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Family Money: Leaving It All Behind You – Part 2
By Leslie
Wright,
Managing director of Westminster Portfolio Services (Thailand) Ltd.
Wills
To plan for what happens to assets after someone dies,
making a will is an obvious way to limit IHT liability. One of the
best-known UK exemptions is gifts between spouses. However, what many
married people fail to realise is that if one half of a married couple is
domiciled in the UK but the other is not (e.g., you have a Thai wife),
then the exemption only covers the first ฃ55,000 of the estate.
Another common pitfall married couples fall into is
leaving their entire estate to each other. Admittedly there would be no
IHT on the first death, but this would increase the assets of the
surviving spouse thus making a bigger taxable estate when she/he dies, and
the children and other heirs would be facing a nasty big tax bill. The nil
rate band at the first death would have been completely wasted.
A good way round this is for the person making the will
to leave an amount equivalent to the nil rate band to their children, in
trust, on the death of the first spouse. A reduced amount of tax would
then be payable on the death of the second spouse.
Where this becomes problematic is when a property is
gifted but the owner continues to live in that property without paying the
full market rental. In this case, the Inland Revenue (IR) deems it a gift
with reservation of benefit and it is still classed as part of the estate.
“Gift with reservation occurs if you give something
away but continue to enjoy that asset in any form whatsoever,” says one
expert tax planner. “In IHT terms, the gift is deemed never to have left
your estate in the first place so rendering the whole process
ineffective.”
Trusts
Trusts are the most common way to mitigate IHT
liabilities. In a flexible trust, assets are held for the benefit of a
class of beneficiaries defined in the trust deed. The trust is created by
an individual (the settlor) who transfers assets to one or more trustees
who in turn hold the assets for the beneficiaries.
Discretionary trusts allow the trustees to distribute
assets and income at their discretion. They are useful if it is
inappropriate to make lifetime gifts direct to the next generation. If the
trust is set up for only the unused balance of the nil rate band there
need be no IHT payable on creation. There will be a further charge every
ten years and as assets leave the settlement, but this is minimal.
Accumulation and maintenance trusts are discretionary
trusts in which all the beneficiaries must become entitled to their share
of the assets on or before the age of 25. These are hybrid discretionary
trusts for children and grandchildren. They have some of the advantages of
an ‘interest in possession trust’ in that they don’t attract a
charge when you transfer the assets in the first place, but they also have
the flexibility of a discretionary trust.
Offshore trusts can be set up for some investors,
particularly non-domiciled residents in the UK. Although much thought and
care needs to be given to income and capital gains tax issues, running
costs, and how assets will leave the settlement in the fullness of time,
offshore trusts can be an extremely effective IHT planning route for this
type of investor. They can enjoy income and/or capital from the trust
while it remains entirely outside of the UK IHT charge, regardless of what
happens to their personal domicile.
“The use of offshore trusts for a non-domiciled
person is almost essential,” says one expert advisor. By virtue of
putting assets into trust when the person is not UK domiciled, the assets
in that trust are then perceived as excluded property. If the investor
plans to stay in the UK for a long time and attain UK domicile, they
transfer their offshore assets into the trust.
Offshore trusts are not suitable for investors already
resident and domiciled in the UK, however, as there is virtually no income
or capital gains tax benefit from doing so. Many UK domiciled clients have
to be talked out of setting up offshore trusts, believing erroneously that
this is the answer to all their problems. It isn’t: it can be the start
of them. When they are made to understand the tax consequences, they
quickly realise that offshore trusts are not a good option for onshore
residents. For IHT planning, concentrate on wills, lifetime gifts and
insurance policies.
Will trusts
Transfers to your spouse are always exempt, whenever
you make them. But transferring everything to your husband or wife won’t
reduce tax – it will just defer tax on the whole amount until he or she
dies. In effect, you will have wasted your ฃ255,000 nil-rate band.
