Waive visa fees, cut air fares:

[Bruce551]

Waive visa fees, cut air fares: Tourism and Sports Ministry

The Tourism and Sports Ministry has submitted 13 tourism recovery measures for government approval. The proposals include waiving visa fees, cutting air fares, and reducing airport charges.

Minister Chumpol Silapa-Archa said the proposed measures were handed to the government's economic team yesterday.

"The ministry has compiled [the measures] from the needs and proposals from the private sector," Chumpol said.

The tourism industry, which normally generates about 6-8 per cent of gross domestic product, is suffering from the global economic crisis and last year's eight-day closure of Bangkok's two commercial airports.

Among the measures proposed to revive sector, the ministry will urge Thai Airways International and other carriers to cut fares by 50 per cent to encourage more advanced bookings.

It is also urging the government to waive visa fees for tourists from all countries for six months, with a possible extension of a further six months.

The ministry has also asked the government to reduce value-added tax on hotel room rates for one year, and Airports of Thailand to reduce landing and parking fees at the country's international airports in a bid to persuade more airlines to restore their Thai operations.

Other measures would require government organisations to adjust their budgets for outside meetings and seminars so as to boost domestic tourism, plus a proposal that private companies' tax refunds for meetings and conferences be doubled.

Moreover, hotel operators have asked for an exemption from the annual fee of Bt80 per room they have to pay to the Revenue Department.

Banks, meanwhile, will be encouraged to extend debt-repayment periods for operators in the tourism sector for three years.

The Ministry also plans to promote the major destinations of Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga for local tourism by reducing airport taxes and surcharges.

In addition, all national parks should play their part by waiving entrance fees for three years.

The government has also been urged to help workers in the tourism sector, which faces a high risk of increased job losses.

Chumpol said the Ministry would seek an additional budget from the government to assist the tourism sector.

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved Bt1 billion to help tourism and related businesses, but more funding was needed to support the recovery effort.

Prakit Chinamourphong, President of the Thai Hotels Association, said three- and four-star hotels planned to discount room rates by 50 per cent for people visiting the country in February and March.

Among the main target markets are China, India, the Middle East, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan.

Shopping centres and tourist attractions in Bangkok and other key destinations are also supporting the tourism-recovery campaign.

Most hotels in Bangkok and other major tourist cities are running at lower-than-usual occupancy rates following the airport closures.

New promotion and marketing activities in both local and overseas markets are also planned.

- The Nation / 2009-01-15

[MisterMatlock]

I was reading about this earlier this evening. I guess it makes the farang feel a little more privileged as far as the way they're treated by the Thai gov't. On a serious note, it's a pretty sickening story.

[CMG_UK]

Sure, I'd rather just have a few hundred baht screwed out of me by a policeman than pushed out to sea and left to die. Of course, this will be denounced as not official policy, in just the same way as the torture in the South was.. Am I in the wrong forum?

[MisterMatlock]

Sure, I'd rather just have a few hundred baht screwed out of me by a policeman than pushed out to sea and left to die. Of course, this will be denounced as not official policy, in just the same way as the torture in the South was.. Am I in the wrong forum?

Well, the navy, air force and police said it was handled by the army... The army said it was handled by the police. There are Thai laws and regulations pertaining to this sort of situation for sure, BUT... *gasp* The laws aren't followed by the police/military. You can check out excerpts from an article here:

http://bangkokpundit.blogspot.com/2009/01/thailand-and-refugees.html

[Stu_thailand]

To Stu,

How about sending that excellent message to the newspapers in addition to posting it here. Give the rest of Thailand a chance to read your wise words.

And you could add, how about they create more of their websites in English and keep them maintained and up to date. How can tourists plan bus journeys in Thailand when the national bus company's site is only in Thai (as far as I can find) and seat availability on trains can only be checked in Thai (and it hasn't worked right for weeks)?

Good point, Chris, but fear not, it will never happen. The banks are another fine example. How many banks did you ever see with English leaflets explaining their services for example? Just another case of, 'Their money'll do, but they can work it all out themselves;

Another fine example was a few years ago.the owners of Baiyoke sky tower, the TALLEST and one of the most well known buildings in Thailand, decided to put a bloody great big sign, sponsored by Johnny Walker Thailand, on the side of it, advising people not to drink and drive. Admirable, yes. BUT. What happened? They even f**ked that up...I can't remember the exact words, but it ws something like, "Don't drive and drink"

Why? Becasue they were toooooooooooooo afraid to simply call an international school, speak to a Native speaker of English, and GET IT RIGHT.

So, if THEY can't do it, what hope have we of ever seeing train and bus services in coherant English?

I would consider sending it off to the newpaper, Chris, but the Farang readers know it already, everyday Thai's will never read it, those who do will just say "Mai Pen Rai", and anyone who is in office will just smile, and then go back to investigating where their next backhander will be coming from.

[Stu_thailand]

To Stu,

How about sending that excellent message to the newspapers in addition to posting it here. Give the rest of Thailand a chance to read your wise words.

And you could add, how about they create more of their websites in English and keep them maintained and up to date. How can tourists plan bus journeys in Thailand when the national bus company's site is only in Thai (as far as I can find) and seat availability on trains can only be checked in Thai (and it hasn't worked right for weeks)?

Good point, Chris, but fear not, it will never happen. The banks are another fine example. How many banks did you ever see with English leaflets explaining their services for example? Just another case of, 'Their money'll do, but they can work it all out themselves;

Another fine example was a few years ago.the owners of Baiyoke sky tower, the TALLEST and one of the most well known buildings in Thailand, decided to put a bloody great big sign, sponsored by Johnny Walker Thailand, on the side of it, advising people not to drink and drive. Admirable, yes. BUT. What happened? They even f**ked that up...I can't remember the exact words, but it ws something like, "Don't drive and drink"

Why? Becasue they were toooooooooooooo afraid to simply call an international school, speak to a Native speaker of English, and GET IT RIGHT.

