Dream of Siam

I saw the following story over on the BBC News site. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8154497.stm

Of course little over a week ago we had the spectacle of a teenager being suck into the pumping system of a swimming pool at a Water Park in Pattaya. I didn't comment on it at the time because the behaviour of the park staff just left me with nothing to say on the matter - I was actually speechless.

This all comes post-Tsunami, post-Coup, and post the hijacking of the new airport, leaving countless tourists stranded or unable to embark on holidays, honeymoon's and the happy times they had been promised in the glossy tourist brochures and, and this pains me to say it, this site and my personal recommendation. Yes, I had actually recommended Thailand to friends who seriously got their fingers burnt in the LOS.

This is a country to which tourism is vital!

Then of course there was this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/5110697/Thailand-analysis-land-of-smiles-becomes-land-of-lies.html

I quote from the article "Thailand aspires to being a serious country". Let's just think about that. Thailand is not a serious country - right now Thailand is a joke, and a bad one at that.

When I started this site over 5 years ago I was very optimistic about Thailand's future. I felt Thailand had an opportunity to be a very successful country and be a great place to live. That optimism has now evaporated. Currently I don't even recommend Thailand as a place to take a holiday.

Thailand still has a lot of potential, there are some fantastic islands, beaches, culture, history, and Bangkok itself is a great place. But things are getting to the point where I just can't hand-on-heart recommend Thailand for those considering creating a real and serious life.

I'm hoping that will change in the future. Until then, don't expect to hear a lot from me.