There is a way to use the nil-rate band, though, and
let your spouse have the benefit of the assets: setting up a will trust.
This lets you transfer up to ฃ255,000 to other beneficiaries within
the nil rate band, leaving any remainder to pass tax free to your spouse
– and your trustees can then ‘lend’ all or part of the ฃ255,000
to your spouse for his or her lifetime.
It’s a plan that lets married couples take advantage
of each of their nil rate bands, and ensure the surviving spouse can still
benefit from the income and capital value of the assets.
Loan trusts
Gifts or transfers in your lifetime have to be genuine
to become exempt – which means you can have no beneficial interest in
them. So you can’t go on receiving income or capital from your
investments and make them exempt from tax.
There is a way round this, though: using a loan trust.
You effectively lend capital to the trust, which freezes the value of your
investment for inheritance tax purposes. The original capital remains in
the estate, but the beneficiaries gain from the growth on the investment
as it is free from inheritance tax. You can take an annual income of up to
5% of your initial investment, free of income tax at the time of payment,
in the form of a loan repayment (to you). It’s an effective long-term
inheritance tax plan that still gives you access to the capital invested.
This type of tax planning suits clients with
complicated requirements, as the solutions are often more flexible than
those within packaged products and can be tailored specifically to an
individual’s requirements.
But as with most things, try to follow the ‘KISS’
rule: keep it simple, stupid.
Snap Shot: Scale the heights!
by Harry Flashman
For many camera owners, getting their snaps back from
the photo-processors is a time for mixed emotions. 90% disappointment and
10% frustration. If that includes you, read on!
Note that I said “camera owners” because there are
far more owners of these costly devices than there are dedicated
enthusiasts. This was really hammered home to me the other day when I
loaned a camera to someone who needed to take some shots at a function,
and whose own point and shooter had just died. My camera that I loaned out
was a Nikon FA, the only one in my camera bag that had an “auto”
setting. There was not enough time to teach a fully-auto camera user the
complexities of aperture and shutter speed complexities!
Next problem was focussing - today’s user has been
raised on auto-focus, so there was a quick lesson needed there. Next was
loading (no auto-wind on) and unloading (no auto-rewind). Unfortunately,
the FA, whilst still being an excellent work-horse in an enthusiast’s
hands, is a dinosaur and an impossibility for today’s amateur
photographer.
So why with all these great features on today’s
cameras, are today’s photographers disappointed with their results?
Quite simply because the problems are no longer technical woes, but are
“artistic” problems. You see, the one thing the camera cannot do for
you (yet), is to “see” the final result in its electronics and crop,
move, tilt, move in, move away automatically to get the pleasing end
product. However, this week, I will help. Continue reading!
Take a look at the first photograph with the article.
It was taken at Ayutthaya in the middle of the day (worst time) and was
taken at the request of the young lady to have her photo taken in front of
the temple ruins. I positioned the camera so that I could get the entire
monument in the frame, from the spire to the base, plus a little
foreground, and then asked the subject to walk towards me, so that I could
make her the ‘hero’ (or I should say, heroine) in the shot. She was
shy and wanted to stay where she was, so I took the shot anyway, knowing
that as a human portrait study it would be disappointing - but also
knowing that as a shot of the monument, it would work. Why? Because this
shot would demonstrate scale. This shot would show just how tall the
edifice really was, by being able to compare it to a human being of
average height.
 If you don’t believe me, place a thumb over the
figure and look at the shot of the ancient structure again. How tall is
it? How small is it? You have no idea, without someone or something to
compare it with.
So today’s great tip is that when you are
photographing some ‘thing’, include some other ‘thing’ that is
recognisable which can then show the comparative size. For buildings, a
person is wonderful, because we all know how tall we are! For small
objects, you can always include a cigarette lighter, a beer glass, a
teacup - get the idea? Something well known that will show comparative
size. Take a look at advertising brochures - they will very often have a
common object included, so that you can judge just how “large” the
large economy size really is! The second shot of the Chinese food is a
classic example of this. By including the menu in the shot, the viewer can
see that this is a large dish of food!
