Taxis, not martial law, upset tourists

Taxis, not martial law, upset tourists

While most foreign tourists are undeterred by the imposition of martial law in Thailand, a large number are concerned about being ripped off by cabbies and tuk-tuk drivers, an opinion survey by Bangkok University has found.

Tourists arrive on Koh Tao island, Surat Thani. (Photo by Supapong Chaolan)

The pollsters surveyed 1,044 foreign visitors from Nov 7 to 9 and reported that 70% said martial law did not affect the decision to visit Thailand, while the remaining 30%  said it had been a factor they considered before coming here.

However, 86.1% o respondents thought Thailand was a safe destination for tourists, while 2.4% considered it unsafe, and 11.5% were indecisive.

Asked about what should be improved, the biggest concern was taxis - with 22.3% pointing to the drivers of cabs and tuk-tuks. They complained that they overcharged, did not use fare meters and took detours; while 15.7% of respondents complained about traffic congestion and 12.7% about poor the English language skills of Thai people.

For visitors' satisfaction, Thailand scored 7.70 points on average out of 10 points, an increase of 0.05 point from a previous survey in April 2013. The highest satisfaction score was 8.40 points for Thai culture and tradition, and the lowest satisfaction score of 6.75 points went to air quality.

By far the largest number, 72.9% were visiting on vacation, 21.6% for work and business and 5.5% were here to see relatives, friends or lovers.

Regarding their favourite attractions, 20.7% said they were attracted to local culture, arts and traditions, 17.6% to the sea and beaches, and 16.1% to shopping venues such as Chatuchak market.

Asked if they would come back, 91.8% of respondents said they would return and 93.1% would encourage others to visit Thailand.

This video shows taxi drivers rejecting passengers in Thailand.

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