Thailand Tourist Friendly?
Thailand Tourist Friendly?
If this is in the wrong place please move.
Thailand touts itself as a tourist destination, yet makes rules and laws that are about as Tourist Unfriendly as possible.
In the past year we have seen these rules:
No advertising or chatting online about alcohol.
No drinking on beaches.
No riding in the back of pickups.
No smoking on beaches or in national parks.
No big bike riding in national parks.
Feel free to add any I've missed.
Thailand touts itself as a tourist destination, yet makes rules and laws that are about as Tourist Unfriendly as possible.
In the past year we have seen these rules:
No advertising or chatting online about alcohol.
No drinking on beaches.
No riding in the back of pickups.
No smoking on beaches or in national parks.
No big bike riding in national parks.
Feel free to add any I've missed.
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
National park entry fees.
All they want is your money and what they perceive as 'quality tourists'. I have no idea how they define that?
All they want is your money and what they perceive as 'quality tourists'. I have no idea how they define that?
Talk is cheap
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
as you wrote:
a "quality tourist" is spending a lot of money during his holiday.
some say, chinese tourist groups, will not be such quality tourists
take it easy
- 404cameljockey
- Ace
- Posts: 1838
- Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2016 5:14 am
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
Um. It's the Chinese that have the money nowadays.
Every luxury jeweller and leather goods retailer in the high-end malls in Dubai now have at least one Chinese shop assistant.
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
demolition of several places in HH: (boat pier, poonsuk rd, around Hilton, across railway)RCer wrote: ↑Thu Dec 21, 2017 9:26 am Thailand touts itself as a tourist destination, yet makes rules and laws that are about as Tourist Unfriendly as possible. In the past year we have seen these rules:
No advertising or chatting online about alcohol.
No drinking on beaches.
No riding in the back of pickups.
No smoking on beaches or in national parks.
No big bike riding in national parks.
Feel free to add any I've missed.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=34541
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35242
take it easy
-
- Addict
- Posts: 5389
- Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:58 am
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
The ideal tourist stays home and sends money.
- pharvey
- Moderator
- Posts: 13862
- Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:21 am
- Location: Sir Fynwy - God's Country
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
Certainly doesn't make them a "quality tourist" though does it? I'm certainly not a fan of people being tarred by the same brush, and the LHG is Chinese - BUT I've had had many experiences of Chinese tourists both in China and "Abroad", and TBH it's not pretty most of the time.......
Back to "Tourist Friendly Thailand"..... Double standards on pricing, well, I've experienced that all over the world. Scams and overpricing - avoid tourist traps (all over the world). As to some others: -
No drinking on beaches - Yes a pain, but many other places have this law. Try South Africa.
No smoking on beaches or in National Parks - As above really. A a "reformed smoker" I'm the worst of the worst and like that law!
No advertising or chatting about alcohol online - Not a touristy thing IMHO, but perhaps an issue for some retirees.
No riding in the back of Pick-ups - aren't these classed as "taxis"?
One of the bad experiences the LHG and I had in HH/Thailand was being spat at by a couple of Thai kids because we had ignored their pleas for money...... Very unpleasant all around to be honest. They certainly didn't look like they were living on the streets, but perhaps we were wrong in walking on. Their reaction however seems to tell a slightly different story.
"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things" - Yma o Hyd.
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
Some more recent ones ...
No e-cigarettes.
Cant have a beer on a train.
No pretty girls at an international motor show.
No beer gardens.
Raids on microbreweries and real ale establishments.
Music restrictions for the past year.
Stupid time restrictions on buying alcohol.
Rampant, almost state encouraged dual pricing (worse than ever before).
Clampdowns on street food vendors.
Restrictions on tourist visas.
Happy days in Toyland, or maybe we are in the Yemen. Good to see the dictator "bringing happiness back to the people", especially those in the tourist industry.
No e-cigarettes.
Cant have a beer on a train.
No pretty girls at an international motor show.
No beer gardens.
Raids on microbreweries and real ale establishments.
Music restrictions for the past year.
Stupid time restrictions on buying alcohol.
Rampant, almost state encouraged dual pricing (worse than ever before).
Clampdowns on street food vendors.
Restrictions on tourist visas.
Happy days in Toyland, or maybe we are in the Yemen. Good to see the dictator "bringing happiness back to the people", especially those in the tourist industry.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
The thing I always wonder about is whether these are legislation or enforced ideas. If for instance a scantily clad girl turned up at a motor show, yes it would be frowned upon, but could they take any legal action?
The thing always at the back of my mind is the wild imagination the BIB have, and the financial penalties we have to pay because of an over active imagination. Our only 'offence' has been to drive a motor vehicle legally on a Thai highway. They are so convincing, they must be able to believe the crap that comes from their mouth.
So are these new laws, loose interpretations of existing laws or just the latest whim from The Ministry of Silly Ideas?
