asean – that benefit not just Thailand, but Asean as well.

 

The “long-haul” strategy offers “two-countries-one-destination” travel packages that encourage travellers from Europe, the Middle East and America to visit at least two Asean countries as part of the “intra-Asean” promotion of weekend destinations, medical tourism, wellness and education.

 

“Thailand reported 32.5 million tourist arrivals (last year). People come to Thailand to eat, shop and visit doctors. Up to 70 per cent of them were from Asean, in which tourism growth averages 6.5 per cent,” she said. 

 

“We have to thank all the airlines, the low-cost ones in particular. The growth of Asean tourism is due to the growth of budget airlines offering capital-to-capital routes.”

 

Further expansion of Asean tourism can be achieved through maximising the potential of the existing air, land and maritime links between mainland Southeast Asia and the rest of the region, she said. 

 

Thailand’s developing north-south and east-west corridors, the planned aviation hub in Rayong’s U-Tapao, its developing Phuket-based maritime tourism and over 600 flights from Thailand to other Asean countries are some of the Kingdom’s strengths that will not only stimulate Asean tourism but also improve regional connectivity. 

 

Border-crossing on big bikes 

 

“On land, we are seeing caravans of motorcycles, you know, big bikes like Harley-Davidson, going across the borders frequently,” the minister said.

 

“Maritime tourism is growing fast with an Asean Caribbean model that allows for luxury travel on super yachts and yachts visiting places like Myeik, Phuket, Penang, Phu Quoc and Sihanoukville. 

 

“There will be cruises along the Mekong River – a magic river for many of us that is going to be big in the future. We need to use the river efficiently. 

 

“When it comes to safety and ease of travelling, which is something new in Thailand, it’s still not perfect yet. We need public-private partnerships.”

 

Kobkarn’s planning to take her holiday in Myeik. 

 

Thailand has formed single-visa, security and ease-of-travelling committees to boost local and regional connectivity. 

 

The benefits of tourism growth should be collectively shared and distributed sustainably throughout Asean, Kobkarn said, extolling the merits of the sufficiency economy concept of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

 

“Asean will grow together. No one (in Asean) is a bigger or smaller brother. We are working together,” she said. “Tourism is not about making money, not just about economics. We have to make sure that everyone gets something and we leave something for our children and the younger generation. 

 

“We need to give the right to everyone in the 10 Asean countries to travel. Freedom of travel is not for the select few, but for everyone.”

 

Arun Mishra, director of ICAO for Asia-Pacific, told the session that poor infrastructure, along with discordant regulations, is the main stumbling block to growth in Asean, citing congestion in the Asean skies and at airport terminals. 

 

“With airports in the region enjoying a boom comes congestion. Everywhere new terminals are being built,” Mishra said. 

 

“Because of the congested skies, we need navigation equipment and large numbers of aviation professionals. Right now we don’t have sufficient aviation professionals. 

 

“Worse, mobility of qualified aviation professionals is restricted by regulations that hinder the free flow of labour to where it’s needed. Harmonisation of regulations would help.” Arief Yahya, Indonesia’s Tourism Minister, said infrastructure is a major concern in countries like his where the lack of funding is a perennial problem.

 

“In Indonesia, regulations are hampering ease of doing business. Ease of doing business is low,” he said. “To improve its infrastructure, Indonesia needs funding from both the government and foreign direct investment as government funding (for infrastructure) accounts for only 30 per cent.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/business/EconomyAndTourism/30313574

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-28

[PatOngo]

People come to Thailand to eat, shop and visit doctors.

 

Yeah, OK...............Single men in particular.

[Sphere]

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

...growing fast with an Asean Caribbean model...

 

Not so fast with Brazilian models. 

[Jessi]

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

“Thailand reported 32.5 million tourist arrivals (last year). People come to Thailand to eat, shop and visit doctors. Up to 70 per cent of them were from Asean, in which tourism growth averages 6.5 per cent,” she said. 

 

The SPIN Factory is open for business again......Thailand "The hub of spin"

[pentap]

Maybe areas such as:

Customer services skills. Product knowledge.

Aptitude in the English language, which is without doubt the most widely spoken and understood language within both the travel and tourism industries and probably the world?

Politeness. What ever happened to the land of smiles?

The quality of accommodation, transportation and conveniences, which include cost, easy access, cleanliness and hygiene . Many hotels, resorts, coaches, buses, mini vans, taxis, bus stations, public toilets etc etc, that I've visited and or used during my many years stay within Thailand, are normally found to be poorly maintained and unsafe in terms of health and safety, plus they normally look a mess, and for me personally, come across as very uninviting, dirty and unsafe places.

Double standard pricing e.g.- 40 baht for Thai, 400 baht for foreigners! Much the same as when buying from small shops, no price tags normally found on products, prices are simply picked out of the air and usually higher purchase prices imposed on foreigners! Clearly an act of 'racism', in my opinion.

Usually, no bill of sale is given for a purchase, so should a product be defective, there is normally no chance of either a money back refund and or a replacement item!

The persistent and annoying 'farang farang'. In my country I've never witnessed or heard, Asian Asian or Thai Thai. I understand the translation of the word farang but, could it not be toned down? Couldn't the authorities inform and educate Thais that farang is an annoying word to constantly hear, much the same as when entering a shop or especially a large department store, with the usual and uneasy on-set of bored staff who start to pounce at almost every step taken, with whispers of farang farang. Couldn't the staff simply say nothing? Good morning/afternoon or evening would be far more a polite gesture and far less annoying.

