Chinese tourism to double over next decade, says bank analysts

[Traubert]

16 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

This would be a tragedy of epic proportions. And the tiny minds at the TAT and within the administration do not even see it. That is how blinded they are by cash, and arrival numbers. The quality of life would be greatly diminished for every traveler who comes to Thailand. Massive number do not translate into a benefit for society. Choosing quantity of quality is a tremendous error in judgment. Thailand is only able to attract the low and lower middle class amongst the Chinese and Indian tourists. The ones with money have too many other options, and cannot get what they want in Thailand. Quality tourism is going to continue to diminish here, and is currently a pale shadow of what it used to be, and as a result millions of Thais in tourism are hurting. The hurt is going to get much worst.

 

One can only hope and pray it leads to the eventual ouster of the hapless army, who have the well being of the Thai people and our ex-pat community as their last priority in the world. 

I'm pretty sure I read this exact same post on another thread.

 

Mike, you've lost. Give it up and go home if your snobbery and disdain overwhelms your contentment. It's not good for a man to be so bitter all the time.

[spidermike007]

10 hours ago, Traubert said:

I'm pretty sure I read this exact same post on another thread.

 

Mike, you've lost. Give it up and go home if your snobbery and disdain overwhelms your contentment. It's not good for a man to be so bitter all the time.

 

Quite lame. Nearly every time I see someone complaining, or observing a shortfall about the policies here, or the culture, some guy who has not taken the time to think things through, nor to devote any time, study, or focus on the issue at hand, says something like "Perhaps Thailand is not for you", or "maybe you should leave", or "it's not fair", or the top prize, "if you do not like it here, go back to your own country". 

 

Why? Because I have some issues with the place, I am not entitled to complain, or voice my opinions? Half of the posts on this forum are complaints. What is wrong with that? Don't we need someplace to vent? Why the sensitivity? Why such thin skin? Though absolute contentment must be a beautiful thing to be blessed with, it is not something most of us enjoy. The fact that I complain does not mean I do not love Thailand, my lifestyle, and most of the Thai people. I have a good life here. But, I do have some issues with the place, as most do, and I do not like the government, and there are some things I would like to see improved. Do you not see any room for improvement? I should leave because I complain? 

 

[ThaiBunny]

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Quite lame. Nearly every time I see someone complaining, or observing a shortfall about the policies here, or the culture, some guy who has not taken the time to think things through, nor to devote any time, study, or focus on the issue at hand, says something like "Perhaps Thailand is not for you", or "maybe you should leave", or "it's not fair", or the top prize, "if you do not like it here, go back to your own country". 

 

Why? Because I have some issues with the place, I am not entitled to complain, or voice my opinions? Half of the posts on this forum are complaints. What is wrong with that? Don't we need someplace to vent? Why the sensitivity? Why such thin skin? Though absolute contentment must be a beautiful thing to be blessed with, it is not something most of us enjoy. The fact that I complain does not mean I do not love Thailand, my lifestyle, and most of the Thai people. I have a good life here. But, I do have some issues with the place, as most do, and I do not like the government, and there are some things I would like to see improved. Do you not see any room for improvement? I should leave because I complain?  

Not at all Mike. Stay for as long as you like and complain as much as you like. Just don't assume that a single thing will change - either because of it or spite of it

[spidermike007]

3 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

Not at all Mike. Stay for as long as you like and complain as much as you like. Just don't assume that a single thing will change - either because of it or spite of it

These forums are about us expressing our opinions, and expressing dissent. There is a democratic element to this forum. That is why many of us use it, and like it. Complaints are part of the existence of the human race. We are discriminating beings, and we like to point out extreme errors, when we see them. In my case, that does not mean I do not love Thailand. I do. And I love most Thai people. I have a very good life here. I am married to an exquisite Thai woman, who I adore, and she has a family, which I adore. 

 

Voicing my complaints are not intended to change things. I do not have the power to change the world. I am not Thor, or Zeus. I am a common man, with concerns and observations. And though I love Thailand, I despise this administration and Thai immigration with all my heart and soul. They are destructive, inept, xenophobic, and are insuring a far lower quality of life for the average Thai, and making life uncomfortable for many ex-pats. They need to go, and they need to go soon, or they will tear the nation asunder. They are assuring a world of hurt for the common man.

