PM Prayut speaks out! No more ripping off of tourists - it's bad for Thailand's wonderful image

[Pedrogaz]

What idiocy. National Parks run by the government charge foreigners 10 times what they charge Thais to enter the park. Charity, like overcharging, begins at home....sort out the overcharging mess in your own domain Prayut.

[Tropposurfer]

There’s a shed load of problems in every country.

Thailand has some very serious ones like this and others like corrupt cops, shocking road deaths, shoddy construction, appalling electrical fitting everywhere, ridiculous unworkable immigration rules n procedures, a class system that allows for massive corruption n damage to the countries moral and status, just to name a few.

Good luck PM you get a lot to do !!!!!

[transam]

7 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

There’s a shed load of problems in every country.

Thailand has some very serious ones like this and others like corrupt cops, shocking road deaths, shoddy construction, appalling electrical fitting everywhere, ridiculous unworkable immigration rules n procedures, a class system that allows for massive corruption n damage to the countries moral and status, just to name a few.

Good luck PM you get a lot to do !!!!!

But LOS folk think all that is the norm, they know no different...

[nickstav]

32 minutes ago, MartinL said:

Yes, local residents, whatever nationality they might be. A Thai national, living in (e.g) Amsterdam would be considered a local resident, I assume.

 

Many of the UK's best museums; FREE for all visitors. UK National Parks; FREE for all visitors - they don't even have entrance gates. Pay-to-enter attractions same price for all (OK, we know there are e.g. student and pensioner reductions but foreign students and pensioners also qualify if they can prove their status) except where a very limited definition of 'local resident' might apply but, in any case, that definition won't be based upon nationality, purely residency.

Good point about the foreigner local resident. Even though the article is about tourists we all know that we are all just Farang when it comes to taking out your wallet.

[nickstav]

35 minutes ago, Kim J said:

Some including Kao Yai are now 400bt for foreigners, then add to that the extras for such things as to take your car in, all told costs you approaching 500bt.

I was never charged extra for the vehicle.

[steven100]

This is good by Khun Prayut, and if he is genuinely concerned he will effectively implement strategies that will punish those who are seen to be ripping off tourists.

 

 

 

 

[Guderian]

What's so special about Phuket? A mate of mine did his back in here in Pattaya. Usually he walks or takes a Baht bus everywhere, but after a few beers in Jomtien he felt unable to walk back to his condo as he was in so much pain and he took a motorbike taxi instead. It's 700 metres to his condo as the crow flies, and they charged him 200 Baht. The normal fare is 40 Baht, and I think even that it 10 Baht too much. They saw that he could hardly walk and so in the best charitable Thai-Buddhist manner they ripped him off as much as they felt they could. Where's the PM when you need him?

[nickstav]

20 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

I always use the son in law of Phuket motor cycle rentals (owned by an decent Aussie bloke) his son in law is great AND he’s a safe driver!!

has a perfectly clean new van, free chilled water offered every time.

charges me 650 from airport to southern side of Patong. Took me to Mom Tris at Kata Noi for 700.

hell stop anywhere for you along the way of you have any chores or stops like banks etc to do.

screw taxi drivers n motocy taxis on Phuket.

once there rent a bike from my Aussie pal n your set????????

You think 650-700 Baht is a good deal? Isn't that what they all charge from the airport?

[spidermike007]

This is exactly what I refer to as fake news, fake concern, and false dissemination of the governments agenda. He could not care one iota, about the tourists, except for the fact that the image of the nation may be harmed in the process.

 

I have some news for you Prayuth. The world is a very transparent place now. Tourism of the kind you should have been supporting (Western tourists, who spend real money) is now all but gone. It is in the dustbin of history. Nothing is going to change that now. It is way, way too late. All you can do is try to stop the flow of blood. Cauterize the wound. And you are not even prepared to do that, because you are a rabid nationalist, you know little about the world, and your TAT is incompetent beyond imagination. Besides, if you really cared about tourism, you would break up the sports and tourism ministry. That combined ministry alone, shows how little you really care. The welfare of your people is just not on your agenda. We all see that, on a daily basis. Stop pretending, please. 

[sahibji]

strange that the pm has just opened his eyes only now - it all fell on deaf ears when cases afters cases of such abuse were reported but no suitable recourse was accorded. 

[marcusarelus]

25 minutes ago, malcoml said:

Cheap beer and hookers brings people to Thailand. 