So, if THEY can't do it, what hope have we of ever seeing train and bus services in coherant English?

I would consider sending it off to the newpaper, Chris, but the Farang readers know it already, everyday Thai's will never read it, those who do will just say "Mai Pen Rai", and anyone who is in office will just smile, and then go back to investigating where their next backhander will be coming from.

Found a pic

http://www.adrants.com/images/johnny_walker_drink_drive.jpg

[CMG_UK]

Drink don't drive...sounds like a damn sound philosophy to me ( I had to concentrate on spelling that after finishing my Tesco Whisky).

[vbroker]

Found a pic

http://www.adrants.com/images/johnny_walker_drink_drive.jpg

I'm not sure that ad is a typo. I think that's EXACTLY the message they're trying to get across. In other words the message is: DRINK.....DON'T DRIVE. As in drink all the Johnny Walker you can tolerate......then stay away from the wheel. The ad wouldn't play well in the U.S. (MADD and SADD might be up in arms suggesting the manufacturer is promoting excessive drinking) but that issue's not a problem in S.E. Asia. Further, I imagine the Johnny Walker people or their ad agency would be interested in the ad's "accuracy" or at least the intended message and how it's perceived. I can't imagine they would allow such a mix up with an ad that size in such a prominent place. Of course I could be wrong.

[zeusbheld]

have i missed the point? That graphic looks like an intentional but inappropriate play on words.. Or am i reading too much into it from my old design days?

agree with you and vrbroker on this one. that was intentional, and a company as big as the one that owns johnny walker would have a native speaker on it. it's agressively pro-drinking because they can get away with it here, where english isn't the first language and the gov't, who normally spend a lot of time babysitting 'morality' issues, can't be bothered in this case.

[zeusbheld]

fecking shitty internet connection.

[zeusbheld]

**** my internet connection, the horse it rode in on...

[zeusbheld]

an all that mangy horse's fleas as well.

[CiaranM]

have i missed the point? That graphic looks like an intentional but inappropriate play on words.. Or am i reading too much into it from my old design days?

agree with you and vrbroker on this one. that was intentional, and a company as big as the one that owns johnny walker would have a native speaker on it. it's agressively pro-drinking because they can get away with it here, where english isn't the first language and the gov't, who normally spend a lot of time babysitting 'morality' issues, can't be bothered in this case.

u r in an unusually agreeable mood today Zeus !!!!

[CiaranM]

have i missed the point? That graphic looks like an intentional but inappropriate play on words.. Or am i reading too much into it from my old design days?

agree with you and vrbroker on this one. that was intentional, and a company as big as the one that owns johnny walker would have a native speaker on it. it's agressively pro-drinking because they can get away with it here, where english isn't the first language and the gov't, who normally spend a lot of time babysitting 'morality' issues, can't be bothered in this case.

u r in an unusually agreeable mood today Zeus !!!!

[zeusbheld]

yep i think he agrees :shock: I also think the site's f**ked

the site may be f**ked by my agreeing with someone, but the mutliple posts were coz of my f**ked up internet connection, not a site-wide problem. rebooted my router, seems fine now.

rebooted my router, seems fine now.

rebooted my router, seems fine now.

rebooted my router, seems fine now.

rebooted my router, seems fine now.

rebooted my router, seems fine now.

rebooted my router, seems fine now.

[dannyboy]

Regarding the sign.

Either incredibly dumb or incredibly irresponsible.

Probably both...

[Stramash]

Regarding the sign.

Either incredibly dumb or incredibly irresponsible.

Probably both...

If only incredibly dumb, we cannot really judge. There was the recent incident in wales (where all road signs must be in Welsh and English) where the road sign department sent the English text of a sign to the council department responsible for translation.

As no-one was in the office, they were sent an out of office reply by e mail (In Welsh)

As no-one at the road sign dept spoke Welsh, they thought this was the translation so went ahead and printed it; with the end result that Welsh signs were put up with an automated e mail out of office text on it!!!

[marco_funny]

i wish nothing will change for the visa rules, so less people will come over here,

as we didn't see any advantages from those foreigners except high crimes in pattaya and the degradation of the beach and natural sea corals and the high increase in real estate prices.

[beej]

i wish nothing will change for the visa rules, so less people will come over here,

as we didn't see any advantages from those foreigners except high crimes in pattaya and the degradation of the beach and natural sea corals and the high increase in real estate prices.

NOW THATS QUOTE OF THE MONTH!

[Stramash]

i wish nothing will change for the visa rules, so less people will come over here,

as we didn't see any advantages from those foreigners except high crimes in pattaya and the degradation of the beach and natural sea corals and the high increase in real estate prices.

NOW THATS QUOTE OF THE MONTH!

it s not the responsibility of Thailand or any other country to take care of them, if they want to end misery and poverty then let them make a gigantic popular revolution over their regime just like what other countries(Romania , french revolution 17th century etc ) has done in the past going to other people s country is not a long term solution to the root of the problem.

No, this is quote of the month!!!!

[beej]

i wish nothing will change for the visa rules, so less people will come over here,

as we didn't see any advantages from those foreigners except high crimes in pattaya and the degradation of the beach and natural sea corals and the high increase in real estate prices.

NOW THATS QUOTE OF THE MONTH!

it s not the responsibility of Thailand or any other country to take care of them, if they want to end misery and poverty then let them make a gigantic popular revolution over their regime just like what other countries(Romania , french revolution 17th century etc ) has done in the past going to other people s country is not a long term solution to the root of the problem.

No, this is quote of the month!!!!

You win.