Report ranking Thailand a dangerous country to visit is based on outdated information: Foreign Ministry

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Report ranking Thailand a dangerous country to visit is based on outdated information: Foreign Ministry

 

 

Reacting to a news report that listed Thailand as one of the 20 most dangerous countries to visit, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Busadee Santipitaks said on Saturday that the information used by the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report was outdated and biased, and did not reflect the recently improved situation.

 

The Foreign Ministry statement came after local and international media quoted the WEF report, which ranked Thailand at 118 out of 136 countries for safety and security of tourists.

 

Thailand ‘among top 20 most dangerous countries’ to visit

 

The WEF report said that Thailand’s overall safety performance had barely improved, ranked 34 with a score of 4.4 in 2017 compared to 35 with 4.3 in 2015, citing the high rate of crime and violence and the low reliability of police services. 

 

Busadee said that after the WEF report was released in April, the Thai representatives at the United Nations Headquarters had contacted WEF executives and questioned them about the method used to rank Thailand especially since many international organisations like Master Card, Expat Insider and US News & World Report, had ranked Thailand as one of the top tourist destinations.

 

“The WEF admitted that some information was outdated, some information was biased as it was collected using questionnaires. The WEF promised to improve its ranking methodology by using more statistics from reliable international sources and reducing the use of questionnaire surveys,” Busadee quoted theWEF executives as saying.

 

Busadee said that Thailand’s ranking in safety had improved to 34th but many other areas such as natural conservation, tourist service, air transport and pricing had also improved significantly.

 

Busadee blamed an Australia-based website, Business Insider, for highlighting only the negatives from the WEF report.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30317729

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-10

[Thaiwrath]

3 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Report was outdated

Should have stated one of the top 10 most dangerous !

[Jessi]

Trying to save face again. 

[Just1Voice]

I don't know.  The report sounds pretty accurate to me. 

 

[WhizBang]

Ah, I see it hasn't taken long for the denials to start.

 

"...did not reflect the recently improved situation'"  

What recent improvements?  All I see is increased suppression of free speech and a ramped up LM charges situation.  I also see increased hostility towards foreigners and an untrustworthy and corrupt police force.  Seems to me the report is being kind to Thailand.

[saakura]

 

“The WEF admitted that some information was outdated, some information was biased as it was collected using questionnaires..." Much like the information on the necessity for elections being collected by the present government using the 4 questions, except that in this case, using a questionnaire suits their goal.

[clockman]

The truth always hurts!

[Orton Rd]

Number one for bike deaths and number two in the world for all road deaths sounds pretty dangerous to me. Add to that the laughable safety surrounding the electrical installations, the Thais famous ability to snap and go from clam to killing machine over loss of face, the corrupt Police and a few million stray dogs and it's not safe at all.

[Misterwhisper]

And just as numerous TV members predicted after the initial report... voila!... here it is, the obligatory and inevitable denial from the government, citing lame excuses.

 

It's hilarious how easy it always is to anticipate their knee jerk reactions in their never-ending quest to save face  and prop up the country's oh so precious image instead of effecting real change and tangible improvement.

[ldiablo72]

Just because a place is listed as a top tourist destination does not mean it cannot also be one of the most dangerous.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

was outdated and biased, and did not reflect the recently improved situation.

Really, funny that 555

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, Just1Voice said:

I don't know.  The report sounds pretty accurate to me. 

 

But r u sure ?

[trogers]

The ranking cannot be wrong based on the frequent mix of alcohol and balconies...

[whatawonderfulday]

of course.  It should now read that Thailand is a "Very dangerous Country",  endangered by political incompetency and corrupt police supported by government (and others).  But there again only my opinion.

[darksidedog]

The only thing surprising about the denial is how long it took to come. I posted on this subject yesterday, entirely accurately it seems, as a sad denial has been issued, while nothing is being stated as to how the situation will be addressed or improved. One day, Thailand will understand that image is one thing, the truth is something different, and no one is fooled by their bullshit statements about everything being rosy.