 

There. I said my peace. Now, you can complain all you want, about my observations. 

[denby45]

Talk about creating a hell on Earth.

 

 

Den

[Brunolem]

1 hour ago, ThaiBunny said:

Not at all Mike. Stay for as long as you like and complain as much as you like. Just don't assume that a single thing will change - either because of it or spite of it

Many people, both farang and Thai, seem to believe that Thailand is somehow frozen in time, and that changes cannot be expected, because they never happen. 

 

This is a totally wrong perception, because Thailand is changing all the time, sometime for the best and sometime for the worst. 

 

Thailand today is vastly different from what it was at the turn of the century, and I won't even compare with what it was 40 years ago, when I first visited. 

 

There are an infinite number of things that contribute to bring changes, and complaints are part of them... obviously not the rants of one individual, but when many people are involved, it often translates into changes... see where the yellow/red shirts protests have led the country, for example... 

 

[ParkerN]

They'll need more zero-baht tour buses then...

[ParkerN]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

These forums are about us expressing our opinions, and expressing dissent. There is a democratic element to this forum. That is why many of us use it, and like it. Complaints are part of the existence of the human race. We are discriminating beings, and we like to point out extreme errors, when we see them. In my case, that does not mean I do not love Thailand. I do. And I love most Thai people. I have a very good life here. I am married to an exquisite Thai woman, who I adore, and she has a family, which I adore. 

 

Voicing my complaints are not intended to change things. I do not have the power to change the world. I am not Thor, or Zeus. I am a common man, with concerns and observations. And though I love Thailand, I despise this administration and Thai immigration with all my heart and soul. They are destructive, inept, xenophobic, and are insuring a far lower quality of life for the average Thai, and making life uncomfortable for many ex-pats. They need to go, and they need to go soon, or they will tear the nation asunder. They are assuring a world of hurt for the common man.

 

There. I said my peace. Now, you can complain all you want, about my observations. 

 

Seems like a reasonably-thought-out view, for reasonable reasons.

 

I just worry that you draw a clear distinction between the administration and the people. I'm not sure they are 2 different things in the final analysis. It seems likely to me that one is a more-or-less seamless extension of the other.

 

Otherwise how does one explain the existence of the administration in terms of the people?

 

Just saying.

[ParkerN]

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

 

Quite lame. Nearly every time I see someone complaining, or observing a shortfall about the policies here, or the culture, some guy who has not taken the time to think things through, nor to devote any time, study, or focus on the issue at hand, says something like "Perhaps Thailand is not for you", or "maybe you should leave", or "it's not fair", or the top prize, "if you do not like it here, go back to your own country". 

 

Why? Because I have some issues with the place, I am not entitled to complain, or voice my opinions? Half of the posts on this forum are complaints. What is wrong with that? Don't we need someplace to vent? Why the sensitivity? Why such thin skin? Though absolute contentment must be a beautiful thing to be blessed with, it is not something most of us enjoy. The fact that I complain does not mean I do not love Thailand, my lifestyle, and most of the Thai people. I have a good life here. But, I do have some issues with the place, as most do, and I do not like the government, and there are some things I would like to see improved. Do you not see any room for improvement? I should leave because I complain? 

 

You are entitled to your thoughts as are all TV members. If some yoyo chooses not to understand or acknowledge them then he can always take his hubris somewhere else. Bet he won't though...

[Fex Bluse]

2 hours ago, ParkerN said:

 

Seems like a reasonably-thought-out view, for reasonable reasons.

 

I just worry that you draw a clear distinction between the administration and the people. I'm not sure they are 2 different things in the final analysis. It seems likely to me that one is a more-or-less seamless extension of the other.

 

Otherwise how does one explain the existence of the administration in terms of the people?

 

Just saying.

I agree with this. 

 

We are required not to be too broad in our judgements - per the forum rules, and those are good baseline rules. 

 

However, my view is that Thailand is a place where any variance (whether minor or significant) among the local population generally does not apply to foreigners.

