Guest Posted August 2, 2001 Report Share Posted August 2, 2001 Originally posted by flyonzewall:"My old lady watched the news today on TV, she said that they really mentioned india there in this context." I believe you. I'm not surprised about anything anymore. The India and ASEAN tourism cooperation plan is a still-born baby though, since India and S.E.Asia don't hold much common interest for today's traveller/tourist. Who will tour Rajasthan and then fly over to see the Mekhong at Mukdahan? Whoever thought up that idea must have been dead-drunk. If India eased its restrictions for the Andaman Islands, it might be a different matter; the distance is just 800 km from Phuket. I know a businessman who had planned trips from Phuket to the Andamans and he proposed to the Indian government that they allow access from Phuket (other than only from Madras and Calcutta); he never even received a reply. Thailand has a golden goose in its tourism industry; but the butcher is whetting his knife. [ August 02, 2001: Message edited by: Scum_Baggio ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 2, 2001 Report Share Posted August 2, 2001 I have a degree of sympathy with the Thais about reciprocal visa arrangements. However to obtain this "all" they have to do is raise living standards so Thai visitors have no incentive to become economic migrants - it's not going to happen in my lifetime though, especially if they ain't even trying. However I really have no sympathy with them that the world views Thai women as prostitutes. If they wanted to stop this all they have to do is close down the Farang Nightlife scene - If they did this I would be curious to see how much tourism overall would fall......... as well as being gutted! As you all know the Thai's tend to look down on the Lao, however I have had the odd conversation with a BG where I have pointed out to them that if any Thai woman comes to Farangland and says they are Thai many people will wonder if she was a prostitute. However if they said Lao instead, as Farang do not associate Laos with prostitutes (and indeed most have never heard of Laos!) the Lao lady would in effect have the higher status than a Thai lady in Farangland. I agree that stopping visa's on arrival would be economic suicide not only for Tourism but also for Thailand's stated aim of being the S.E.Asian aviation hub - though it doesn't mean they won't try something or charge for visas on arrival. I also think that those on "permanent" holiday who have to do constant "visa runs" are the easiest targets, although IMHO as they are unlikely to be a financial burden on Thailand and no doubt are actually net contributers this would be short sighted - but NOT devastating to Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 3, 2001 Report Share Posted August 3, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Scum_Baggio: I believe you. I'm not surprised about anything anymore. The India and ASEAN tourism cooperation plan is a still-born baby though, since India and S.E.Asia don't hold much common interest for today's traveller/tourist. Who will tour Rajasthan and then fly over to see the Mekhong at Mukdahan? Whoever thought up that idea must have been dead-drunk. If India eased its restrictions for the Andaman Islands, it might be a different matter; the distance is just 800 km from Phuket. I know a businessman who had planned trips from Phuket to the Andamans and he proposed to the Indian government that they allow access from Phuket (other than only from Madras and Calcutta); he never even received a reply. Thailand has a golden goose in its tourism industry; but the butcher is whetting his knife. [ August 02, 2001: Message edited by: Scum_Baggio ][/QB] I hope india is not going to lift the restrictions of the andaman islands, that would be the death for the anyhow seriously damaged tribes. Also one or two islands there are still no contact, every few years they try it, but get a very bad reception. Imagine some stupid explorer tourist thinking he can do what anthropologists tried to do since decades. The tribes will have a feast, LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 3, 2001 Report Share Posted August 3, 2001 Originally posted by flyonzewall:"I hope india is not going to lift the restrictions of the andaman islands, that would be the death for the anyhow seriously damaged tribes." With restrictions I didn't mean the restrictions which apply to those islands which are home to an indigenous tribal population. I meant restrictions as far as travel routes go - the Indian government doesn't want the Andamans approached from the Burmese or Thai side, for "security" reasons they say. Access in only possible from Madras and Calcutta, by ship or plane. Rajiv Gandhi wanted to turn the islands into a tax-free zone and a tourist hub (excempting the tribal islands), but that never came to fruition. There is some minor tourist traffic to the Andamans' main island today; the infamous "Cellular Jail" built by the British is marketed as a tourist attraction. [ August 02, 2001: Message edited by: Scum_Baggio ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyfarang Posted August 3, 2001 Report Share Posted August 3, 2001 David 66 UK wrote: "I have a degree of sympathy with the Thais about reciprocal visa arrangements. However to obtain this "all" they have to do is raise living standards so Thai visitors have no incentive to become economic migrants - it's not going to happen in my lifetime though, especially if they ain't even trying." Thailand already has a problem with illegal aliens working there. If they improved living standards to even half what they are in the western world they would be inundated with Burmese, Lao, Khmer, Viets and Malaysians to the point where these nationalities would be the predominant service providers in the sanuk scene. Then they wouldn't have to complain anymore about Thai ladies abroad being treated as prostitutes. And the Thai BG's would retire upcountry with Khmer servants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinsin2 Posted August 3, 2001 Report Share Posted August 3, 2001 rictic Regular Member # 259 Rate Member posted August 01, 2001 20:35 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two Passports and your sorted.... --------------------------------------------- Spot on Rictic.Luckily enough I can claim U.K citizenship if I want. On a second passport could you post any info you may have. In the 1980,s if visiting the USSR,I was issued temporary passports,same for Cuba,Israel. I wonder does it applies to Taiwan/Laos [ August 03, 2001: Message edited by: sinsin ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 3, 2001 Report Share Posted August 3, 2001 quote: Originally posted by David_66_UK: However I really have no sympathy with them that the world views Thai women as prostitutes. If they wanted to stop this all they have to do is close down the Farang Nightlife scene - If they did this I would be curious to see how much tourism overall would fall......... as well as being gutted! . I doubt it would all that much actually, sex tourism makes up, believe it or not, only a relatively small percentage of Thailand's tourism. Check the TAT stats - around 50% are female, and of the males there's also the backpackers, fathers, husbands, pensioners, businessmen (maybe), tour groups, children etc...who aren't sex tourists. Both Thailand and Malaysia get about 10m tourists a year, and who goes to Malaysia for sex after all ? So I don't reckon it would cause too much harm to Thailand's tourism industry. Plus in the eyes of the authorities, it might increase the 'quality' of tourists and increase Thailand's reputation abroad. The main opposition I would guess would be from bar owners, corrupt cops, MPs etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 3, 2001 Report Share Posted August 3, 2001 Originally posted by Iaxia: "Both Thailand and Malaysia get about 10m tourists a year, and who goes to Malaysia for sex after all?" Malaysia gets 6-7 million "tourists" per year, out of which at least half are Singaporeans crossing over for for a few hours of cheap shopping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 3, 2001 Report Share Posted August 3, 2001 As far as I am aware you can have more than one British passport at one time. If you mislay your passport request a replacement which is fully valid, as is the mislaid passport,If you find it again. I'm a dual National and can hold 2 passports different nationalities, there is also the added bonus of one of the nationalities allow me to change my name to a linguistic version of whatever name I have and no cross reference referred to in the passport. i.e. it doesn't link to a page in the book which then has the Birth certificate name written down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stickman Posted August 3, 2001 Report Share Posted August 3, 2001 "around 50% are female" According to the TAT site, the split is almost exactly 60% male : 40% female. Stick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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