globalspark

I think the Government  was thinking the Chinese and Indian  tourist are better value and hence Western tourist have dropped of. I stay in Pattaya or Jomtein and all the hotels are overrun with those tourists who have no consideration for the way we think people should behave.My wife is Chinese and she even hates going to Thailand.

Once my Dental treatment is complete we will not be going back in the near future.Something I did not mention it is no longer a cheap destination and many hotels have failed to keep up maintenance. Last hotel in Jomtein  we changed rooms 4 times due to sewerage smells. To the hotels credit they kept  changing us rooms but the fact is   a 4 star hotel should be better.

15 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Always amazed at foreigners looking to save a baht, I always have a driver lined up, much nicer after a long flight.

i know the richest man in Bangkok and he only uses buses. I have used both but  when Mr T. Driver is not there it is a little nerve racking.Most cases I am arriving late at night so I started to book a hotel near the airport with pick ups and drop off and next morning I get the bus to Pattaya.

I had booked flights for May but when my insurance company said they do not cover for Covid and would need a separate insurance policy I decided to cancel as there are to many obstacles for me to enjoy the holiday.

As soon  as Thailand and other countries take a sensible approach to this now flu  people like myself will not travel. As I am a fit 70 year old it counts for nothing when it comes to  the Covid insurance as my policy is over double than my partner who is 44.

Well that is this weeks news and next week he will tell you something different.No tourist for 2 years and  typical Thailand they need to get that revenue back all at once which has been lost.

It has been a common joke when tourist numbers are down some hotels charge more  to make up for the lack of numbers.As I have stated before my Dental treatment is on going and  when I have finished  with the Dental there will be no desire to go back.

There are many places around Asia and the World which offer good value for your money, Thailand has become complacent and the land of smiles is only if you are throwing money around in a bar or hotel  lobby receptionist or whatever you give tips too. Small tips are now frond upon and the 20 baht tip to the fat slob at the Nana  Hotel to  wheel your bag to your room is now 100 baht. It was some years ago  when I last stayed there  and the last for that matter.

Still every day planes arrive full of desperate  men looking for love  and every day  plane loads of poor men  leave heartbroken.

The Issan university has taught these nice girls how to extract that last Dollar in your pocket. Honestly what is 300 baht arrival tax in the scheme of things. I personally think the 300 baht should be increased to around 700 baht and that will include  the book "Private Dancer" a must read  for the  first timer.

They want package tours of Chinese Indian Vietnamese and Koreans .As I have said before they do not want  Franags on pensions hanging around bars  as  the Government  figure they do not spend enough money and are more trouble than they are worth.

The program is to get rid of those  bars which we farangs like  but package tours find offensive.Every time I go back to Thailand I can see many changes taking place.Expensive Condos for sale, walking Street been upgraded well probably removed.

 It is a struggle to find a nice Hotel these days without the herds of  package tours  demolishing the breakfast bar before you  come down for breakfast.

 When you make it for breakfast all you see is a war zone. I might add in most cases they are low class tours paid by companies  for their workers.The last hotel I stayed while in Pattaya  and I won't embarrass the place as the staff were very nice 4 star plus  was experiencing the same fate with Indians eating breakfast while walking around and  flicking the rice from the hands to the floor.

As I have Dental  treatments happening  but on completion on such work I will not be returning to the Land Of Smiles.

Think of the good memories and look elsewhere  for your holidays.Not sure where that may be Vietnam? 

I use to often frequent a place at soi 22 Bei Otto which was good Not cheap but lunch menu ok.Many  good restaurants in Bangkok but always changing so hard to recommend.

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Same s you marry the girl be prepared to support the family which wears thin over time because you will end up in poverty yourself.Food rubbish,dangerous as life is cheap.At first you feel a friendly environment but like Thailand it is all fake.Money you have money they want both countries the same.You can kid yourself how friendly the people are but if you have a brain you will work it out No money no honey remember that saying because it is 100% spot on. I tried both and from experience found both sneaky.slimmy.cheats,dishonest and the smiles fake.People tell you all this but you need to experience for yourself.

Everything is expensive in Thailand that is why I live in Australia.I have written blogs on this topic before.In Thailand wine is crazy prices and Western food at Supermarkets is far more expensive.Local street food is cheapb50/100 baht beer at supermarket around 50 baht i think same as take away prices as Dan Murphy.So what has Thailand got to offer for retirees?

I was a regular visitor  for 10 years   spending 2 months at a time there  so was considering retirement there.As  time  moved on  I realised what did this country have to offer?  Cost of living is to high if you like   nice red wine and   western  foods. For the matter beer at the bars  has been  creaping up and  lots of  Farang now  sit at the  front of a 7 /11 store drinking.If you want  accommodation  of reasonable standard  you need  $1000 per month. Last trip in Pattaya  which was  about 12 months ago I did some serious looking in Pattaya and the 5000 -7000 baht   apartment is very  poor.

I have been spending more time in Europe prior to Covid  and found Italy Spain Portugal more desirable places to live.  Cost of living would be on part to Thailand.

 If you want to be a bar fly then  Angeles City is the place for you but the visa issue is a nightmare,My advise to go and visit  these countries  and see if it is what you are really looking for as the fun visiting bars each night  eventually changes, old friends stop coming to Thailand,   the  stuffed knee, hip, needs replacement, and you need to go home for those procedures.