The persistent and annoying heckling by street vendors.

The general feel of racism and unsafeness, not only for Westerners.

Filthy and dangerous stray dogs.

Unsafe, unclean roads plus streets and especially pedestrian rights of way.

The list goes on...

Nowhere is perfect. However. If customers are needed to generate revenue from tourism and help to also generate subsequent employment, standards and attitudes all round ,should be greatly improved.

For too long it's been too easy. But now that other members states of Asian are growing, within the tourism sector, the whole industry within Thailand needs drastic rethinking, reimplementation with far better attitude mind-set changes by all.

When I go into a bar or restaurant, I'm not walking in to either a kinder garden of sitting room with loud music pumping out or individuals standing two feet apart shouting at one other.

When going shopping, I don't like to witness people asleep in hammocks within the shop area or eating food on the floor and so on. There is a time and place for everything.

Decorum comes to mind.

People say, well it's the custom, so I say, ban foreigners. The world has and is changing. It's that simple.

Simple logic but then again, T.I.T...

Just my observations.




Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[PatOngo]

What ever happened to the land of smiles?

 

It became the Land of Smirks. The Land of Spin. The Land of various other S words.
 

[yellowboat]

Sounds like she is on the verge of solving a problem that does not really exist. 

[maoro2013]

Yesterday there was concern that tourism would double by 2030 ie 13 years, and there was a worry about the investment required to accommodate this surge. How things change from day to day, sometimes even on the day.

[Biker Boy]

I landed in Thailand and Don Mueng and had to stand in the immigration line for 2 hours. My age is 70+. I say <deleted> Thailand and will not return unless I have compelling business. Thai sucks in a lot of ways and arrogance is the word. Personally, I was recently introduced to Malaysia and found the be people and place much more friendly and helpful than Thai's. Just my experience and opinion. By the way, I lived in Thailand for many years and used to love the country and people.

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, maoro2013 said:

Yesterday there was concern that tourism would double by 2030 ie 13 years, and there was a worry about the investment required to accommodate this surge. How things change from day to day, sometimes even on the day.

If the tourist numbers were to double the whole system would collapse implode into itself. The infrastructure now barely meets the needs of tourists and us as well. Where would basic services like water, sewage, electric etc. come from to service all this. Baloney

Edited April 28, 2017 by elgordo38

[clockman]

Thais only live for the day. No reinvestment. No long term planning.

[elgordo38]

Just now, clockman said:

Thais only live for the day. No reinvestment. No long term planning.

The only long term planning err wishing is a doubling of tourists by 2030. Its a pipe dream at best. The way the world is going tourism will be zero by 2030. We live in a fools paradise. 

[Thaidream]

The poster Pentap makes many  valid points. Having lived here for decades- I have simply ignored most of the things he mentioned and accepted them as the Thai way of doing business.

However, for a tourist who has never been to Thailand -and comes with certain expectations- they will be let down and not return. As other countries in the region become more acclimated to the tourism industry and  Thailand remains the same as it is now- tourists will be voting with their feet. Thailand is not really investing in its infrastructure like it needs to be and with the use of social media- the warts cannot be hidden like in the past.

The authorities really need to look at what other countries are doing and honestly chart out a workable plan for sustainable tourism. The current concept of we don't need to build it or improve it- because they will still come just will not work any longer.

[elgordo38]

21 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

The authorities really need to look at what other countries are doing

They have people at adjoining countries airports with abacuses to count the coming of tourists and then at the end of the day delete 10%

[PatOngo]

3 hours ago, Biker Boy said:

I landed in Thailand and Don Mueng and had to stand in the immigration line for 2 hours. My age is 70+. I say <deleted> Thailand and will not return unless I have compelling business. Thai sucks in a lot of ways and arrogance is the word. Personally, I was recently introduced to Malaysia and found the be people and place much more friendly and helpful than Thai's. Just my experience and opinion. By the way, I lived in Thailand for many years and used to love the country and people.

I think we all did..........once!

[Krataiboy]

The picture accompanying the story is worth more than a thousand words of PR waffle from a government spokesperson when it comes explaining why Thailand is such a popular holiday destination - particularly with men.

 

I wonder what the tourism minister - she who has vowed to wipe out sex tourism  - was thinking as she sparred with a brace of scantily-clad boxer bimbos who couldn't punch their way out of a rice-paper bag?

 

Ah, the joys of life in a patriarchal society!

 

 

Edited April 28, 2017 by Krataiboy
errors

[Kim1950]

I was considering Thailand for a retirement visa, at least, see how things go for a year. I lived there years ago and traveled there on business many times. When on business, things were first class and the company took care of things. It now seems, as others have noted, that Thailand is becoming the Asiatic Caribbean. If you live in Japan, Korea, China or anywhere in that hemisphere, where would you go for a tropical retreat, a second vacation home, or part-time retirement. Other than healthcare, it's still a value destination, however, if you live North America, it's losing it's comparable value to counties in South America. Mexico or Columbia have better value. And, the 'Spring Break' retirement is not on everybody's bucket list. I still might give it a 'look', but buses of tourists, like cruise ship port of calls, are not my idea of a good visit.