Silly decisions cost Thailand a lot of tourist dollars

The point made in the letter has very much wider implications for tourists, especially those that wish to stay for periods exceeding 90 days. Friends of mine, a group of seven, had booked up to spend five months away from the cold UK winter climate touring Thailand. They are above average spenders and stay in 4- or 5-star hotels, at many of which they had already booked rooms, and their business class flights had been booked. Imagine then receiving a call from a Thai representative office in Hull, UK, that had their passports for entry visas, telling them that they would have to leave the country after 90 days to extend their visas. A few telephone calls later, when they were told somewhat bluntly, that exceptions could not be made, they cancelled the planned holiday in Thailand and re-booked another tour to Malaysia.
If one considers the many thousands of potential long-stay visitors who are forced to shun the country for such archaic reasons, it can be seen that Thailand must be losing millions of baht in potential tourist revenue. Coupled with this is slow play on Thai golf courses caused by five and six-ball groups, the only golfing destination in the world that allows such groups, or so I’ve been told, which deters many, many golfers from coming here, then the lost revenue must run into billions of baht.
It is beyond comprehension that Thailand is apparently quite prepared to lose such considerable revenue to its competitors, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia and perhaps now Burma, none of which put such seemingly petty obstacles in the way of long term tourists.
Peter
kalasin