Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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oakdale160
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Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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cuffee michael--- you say you only "SOMETIMES" feel they dont want us here---- I assume sometimes means when you are conscious
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Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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I've lived in 8 countries and none of them want foreigners living there permanently. In the U.S. people don't even want other people from different states moving to "their" state. I used to see bumper stickers on Oregon cars that said, "Don't Californicate Oregon." We live in a xenophobic world where colorism rules.
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Re: RE: Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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handdrummer wrote:I've lived in 8 countries and none of them want foreigners living there permanently. In the U.S. people don't even want other people from different states moving to "their" state. I used to see bumper stickers on Oregon cars that said, "Don't Californicate Oregon." We live in a xenophobic world where colorism rules.
The irony being that no one in the US are natives but all are immigrants!Image
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Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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Tourist friendly and Resident ex-pat friendly are two separate issues. Most Thais understand the need for tourist money but many are resentful about the ex-pats. Tourists make a minimal amount of complaint noise and this can be ignored as they will be on the plane next Tuesday whereas the ex-pat criticisms are endless. I expect that immigration will continue to be more aggressive and difficult.
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Re: RE: Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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huahin4ever wrote: Mon Mar 05, 2018 3:03 pm
handdrummer wrote:I've lived in 8 countries and none of them want foreigners living there permanently. In the U.S. people don't even want other people from different states moving to "their" state. I used to see bumper stickers on Oregon cars that said, "Don't Californicate Oregon." We live in a xenophobic world where colorism rules.
The irony being that no one in the US are natives but all are immigrants!
Couple thoughts to both......lived in 7 different states in the US, never a problem with the 'locals'. Only 2 different countries, but again, never a problem with the locals.............well, except expat, really don't count though.

USA .... native / immigrant .... guess it depends how far you go back. How many generation of my family need to be born in the US for me to shed the 'immigrant' status.

If you want to get technical, depending how far you want to go back, we're all ...
ALL ... immigrants from Africa, though don't think it was called that back then.
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Re: RE: Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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huahin4ever wrote: Mon Mar 05, 2018 3:03 pm The irony being that no one in the US are natives but all are immigrants!
Well, apart from the native Americans, of course. :D
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Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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BACK ON TOPIC--- its about THAILAND not USA

The vast majority of Thai people accept tourists and welcome their spending, A few Thais do resent residents, unfortunately, many of this category are in powerful positions. I recently visited an old school friend who lives in SE Issan and he feels none of this there.
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Re: RE: Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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huahin4ever wrote: Mon Mar 05, 2018 3:03 pm
handdrummer wrote:I've lived in 8 countries and none of them want foreigners living there permanently. In the U.S. people don't even want other people from different states moving to "their" state. I used to see bumper stickers on Oregon cars that said, "Don't Californicate Oregon." We live in a xenophobic world where colorism rules.
The irony being that no one in the US are natives but all are immigrants!Image
Wherever you are born you are native to there. My Grandparents were immigrants and I'm a native; I was born in the U.S. See definition of "native."
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Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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oakdale160 wrote: Tue Mar 06, 2018 11:25 am BACK ON TOPIC--- its about THAILAND not USA

The vast majority of Thai people accept tourists and welcome their spending, A few Thais do resent residents, unfortunately, many of this category are in powerful positions. I recently visited an old school friend who lives in SE Issan and he feels none of this there.
Understood. You mentioned two categories there; maybe Thais feel different about each? Tourists versus residents who have decided to make this their home, for a few years or longer.

Maybe outside of the scope of this topic, but do Thai people generally differentiate? Overt racism versus a dislike of a seasonal influx of groups of people for two or three weeks each who just want to drink, eat and see the sights and tend to cause bother (unintentionally or not) and aren't bothered about fitting in.

Backpackers and tourist coaches as opposed to people who are clearly residents.

I only lived here 18 months and am here for the long haul I hope, and have felt no animosity whatsoever, outside of the usual brusque treatment by tuk-tuk drivers and some aggressive interactions with other road users. Roads do bring out the worst in people. Locals get treated like sh*t by BKK taxi drivers as bad or worse then I do!

Even being the only farang in a Thai nightclub after midnight has never brought me any bad attitude. I admit I do like to mingle and smile/laugh a lot. :D

I'd be surprised if Thailand can't be considered tourist friendly?
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Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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My answer would be Yes, of course Thailand is tourist friendly, probably one of the most tourist friendly countries in the world. If it wasn't, there wouldn't be so many tourists coming here year on year.


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Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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I don't think that the fact that many tourists come to Thai proves that the country is tourist-friendly. France has a big tourist volume.
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Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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oakdale160 wrote: Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:32 am I don't think that the fact that many tourists come to Thai proves that the country is tourist-friendly. France has a big tourist volume.
According to Wiki, Thailand received about 35 million tourists in 2016, just 1 million less than the UK’s 36m tourist numbers. France leads the world with about 85 million. I think that makes Thailand about number 9 or 10 in the world.
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Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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Dannie Boy wrote: Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:59 amAccording to Wiki, Thailand received about 35 million tourists in 2016, just 1 million less than the UK’s 36m tourist numbers.
I guess this take us back to the question of who Thailand counts as tourists when they enter the Country? I don't ever see hordes of tourists in Bangkok in the same way as you see them in London. I see hordes of Thais, but not foreign tourists. I went to three such tourists sites in Bkk last week and I was surprised at how few there were.
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Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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caller wrote: Wed Mar 07, 2018 2:40 pm I guess this take us back to the question of who Thailand counts as tourists when they enter the Country?
Anyone that passes through an immigration gate looking at their figures. Either that or there are 3 million Chinese visiting Chiang Mai every month. :shock:
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Re: Thailand Tourist Friendly?

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oakdale160 wrote: Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:32 am I don't think that the fact that many tourists come to Thai proves that the country is tourist-friendly. France has a big tourist volume.
Yep and they don't call France the Land of Smiles. People obviously go for the scowls, the snails and the Tour d'Eiffel. :)
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