[YetAnother]

this is widely understood and has been for years;  i stopped encouraging my friends to come here years ago; the foreign minister don gives me a headache every time he speaks publicly

[hathairat2711]

So therefore if the FM report is correct, why wasn't the original post researched before being posted?

 

There appears to be too many news reports with insufficient research, if any.

 

 

[Na Lee]

of course.  It should now read that Thailand is a "Very dangerous Country",  endangered by political incompetency and corrupt police supported by government (and others).  But there again only my opinion.

Also my opinion.

[Na Lee]

The only thing surprising about the denial is how long it took to come. I posted on this subject yesterday, entirely accurately it seems, as a sad denial has been issued, while nothing is being stated as to how the situation will be addressed or improved. One day, Thailand will understand that image is one thing, the truth is something different, and no one is fooled by their bullshit statements about everything being rosy.

How true!!!!

[Na Lee]

this is widely understood and has been for years;  i stopped encouraging my friends to come here years ago; the foreign minister don gives me a headache every time he speaks publicly

Not only the foreign minister but also mister PM there isn't a single Thai friend of mine who watches and listens when he addresses the nation. Sorry for him waist of effort and time.

[Dave67]

20,000 Road deaths a year , of course that isnt dangerous at all

[Cadbury]

5 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

".....Master Card.... had ranked Thailand as one of the top tourist destinations."

What a joke! A credit card like MasterCard deciding which is a "top" destination. 

Thailand is a top destination for making bags of money for MasterCard from tourists.

 

5 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

"....many other areas such as natural conservation, tourist service, air transport and pricing had also improved significantly".

And so says Foreign Ministry spokesperson Busadee Santipitaks with his grandiloquence of the tourism wonders of Thailand.

1.Like the natural wonders of Pattaya for family entertainment.

2.Tourist services offering buses which crash daily.

3.The unmanned immigration counters at international airports.

4.Tourist rip off prices as compared to local's prices. And the taxis in Pattaya and Phuket which refuse to turn on the meters. All big significant improvements.

Everything in Thailand has improved since the military junta took over. Even corruption, incompetency, censorship  and injustice.

[USPatriot]

And so says Foreign Ministry spokesperson Busadee Santipitaks with his grandiloquence of the tourism wonders of Thailand.
1.Like the natural wonders of Pattaya for family entertainment.
2.Tourist services offering buses which crash daily.
3.The unmanned immigration counters at international airports.
4.Tourist rip off prices as compared to local's prices. And the taxis in Pattaya and Phuket which refuse to turn on the meters. All big significant improvements.
Everything in Thailand has improved since the military junta took over. Even corruption, incompetency, censorship  and injustice.

Does anyone in Thailand take credit cards.

[Displaynameinusebyanotherm]

Last year the government bought 7.987.988 safety first signs. This year they bought 7.987.989. Ie. The. Country. Is. Safer. Ok ? Na. Crap (sic). 

The problem is all those pesky alien aka farang aka bpama aka khmen aka kaek aka negro do not adapt to this safer Phrateth Thai! ergo: it's the alien's fault! Ergo alien must buy insurance. ???

[Cadbury]

1 minute ago, USPatriot said:

Does anyone in Thailand take credit cards.

Thailand ATM's take them for a start. It is getting late; time to rub your sleepy eyes, get up and start your nightly patrol of the bars.

[mommysboy]

I point out the dangers whenever I can. 

[Thechook]

13 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Should have stated one of the top 10 most dangerous !

Beat me to it

[Wowed]

15 hours ago, clockman said:

The truth always hurts!

They should be happy they used older number otherwise they would end up in the first 10 

[Mickmouse1]

Biased towards....?

What benefits do they get by being  biased?

Face reality and address the issue better.?

 

[hansnl]

I have no real feeling of being unsafe here compared to my hometown Gouda where the imported minority succeeded in destroying safety.

However, instead of this reaction from authorities it would have been better to try to better the situation.