So always remember, that when you want to show “size” include an
object whose size you can compare to. Simple!
Modern Medicine: Great Expectations
by Dr Iain Corness, Consultant
No, this is not an article on waiting for your next
generation to appear after nine months, this is more of an article on what
to expect as a patient in a foreign land. At my office in town, I will
often receive ex-pat patients, all clutching a large plastic bag full of
brightly coloured pills, and saying, “Which ones do I HAVE to take,
Doc?” They will also say that they do not understand because they did
not get so many tablets or medications when they went to see the doctor in
the western world, so why do they get so many here? Is it that the local
doctors don’t know what the diagnosis really is and what they should
have, so they give them a little of everything?
The answer to all this is in the differing expectations
of different cultures, and nothing to do with training, expertise or
‘blunderbuss therapy’. When I worked in Spain I noticed that all the
patients would bring a bottle of urine with them to the clinic. This
seemed to have no bearing on the presenting symptom in any way whatsoever.
Fortunately, I mentioned this quite early in the piece to a senior
colleague, who told me that the Spanish people ‘expected’ me to
examine the urine, and if I didn’t they felt ‘short-changed’ after
the consultation. The examination was not expected to be microscopic, but
a simple holding of the bottle up to the light, with a sage muttering of
“Orina bien” (pee looks fine) was all that was necessary. Expectations
had been fulfilled.
In Thailand there are also cultural expectations, and
again these are not western ones. Probably more through a ‘value for
money’ concept, the Thai people expect to get their large bag of pills,
tablets, capsules and potions. If they don’t, they feel
‘short-changed’ just like their Spanish cousins. Their
‘expectations’ have not been met.
In the west, it is different. If you had not noticed
before, compare the prices of the medications in western countries, with
their cost here. Sure, some of the drugs are ‘copy’ drugs made here or
in India, with or without license, but they are much cheaper. Even in
Australia, with a subsidized pharmaceutical benefits scheme, costs are in
the main much higher. The thrifty Australian patient then only wants to
buy those medications that are absolutely necessary for his ailment.
Paracetamol painkillers, he will buy in small quantities himself when
needed, and at the local discount supermarket too. He does not need the
doctor to expensively prescribe these to be purchased on prescription at
the friendly neighbourhood chemist, to help keep the chemist’s Porsche
in fuel, oil and rubber. ‘Expectations’ at the opposite end of the
spectrum from the Thai expectations.
Now the following may come as a startling fact to many
ex-pats. This country we live in is called Thailand and the inhabitants
are called Thais. This is not England or New Zealand or Holland or
Lapland. I repeat, it is Thailand. The medical delivery system in this
country has evolved to cater for the needs of the vast majority of its
inhabitants. The Thais! Not the farangs.
So where does that leave us farangs? Well, some of the
more enlightened private hospitals with international departments and
internationally experienced doctors do understand the cultural differences
and thereby cultural expectations, and try to accommodate our strange
western ways. The others will give you a large bag of pills! So now you
know!
 Heart to Heart with Hillary
Dear Hillary,
I have only just noticed that you published my letter
regarding Caring Chris (issue 10th May). Problems with GF all sorted out now as
she has a very generous (“jai dee”) German sponsor, but still she insisted
on calling all of our mutual friends to find out what I was doing where I was
staying etc. Thankfully none of our mutual friends furnished her with any
information whatsoever (or so they tell me). Apparently now she also travelles
(sic) a lot Hong Kong, Singapore. A damaged soul. Funnily enough I managed to
loose (sic) my “keenow” self and blew circa 200,000 bhat (sic) on wine
woman and song. Never had any problems with girls getting possessive all of
‘em knew I was a butterfly who “put Thai geng mackma” didn’t bother
them in the slightest. Only problems I had this trip was the fact that most of
my companions didn’t get much sleep due to my ogre like snoring. Have you any
suggestions on how I might solve this problem as I will be back in the land of
smiles in about 6 weeks and would like for my companions to get a little bit of
sleep and not be woken up at 4 in the morning with complaints. By the way, my
previous letter to yourself was penned at about 4 in the morning after
consumption of various different alcoholic substances which left my spelling a
lot to be desired. As I’m typing this I am trying to get over the hangover of
all hangovers as well as my Jet Lag so apologies for my spelling yet again.
