Postbag: Tourism ads mislead

Postbag

Published: 4 Dec 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

I am still laughing at the Tourism Department campaign ad.

Although their intentions may well be from the heart, I do not believe they have fully discussed the other related departments_ the Department of Pollution Everywhere the Eye Can See, the Department of Unsustainable Development, the Department of Tuk Tuk Crooks, the Department of Unbearable Beach Touts, the Department of Fraud against Tourists, the Department of Tourist Safety, the Department of Phuket Taxi Frivers who even scare the US navy, and also the Department of Old Pristine Island Photos.

Thailand is a great place but falsely advertises how unique it used to be, rather than how it actually is today.

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Renaissance
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Discussion 8 : 04 Dec 2012 at 19.228
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I would like to know, if the TAT officials go to Pattaya for their holidays. They show how beautiful, unspoiled, and idyllic it is in their adverts and videos.
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cadcolin
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Discussion 7 : 04 Dec 2012 at 14.137
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Jonathan
I go to Pattaya about once every five years or so it goes like this
In my mind Pattaya can’t be as awful as I remember it to be
I go to Pattaya and yes it’s as bad as I remember and new levels of awfulness occur
Last time sitting in a 4 star hotel lobby bar a rat fell out from behind a wall onto a stack of glasses and scurried away the bar staff just laughed as it was a common occurrence and carried on
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bluebottle
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Discussion 6 : 04 Dec 2012 at 13.516
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There is nothing wrong with plastic bags or expanded polystyrene the problem is with the people who use it not discarding it properly.We all recycle plastic bags by disposing our rubbish in them.
Blue flags to signify a safe clean beach will it ever happen here?If the tourist board set its mind to sorting that one it would be a start in the right direction.
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dao
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Discussion 5 : 04 Dec 2012 at 09.115
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I dont understand how the governemnt can allow waste such as plastic bags and styrofoam when you see the beaches highways and fields littered with them .Are they that out of touch or do they receive money from the people who manufacture this wasteful garbage .It should be banned permanently .
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kena
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Discussion 4 : 04 Dec 2012 at 09.074
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If you think the beach is filthy, then try taking a look at the offshore or suspended-in-the-water filth. Much of it can't be seen without instruments, because it's either toxic chemicals and/or jelly-like goo. One scientific estimate states there's 100 million tons of toxic goo floating in just the mid-Pacific. People everywhere are deverely poisoning their environment, not just Pattaya.
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jck
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Discussion 3 : 04 Dec 2012 at 08.393
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Perry, rather than asking for tourists’ opinions when they arrive it might be more appropriate to get their opinions when they leave. Or even better, ask on both occasions to see the level of disillusionment compared to their expectations.
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brilliant
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Discussion 2 : 04 Dec 2012 at 05.202
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Jonathan - in addition to having to deal with the mess that is Pattaya, you might actually be unfortunate enough to run into Eric Barht while you're there.
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loong
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Discussion 1 : 04 Dec 2012 at 03.081
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Jonathan M, tell me about it. I have no desire to go to Pattaya, the Tourist Ministry and the City of Pattaya has done nothing to keep it clean.
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Postbag: Tourism ads mislead | Bangkok Post: opinion