 I was coming to Thailand having dental  treatment but  not really worth it now as Dentists in Australia  are only a fraction more. I will continue to  finish my Dental treatment  in Pattaya  but thinking seriously of  having the remaining work done here.

I will still be a visitor of Thailand  but do not see it as a long term retirement destination.

 I could write books  on the subject matter.  Everybody tells you how bad Australia  is  but everybody runs back to the place to  spend 2 years so they can collect their pensions and have free hospital treatments. I worked and paid taxes? Really. 

At this stage we need flights to Thailand at reasonable prices.Airlines are not stupid and will resume when it is safe.Sad to say it will not happen if tourist need to spend 2 weeks in quarantined on arrival.I await for next weeks BUZZWORD. 

Hope i can buy  3or 4 bars there I have a million dollars to spend  and should be able to convert 2 million in the near future.I know many farangs have lost money with bars but i know better. I always say  a new flight of idiots arrive every day  with  dreams and another flight is leaving with dreams shattered. You can tell these idiots  a million times  but  the brain drops out in the trash bucket as soon as they are cleared  from immigration.

Some people want to buy a job or buy a job for their new love one. Little do they know about running a business as they have never run one  before. Have you tried to explain cash flow, money for  new stock to a farming girl?For that matter does the idiot who buys the bar have any idea?

I have done many stupid things in my life  but  buying a bar never entered in the equation.

The dumb population do not realise the importance in learning English.Rich Thais send their children to Western Countries then they get the well paying jobs.Control the people by not educating them is a common weapon used for centuries all over the world.

Very sad  state of affairs.  but the real issue right now there are no affordable flights to Thailand or anywhere for that matter.Prior  to Covid I was saying  that Pattaya was  dead  and  becoming very expensive.  Now is the time for a reality check  and for tourist operators to become serious about  pricing.For the last few years  I found it cheaper to travel to Europe and as it may be hard to believe  I can stay in Hotels  in Sweden, Norway  Finland for  around $130 a night Australian and in the Baltics  for $50-$60 a night. Eastern Europe is  around $60  a night   which include breakfast. The last few years you can find nice hotel in Pattaya  during the off season for around the $50-$60 a night which include breakfast which is catering for Indians or Chinese. These same hotels  rates increase to $100-$140   around Christmas time.It is sad to see  foreigners drinking in  slop houses as the  bars have become to expensive.

i know the big push as being for Chinese and Indian tourists  as the powers to be feel they are better value.Somehow I very much doubt it  and I stand to be corrected. They come for  a 3-4 days  on these packages  probably do a few tours and go leaving the poor house keeper cleaning up  all the rubbish that has been left behind.i have stayed in hotels which just cater for the Chinese Vietnam and Indian  tours and I have seen the disaster.Breakfast in the mornings is like a bomb and just exploded in the Restaurants. 

 If that is what the Thai Tourist Department wants then  Walking Street and  many other areas in pattaya  should close the  door for good.

i am sure the   kickbacks from bar owners have vanished since this Covid causing cash flow problems. Also the poor farangs  are not there riding motor bikes and getting stopped for any reason you care to think off has gone. Can you imagine how much revenue that generates  to the police force  which has now gone.The locals  cannot afford or will not pay for these stupid fines which where dished up to us  for years.

 When the borders open up why not incorporate the  vax tax with the  handout tax   and that should solve the shortfall  for police officers in  debt.It could be called the VTHT.

Tourism is doomed so introducing another 300 baht will do nothing to encourage or discourage numbers.Money lost to Covid is gone you cannot get that back and as soon as tourism get that in their head the better.

What boring news does anybody really care.she got 40k he was stupid for over reacting.

 I stopped using taxis in Thailand  years ago unless I had no choice.  If I arrive late in bangkok I book a hotel room near the airport with transfers then next morning catch the sky train or Bell bus to Pattaya.

 They are a bunch a gooses and not worth the arguments  over the stupid games og not wanting to use the  meters or like you said meter tampering.

 Change your ways how you get around and it will make you a happier person.Remember   Thai men a lazy bunch of sods   and  if they come from Issan  well  they are worse.

 The land of smiles are long as they are ripping you off.

As i am not judge or jury this topic is a  can on worms. Some Farangs think they are smart and marry and stay in Thailand  so their wives  do not get influenced with  others from the country  where they go.  Others  come to say Australia  and  get on with their lives. 

 From  my experience it does not matter how you go about it  and as long as you have money and prepared to give to the family  you will  have no problems.

 When the money becomes tight  cracks will appear  and you will be a Cheap Charlie  or have no heart.

 Enough have been written about the subject and   from my observation Thai ladies only love their family and money. Their  family does not include the Western  husband.

 Yep waiting for it what would I know ,  mine is different.

 i always tell people the story would you give your  western GF/s parents  $40000 to marry her?  Answer is always No so why do  Farangs do just that in Thailand.

If you are going back home cash them in and get yourself  some form of a credit card. Travellers  Cheques are  now useless  and the last lot I had I cashed in at Singapore and not without a few dramas as my hand writting had changed. Now I am talking about over 10 years ago i used my last lot up.

Sorry i do not get it. Every week new rules are coming out just for sake of new rules. as a tourist i never bought   alcohol  on line but there in Australia  i buy most of wine on line.

  I   now know why lots of Farangs are leaving Thailand and coming back to Australia or finding different destinations.

I  thought to retire in Thailand but things have changed so much over the years for the worse and best to stay put.