Not Anon
Dear Not Anon,
Yes, I do remember you very clearly (and your abysmal
spelling, which as you so correctly point out, is no better). You were the
generous gentleman who bought your girlfriend a pair of glasses and the odd
movie ticket in something like three years. Ah yes, the very heart and soul of
munificence, my Petal. And then you wanted to know how to tell her you didn’t
want her any more. She was one lucky girl, and now with a truly generous
sponsor who helps her fly around the world. Lucky girl, in more ways than one.
A damaged soul? Why would you say that? Though I must admit jet planes do play
havoc with one’s skin. I always use lots of moisturizers. But back to you and
your snoring problem. I notice that 4 in the morning seems to be a very bad
time for you. Snoring, complaints from companions, letters written while under
the influence, or written while getting over hangovers after having been under
the influence, jet lag and goodness knows what else. I would strongly suggest
that you remove the “4” from the clock and go straight from “3” to
“5” and all your problems will be over.
Dear Hillary,
Here is a print of the painting I did of the imaginary you
sharing a bottle of vintage champagne with the half-wombat at an exotic
tropical lounge on the beach. Please don’t be prejudiced towards
half-wombats, they have good hygiene, their fur smells good and although easily
aroused, are generally delightful companions. This scene shows you enjoying a
little affectionate horseplay with the half-wombat. In addition, while engaged
in the wombat-play, you are performing an advanced-precision adopted rhino
control technique in which you rhythmically dangle your right shoe from your
toes in a hypnotic fashion, causing the young orphan rhino to remain calm and
motionless. In the lower left, a lady server person is bringing a box of
excellent Estonian chocolates to your table next to the half-wombat’s dad. In
the middle sits a heavily damaged computer, attacked by a hacker, while an
anxious Frisbee dog waits for you with an alien guitarist. The upper left of
the painting is occupied by Death on a break, next to the Hen of Happiness,
which is looking over your shoulder. I was gladdened to hear you don’t have
tattoos, but saddened because you seem to indicate that healthy exercise and
diet are not included in your program - it’s never too late! If you use any
of my art in your book, I think at least you should give me an ex-pat discount
or some chocolates!
Dickens 44
Dear Dickens 44,
Thank you for your print, the detailed explanation (which
I had to shorten, I’m sorry) and the ‘new-age women’s candy bar’, which
I have to unfortunately tell you tasted like a dog biscuit, or perhaps
something one would feed to half-wombats! Despite that, I must admit I did
devour the 180 calories and cholesterol free candy in one sitting. I must also
take you to task on the hygiene and smell aspect of these half-wombat animals.
Your half-wombats must have different other halves to the ones I have seen,
Petal. Disgusting! The dangly bits are so untidy. Be assured that if any of
your art finds its way onto the pages of my embryonic book, you will receive
ample credits and a ‘new-age men’s candy bar’ as well!
A Slice of Thai History: Conflicts with Burma and Cambodia
Part One 1563-1584
by Duncan Stearn
Bayinnaung, who had assumed the throne of Toungoo, the
premier Burmese state, in 1550, had, by 1558, subdued the northern state
of Ava, the Shan state of Mong Nai, and conquered the northern Thai
kingdom of Lan Na.
Recognising the Burmese threat, King Mahachakkaphat of
Ayutthaya and King Setthathirat of the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang signed a
treaty of alliance in July 1560.
