Nigeone

This forum from my brief experience of Thai Visa and figures in Thailand is a first..It is the only topic I have read that figures given out by any source of authority gives out statistics and they are believed...Pray what makes these correct ??!!! as it's been often pointed out on other topics figures are seriously flawed..I dont believe these figures of 500 or whatever...as I said earlier the lines off 1 year old cars in Lamphun would suggest otherwise..just my opinion mind !

With 12,000 at risk of default!

Give it another 12 mnths and that figure will triple. Cars and repayments that cannot be maintained. A secondhand market that collapses.

You must be Thai. Not looking to the future, just the now.

You must be Thai. Can't divide. Tell us what percent have defaulted? Now tell us what would be a bad percent? What would be a good percent? What would be a normal %.

Are you anti math or something? 500 or 12,000 out of 1.6 million is great. 1% is 10,000

In a big grown up country like USA........

The first mortgage default rate fell from 1.58 percent in January to 1.48 percent in February, while the bank card rate declined from 3.41 percent to 3.37 percent. The second mortgage and auto loan default rates showed margins increases, rising from 0.69 and 1.10 percent in January to 0.71 percent and 1.11 percent, respectively, in February.

Using your own spurious logic. The defaults have increased 25 X in one year! 25 times the number of defaults in one year!! That is a phenomenal amount by any standard. Has the US market EVER seen that increase? Of course not.

12,000 at risk defaults. Most of those will default. Then you have the thousands of at risk defaulters the banks are not reporting. Add to that all the people who are borrowing from family and loan sharks just to make repayments. Forget about servicing or new tyres or maintenance. People will expect the secondhand market to remain at its current bouyant levels, but that will not happen.

50,000 - 100,00 defaulters within 2 years. Guaranteed.

I have to agree with this...apart from the natural increase in the risk of default as the loan goes further into its loan period, the effect of the tourism industry , and all the other clamp downs.. most for the better I might add..which will have a big effect on earnings in the short term..ie next 5 years...prices are going to go up for sure to pay for all changes so the money in the pocket of the average thai is going to decrease...Mind you if all these anti corruption changes carry on we all wont have to pay all the time to bent BIB etc..so all not bad

My last visit in January to my home in Lamphun area showed a row of approx 9 identical toyota ( I think) cars lined up in the largest second hand dealer in the area.

They were all low milage and can only assume from this scheme..Didnt stop to ask as they ripped me off previous so wouldnt give them the time of day..I'm back in 5 weeks will be interesting to see the situation now as we are 2 years plus from the start I think

Yes my step son and friends all went down this road and the main pressure from family in all cases etc was to get the rebate...It's almost as if they think that once they have paid the first year or so and got the rebate thats all that matters...something for nothing....The poster above is right...I feel young people have been pressured to get a car..they also wanted one too...but the reality is in the second year onwards the BIG problems are going to start...Big reality check coming and yes the second hand market is going to be flooded..

Isn't this negligent use of state money to provide a subsidy ?

Its Thailand !!! theres negligent use of money everywear dont hold your breath to see it change some day soon..

I wondered if it was subsidised and asked the same in another topic..well we are being told there going to lose 12mill to 20 mill bht this year.

Wonder what the real amount is going to be and my guess is we will never know but you just know its a alot more than there saying or will ever admit too

I haven't used Thai for many years and then it was only a domestic flight but it's hard to ignore all the members reporting on poor service and fares that can't compete with other airlines.

Is this part of the prevalent business ' model ' that when you're losing money you increase prices ?

With backs to the wall every saving helps so what about all the jobs for unqualified boys and of course all the freebies ?

If they read these forums its obvious what they need to do...doesn't take a brain surgeon to work out if planes are flying empty then reduce prices to compete, offer a better service like they used to do and hey presto!! mind looking from the outside I think there days are numbered..its hard for them to get back customers when going against the arab airlines with there access to funds and fuel etc...there F*****

The other matter is when you compare other carriers and the amount of flights from all the different destinations say in UK...Thai is a very small player..

Etihad and Emirates go from multiple destinations in the UK and I think Thai just London....Are Thai govt owned?? i would imagine at the least subsidised

As an earlier post said..loose face plays a big part...A great service at a good price always wins for me and I suspect most other people..

if they lower their prices they think they will lose face by showing the need to compete.

I'm sure your right...but in the mean time till one day this century when they wake up and realise that admitting a mistake isn't as earth shattering as they always thought they will continue to lose money....

Years ago I flew Thai..Was really impressed as service was excellent and the price was the best I could find...I always go for value for money...since then have given up even looking for thai prices as they are very expensive.

Now in recent years I have gone by Etihad and now I can fly from Isle of Man to Bangkok return for 28.500 bht..From Manchester only it would cost 25.800 bht.

A thai airways flight sourced today from Isle of Man to Bk...I kid you not...cheapest I can find 178,200.00 bht....and that's for ecomony..The best I can do on Thai is 40,878.00 and thats from London.Why would anyone in there right mind go Thai.....

Re Patongphil....

