The Value of a Tourist.

[Sean Moran]

What are some of the most common positive and negative results of foreign tourists from overseas visiting Thailand?

Thai opinions welcome, kap.

[stilljustbrowsing]

Foreigners bring alien diseases with them, like money! Positively negative perhaps?

[fast eddy]

Tourists may even want to go home again and complain when they can't (see PAD's invasion of the airport). Furthermore, they are too stupid to realise how privelidged they are to be serenaded by good music and watch the Thais tuck into good food as trumpted by our foreign minister! What a useless bunch they are - these foreign tourists bringing sack loads of cash to spend!

cheers

Fast Eddy

[hidalgo]

This is a very precarious situation for Thailand, and the Thai people. Without tourists, what would the common people do? They are out of work! Selling food, khanoms, bric-a-brac, everything! If the Thai smile is absent, most foreigners would go to other Asian countries like Indonesia or Vietnam. It is too late already. Most foreigners and their governments no longer think Thailand as their special place to be or go in holidays or even business. Hopefully the present government under Apisit proacts fast and changes the situation.


Best regards,

[Sean Moran]

This is a very precarious situation for Thailand, and the Thai people. Without tourists, what would the common people do? They are out of work! Selling food, khanoms, bric-a-brac, everything! If the Thai smile is absent, most foreigners would go to other Asian countries like Indonesia or Vietnam. It is too late already. Most foreigners and their governments no longer think Thailand as their special place to be or go in holidays or even business. Hopefully the present government under Apisit proacts fast and changes the situation.


Best regards,

Fair point. Also welcome to the forum Hidalgo.

I suppose in this case it might come back to what the 'common people' are doing to make a living.

Although I agree with you, from what I've heard about the global financial crisis and the recent negative publicity that has fallen on Thailand's tourist industry, that there seems to have been a rather significant lull in the tourist industry lately, and there is an indirect effect throughout the economy as those employed in the tourist industry have less to spend down at the local 711 each week, and so forth, I do wonder though what DIRECT effect this has on the majority. On one hand, perhaps without so many tourists, there's a reduction in foreign revenue and some then have to find other jobs - driving a truck or a bus or a taxi, or working in a factory or whatever pays. On the other hand, is there a positive aspect to it all, when the country is not so burdened by such an influx of the perhaps uneducated tourist - the negative sort of tourist that might be in part the cause of some of the losses regarding culture.

Just a first thought, and mainly wanted to say welcome to the forum. I believe that maybe there has been too much focus on tourism in Thailand over the recent decades and maybe there's a levelling effect as things return back to normal, although this is an extremely debatable opinion and I'll be hojnest in saying that I personally see a very great difference between travellers and tourists and like to fancy myself as more of the former than the latter, but that's just my own attitude problem.

[boonfah]

I understand Thais concern on this. I am one of those tourists and am horrified at the lack of respect some tourists show your country as all Thais I have come across are such a respectfull and friendly people. I try to stay away from Bangkok for that reason so i dont have to see drunk English in the bars their. But going up north I love Nakon Sawan and stayed there for a month recently. I love Thailand and I love the poeple (my girlfriend is Thai so am very biased). I only wish that my own country in England that people would have the same respect for others. Unfortunaltley your economy does reley a little too much on tourism which is shame for a country with such vast wealth. Of course without all the world bank and IMF debt that Thailand is in you wouldnt need to be so reliant on tourism or its money. It is only with these loans that countries like the US and the UK steal your vast natural wealth for themseleves as they have done all around the globe.

[Belthazar]

On one hand, perhaps without so many tourists, there's a reduction in foreign revenue and some then have to find other jobs - driving a truck or a bus or a taxi, or working in a factory or whatever pays. On the other hand, is there a positive aspect to it all, when the country is not so burdened by such an influx of the perhaps uneducated tourist - the negative sort of tourist that might be in part the cause of some of the losses regarding culture. [/quote]

It is funny to read post about uneducated turists etc. - whole concept about quality tourism is
Many decent tourist are not high spenders, so from Thai point of view, they are not quality tourists - many Thais on this board are complaining about sextourists, but as I know a few of them - master degrees, good jobs, big spenders - so, they should be welcomed with applause - educated with money - Quality Tourists

[Claude06france]

For most tourists, Thailand is but Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui and Chiang Mai.
So, they tend to believe they are much more important than they are indeed...

Thailand is a big country producing and exporting many products at a high level.

Most Thai people do not make a living on foreign tourism.

I am a foreigner myself, and I do not see many foreigners in Prachuap Khirikan, Phitsanulok, Mukdahan or even Bang Saen where I live.

[brighteyes]

People are being somewhat naive if they think Thailand would crumble overnight in the hypothetical situation of zero-tourism. Sure lots of people would lose their jobs, and the consequnces of such would take a bit of healing, but the country doesn't rely on tourism per se.

The values of a tourist?

I for one feel that it is a positive thing to interact with people from different cultures (for all their quirks and unseemly behaviour) and this is an innate curiosity which is clearly evident in Thailand, especially among younger citizens. Tourism allows for this, and allows for a feeling that one may not be completely isolated in an internationalised, or globalised, larger world, especially if one can't afford to travel abroad. This may be called educational.

A tourist brings, however stingy or liberal - money. Money is a good thing apparently.

I'm sure that tourists bring (or don't bring) other values too - louder bermuda shirts than thai politicians and no shoulder pads; no shell suits. a young whippersnapper of sixty-five donning the heart attack look while drinking a heiny and puffing on a cigarette (both bought from a pharmacy) at 9 a.m. before Sunday Mass (consumption), and all the nice people who just smile and enjoy themselves while causing nobody any harm, which is most tourists.

It'd be good if there was less \\ //// in Thai politics than there is, would be good if people (especially Thais) could chill out about the Messiah, and it would be good if foreigners (the minority) made less of an ass of themselves in Thailand and got shot of their condescending and bigoted views. Then maybe the opinion of both tourist and host may improve.

[Belthazar]

Tourism is VERY important for Thailand because it is generating 6% of GDP per year, so if you lose 6% GDP You will have to deal with big economical problems. "Up to You" or "Mai pen rai"