Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing, well whether or not Thailand really needs a lot of "man-made" tourist destinations here in Thailand. What am I talking about? I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Bangkok Post, bangkokpost.com, the article is titled: Government Bets on Casinos. I have discussed this issue at length in another video, the whole issue of casinos specifically; I urge those who are watching this video, check in the description below for a link to the other one. Also, I urge you to check out that article in detail because it goes into a different direction. But we are going to get into this “man-made” tourism thing. 

Quoting directly: "Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said the Bill, which outlined a framework for integrated facilities, including malls, hotels, sports arena, and theme parks was in line with the Government policy to create man-made tourism destinations." Why? Why is that a government policy? Now is it a government policy for a pretext to get Casinos? If it's that, then I actually kind of understand it. But this notion that we need to have any kind of man-made, look we do have man-made structures here in Thailand; they're massive tourism destinations. The Grand Palace is a perfect example; that's man-made. I mean it was made a long time ago, but it was man-made. That is a cultural destination. When we are talking about “man-made” tourism destinations, honestly, I'm going to go ahead and try to find a thumbnail that shows what I am talking about here but it's like, when I think about “man-made” tourist destination, I think of like the world's largest ball of twine, or like these things that you would see along Route 66 in America, like a giant Dinosaur Diner, something that is just along an American highway. That to my mind is a "man-made" destination and candidly, does Thailand really need that? I don't really think so. I think reasonable people can disagree on casinos; I'm on balance kind of ambivalent about it, leaning lightly toward, if Thailand doesn't get them. I don't think it's going to be that bad, I don't think we're missing out on that much, and I think we are avoiding a lot of social problems but there is a way to balance those interests and do something that actually does benefit everybody. I've discussed that at length in other videos, most notably I think a bet limit or a buy in limit for local Thais would be the best way to deal with that but okay set that aside. 

Long story short though, just the idea that "man-made" tourism destinations are themselves what Thailand needs, I would tend to, I would disagree with that. I don't think that that is in fact the case and if anything, I think Thailand, her natural beauty is what draws people in more than anything. I think running around trying to set up “man-made” destinations may actually end up killing the Golden Goose in terms of Tourism.