OPINION

A courageous article

Re: "Corrupt monks have lost their way", (Opinion, July 14).

I read with interest Santisuda Ekachai's article lamenting the shocking behaviour of some corrupt monks in Thailand. As a foreigner, yes I am shocked by the greed and corruption committed.

Personally, my birth country, the USA, is no stranger to outrageous acts of sexual, financial and moral wrongdoing by members of the clergy. Multiple, well-documented cases of illegal acts committed by (Western) religious leaders have left the public somewhat numb, due to the frequency of those despicable acts. Mega churches are led by cult-like figures who have no shame and aggressively defend perks such as private planes to make their travel more "efficient".

I think many foreigners wish to believe that all Buddhist monks are somehow more pure and would never engage in the behaviour Ms Santisuda called out in her most recent and excellent Opinion piece. Sadly, all religions, races and countries have both good and bad with respect to the clergy. We are all susceptible to temptation and convincing ourselves that we are entitled to a few perks. After all, we deserve it, don't we?

I commend Ms Santiduda for speaking out and calling this despicable behaviour to the public's attention. It's convenient to turn one's head away and "not get involved"; it takes courage to publicly condemn those who flaunt the system and have gotten away with it.

Survey is no good

Re: "Poll finds rising economic anxieties", (Business, July 18).

I've never seen such a seriously flawed survey -- and the conclusions drawn from it -- than described in "Poll finds rising economic anxieties", on July 18. It is bad enough to conduct such a survey based on only 500 Thai adults aged 16-74; such a small number makes impossible the kind of representative sampling (by age, gender, social-economic status, geographic region, etc) upon which any reasonable conclusions must be based. (Such standard sampling, for example, would likely result in a total cohort of 10 females aged in their 40s, living in the South, and coming from the middle class).

Even worse is the author's constant generalising from this sample to the entire population -- as in the first sentence, "Thais fear for the future" and as to percentage results such as "nearly one-third of Thais (28%) are concerned about losing their own jobs" -- in other words, a generalisation based on 140 responses from the sample, a number which would further be reduced by subtracting those too young and too old to have jobs.

UN corrupt to the core

Re: "Asean importance", (PostBag, July 18).

Ioan Voicu has hauled out his flowery spray can of fluff stuff and painted his favourite topic of multilateralism on the backsides of the UN and Asean in a hopeless effort to make them look lovely.

"Asean's voice and action are expected to consistently support the world organisation's (UN) thesis that global solidarity remains essential to safeguard progress and save lives." The UN is corrupt at its core. Remember their oil-for-food programme that suffered from widespread corruption and abuse?

"Save lives"? Right. Since 2015, there have been 209 accusations across all UN peacekeeping missions, according to Al. These involve 346 peacekeepers, both military and civilian personnel, and 388 survivors, including 171 children, according to Al Jazeera's report "Why do some peacekeepers rape?" The full report was released in Aug 10, 2017.

Then there is the World Health Organization, which has been trying to usurp the sovereignty of free nations since 2020 with their "pandemic treaties".

Contrary to the authoritarian globalist import of Ioan Voicu's letter, Asean member states would be better off staying as far away from UN "doctrine" as possible.

Tourism perils

Re: "Holiday hazards", (PostBag, July 17).

Citing a study by the Every Life insurance company -- which rated Thailand the world's 9th-most dangerous country (PostBag, July 17) -- Paul writes in his PostBag letter dated July 17, arguing that this must be the reason many Chinese tourists are avoiding Thailand. These Chinese tourists are reacting to sensational reports on social media. Calling Thailand "dangerous" is patently ridiculous.

Since the study was carried out by an insurance company, Thailand's high rate of traffic accidents is the probable cause for this finding. Just be careful while crossing the street.

Stick to the facts

It is quite amazing, to say the least, that the Bangkok Post has published pro-Palestine or anti-Jewish letters, based on lies, lack of knowledge, yet refuses to accept factually presented letters.

The continuous hammering of Jews in letters to the editor needs some more perspective. Israel is fighting every day for its existence. The myth of the occupation of Palestinian lands is just like that: a myth. Never ever was there a Palestinian state. In 1948, the Palestinians were offered their own land, but this was not accepted by the Arab countries, causing the wars instigated by these countries. In 2005, they got a second chance from Israel itself, which gave full autonomy to Gaza.