Am rather surprised by your reply to my observations I made on a visit to Phuket several years ago...As the above poster has said this was highlighted on TV e mail and it struck a cord..I made my observations...Also I would indicate I have just joined TV a couple of weeks ago hence my low post etc..I would also say that over the last 14 years have probably spent in excess of 3 years in Thailand most being in the last 3 years though due to having a house with my Thai wife in lamphun ..I travel and spend therefore a great deal of time planning, travelling and taking care of our house there so I think It would be wrong not to have a healthy interest in all things Thai...I would assume by your comments that you maybe don't think there is a problem with the Phuket taxi services ?? I bow to your undoubted knowledge as by your name I would imagine you must live in Phuket area..

A healthy vibrant discussion and observations are always needed in and exchange of views and I feel its slightly disconcerting that this isn't apparently welcomed by some posters....

Last time I went to Phuket and needed Taxi after long long journey I opted for a private taxi...and paid the supplement...after waiting for 30 mins I questioned the taxi people and ...coming coming!!..another 15 minutes and again by now getting angry...not have not have..have minibus only...no refund etc and as tired and fed up went in the taxi with a couple who was on there first visit to Thailand....half way or so to town they stopped and tried to railroad us into a hotel booking with all sorts of stories about hotel no good !! etc.

In the end I got a little angry and told them they have 5 minutes to take us to our destination or trouble....my partner was Thai so she helped too...We ended up in a minibus with a driver driving like a madman and when asked to slow down went faster..it was very very dangerous and I don't scare easy....This was maybe 5 years ago and since have always advised people who ask me where to go not to go to Phuket..and will continue to do that..The couple who I kept in contact with were not happy and have never been back to Thailand since....just one example of what these mafia etc are doing to Thailand...how much better the place and image and expectation would be with out this stuff going on.And from reading comments it doesn't seem to have changed...

As others have said.....those figures dont make sense dont add up and why should I be surprised....The man on the street can tell you if its busy or not and certainly

when I came through swampy the other month it was dead....They need to clean up so much for sure but they cant expect no effects of that policy..and I think the end of year figures 'IF' given honestly will show further massive drops....Russia travel is knackered due to sanctions so there out too... 

 

 

Now i understand more of why i, as an honest, but far from perfect person, never fitted in this country where everybody lies. To others and to themselves. My bad.

 

Not just the lies. The ability to create a one sided very unreal expectation of reality reveals very unusual world views. My missus believes, as do many Thais, she is never wrong. She can do whatever she likes, whenever she wants, and everyone else has to fit in. Not only that, they must fit in willingly, and in a smiling way and must never question, criticize or refuse any request no matter how inconvenient. She must never be inconvenienced, or made to loose face in anyway whereas everyone else must put themselves out and allow her fair remarks without reply.

Not all the time of course. This description fits 90% of Thai females I know of which less than 10% are former bar girls.

 

Thai men play them at their own game - lie, tell them what they want to here, do the opposite and see if they get caught. Most, not all, but the majority, of non Thais married to Thais that I know don't. They adopt the Western honest approach and don't shirk from that honesty even if it may cause conflict or disharmony.

 

Classic example - my wife is always prepared to discuss any of my incorrect, badly worded, incorrect and inappropriate statements. Hers - no, she never makes any!!

 

The biggest lie Thais tell is to themselves - that they are perfect, never ever wrong, never make mistakes and that the world revolves around them. You can mirror this individual level to national level, which explains some of the issues the country faces.

 

This is so true...My ex wife's logic just does my head in....or should I say non logic....talk about coming from left field...I will never understand..I am very honest and truthfull and glad for that..I can live with that..the sad thing is most Thai girls dont care about honesty..a lie is almost a part of life and thats what you do

 

 

Sorry for you mate....its not nice but believe me its better to find out now before you go further down the road...I think you knew but didn't want to believe it.

thats understandable and we all have done it...Having a Thai partner is not easy in any shape or form..good luck with your future I mean that.

Just for anyones interest...Travelled last March on flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and set next to Thai immigration officers..Really nice guys and one next to me spoke really good english and we chatted all journey...He told me then they had a massive problem with russian mafia and chinese mafia versus thai mafia in pattaya and they were

going to deal with it this year..Russian girls working pattaya etc and russian control of areas was to clamped down on...I think relevant to whats now happening I'm sure

Hi first post so be kind....I have brought in from Isle of Man via Liverpool via ship delivered to house in Lamphun two lots of belongings including large amounts of carpentry tools on both occasions..The shippers in Liverpool had a Thai shipping agent they worked with and said they never had had a problem..I also listed everything honestly on the paperwork required and it was delivered to the door and unloaded by them about 5 weeks from leaving my front door..great service I thought

First which included approx 25 large crates including routers x 3,Triton bench saw inc extension for sheets ,Record Mortise machine and Dewalt large chop saw stand....All arrived through customs with no tax...

Second included Triton workstands brand new and Dewalt large workshop radial arm saw plus lots of router bits all brand new..Got hit for 3000 bht

but that was as much I felt as a payoff to customs as it was for tax..Overall was pleasantly surprised and happy...I have heard some bad stories though and as someone else mentioned it could be down to time off month or particular customs officers... I would say that it was sent in my wife's name on both occasions and the reason they gave for payment was that they said she had t been out of the country the second time to long..I might have alot of this and more for sale as currently

estranged from me Missus.....don't ask but you all can guess....I have nail guns brand new and large air compressor, mixer, Drill stand, band saw and Planer/thicknesser all as new and workshop quality same as Eletra Beckam....Hope this helps anyone