Thread: What events *could* lure tourists back...?

Obviously, TAT appears to be completely delusional and incompetent about their choice of 'events' to lure tourists back (i.e. nothing special), so, subsequently, here's a couple of suggestions for events that could kick-start tourism by exploiting demographics and events the TAT might not have considered :-)

STAR TREK / BKK 2009 : world's first Star Trek convention in Bangkok. No need to combine with any special hotel deals, since hotel prices will be in a slump by then. Requires arrangements with Thai to provide special prices for flights to bring all the Trekkies to BKK. Of course, any Star Trek convention requires the appropriate guest stars to be present - this should be no problem. William Shatner will be a shoo-in, once you explain to him that the town is brimming with girls; Jonathan Frakes will be right along, along with Michael Dorn on their coat tails... They will bring their friends. Introduce the women to a couple of spas in BKK, and the female guests will be an easy one.

It will be fun, undoubtedly, convincing the girls in Soi Cowboy to paint their skin green or blue, to give the fanbois the much desired Orion Slave Girls and Andorian Warrior fantasies. Getting them to dress up as Klingon mates will be trickier, but I'm sure the usual Katoeys will be game for that (as well as looking more the part). Clearly, there'll be lots of "Farang TingTong" thoughts going through the girls' thoughts, but they won't be able to argue with the Baht rolling their way, and will perfect identifying themselves as 'Dabo Girls'.

If an event filled with Trekkies is not a found fodder for lower Sukhumwit, I don't know what is...

a few months later....

STAR WARS EXTRAVAGANZA / BKK 2009 : Pretty much the same formula, as above, but with the added benefit that most of the naming conventions in Star Wars, characters, planets, etc.. all have Thai sounding names anyway, and the fanbois will feel straight at home. This one could be combined and expanded to include Pattaya, for that extra 'oompf'

Guest stars? Easy -- George will be all over himself to fly out, to come back to Thailand (where do you think all the Thai sounding names come from), and there's even one or two characters and actresses that are genuinely Thai. Home run!

By now the Soi Cowboy girls will be used to dressing up strangely, so going for the Princess Leia look, or sticking some tentacles on their heads will be S.O.P. to them... all while the Baht are rolling in.

If an event filled with Star Wars fans is not a found fodder for lower Sukhumwit, I don't know what is... Heck, toss in and combine it with a Farscape / Firefly / Serenity, and we have a winner!

a few months later...

MACWORLD BKK 2009 : a winner right there... Not only will you have 50,000 sex starved unsuspecting Mac geeks descend upon Bangkok, but the lure for most exhibitors is of lower costs, cheap accommodations, the promise of expanding their market (you know, Thailand is a potentially huge new market for Macs... or something).

Not really much for the girls to do at this point, though undoubtedly they'll try to recycle some of the costumes from the prior two events, and some guys might get their kicks from a leftover Dabo girl, or Jedi Warrioress... but really, most girls just need to wear an "I heart Mac" button, and they are home free.

The added benefit is that there is plenty of cross-over with local talent, so the event will also attract local Thai artsy dude, and chicks, and we'll have some mingling and knowledge exchange for sure.

If an event filled with Mac fanbois is not a found fodder for lower Sukhumwit, I don't know what is...

a few months later

LinuxWorld BKK 2009 : yes, Linux has a presence in Thailand, but the world geek brigade does not -- this event aims to change that, by bringing the Linux geeks of the world to Bangkok, for a true exchange of ideas with the local color.

Obviously, a smaller group (despite what most Linux geeks want us to believe) than the Mac event, but certainly more dedicated to a sex-less life, and therefore, once again, fodder for such an event.

A slightly more mature crowd, and the girls will certainly be used to less than ideal hygiene conditions from their regular customer base of low-class Brits, Aussies, and Euros of various denominations. Again, the Baht will roll in.

If an event packed with Linux aficionados... well, you know the drill...

This should not only result in at least a guaranteed 200,000 new visitors, but an almost guaranteed 80% repeat visitors after a couple more months and probably and increase in location shooting for various movies following...

What do you think? ;-)

Anything which doesn't feature the "girls in Soi Cowboy" on the list?

I don't think "events" can.

Stability can.

Tourists don't come for "events," or promotions.

Naked mud wrestling, hustler centerfold survivor, world pole dancing championships, the list could go on and on.

Originally Posted by Milkman

Stability can. Tourists don't come for "events," or promotions.

I'm with Milky here.

But, if there is a cricket game or football game etc on I will probably come anyway, and I imagine many tourists are the same...

memories are short.

You guys do know what 'satire' is, right?

Originally Posted by DaffyDuck

You guys do know what 'satire' is, right?

Yeah.....its missing from your post numbnutts.

I like it, and right on !!!

if they want to lure back tourists, what about free bar fine and free beer on the first night, all sponsored by TAT

How about some short time / Long time discount coupons for soi cowboy

Songkran, and if they reverted to the old fashioned rose scented water custom instead of having a bucket of feces thrown on you.

Like myself I know a lot of people who avoid this three week disaster because of what the event has become.

Revert to the good old days of Siam and that is why this place was selected by many for foreign investment back in the 40's, 50's and the 60's and over and above it's geographic neighbours.

Thailand hasn't lost its edge regarding attracting tourists they just need to sharpen up their act.

Perhaps TAT can come up with an event where thousands of Thais wear coloured tops- yellow, red it doesn't matter sit and listen to a concert or story telling. It would provide foreigners with access to Thai local culture.

The problem would be finding a suitable location - some government facility in order to house the numbers.

Perhaps even an airport as the last time this was tried at such a location I didn't see many foreigners leaving so they must have liked it

Hmm,... "Geekweek Thailand?". Might work.
I might also suggest cage fights (to the death) between the Red shirts and Yellow shirt spazwits? I would queue up for that.

I think they should have more traditional dance and music shows.

lolitas pub crawl

start in Hua Hin to BKK then pattaya

Originally Posted by DaffyDuck

You guys do know what 'satire' is, right?

Great piece of satire, but you should have sold it to the TAT anyway. Now I am sure they will just nick off this website.

Originally Posted by baldrick

lolitas pub crawl

start in Hua Hin to BKK then pattaya

With 2 for 1 coupons. In fact, 2 for 1 coupons in Soi Yodsak, Soi Cowboy & Nana. Up to you if the coupons are used for drink or - aherm - entertainment.