In 1563, Bayinnaung launched his long-expected invasion
of Thailand. Supported by Portuguese mercenaries, the Burmese entered via
Tak, quickly overran the northern outposts of Ayutthaya and, by 1564,
compelled Mahachakkaphat to surrender and submit to Burmese suzerainty.
Bayinnaung then turned his army north and invaded Laos,
capturing Vientiane. However, determined Lao resistance, organised by
Setthathirat, led to a Burmese withdrawal the following year.
The reversal in Laos led to Ayutthaya once again
raising forces to fight the Burmese and intermittent warfare continued
between the two powers for the next few years.
Mahachakkaphat went on the offensive in 1568, capturing
the city of Phitsanulok. The important centre had been controlled by Maha
Thammaracha, a governor appointed by Mahachakkaphat, but who had rebelled
against Ayutthaya.
Ayutthayan forces then moved against Kamphaeng Phet,
but were unable to subdue the city and were forced to retreat when
Bayinnaung launched another invasion of Thailand.
Mahachakkaphat, aged 62, died in January 1569 while the
Burmese besieged the city of Ayutthaya. He was succeeded by his son,
Mahinthrathirat who immediately appealed for help from King Setthathirat
in Laos.
The Lao army moved into central Thailand but in late
February was defeated in the Pa Sak Valley, near Petchabun, and forced to
retire. With no possibility of outside aid, Ayutthaya settled down for a
lengthy siege.
Bayinnaung’s Burmese army finally took Ayutthaya on 7
August after a siege lasting almost eight months. The Burmese sacked the
city, deposed King Mahinthrathirat and installed the former governor of
Phitsanulok, Maha Thammaracha as their puppet. Mahinthrathirat was taken
back to Burma in captivity, but died en route. Naresuan, the 14-year-old
son of Maha Thammaracha, was also taken to Burma as a hostage. He returned
in 1571, and his father sent him north to govern Phitsanulok.
In October, Bayinnaung launched a retaliatory invasion
of Laos, again occupying Vientiane. Setthathirat took his troops into the
jungles and began a guerrilla war against the Burmese. His efforts were
successful and by April 1570, the Burmese had quit Vientiane. They
returned four years later after the death of Setthathirat and succeeded in
occupying most of the country.
That same year, the Cambodians invaded the eastern
provinces of Thailand; taking advantage of Ayutthaya’s severely weakened
position to gather resources and slaves for their homeland. Over the next
12 years, the Cambodians were to repeat their assaults four more times and
at one stage temporarily occupied the province of Phetburi.
Bayinnaung died in 1581 after a reign of some 30 years
and was succeeded by his son Nanda Bayin. Although the Burmese remained
powerful, Nanda Bayin did not possess the same military abilities as his
father and, after the Burmese were ousted from Laos in 1583, he decided to
test the loyalty of his vassal state, Ayutthaya, by summoning Prince
Naresuan to a meeting in Burma.
Naresuan, accompanied by a small force, reached the
Salween River before discovering that the meeting was a trap. He retired
to Ayutthaya and in May 1584 renounced, on behalf of his father King Maha
Thammaracha, allegiance to Burma.
Personal Directions: Focus on the donut,
not upon the hole
by Christina Dodd
Recently I held a seminar for young entrepreneurs who
were feeling a little tired and weathered having gone through some
difficult times in their businesses. They needed to “get back on
track” and so we had two intensive days of doing just that!
One area that we devoted a lot of time to was goal
setting. I know I have talked about the importance of goals and setting
goals in previous articles, but I cannot stress it enough as being one of
the major reasons as to why we can succeed and have enriched, meaningful
and happy lives.
I have read many books on the subject and Shiv Khera,
whom I have referred to previously, puts it so much better than many
writers out there. He has some enlightening words on the subject and I
hope you enjoy them and gain from them just as I have.