Israeli settlers were forcefully removed from Gaza. Instead of developing the economy, they chose war, and Israel reacted. Talking about a real genocide is in the Hamas charter, which states, "kill all Jews". How many terrorist attacks have taken place in Israel on false grounds of occupation?

To be clear, I am not a fan of Israel, but the facts speak for themselves. Moreover, is there even one Arab country that offers the Palestinians a domicile? Must be a reason for that. The critics are lopsided in their view on the conflict. They seem to forget Hamas started the war, committing acts not seen in recent times. Moreover, there is no genocide. War crimes don't equal genocide.

Thailand still amazing

Re: "Signs and symptoms of Thai stagnation", (Opinion, July 18) & Safer tourism needed now", (Editorial, July 11).

In recent months, the tone surrounding Thailand's tourism economy has shifted, drifting from buoyant optimism to a more cautious outlook. Concerns over softening arrivals have sparked speculation about long-term growth and viability, but for those of us who have observed this sector closely over the decades, the picture is more nuanced.

I was quoted in an editorial back in 1996, during my time with Siam Express, saying that "Thailand's tourism industry is facing tough times with consumer choice, internet disruption and geopolitical impact." Jim Reed of Tour East echoed similar concerns at the time. Even then, we were speaking about patterns, waves of popularity, moments of saturation and the inevitable dips that follow. The current downturn, while real, is far from unprecedented.

Analysis by the Kasikorn Bank Research Department tracks the decline in visitor arrivals to Thailand in the first half of 2025 and projects total arrivals for the year will reach 34.5 million. That figure is down from 35.5 million in 2024 and still well below the 39.9 million recorded in 2019, the final full year before the pandemic. These numbers reflect a measurable slowdown, but also a reminder that cycles, rather than collapses, define the tourism economy.

History offers us perspective. Spain provides a compelling case study of cyclical tourism dynamics. Since 1946, the country has experienced at least two clear "life cycles" of tourism growth, first during the 1960s boom, and again from the mid-1990s into the early 2000s. Each phase of expansion was followed by a contraction, typically linked to wider economic pressures or geopolitical events. Tourism scholar Richard Butler's widely cited TALC model (Tourism Area Life Cycle) captures this rhythm well. His framework outlines six stages a destination typically moves through, from exploration to development, consolidation, stagnation, and ultimately either decline or rejuvenation. It's a theory that maps almost precisely onto Spain's S-shaped curve of international arrivals.

In 1950, Spain welcomed fewer than a million overseas visitors. By 1973, that number had soared to 34 million. Following intermittent downturns during the oil crises of the 1970s and the global recession of 2008–09, Spain rebounded spectacularly. In 2024, the country welcomed a record-breaking 94 million international arrivals, generating €126 billion (4.7 trillion baht) and contributing more than 12% to its GDP. Yet this revival has not come without consequence. Overtourism protests have gripped the Balearics, the Canary Islands and Barcelona, with locals demanding restrictions to protect their quality of life and environment. Popularity, as ever, walks a fine line with pressure.

Thailand today finds itself in a similar moment of reflection. The recent slowdown in arrivals is shaped by shifting consumer preferences, the appeal of emerging destinations, digital platforms fuelling niche travel, and lingering global uncertainties. But rather than viewing this as a sign of decline, it's more accurately a natural pause, a moment of recalibration in line with Butler's TALC theory. As tourists increasingly seek out less crowded, more meaningful, and more sustainable experiences, destinations everywhere are being forced to evolve.

Spain adapted by diversifying its appeal, developing rural escapes, staging cultural festivals, promoting shoulder-season travel, and marketing events beyond the traditional summer crush. Thailand is more than capable of doing the same. The country boasts strong infrastructure, deep cultural roots, a warm sunny climate, rural richness, and a well-established tourism ecosystem. With the right strategy, emphasising sustainability, digital innovation, and more diverse offerings, Thailand's tourism sector can pivot, refresh and thrive anew.

This moment is not a crisis, but a call to adapt. As markets recalibrate and the industry innovates, demand will return. Tourists are not abandoning Thailand; they are simply exploring elsewhere for now. But they'll be back.