The thing always at the back of my mind is the wild imagination the BIB have, and the financial penalties we have to pay because of an over active imagination. Our only 'offence' has been to drive a motor vehicle legally on a Thai highway. They are so convincing, they must be able to believe the crap that comes from their mouth.
So are these new laws, loose interpretations of existing laws or just the latest whim from The Ministry of Silly Ideas?
Championship Plymouth Argyle 1 - 0 Leicester City
Points 48; Position 18
Points 48; Position 18
- usual suspect
- Ace
- Posts: 1910
- Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:10 pm
- Location: Huahin
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
If you're Chinese or S.Korean then maybe they think this country is very friendly towards them...
..my guess is every Thai person they come into contact with thru'out their stay will have been thru' a staff-meeting etc to
ensure 'Thainess' is seen at all times.
As for us Westerners..my rule of thumb is a Thai is only ever polite & nice to you if he/she is directly, or indirectly
receiving or due to receive money from you.
Yes there will be exceptions, but generally this is my view.
..my guess is every Thai person they come into contact with thru'out their stay will have been thru' a staff-meeting etc to
ensure 'Thainess' is seen at all times.
As for us Westerners..my rule of thumb is a Thai is only ever polite & nice to you if he/she is directly, or indirectly
receiving or due to receive money from you.
Yes there will be exceptions, but generally this is my view.
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
alcohol discussion moved here viewtopic.php?f=8&t=35730
Championship Plymouth Argyle 1 - 0 Leicester City
Points 48; Position 18
Points 48; Position 18
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
Is Thailand Tourist Friendly, yes, not as much as it used to be for sure but it is still tourist friendly. The regulations both real and perceived seem to grow but most tourists will enjoy their holiday having found the prices cheap despite being ripped off, the places beautiful despite paying ten times what the locals pay to get in and the weather nice despite this year being the wettest for many years. Another question to ask is Thailand 'Non Immigrant' foreigner friendly and that has always been dubious (and not the subject of this thread but many others).
Tourists in any country are unlikely to see or experience what most of the forum members who live here experience on a day to day basis and the lack of enforcement of any regulation probably means that they will return home having never been told what they should not have done. Some things they will notice but will also have seen similar in other countries and will take in their stride. Hopefully for the sake of those who rely on tourists for their livelihood the tourist season is good as it has been a quiet off season and they will be needing the income.
Tourists in any country are unlikely to see or experience what most of the forum members who live here experience on a day to day basis and the lack of enforcement of any regulation probably means that they will return home having never been told what they should not have done. Some things they will notice but will also have seen similar in other countries and will take in their stride. Hopefully for the sake of those who rely on tourists for their livelihood the tourist season is good as it has been a quiet off season and they will be needing the income.
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
Yes, many of my colleagues visit Thailand and they seem to be happy with the experience but they generally do it as married couples staying in upmarket resort hotels which means they don't really notice all the negative stuff that residents do. Certainly they're not riding motorbikes in National Parks!
-
- Professional
- Posts: 461
- Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2013 7:30 am
- Location: Canada
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
Yes Thailand is still Tourist friendly, but certainly not expat friendly. My friend who lives in
Hua Hin with his wife, says he only goes there for 5+ months because he hates Winter and his
wife likes to see her home country and parents and family each Winter. The prices slowly go up and
his expat friends are getting older and less and less are returning. After this Winter I doubt I will be
back as often as well, except for funerals in my Thai family. I do not enjoy my visits as much as I used
to and have seen most of the country. I may go see Roi Et, and a couple more in the NW part of Thailand
but it is just not as fun as it was even 5 years ago.
Geezer
Hua Hin with his wife, says he only goes there for 5+ months because he hates Winter and his
wife likes to see her home country and parents and family each Winter. The prices slowly go up and
his expat friends are getting older and less and less are returning. After this Winter I doubt I will be
back as often as well, except for funerals in my Thai family. I do not enjoy my visits as much as I used
to and have seen most of the country. I may go see Roi Et, and a couple more in the NW part of Thailand
but it is just not as fun as it was even 5 years ago.
Geezer
Pluto is my favorite planet!, especially now that we all can see close up
pictures of it.
pictures of it.
-
- Rookie
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:06 pm
Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?
The worst thing is in nightclubs.
There is a queue for Thai people, with free entry, and there is one for farangs, that have to pay something like 400/500 bahts to get in.... I mean, I had never seen that before in another country.
Being a tourist in Thailand is amazing, but living there as an expat .... I don't know... I sometimes feel they don't want us to be here lol
There is a queue for Thai people, with free entry, and there is one for farangs, that have to pay something like 400/500 bahts to get in.... I mean, I had never seen that before in another country.
Being a tourist in Thailand is amazing, but living there as an expat .... I don't know... I sometimes feel they don't want us to be here lol