“Knowledge helps you to reach your destination
provided you know what the destination is.
An ancient Indian sage was teaching his disciples the
art of archery. He put a wooden bird as the target and asked them to aim
at the eye of the bird. The first disciple was asked to describe what he
saw. He said, “I see the trees, the branches, the leaves, the sky, the
bird and its eye.”
The sage asked this disciple to wait. Then he asked the
second disciple the same question and he replied, “I only see the eye of
the bird.” The sage said, “Very good, then shoot.” The arrow went
straight and hit the eye of the bird.
What is the moral of the story? Unless we focus, we
cannot achieve our goal. It is hard to focus and concentrate, but it is a
skill that can be learned.
On the journey to life’s highway, keep your eyes upon
the goal. Focus on the donut, not upon the hole - Anonymous
Keep your eyes upon the goal
On July 4, 1952, Florence Chadwick was on her way to
becoming the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel. She had already
conquered the English Channel. The world was watching. Chadwick fought the
dense fog, bone-chilling cold and many times, the sharks. She was striving
to reach the shore but every time she looked through her goggles, all she
could see was the dense fog. Unable to see the shore, she gave up.
Chadwick was disappointed when she found out that she
was only half a mile from the coast. She quit not because she was a
quitter, but because her goal was not in sight anywhere. The elements
didn’t stop her. She said, “I’m not making excuses. If only I had
seen the land, I could have made it.”
Two months later she went back and swam the Catalina
Channel. This time, in spite of the bad weather, she had her goal in mind
and not only accomplished it, but beat the men’s record by two hours.
Why are goals
important?
On the best sunny day the most powerful magnifying
glass will not light paper if you keep moving the glass. But if you focus
and hold it, the paper will light up. That is the power of concentration.
A man was traveling and stopped at an intersection. He
asked an elderly man, “Where does this road take me?” The elderly
person asked, “Where do you want to go?” The man replied, “I don’t
know.” The elderly person said, “Then take any road, what difference
does it make?”
How true. When we don’t know where we are going, any
road will take us there.
Supposing you have the football eleven enthusiastically
ready to play the game, all charged up, and then someone took the goalpost
away. What would happen to the game? There is nothing left. How do you
keep score? How do you know you have arrived? Enthusiasm without direction
is like wildfire and leads to frustration. Goals give a sense of
direction.
Would you sit in a plane or a train without knowing
where it was going? The obvious answer is no. Then why do people go
through life without having any goals?
Dreams
People confuse goals with dreams and wishes. Dreams and
wishes are nothing more than desires. Desires are weak. Desires become
strong when they are supported by:
* Direction
* Dedication
* Determination
* Discipline
* Deadlines
That is what differentiates a desire from a goal. Goals
are dreams with a deadline - and an action plan. Goals can be worthy or
unworthy. It is passion, not wishing, that turns dreams into reality.
Why don’t more people set goals?
1. A pessimistic attitude - always seeing the pitfalls
rather than the possibilities.
2. Fear of failure - What if I don’t make it? People
feel subconsciously that if they don’t set goals, and if they don’t
make it, then they haven’t failed. But they are failures to begin with.
3. A lack of ambition - This is a result of our value
system and a lack of desire to live a fulfilled life. Our limited thinking
prevents us from progress. There was a fisherman who, every time he caught
a big fish, would throw it back into the river, keeping only the smaller
ones. A man watching this unusual behavior asked the fisherman why he was
doing this. The fisherman replied, “Because I have a small frying
pan.” Most people never make it in life because they are carrying a
small frying pan. That is limited thinking.
4. A fear of rejection - If I don’t make it what will
other people say?
5. Procrastination - “Someday I will set my goals.”
This ties in with a lack of ambition.
6. Low self-esteem - Because a person is not internally
driven and has no inspiration.
7. Ignorance of the importance of goals - Nobody taught
them and they never learned the importance of goal setting.
