News Forum - PM Prayut eyes 1 million “high-quality tourists” in his Phuket transformation

[Thaiger]

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has announced intentions to attract 1 million foreign travellers and 60 billion baht in revenue over the next 6 months by promoting Phuket as a world-class destination. The prime minister took to Facebook on Friday to introduce his “Phuket Transformation” plan to attract what Thailand views as high-quality foreigners on a “workation” – the most recent buzzword for working remotely, which is still currently not technically legal in Thailand. The programme intends to attract 5,000 of these working travellers each day during the fourth quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022. The push comes as […]

The post PM Prayut eyes 1 million “high-quality tourists” in his Phuket transformation appeared first on Thaiger News.

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[Bob20]

Yes, and he's got a great world-class car for sale as well!

[JackIsAGoodBoy]

This old chestnut asks for not to be picked up again this year. Too many times already

[Graham]

now the chief clown wants to get on the TAT band wagon. 555

TIT.

Edited October 3, 2021 by Andrew Reeve
word removed

[gummy]

High quality is purely a relative term .  Therefore for a person directly responsible for the Thai economy going downhill, directly responsible for poor planning and dubious issues surrounding the AZ vaccine production in Thailand, directly responsible for inadequate planning and ordering of other vaccines, directly responsible as the Commander-in-Chief for the murder of civilians in 2010 then "high quality" could range and include corrupt politicians , high level drug runners, murderers and all such high quality low lifes that match his own achievements. Phuket is welcome to those high quality individuals, perhaps some are there already preparing for their mates to join them. All of course assuming they have money,  lots of it, as any other issues regarding their "quality" are purely irrelevent.

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

26 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

"workation” – the most recent buzzword for working remotely,

"Paperworkation" will the buzzword for the process getting there.

[Robosibbo]

Cloud cuckoo land, who's wants to travel and have any kind of restrictions.... anyone with decent money will go west to the Caribbean which has far less restrictions

[Johno]

Still all these amazing statitics and numbers that come from thin air..the time has past  & time for some intelligence that comes with new government and and stability because that no longer exists..

[Soidog]

These statements are becoming as useful as yesterday’s weather forecasts. 

[divrg]

Does anyone know where this obsession about "high-quality tourists" comes from? Its like almost all the other tourists that come there are some sort of low class trash that only want too buy sex. The problem is that in some of the bars etc you have all sorts of people. Some have lots of money too spend. The image of a low-class dirty old man paying for sex seems too be a a conception amongst some thais.

[Steveuk3]

Get Thailand off UK red list.  UK government are clueless.   Phuket very safe the way it’s been done under sandbox 

[Griff1315]

4 minutes ago, Steveuk3 said:

Get Thailand off UK red list.  UK government are clueless.   Phuket very safe the way it’s been done under sandbox 

Your taking the pi$$ surly. Or are you just living in your own world where truth means nothing.

[Soidog]

3 minutes ago, divrg said:

Does anyone know where this obsession about "high-quality tourists" comes from? Its like almost all the other tourists that come there are some sort of low class trash that only want too buy sex. The problem is that in some of the bars etc you have all sorts of people. Some have lots of money too spend. The image of a low-class dirty old man paying for sex seems too be a a conception amongst some thais.

I assume it’s the assumption of high-quality equals high spending. The other business model of course is quantity over quality. The other thing to bear in mind is the messaging to people. It’s a nice image to paint for the Thai people of the country being filled with multimillionaires arriving by private jet and hiring a Bentley for the week. After all, some of the crumbs always fall from the table. 
 

The problem Thailand has, is that for most of its current high end markets, it’s long haul. Even for the Aussies it’s around 6-7 hours. If you are a high-end tourist from Europe and the US then there are many more places closer and with far better facilities than Thailand. 
 

We all know these are just nice words and it will never change. 3-5 years from now when skut from all over the world is rolling in to the tune of 40-45 million a year and they won’t give a damn. 

[Faraday]

2 hours ago, Thaiger said:

The programme intends to attract 5,000 of these working travellers each day

[Guevara]

33 minutes ago, Steveuk3 said:

Get Thailand off UK red list.  UK government are clueless.   Phuket very safe the way it’s been done under sandbox 

I like your sense of humour. I'm in no way going to defend the UK Government but you should compare the percentages vaccinated and tested in the UK compared to Thailand. Add to this the 'placebo' vaccination Prayut has 'chosen' whilst exporting vaccinations with adequate efficacy. Yes it would be very nice to get Thailand off the UK's red list but only when the time is right.

[AlexPTY]

as oppose to 2,581,141 of low quality expats who live here permanently and feed this economy

[Poolie]

12 minutes ago, AlexPTY said:

as oppose to 2,581,141 of low quality expats who live here permanently and feed this economy

Yeah, in the 2010 census. 11 years ago, and counting.

I'd warrant a guess it isn't anything like that now.

Hasty google searches aren't always the best.

[Stardust]

44 minutes ago, Soidog said:

I assume it’s the assumption of high-quality equals high spending. The other business model of course is quantity over quality. The other thing to bear in mind is the messaging to people. It’s a nice image to paint for the Thai people of the country being filled with multimillionaires arriving by private jet and hiring a Bentley for the week. After all, some of the crumbs always fall from the table. 
 

The problem Thailand has, is that for most of its current high end markets, it’s long haul. Even for the Aussies it’s around 6-7 hours. If you are a high-end tourist from Europe and the US then there are many more places closer and with far better facilities than Thailand. 
 

We all know these are just nice words and it will never change. 3-5 years from now when skut from all over the world is rolling in to the tune of 40-45 million a year and they won’t give a damn. 

He should visit first high class destinatinations in europe or elsewhere in the world then compare it to the standards and infrastructure in Thailand. Maybe they start to learn first how to make a proper sidewalk, cabelling and waste management before talking stupid incompetent nonsense like an incompetent clown.

[stuhan]

EYE EYE i don't think so PM stop dreaming and wake up.

[MrStretch]

1 hour ago, divrg said:

Does anyone know where this obsession about "high-quality tourists" comes from?

Fewer people (remember Thais don't like foreigners) that spend more money.

They want one family of four, that will spend 60,000 baht a week (largely patronizing 'rich' establishments owned by well-connected hi-sos, instead of 10 "backpackers" who spend 6,000 each a week (which would benefit more mom and pop businesses).

[DiJoDavO]

I think Thailand is currently not in the position to decide who is high quality or low quality. First of all, look at how they handled the past situation, second of all, they always like to note how much money anything will bring in. More tourists, no matter what kind of tourists, bring in more money for everyone. 

Unless..... It should go all in their pockets, so only high quality tourists who stay in high quality hotels are being looked for, which don't benefit to the local people. 

[DiggR]

SSDD hohum........

[Bob20]

5000 people a day?

Or 5000 baht a day?

[Preston]

Got to start work quick to first transform the island into a desirable world class destination before the 1 million rich travelers can hurry over to enjoy the 7-day quarantine and its slew of restrictions.  
 

60 billion baht divided by 1 million = ?

[Pierre]

Must admit that even though we are longing to get back and visit Thailand it won't happen before we can be just as free as in our own country.

• To be free to go where we want to when we want
• To eat and drink when, where and what
• To not wearing that freaking mask in 35 degree heat (sadly we don't have these temperature here in scandinavia)

Must admit that when all corona restrictions was dropped here in beginning of September one really appreciate the freedom we had before corona.

• Not wearing masks at all (Though we only had to wear them in public traffic and shops during restrictions)
• No corona passport or testing to go to restaurants
• Able to get a massage, haircut

Edited October 3, 2021 by Pierre
Adding text