DonniePeverley

Pattaya has masses of visitors from within Bangkok. Still how are they counting Pattaya numbers? Hotel occupancy? Arrivals at Utapoa?

Yes but are these transit routes as some are saying, thus inflating the figures for arrivals. Or are these routes actually people travelling between the two countries ? One thing that hurts the likes of London and New York these days is most work is now remotely done. So business wise they will see lesser numbers.

Is Bangkok a hub? Can you tell me a flight path that connects in Survanabhumi and goes onwards? I see nothing major. Singapore for sure. They have Emirates, Qatar connecting there for onwards flights to Australia with Qantas.

I think some of us are in major denial here. From my experience in India, they will hit you at the source of the banks.

They will go further and incorporate everyone soon enough. Furthermore who the hell would want to retire in Malaysia. It's dull.

It will only be time before Phillipines and Malaysia go down this route too. India did this a few years ago.

Why do we get a day by day account on Chinese tourism? This is insane. Chinese tourism will return slowly. Most countries are seeing less Chinese tourists. But why are Thailand specifically almost in a begging state for Chinese tourists? A tourist is a tourist ... what's the difference between 5 million Chinese tourists and 5 million European tourists? Yet they don't really have a begging bowl approach to other countries.

Quality tourists.

Why do we have to get a day by day account on how desperate Thailand is for Chinese tourism ? What is this nonsense? Tourism from any county is just the same, but why specific begging Chinese tourism? What am i missing?

Nonsense of the highest order. If you look at what Bangkok was like simply 8 years ago (in the central zones), compared to now it's worlds apart. All of south east asia goes through gentrification - China, Japan, etc basically eradicated their great neighbourhoods in favour of gentrification. There's a reason why people love Thailand - and it's not nicely neat and orderly pavements. People want the hussle bussle.

Alot of great soi's have unfortunately gone to makeway for soulless condos - who then order the street life to go. Gentrification sucks, and no one does anything to stop it.

Passed through Dubai airport yesterday. No need to take laptop out. No need to take shoes off. Passports were automated machines. Got through in a few minutes. Still don't understand the liquid issue.

No but you never here them say 'why are European tourists numbers down, we must do something'. Whenever you pick up a newspaper it's a simply a daily soap opera on when they can get the Chinese visitors back. A tourist is a tourist regardless of nationality ?

A zero dollar tour works like this. The chinese tourist will pay the company in China. The chinese company will then take care of everything, including accomodation, tour, transport, and food. The only problem for Thailand is that Thailand was seeing very little of this money, because they were bypassing local Thai for their own businesses. In a sense those on zero dollar tours were actually a drain on Thailand.

I dont understand the reason they are so obssesed with Chinese tourists. They are looking solely at visitor numbers rather than quality spending tourists. The problem with higher numbers is it will turn away higher spending tourists. Instead of focussing in on rip off practises, making the experience more pleasurable, gentrifying the main cities and making them less appealling was wrong - all we seem to get is an obsession with Chinese numbers. The last thing you need is ZERO DOLLAR TOURISTS BACK. QUALITY not QUANTITY.

I dont understand the reason they are so obssesed with Chinese tourists. They are looking solely at visitor numbers rather than quality spending tourists. The problem with higher numbers is it will turn away higher spending tourists. Instead of focussing in on rip off practises, making the experience more pleasurable, gentrifying the main cities and making them less appealling was wrong - all we seem to get is an obsession with Chinese numbers. The last thing you need is ZERO DOLLAR TOURISTS BACK. QUALITY not QUANTITY.

Pollution. Spf.

I'll bring this post up when we get the next update from TAT. It's not simply looking locally ... the sheer volume of numbers is hard to miss.

Once the month is out - you'll see reports of record high number of Chinese tourists for this December. Those on the ground here in central tourist areas are saying the same things - the numbers of chinese tourists around are extremly high. I personally never seen numbers this high before. Couldn't cross the road to my condo today, as the lane was blocked with Chinese tour busses. Out came the flag leader leading them to a hotel. At the mall today, i saw 4-5 flag wavers leading huge groups around the mall (mind they weren't buying anything). On the streets too, very high numbers. We had a great few years, but they're back.

I am on the ground now in Bangkok, and have never seen so many Chinese tourists, even before the pandemic. The numbers are just of the charts. No one is going to tell me the numbers are down anymore. Some areas of Sukhumvit are now unsustainable to be in. Over the weekend i just had to leave.

These are the foot massages / head massages - Not happy ending variety.

I always tip. But come on, how can you commence the tipping relationship when she is cutting back ?

I've noticed last few weeks (as things have gotten busier), that the time keeping from some of these 'masseuses' is get a tad cheeky. Finished a massage the other day, and i thought to myself "that was quick", but as i didn't note the time down i shrugged and walked off (honestly felt like i had only a 40 minute massage). Today though, i went for a 60 minute massage and i felt ripped off. The lady in question only gave me a 48 minute massage as i fully checked my watch. She did take her time in bringing the bucket to clean my feet - IS THIS included in the massage timing? My point being is the timing of the massage beginning when she touches your skin, or when you walk into the premises? Sorry for being pedenatic, but worth keeping an eye out for lol

They are back. No one can tell me otherwise.

They're back. Bangkok and Pattaya, i've literally never seen this volume of Chinese tourists even before the pandemic. Absolutely insane numbers this week. We had a good few years, but it's over. They are back. The question is at what point does it become unsustainable?