Comments on: Sufficiency tourism on the way http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/04/08/sufficiency-tourism-on-the-way/ New perspectives on mainland Southeast Asia Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:10:35 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Pig Latin http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/04/08/sufficiency-tourism-on-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-63305 Pig Latin Mon, 09 Apr 2007 12:39:44 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/04/09/sufficiency-tourism-on-the-way/#comment-63305 Actually Jon, I did that (paid to work) in Nepal. I was naive and it had a lot to do with my mother (haha), but it was the most corrupt thing I've ever witnessed first hand. I was seeing kids who'd worked in carpet factories and brothels every day, while the people who ran the organisations lived in 22 room houses and only occupied 3. One is a daughter of a former Prime Minister. When I went out for dinner with the 'administrators' they'd use their 'work' as social fuel. I left after a month, but was meant to stay for 3. Good experience though. Actually Jon, I did that (paid to work) in Nepal. I was naive and it had a lot to do with my mother (haha), but it was the most corrupt thing I’ve ever witnessed first hand. I was seeing kids who’d worked in carpet factories and brothels every day, while the people who ran the organisations lived in 22 room houses and only occupied 3. One is a daughter of a former Prime Minister. When I went out for dinner with the ‘administrators’ they’d use their ‘work’ as social fuel. I left after a month, but was meant to stay for 3. Good experience though.

]]> By: attractions » Comment on Sufficiency tourism on the way by Jon Fernquest http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/04/08/sufficiency-tourism-on-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-63227 attractions » Comment on Sufficiency tourism on the way by Jon Fernquest Mon, 09 Apr 2007 09:59:45 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/04/09/sufficiency-tourism-on-the-way/#comment-63227 [...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptSometimes, the volunteer work is legitimate, often it’sa bogus project created to get the tourist’s money, sometimes the unqualified tourist actually does profit making work for the so-called NGO. Sometimes even, the tourist volunteers … [...] [...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptSometimes, the volunteer work is legitimate, often it’sa bogus project created to get the tourist’s money, sometimes the unqualified tourist actually does profit making work for the so-called NGO. Sometimes even, the tourist volunteers … [...]

]]> By: Jon Fernquest http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/04/08/sufficiency-tourism-on-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-63138 Jon Fernquest Mon, 09 Apr 2007 06:05:42 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/04/09/sufficiency-tourism-on-the-way/#comment-63138 More seepage from the tourism sector into the education sector: ***former bar owners who get hired by universities as lecturers***, cases that slip past the HR departments of universities with very high employee turnover, without any sort of tenure for foreign lecturers, disturbing because "bar" in Thailand is often synonymous with "intermediary for prostitution." More seepage from the tourism sector into the education sector: ***former bar owners who get hired by universities as lecturers***, cases that slip past the HR departments of universities with very high employee turnover, without any sort of tenure for foreign lecturers, disturbing because “bar” in Thailand is often synonymous with “intermediary for prostitution.”

]]> By: Jon Fernquest http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/04/08/sufficiency-tourism-on-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-63114 Jon Fernquest Mon, 09 Apr 2007 05:32:33 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/04/09/sufficiency-tourism-on-the-way/#comment-63114 Hopefully the new apparoach to tourism will include ***paying attention to what is actually happening*** . One of the most disturbing growing trends is ***pay-to-be-a-volunteer tourism***. On the surface it looks good. Why would altruistic motives ever be questioned? For example, some expat runs a website out of his Phuket beach flat to sell volunteer experiences around Thailand to tourists. Sometimes, the volunteer work is legitimate, often it's a bogus project created to get the tourist's money, sometimes the unqualified tourist actually does profit making work for the so-called NGO. Sometimes even, the tourist volunteers are sent on contract to teach children in local schools. All without a work permit or work visa! Why would a tourist pay to work, instead of getting paid to work? Last week word of a European tourist-volunteer bragging about having sex with his teenage (apparently high school) students, passed through the grapevine in the provincial town I live in. IMHO The tendency to use tourism as a solution to every problem, including education, not only seems simplistic, a little fishy, but also, in some cases, extremely dangerous. Hopefully the new apparoach to tourism will include ***paying attention to what is actually happening*** .

One of the most disturbing growing trends is ***pay-to-be-a-volunteer tourism***.

On the surface it looks good. Why would altruistic motives ever be questioned?

For example, some expat runs a website out of his Phuket beach flat to sell volunteer experiences around Thailand to tourists.

Sometimes, the volunteer work is legitimate, often it’s a bogus project created to get the tourist’s money, sometimes the unqualified tourist actually does profit making work for the so-called NGO. Sometimes even, the tourist volunteers are sent on contract to teach children in local schools. All without a work permit or work visa!

Why would a tourist pay to work, instead of getting paid to work?

Last week word of a European tourist-volunteer bragging about having sex with his teenage (apparently high school) students, passed through the grapevine in the provincial town I live in.

IMHO The tendency to use tourism as a solution to every problem, including education, not only seems simplistic, a little fishy, but also, in some cases, extremely dangerous.

]]> By: Pig Latin http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/04/08/sufficiency-tourism-on-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-63092 Pig Latin Mon, 09 Apr 2007 04:10:16 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/04/09/sufficiency-tourism-on-the-way/#comment-63092 Maybe they are trying to get more regional tourists with the sufficiency approach. If your Cambodian, touring Thailand can be quite expensive! How gracious of this Mr Majesty! Maybe they are trying to get more regional tourists with the sufficiency approach. If your Cambodian, touring Thailand can be quite expensive! How gracious of this Mr Majesty!

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