Quality tourists driven away by pollution and ‘mai bpen rai’ attitude
In a country profiting from more than 30 million tourists every year, who come from all corners of the world, it seems odd that at many police stations nobody can speak or understand a word of English.
Last weekend I tried to inform police in Phu Phiang, in northern Nan province, of a booming disco that was stopping us from sleeping in our countryside holiday home for the third consecutive night.
I politely asked the police officer in English – not my native language – if he would speak with me in English. He kindly responded with a “Yes!”. Unfortunately, that quickly turned out to be all the English he knew!
How will Thailand ever exploit its place in the family of nations if ordinary Thais cannot communicate with the rest of the family? Or is there an intention behind this?
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has a name for holidaying in the quiet countryside – “Agro-tourism”. But don’t forget to bring earplugs!
Friends in Bangkok tell us it is common practice in Thailand for discotheque owners and other greedy monsters to “silence” the local police by simply bribing these guardians out of our nightly rest. They say that many Thai people suffer badly from noise pollution, but do not dare complain since it is not Thai culture to publicly criticise fellow Thais. I will speak out, since that happens to be my culture!
I am a guest in Thailand and I behave as such: correct and polite. But when Thailand does not apply the universal rules that come with hosting, then its tourism propaganda needs to be exposed.
The TAT recently opened an office in Nan and seems to have high expectations of this historic town and province as a new destination for quality tourism, and a long-awaited alternative to the growing number of sleazy loners running after their genitals who give this country a dubious reputation.
But quality tourists will not be attracted by choking air pollution caused by locals, farmers and others burning their trash. Or the deadliest traffic in the world, according to current statistics. And then there’s the disco terror holding this “calm and peaceful” province in a deafening grip. Beware of Nan!
Chasing respectful tourists away, no willingness even to listen to visitors’ complaints about air or noise pollution, guests deprived of sleeping … I can assure the TAT, this is not going to be helpful in the promotion of Nan as a new Thai destination.
Joe Argusoog
