Leaver

The last favorite bar of mine that closed was Retox. I can get cold beer and sport elsewhere. Tequila Reef restaurant was not so easily replaceable.

I started the thread way before covid, Things weren't great for business here even before covid. I posted recently of the club in the middle of Tree Town that's closed. It wasn't one of my favorite places, but it may have been someone else's. Posted just today of the closure of the restaurant across the road from Triangle Bar. Been there for years, closed now. See all the for sale signs around? What do you think eventually happens when a buyer can't be found?

Firstly, we are talking about tourists, and tourism. I have admitted I am in Pattaya for the adult nightlife. There's nowhere else in the world that comes close to Pattaya for this. Families and couples, on the other hand, just may chose Vietnam over Thailand in the future, for reasons I have already posted. You've probably never even been to Vietnam.

So a two new MRT stations in Bangkok is keeping up with the competition. Seriously? When will it lead to "the linking of Don Muang, Suvarnabunmi and U-Tapao airports?" They have only had decades. Whilst a little off topic, it's on topic in the fact that Thailand's competition is building it bigger and better, while Thailand continues to do nothing. Thai authorities think the saying "Build it and they will come" isn't applicable to Thailand. They believe "Thailand is Thailand, they will just keep coming anyway." Dirty beaches and ocean water, failing infrastructure, higher prices for F & B, lack of safety, and the same old Thai scams will find it hard to compete into the future, thus, more closures ahead.

I posted two examples of high end construction by private / public listed companies in response to your "cheap, budget orientated model" when describing tourism in Vietnam. The examples I posted are anything but "cheap and budget." You have listed some projects by private / public list companies. What's the Thai government built to benefit tourism and their tourism industry in recent years?

Perhaps his family can sue for defamation.

So, you are transport, not just about being an "onboard experience."

You know what Thailand is like, "Always ask price first." ???? I would be looking at trying your "onboard experience" and flying back, so no need for me to take my motorbike. I asked how much was a drink onboard, you didn't reply. (no idea why some text is in bold)

The restaurant across the road from Triangle Bar has closed. It had been there for years, and survived covid, but closed.

https://www.agoda.com/centric-sea-condo-pattaya/hotel/pattaya-th.html?cid=1844104

I thought that place was Thai owned.

Vietnam has a list of 25 countries that receive visa exemption free entry from 14 days to 90 days, with most western countries in that list receiving 15 days. If not in that list, or a tourists would like more time, there is a 30 day online eVisa for$25USD. Currently, there is nothing for expats, unless married, or working. However, I thought we were focusing on tourists and tourism, not expats. Simply saying, Vietnam will have more international airports than Thailand in the future, thus, no long taxi rides to your final destination. Eg. Bangkok to Pattaya, with Pattaya not having a commercial airport nearby. This means less immigration queues as the tourists are spread over more airports, shorter commute times for tourists, thus, a more pleasant experience for tourists. What has Thailand built to transport millions of tourists from Bangkok to Pattaya? They have only had decades to build something, yet, nothing done. There's the flying pig mono-rail that is talked about every few years. See the "Nokia" pattern emerging? It's all about the type of building and development that is taking place. Vietnam is building infrastructure to cater for tourists and their tourism industry, Thailand is not. It's not so much about developing vacant land into hotels. Vietnam already has many 5 Star hotels and resorts. It's about what they are building to cater for a tourist a soon as that tourist steps out of their hotel or resort. Eg. decent sidewalks. ???? As far as Vietnam being a cheap budget orientated model, the below is certainly not an example of that, especially as Thailand doesn't even offer casinos. https://thegrandhotram.com As previously posted, yet another example. They are building super yachts for UNESCO Ha Long Bay. Are these super yachts "a cheap budget orientated model." https://maritime-executive.com/article/two-luxury-superyacht-cruise-ships-building-for-vietnam Once again, "What has Thailand built in recent years for the benefit of their tourism industry and the tourists?"

Construction of The Grand Avenue Condo was completed only a few years ago.

That's not good news for those that were hoping you were going to buy their anchor house off them. ????

6 months, no problem. 5 months, you may have to negotiate.

I understand that. It remains to be seen if there are enough customers with vehicles to keep the route profitable, and if they with visit Samui, with their vehicle, more than once. How many tourists have trucks? ????

Didn't you say the service was about an onboard experience, not transport? Unless trying to sleep in a chair.

I am all for variety and choice here, so I wish this project the best. I have just ran a flight booking through Bangkok Airways for the 19th October. Price was 2110 baht one way, including 20kg luggage. Flight time 70 mins. I suppose the question is, will passengers prefer the onboard experience your service is offering, or, an extra night in a Samui restaurant / bar / nightclub? Any idea of your drink prices onboard?

What is it that Malaysians don't like about Pattaya?

I've heard the same, which surprised me, because it's a recent build. I did not know the seating was the issue for the type of customers the place attracted.

Have you actually got any content to post? Let me guess, you have a lot of skin in the game here. ????

I have no skin in the game in either country, thus, no narrative. No property, business, relationship etc. I am just calling it as I see it. Perhaps you have been in Thailand too long, and can't see past the "here and now" and the money in the hand today, and forget about tomorrow Thai attitude. Vietnam only opened its borders around 1990. Since then, it has been building its tourism infrastructure, but it's been the last 5 years, including covid years, that they have really accelerated construction. I have posted many links to some of the projects there, including the world record breaking cable car. So, a supposed poorer country, who is now directly competing with Thailand for tourism, builds a world record breaking transport option for international and domestic tourists, whilst Thailand continues to build nothing, and you don't see a pattern emerging for things to come "down the road?" As I have said before, in many ways Thailand reminds me of the Nokia phone company. Nokia had a huge market share, but ultimately went broke because they did not invest in research and development. I have asked this question before, yet to receive a reply, from any member. "What has Thailand built in recent years for the benefit of their tourism industry and the tourists?" Even if Thailand is flexible to act quickly, in order to compete, Vietnam has already built it, and reaping the rewards, whilst "flexible Thailand" plays catch up, when they should have been leading from the start. Another example of this is casinos. Already built in Vietnam, whilst casinos are nowhere near any political discussion in Thailand. How many millions of dollars do high roller Chinese gamblers hand over to Vietnam, whilst Thailand doesn't compete for this market? Another example is in the next few years, Vietnam will have more airports, including international airports, than Thailand. I have posted a link for this previously. Once again, Thailand not building. I haven't been back to Vietnam since before covid, but I am in frequent contact with friends there. I will visit Vietnam before the end of the year. You are correct, currently, Vietnam's visa system is not as generous as Thailand's, but I have been told that may change in the near future.

Fail. ????

As I have posted before, Vietnam is building World Record breaking tourism infrastructure. Thailand can't even build a sidewalk in their so called World Class tourists destinations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHXgwCZGotg Be sure to check out the prices at 5:30 in the video, and notice the free hammocks, no beach mafia in Vietnam. Prior to covid, Vietnam's tourism was increasing 32% year on year. Where do you think tourists will be going 5 to 10 years from now, especially with Thailand being stuck in its old ways?

Yes, possibly, but like I said, be sure to post here next time you are sitting next to a Malaysian tourist in a bar in Pattaya. ????