Focus on quality, not quantity

by **jackspratt** » May 24, 2011, 9:22 am

If I am going to make political comment, I must remember to check with you first Val. :roll:

Thaksin 'not sure if Yingluck should be PM'
By The Nation
Published on May 24, 2011

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said that his sister Yingluck may not become the next prime minister even if Pheu Thai Party wins the election. He said this in an exclusive interview with Matichon. Following are excerpts from the interview:

Yingluck is Pheu Thai's No-1 party-list candidate. So, you have decided to make her the next prime minister?

(Thaksin) lam thinking about it. The prime minister does not need to be No-1 party-list candidate. I am thinking about it back and forth. First of all, Thai politicians are bent on destroying rivals. Anyone who becomes the government leader will be destroyed. Both true and untrue stories will be cited to try to destroy the government leader. So, I feel sorry for my sister and she is a woman. She is good at administration and she used to run AIS and run a firm with Bt200 billion worth of assets. But running a firm is different from running a government.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/05 ... 56052.html

When did the PTP announce their party list? Was it a couple of months ago?

And of course, Thaksin has never been known to make 180 degree conflicting statements. :shock:

by **Laan Yaa Mo** » May 24, 2011, 6:39 pm

It seems that the political lines on Udon Map have been drawn. The present campaign should provide much of interest.

I was watching the Thai and Lao channels yesterday via satellite in Newmarket, Ontario with a number of Thais. They are fully behind Yingluck, Thaksin and the red shirts. Their origin is diverse ranging from Bangkok, Sukhothai, Phitsanuloke, Udonthani, Ban Chiang, Khon Kaen, Sakhon Nakhon, Nan to Viang Chan and Savannakhet in Laos. The latter two representatives, of course, are Lao.

by **JimboPSM** » June 16, 2011, 8:18 am

One has to wonder how well the targets in the article below fit the "quality tourist" definition that the PM had in mind (see OP) when he urged the TAT to focus on quality tourists?

From the Bangkok Post:

TAT targets American market after increase in arrivals

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) sees room for growth in the US market after arrivals of American tourists expanded significantly.

American tourist arrivals jumped by 13.3% year-on-year in the January-April period to 376,181 thanks to the economic recovery in that country.

Srisuda Wanapinyosak, director of the TAT's New York office, said that Generations X and Y, honeymooners, gays and lesbians, medical travellers and "bohemian bourgeois" (the so-called "bobos") are high-potential targets.

"Many tourism segments in the US are important for Thailand, such as the 15 million gays and lesbians who comprise 6-7% of adult Americans. This group loves to travel and has more spending power than general tourists. They travel about 10 times a year," she said.

Bangkok is a popular destinations for gays and lesbians, who tend to prefer luxury stays and lifestyle activities.

"Thailand is good value for money, serving demand by bobos, gays and lesbians, especially with our annual gay pride parade each September," said Ms Srisuda.

Meanwhile, the TAT forecasts that next year more than 1.6 million Americans with US$6 billion worth of buying power will seek medical care abroad due to the high cost of medical treatment in their country.

Ms Srisuda said this market looks for top-quality facilities and cutting-edge medical practices. Medical standards in Thailand are of international quality, with many Western-trained doctors and reasonable medical fees, she said.

For Gen X and Y, the market size is estimated at 132 million people. They are interested in digital technology and social media that offer good travel deals.

Ms Srisuda said the honeymoon market is also interesting, as 80% of newly married couples take one and 63% have foreign honeymoons.

On average, they spend $5,600 on honeymoons lasting eight days - 40% in resorts, 27% in large hotels and 10% in small hotels.

Peggy Peterka, who is with the TAT's office in Los Angeles, California, said "voluntourism" and ecotourism are growing in popularity.

About 98% of people surveyed by the TAT consider themselves to be ecology-minded. They want to see the world but not leave a big "footprint" behind that would disturb the natural surroundings.

Original article: http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tou ... n-arrivals

by **trubrit** » June 16, 2011, 10:29 am

I must admit I had never heard of the term "Bobo's" before, certainly not in a complimentary manner anyway . Do we happen to have any on the forum? American or not . :lol:

by **jimboLV** » June 16, 2011, 11:53 am

TB I had never heard the term before either, but reading up on it, I know a lot of people that fit the pattern. None that I know of on the forum although I don't know many folks on the forum that well. Apparently Britain is thick with them also according to an article in the Guardian/Observer. Note the article is from 2000. Here's a little test to see if you are a Bobo:

Ten ways to tell you're a Bobo
Do you:
• Believe that shelling out £10,050 on a home media centre is vulgar, but that spending it on a slate shower stall is a sign you are at one with the Zen-like rhythms of nature?
• Work for a company as cool, hip and enterprising as you?
• GO ON adventure seeking vacations to the remotest parts of the world to X-treme ski, mountain climb or whitewater raft, or do you simply settle for a ride in the sport utility vehicle to the nearest haute-design shops and local purveyors of Third World treasures?
• Dress 'geek chic' or hippy chick - and don't forget the titanium Omnitech athletic gear?
• Have a newly renovated kitchen which looks like an aircraft hangar with plumbing - even after the feng shui?
• Give to Tibet, but not always to the local homeless?
• Feel cheated and betrayed if a big supermarket sign that normally says 'Organic Items Today: 130' today counts only 60?
• Earn upwards of £67,000 but were never in it for the money?
• Buy Third World to save the Third World?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2000/may/28/focus.news1

by **LoongLee** » June 16, 2011, 6:53 pm

"American tourist arrivals jumped by 13.3% year-on-year in the January-April period to 376,181 thanks to the economic recovery in that country."

Wait a sec,, did I miss something?,,,,,,,,,,, what economic recovery was that?

by **Astana** » June 16, 2011, 7:12 pm

Maybe they were Chinese American! :lol:

relocating funds while visiting relatives.

by **JimboPSM** » June 16, 2011, 8:56 pm

LoongLee wrote:"American tourist arrivals jumped by 13.3% year-on-year in the January-April period to 376,181 thanks to the economic recovery in that country."

Wait a sec,, did I miss something?,,,,,,,,,,, what economic recovery was that?

She was probably using something like the Dow Jones Index as a reference - however, my impression is that much of the recovery in the Dow is due to an increased element of overseas earnings rather than from the domestic element of earnings (perhaps more than a little of that may be due to all those jobs that were exported to Asia)

Amazingly, the Dow is up over 80% in little more than two years since its low on 5th March 2009.

Chart of the Dow in percentage terms using its peak on 9th October 2007 as 100%:

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