8. A lack of knowledge about goal setting - People
don’t know the mechanics of setting goals. They need a step-by-step
guide so that they can follow a system.”
For more insights into Goals and SMART goals, catch up
with me next time or contact me at [email protected]
Until then, have a great week!
Social Commentary by Khai Khem
Huge discounts and special deals make
Thailand a bargain holiday not only for locals
Admittedly there has been a recent significant downturn
in foreign tourist arrivals. To offset the negative effects, the
nation’s tourism industry has launched massive and very effective
campaigns to encourage domestic travel within the kingdom. There are,
however, some mixed messages being interpreted by many would-be foreign
tourists who seem think these great deals are meant only for Thai
nationals and will not apply to foreigners if they come here.
The travel industry is like all businesses and
advertising and special promotions need to be evaluated carefully. My
email box has been chocked full of letters from friends and associates
who’ve been following the travel news and since the summer months are
upon us, holiday decisions are on everyone’s mind. The problem is that
many of my messages are from people who are complaining that they are very
confused as to whether they will be included in these enticing discounts,
or will be turned away or charged more when they come here for a vacation.
I’m not a travel advisor, but I did my best to let
them know that it would be wise to check with their favorite travel agent
and find out exactly which special deals apply to foreign visitors. There
are plenty of whopping discount packages that are set up to attract
foreign tourists. If the venue is advertising specials for Thai citizens,
that will probably exclude them, but since there are so many attractions
that cater to overseas visitors, a little discrimination, common sense and
some legwork will satisfactorily fill their holiday agenda.
When asked about the infamous “two-tier” pricing
that discriminates against foreigners in Thailand, I told them that since
this practice is widespread, they should use their own judgment as to
whether the difference in price was such a deterrent that they would
rather forgo the venue. After all, this discriminate pricing system can be
avoided by refusing to give in to it. Lots of visitors still decide to pay
the price since some of the attractions are just too good to miss, even
though the locals may pay less. It’s a judgment call and no one forces a
tourist to buy an admission ticket. My advice is to pay the charge if you
really want to see the attraction. If you feel offended, walk away and
find something else to do or another venue to visit that charges everyone
the same price.
I also told my inquisitive letter-writers that if the
advert specifically reads the special prices are for Thai citizens - that
should alert them that this is a temporary campaign to stimulate local
tourism in what is referred to as the ‘low season’. Don’t forget!
Thailand is also awash with wonderful bargains for foreign holidaymakers
which probably don’t include Thai nationals, so bear in mind that all
tourists are not marketed equally - anywhere.
The true advantage to foreign visitors in Thailand is
that they are extremely welcome and most Thais will bend over backwards to
please them. That includes a little leeway for bargaining if it’s done
with grace and courtesy.
So is the present campaign to stimulate tourism geared
only for Thai citizens? Of course not! It is only natural that Thailand
wants its citizens to enjoy the feast of wonders their homeland has to
offer.
A recent survey on preferred tourist destinations just
put Thailand on the list of the top ten places in the world. That didn’t
happen by accident. Today’s international tourists are educated,
well-informed and have the whole world at their fingertips. Thailand was
lauded for it incomparable hospitality, year-round summer climate, great
scenery, fabulous food, and friendly locals who welcome foreign victors
with open arms.
To be fair, Thailand needs improvement in some areas.
Pattaya was cited as over-crowed and over built, rising crime was rated as
a worry, and it still retains an unsavory image regarding garbage,
corruption and traffic chaos. All things considered, it still managed to
rate high marks as a happy, carefree action spot, with a wide variety of
exotic attractions geared to appeal to foreign visitors. If there ever was
a perfect time to visit this exciting kingdom, it is surely now.
I told my associates that they should not let local ad
campaigns and their peculiar wording confuse them into thinking that all
the special goodies are for locals only. Foreign tourists are treated like
royalty in Pattaya, especially now, when travel around the world is
suffering from a slump.
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