 

These have become expensive. Hospitality went out the window years ago.

You must be thinking of another country.  The beer is not cheap.

[sahibji]

3 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

You must be thinking of another country.  The beer is not cheap.

australians quite singapore for cheaper beer in bali. tourists will go to places where their money goes further and they are also safe.

[Emdog]

I am sure this is just a one off happening... ripping off tourists? Impossible! "....government was taking all possible measures to promote tourism to Thailand..." one man's ceiling is another man's floor

[Xaos]

Phuket transport is an mess.

 

They should negotiate price beforehand 

[EricTh]

Genuine tourists have been dropping while I still see lots of retirees, people on learning Thai visas and cheap charlies backpackers. 

 

They have all gone underground and spend less than real tourists.

[remorhaz]

Okay so finally this is getting some attention!  100 baht fine and a wai ought to clean everything up.  That's what's needed to show those dastardly Phuket mafia - 3 dollars out of pocket and a good talking too.  All that can be done has been done, end of story.

[Misterwhisper]

Regarding "Thailand's "wonderful image", here is yet another marvelous aspect of it:

 

 

[cerox]

I only went once to Phuket and found it "interesting" that they wanted all 300 THB to drive around the corner a few streets. Would cost less in my home country if a Taxi was nearby.

At Nimman in Chiang Mai I see many cafes, for 180 THB I get cake and a coffee to sit beside stinking black exhaust fumes - again same price as in many parts of Europe, but clean air.

When I dare to tell Thai people the reason why so many people leave, they do not understand it.

[Fex Bluse]

21 minutes ago, steven100 said:

This is good by Khun Prayut, and if he is genuinely concerned he will effectively implement strategies that will punish those who are seen to be ripping off tourists.

 

 

 

 

Sadly, he is Thai, and so there is, in my experience, a high likelihood he is simply talking to look good.

[JRG23]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The PM had instructed the authorities to stop the practice of fleecing visitors, they added, without giving further detail. 

 

LOL. Love the complete ignorance of Thai officials. They don't have a clue.

[Dogbarker]

My wonderful image if Thailand was the very bad burning in northern Thailand BY THAI people and the dirty beaches at Rayong and keep away from Patters after visits their a few years ago . Nice image.....NOT

[Orton Rd]

8 minutes ago, Xaos said:

Phuket transport is an mess.

 

They should negotiate price beforehand 

lot dai ma- mai dai, end of 'negotiations'

[Fex Bluse]

2 minutes ago, JRG23 said:

LOL. Love the complete ignorance of Thai officials. They don't have a clue.

And regular populace same.

 

It's part of their culture, broadly applicable across any groupings of Thai people.

 

They are taught from birth to avoid introspection, to blame their problems on anybody but themselves and to avoid any difficult discussion as it would be conflict.

 

Good country 

[peterb17]

2 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

The PM is right, a lot of the prostitutes ask outrageous prices these days!

And so they should - for how much would you sell your body? If anyone would want it? 

[apophyss]

But this stupid farang continue every days to give tips to everythings...

 

 

So how they can stop to charge farang who are ok to pay more than the overpricing ?

[soalbundy]

4 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

Someone who stole an entire country has no right to tell the citizens that dishonesty is not acceptable.

Yeah but it was for their own good and it worked out even better for him and his mates..... so..a result.

[Cobby]

Another joke 

why dose he not concentrate on the persecution of western tourists over strict visa controls and persecution of ex pats

so many western tourists are not coming now and expats are leaving for other Asian countries who welcome us and our money 

I wonder do the Chinese and Indians 

have the same restrictions 

the so called saviours of Thailand tourists industry 

now that’s backfired on the government 

and the high bht is not good 

[mok199]

End the driving on the sidewalks and insane loud scooters.while you are at it ..

[peterb17]

48 minutes ago, malcoml said:

Cheap beer and hookers brings people to Thailand. 

 

These have become expensive. Hospitality went out the window years ago.

Personally- hospitality refers to service in hotels and restaurants- not getting drunk and  not abusing the local poor boys and girls for a few minutes of sexual pleasure .

[Orton Rd]

7 minutes ago, peterb17 said:

And so they should - for how much would you sell your body? If anyone would want it? 

The way the pound is gong I might have to, I think 1500 for the night would be a fair price, no kissing though!