SONGKHLA, Thailand -- In the world of tourism, the race to the bottom begins with smiles. International travelers, longing for a vanishing past, fix on some pristine island or neglected old town. Local people vend a bit of hospitality and prosper quietly. For a charmed while, change moves at walking pace.
Soon, though, the bucket-list media, investors and tourism boards rush in. The free market's invisible hand conjures up tour buses, cement, convenience stores, big hotels. Rents and prices climb, squeezing out local businesses and locals themselves.
