Thailand tourism overrated claim prompts debate online
A foreign woman criticised Thai tourism, describing Thailand as “overrated” and citing high accommodation costs, food hygiene concerns, poor transport experiences, crowded islands, rubbish and unfriendly locals.
The woman shared her experiences of travelling in Thailand in a video that was later reposted by local news outlet TravelNews. In the clip, she said she spent two weeks in the country and found her experience differed from reviews she had previously seen.
She claimed Thailand was expensive compared with other Asian destinations, saying the cheapest hostel she could find cost 600 baht per night, which she described as costly for a backpacker.
She also criticised Thai food, saying she had heard from friends who experienced diarrhoea or food poisoning after eating it. She said she suffered bloating and felt like she weighed 300 kilogrammes after meals, adding that she found Thai food all sweet and oily.
The tourist said major destinations were crowded, particularly islands she described as leading tourist spots. She added she did not feel close to nature or find peace during her trip.
She also complained about public transport, saying some workers lacked a service mindset and that her interactions did not match Thailand’s “land of smiles” image. She claimed some locals shouted at her, particularly people working in public transport.
The woman also said she saw rubbish piles in many areas and complained of bad smells. She said she witnessed people leaving rubbish in natural areas and questioned why locals would make their home country dirty.
She ended the video by saying Thailand has beautiful places but that its tourism was overrated, adding that there were other locations she considered more beautiful.
She encouraged travel lovers to visit Thailand once to judge for themselves. She added she could not understand why some people choose to spend months or years in Thailand.
In comments under the video, some Thai viewers agreed with parts of her criticism. Some said they had travelled to Vietnam and China and were able to book private hotel rooms for 600 to 700 baht per night, while others said accommodation with good views and facilities could cost more than 3,000 baht per night.
One Thai online user said she understood the issues based on her own travel experiences in Thailand, citing inconvenient public transport, narrow and dirty footpaths and higher prices in tourist areas.
Others disagreed with the tourist’s conclusions, saying she was travelling on a tight budget and that her experience reflected the price she paid. Some also said travel preferences vary between tourists.
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