 

Where foreigners are concerned, Thais are taught "scripts" for how to think about us, and, consequently, how to treat us. 

 

These scripts form a part of the culture that permeates thinking among ALL sectors of the populace which means there is no substantive difference in opinion between officialdom and common people. 

 

Hence, we NEVER note any groups of Thais, in any circumstances, standing up for the rights of foreigners. 

 

Thai Cultural Mandates - still in full effect 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_cultural_mandates

 

[ParkerN]

54 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

I agree with this. 

 

We are required not to be too broad in our judgements - per the forum rules, and those are good baseline rules. 

 

However, my view is that Thailand is a place where any variance (whether minor or significant) among the local population generally does not apply to foreigners.

 

Where foreigners are concerned, Thais are taught "scripts" for how to think about us, and, consequently, how to treat us. 

 

These scripts form a part of the culture that permeates thinking among ALL sectors of the populace which means there is no substantive difference in opinion between officialdom and common people. 

 

Hence, we NEVER note any groups of Thais, in any circumstances, standing up for the rights of foreigners. 

 

Thai Cultural Mandates - still in full effect 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_cultural_mandates

 

Indeed, and exercising great care not to impugn any person or persons, clearly those who have or who have acquired the custodianship of the nation. wish to hold on to it.

 

Nevertheless, I see no useful purpose in drawing any kind of a line between the Nation and it's government, and the people who are subject to legal or cultural norms in which they had no say whatever in designing. In saying that I freely acknowledge that the majority of these norms are cultural; thus unwritten and thus deniable. Doesn't make them any the less real though.

 

Thailand has always been fertile ground for sowing seeds of superstition and ignorance; abetted by an average IQ that is comparable to many African and Latin American nations and has only recently dragged itself above 90 - largely due to the Flynn Effect rather then any educational action taken by its series of dilatory and incompetent governments. Having and maintaining a frightened and stupid populace makes the task of (thought) control immeasurably easier as many dictatorships in the Middle-East, Africa and Latin America will attest - with or without the help of the big one - usually with.

[spidermike007]

16 hours ago, ParkerN said:

 

Seems like a reasonably-thought-out view, for reasonable reasons.

 

I just worry that you draw a clear distinction between the administration and the people. I'm not sure they are 2 different things in the final analysis. It seems likely to me that one is a more-or-less seamless extension of the other.

 

Otherwise how does one explain the existence of the administration in terms of the people?

 

Just saying.

 

Nah. I do make a clear distinction. I know alot of level headed, hard working, reasonably honest Thais. They despise the administration and everything they stand for and represent. They are really good people. The extreme hatred, xenophobia and racist ranting coming from the highest levels of the administration, do not reflect the attitudes of most people I meet, unless they work for the government (there is a level of trickle down ignorance and disdain of foreigners that permeates the minds of most govt. workers).

 

The Thai people are far better than their heinous government, and the hapless, greedy, selfish, arrogant, and utterly useless army. 

[ParkerN]

29 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

 

Nah. I do make a clear distinction. I know alot of level headed, hard working, reasonably honest Thais. They despise the administration and everything they stand for and represent. They are really good people. The extreme hatred, xenophobia and racist ranting coming from the highest levels of the administration, do not reflect the attitudes of most people I meet, unless they work for the government (there is a level of trickle down ignorance and disdain of foreigners that permeates the minds of most govt. workers).

 

The Thai people are far better than their heinous government, and the hapless, greedy, selfish, arrogant, and utterly useless army. 

Agree with your assessment but not your conclusion. A population get the government they deserve as the Americans are finding out right about now. For all some of the population might despise it's government in Thailand, they seem content not to do anything definitive about it, and there are clear and easily-understandable reasons why this is so in Thailand. In my experience, it doesn't pay to make broad assessments based on individuals, there are too many ways in which the assessments (and behaviours) of individuals can vary based on group dynamics. There are many reasons why people behave differently in a group than as individuals, and what they say as individuals fails to translate into anything that is useful when collective action is required.

 

Srill, your experience in this is just as valuable as mine, so you could be right and I could be wrong. I don't think I am, but I could be.