Tourism specialists agree: Phuket getting ugly

[elef]

Tourism specialists agree: Phuket getting ugly

 

Published on Jun 8, 2004

 

 

PHUKET - The tourism industry and environmental activists agree with an assessment by one of the world's top travel magazines that Phuket is "getting ugly" as a tourist destination.

 

The "ugly" assessment was published by National Geographic Traveller magazine after it conducted a survey, in collaboration with the National Geographic Sustainable Tourism Initiative, of 200 sustainable-tourism specialists, destination stewardship and related fields.

 

The specialists assessed 115 well-known destinations worldwide. Phuket came third last with a score of 43 out of 100, beaten only by Jamaica's north coast and Spain's Costa del Sol.

 

Phuket came well behind four other destinations in Southeast Asia: Indonesia's Borobodur, which scored 61, Bali 58, Angkor 52 and Chiang Mai 51.

 

Destinations were given scores for environmental and ecological quality; social and cultural integrity; conditions of built heritage; aesthetic appeal; appropriateness of tourism development; and outlook for sustainability.

 

They were also scored from one to 10 for overall condition: one for "catastrophic" to 10 for "enhanced".

 

Panu Maswongsa, vice president of marketing of the Phuket Tourism Association, said he agreed with the result of the survey. "We have to accept the reality. We should try to improve Phuket instead of making excuses.

 

"We know what is happening, so we should not lie to ourselves. We think too much about attracting tourists but never about protecting the environment or improving public utilities to support tourism."

 

Thanu Nabnien of Wildlife Fund Phuket agreed."Problems always come together with tourism, especially environmental problems," he said. "For a long time there has been a conflict in thinking between those who believe that Phuket should be a destination for high-class travellers and the Tourism Authority of Thailand [which simply aims to keep increasing tourist arrivals]. So there's a conflict and we don't know what exactly Phuket should be," Thanu said.

 

"We keep hearing that there are measures to protect the environment, such as environmental legislation and zoning to control pollution, but there is never any enforcement."We have laws and rules but no action. We have talked a lot about zoning but it never gets applied."

 

John Gray, managing director of eco-tourism company John Gray's Sea Canoe, said: "I think we need to slow down and remember what Phuket can be. The quality of life is more important than money.

 

"I think Phuket's going downhill fast. I've been in Phuket 15 years and until about three years ago, when people complained about Phuket, I used to say, 'You're crazy, man. Phuket's a beautiful place to be, it's a lovely and wonderful place.' But in the past three years we have just gotten too greedy."

 

Suwalai Pinpradab, director of the local TAT office, said: "We have to accept that some people see us like this, so we have to improve our product and make an urgent effort to preserve the environment."

 

Phuket Gazette

 

The Nation

[elef]

National Geographic

[Guest lazyphil]

<<Destinations were given scores for environmental and ecological quality; social and cultural integrity; conditions of built heritage; aesthetic appeal; appropriateness of tourism development; and outlook for sustainability>>

 

Boring toss pots forgot ...'is it fun'!!!!....

[Khun_Kong]

elef said:

Tourism specialists agree: Phuket getting ugly

 

 

Suwalai Pinpradab, director of the local TAT office, said: "We have to accept that some people see us like this, so ..."

The Nation

 

And this is exactly what will help to continue the deterioration.

 

He doesn't say, "We have to accept that we ARE this way...", but, rather, that " some people see us like this ".

 

Some will never own up to the facts.

 

<Further comment edited due to potential political undertones>

[Encore]

I tend to agree with the 'specialists'.

 

It has been overpromoted, and turned into a circus.

 

There's many nicer places to go to a beach in LOS. Of course, in the nicer places, nightlife often isn't as abundant, but from my only visit about 4 years ago, it wasn't all that exciting, anyway.

 

Sorry, Sayjann.

 

But if you hanging out in a gogo isn't your priority, the better alternative for beach visit combined with some fun is to pick up a GF in BKK, and go to a more remote place, e.g. 'have your cake and eat it'

[Guest]

If you look at the other places they discuss there is one thing that is in place. Cost....Yep all those lil pristine places that Nat'l Geo thinks are so great are VERY costly

Futher more, to compare Phuket to North Coast Jamaica Montego Bay to OchoRios is pure nonsense. Let me state that I have been to Jamaice 19 times since 1978 and stopped going becuase of the crime. People go to Jamaica because of the free and open action of drugs. They smoke it inna a hotel no problem! Note that they never mention Negril on the west end with its 7 mile beach on the west end of most northern Carribbean Islands same same Grand Cayman. (I'll be their in Nov. ) Dat palce be dagerous, but many people go there fopr spring break because of do drinking age and lots of drugs. Big Internationla resorts operate there so Nat'l Geo won't speak against them. Phuket doesn't have the same Int'l pull as Negril Jamaica. Phuket is nothing like Jamaica.... Phuket is safe, crime against tourists is small, and there are plenty of good things to do. In Jamaica the All Inclusive resorts tell people to stay inside as it is not safe on the streets. "Mi a Yaddie, mi neva fail to go among da rasta with No Problem and I still have stopped Jamaica...."

Ya talking to a man who has been there, both places and Phuket is pleasure while Jamaica is now Danger. "Da man dem dare wen Reggae Sum Fest Dance Hall Night. Pale betta keep a mind....Dem a Wicked place! ::

[..]

...A fellow expat businessman who speaks Thai well just came back from a biz trip down there. He was in one of the few go-gos there and said that the girls are unfriendly, there were never more than four dancers in any place, drinks were B150 and you had to pay after each drink, and the capper was *twice* when he left a B20 tip the server said "is that all?"

 

He did ay that there are some discos that are open until dawn, so that is a spot of hope for us nightowls.

 

But, really. Feh, I haven't been there in 10 years (save passing thru the airport) and see no need to go back after reading the OPs article and hearing my friend's story.

 

Cheers,

SD

[Guest]

Indonesia's Borobodur has had major tourist increase within the last year. Angkor Wat is impressive. Then comes - Phuket. No real attractions except for the Chinese vegetarian festival - which can be world class calibre.

[Guest]

A fellow expat...

 

I hear you, but "expat" might be a key part of this. Over time we change too. I have become much more sensitive to BG attitudes, prices, over the top tipping, and scams. As a tourist, all of this wasn't even noticeable. So things may be less about how the scene changes and more about how our expectations change. The nightlife in Patong is much larger than 5 years ago and can be quite fun. As a tourist, it's all a new experience and you can just fall into the fun about anywhere, but as an expat we know all the ideals and will be looking for them. Expat's generally won't be too thrilled to pay an extra 5 baht for drinks compared to the place next door, won't see a BG who wai's at hip level as a cultural complement, will see the chit in the bin that shouldn't be there, won't find repeated LD pressure an ego boost, and so on.

 

That said, curtailing of showing TNA, real shows, and early closings have certainly turned for the worse and must be disappointing to tourists who have heard of the legendary nightlife.

 

[check_bin_krap]

Phuket, never been there. These days I rank it as a charter tourist destination, you won't get the "being alone feeling" of more expensive and unknown destinations but thats no reason to put it down?

 

With such family resorts, there is a market whatever these rags write. With small kids, your priority is service and price -that ranks above untouched caves and whatever in nature.

 

Its totally unfair to compare Phuket to Angkor Wat, Indonesian beaches and such. Compare it to charter tourist destinations in Spain.

 

Cheers!