I'm not sure why anyone would want to read such a depressing book while on holiday, but maybe a copy of "Burmese Days" would be better.

The last time I read 1984, I was in Ha Noi. Not very cheery...

Don't pack George Orwell, visitors to Thailand told
Travellers heading to Thailand have been urged not to carry a copy of George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/desti ... -told.html

Passengers with Philippine Airlines are now being told that
“Thailand is very safe for tourists” but are offered five tips to help “blend in”.

In addition to not reading 1984, they recommend:

2. Do not wear red shirts.

3. Ask for permission before taking photos with soldiers.

4. Always carry your passport.

5. Avoid discussion and debate about the coup and martial law.

The best advice is just go somewhere else.

sigmoid wrote:I'm not sure why anyone would want to read such a depressing book while on holiday, but maybe a copy of "Burmese Days" would be better.

The last time I read 1984, I was in Ha Noi. Not very cheery...

Don't pack George Orwell, visitors to Thailand told
Travellers heading to Thailand have been urged not to carry a copy of George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/desti ... -told.html

Passengers with Philippine Airlines are now being told that
“Thailand is very safe for tourists” but are offered five tips to help “blend in”.

In addition to not reading 1984, they recommend:

2. Do not wear red shirts.

3. Ask for permission before taking photos with soldiers.

4. Always carry your passport.

5. Avoid discussion and debate about the coup and martial law.

The best advice is just go somewhere else.

I might avoid the place because of the bar raids and drug testing foreigners. Although I don't take drugs, I don't think they should be drug testing tourists unless obviously stoned off their heads.

I might avoid the place because of the bar raids and drug testing foreigners. Although I don't take drugs, I don't think they should be drug testing tourists unless obviously stoned off their heads.

Yeah, you definitely should. Thanks for bringing that up. It's another example of the anti-tourist attitude found there and is actually much more serious than those other minor annoyances.

In addition to being robbed, ripped-off, scammed killed in an accident and over-charged, you run the risk of getting falsely arrested because some guy got the piss cups mixed up.

It's difficult to enjoy your holiday when you have to worry about something going seriously wrong due to no fault of your own.

Enjoy your time in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Viet Nam, etc.

After decades of going to Thailand and seeing the change for the worse, I'm not surprised to see them shoot themselves in the foot tourist wise. Looks like a country ready for a step off the edge of the cliff when the king dies. (or is already dead?) I notice on my cable TV channels that Malaysia is really pushing tourist ads, while Thailand has almost nothing.

Its interesting the government/military mind in Thailand. Last year a friend of mine and I wanted to visit the Thai Army museum in Bangkok. Even the Tourist Authority of Thailand says its open three days a week. We were told we could not visit and even an official from the TAT couldn't get us in. I got all the way up to a major in the Thai Army who handed me off to a US Army Lite Colonel (drone), and they all said that we couldn't visit. After research I believe they don't want Americans seeing all the WWII Japanese equipment linking Thai connections to the Japs in WWII. BTW/ We just walked into the Thai Navy museum and I highly recommend it, but its hard to find. Great collection and it was empty of people, but a big collection.

More anti-tourist behavior from Thais in Phuket and Hua Hin:

Phuket: Phuket Airport immigration boss denies ‘tax’ on departures
http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-air ... -47801.php

Twenty-two restaurants in Hua-Hin guilty of overcharging their customers
http://thainews.prd.go.th/centerweb/new ... 8120010001

Be wise. Avoid the place (like the plague).