Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing issues pertaining to inflation as well as certain Government activity and how it sort of impacts the Tourism Sector.

I thought about making this video after reading a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Thai Compulsory Insurance for all foreigners threatens chaos. Quoting directly: "Given that many International airfares have already doubled in recent months, together with the host of other inflationary pressures, it seems odd that the Thai Authorities are wrestling with a 300 baht (less than US$10) entry tax so fraught with difficulties. Maybe, they should just add the fee to the 700 Baht Suvarnabhumi Airport International departure tax already hidden in ticket prices. Or as Fagin concluded in the musical version of Oliver, "I think I'd better think it out again."

There is a lot going on in this article. I urge those who are watching this video to go check that out. Yeah inflationary pressure is already going to be an issue with respect to the Thai Tourism Sector. Now I am not saying that the Government of Thailand doesn't have a legitimate reason to be involved in things like Immigration, Tourism Policy etc. but the fact of it is the Tourism Sector in Thailand grew up largely organically if you look back. While I do think there have been some major efforts that have helped things in Thailand, for example the creation of the Retirement Visa in the 90s and the lowering of the age associated with Retirement Visas had a tremendous positive impact on the Thai economy. I think if you look at that sort of from 40,000 feet, from a higher perspective, however you want to look at it, that had a tremendous positive impact on things. There have been Government initiatives which have had a positive impact but right now, honestly to be looking at trying to make 10 extra bucks off every passenger coming in while not looking at the sort of bigger picture and the fact that Thailand had two years of effectively not having a tourism sector, and we really need to get it back. And literally having it decimated as we have discussed in other videos; like 90% of the Tourism Sector was knocked out which essentially, it basically knocked out anywhere between 18 and 20% of Thailand's overall GDP which I think we need to try as hard as we can to get that sector of GDP back as quick and as well as we can for a number of different reasons not just from the standpoint of just sort of jobs and things here in Thailand but also to bring in foreign reserve from other countries which can have an impact on the trade balance with Thailand. All of these are good things. Tourism definitely will help. I think here in Thailand folks need to be cognizant of the fact that there are a lot of costs currently associated with long-term air travel. It is expensive; inflation is having an impact on the cost of travel. To try to add on to that even in a really negligible way, I just don't see how that is a great idea in the current time.