kinyara

I decided is was a good opportunity to open an additional bank account during COVID when business activity in Pattaya was at an all time low and immigration was devoid of tourists, there are ways and means of helping yourself minimise official hassles with a bit of planning. I'd always recommend anyone going to be based in Pattaya contemplating retirement to ensure their initial Non O is obtained in Sep/Oct.

Is she really saying something that contradicts officialdom ? What she said, " Many of the restaurants yet to recover are seafood restaurants that are dependent on the Chinese ". If you are catering to a market that hasn't been back until now it's hardly surprising you are yet to see a recovery. All the powers that be that I have seen quoted have highlighted the importance of the Chinese market in the overall tourism recovery, hence their glee at China allowing them to travel again. What it does seem to contradict in this lady's case is the view expressed by the likes of Leaver that the Chinese are just Walking Street gawpers who don't actually patronise businesses on the street, in her case she is confirming they were/are her main customers. She is of course a Thai business owner who her about to arrive Chinese customers will be paying in Thailand with money brought into Thailand, an additional example that goes against the grain of those that are in denial regarding the spending patterns of the overall Chinese market.

I'm not solely focussed on tourist numbers, as I said and as you quoted me I have not yet seen any official baht figures reported yet for this high season. I presume you haven't either so don't have any value or actual factual knowledge to add to that aspect of the discussion.

Haven't seen any official spend figures reported yet for high season, they usually seem to lag the more straight forward arrivals figures. I'd be watching for when the first monthly decline in arrivals happens this year and what level numbers are at when that happens to see if their 2023 target of 25 million is realistic in the current climate. I personally think it's achieveable just as I thought their 10 million for last year was back in July looking at the monthly recovery trend. I don't see any reason to be overly pessimistic given the level of recovery we have seen even without the Chinese market until now.

Current reality is certainly a lot better than many on this board predicted pre high season. All the talk of how Pattaya wasn't going to recover centred on the high cost of airfares and cost of living increases that were already in play. The absence of the major tourist markets Russia and China was another common reason cited. As it turns out none of those doomsday scenarios seems to have caused a noticeable effect on the recovery, the high level of Russian visitors now seems to be more of a concern than their predicted absence and no doubt the same will be true of the Chinese market in the coming months.

Never mentioned it, from what I've read on that separate topic the only foreigners that will be exempted are those with a work permit, I guess as they are paying local tax on earnings.

TAT has no input in compiling the figures, they make their forecasts but actual reporting is not their responsibility or within their control.

I think you might be right, pretty sure the December figure will be confirmed at over 2 million so January might be the first month that will experience a decline since international arrivals restarted. Definately part of the reason they were so eager to start getting the Chinese back in just as the Western segment drops off after the xmas/high season rush.

Only if you entered on a tourist visa, if a retiree with a Re-entry permit then no.

That's the issue, what would you put in its place that would prove more popular ? The only thing I can think of is to turn it into a food destination with perhaps some permanent music entertainment at the open bit at Bali Hai pier. It capitalises on the foot traffic heading to and from Koh Larn all day, at the moment the street is pretty much deserted during daytime hours spending wise.

Fairly simple really, It's based on visa type as recorded in immigration system on entry. I don't think such a large number is skewed by some outliers, they are all spending money here after all.

Since I follow the tourist related threads closely I remember you also calling last years TAT target of 10 million hilarious, with your own " not far off " prediction being only 6 million. Although not officially confirmed yet it is looking like the final total was around 11.5 million. What are you predicting this year Nostradamus, 10 million ?

It's Prayuth's hand-picked unelected Senators who ultimately decide who is PM, I think it's far more likely that the wily Chidchob proxy Anutin will emerge as the only acceptable head of a Pheu Thai coalition. In terms of greed and personal enrichment they are on a par if not surpass the Shin's.

The Thai tourism deniers had a nice little run, 3 years of a gift to point to every little negative aspect of the country they could dredge up. Thailand's finished, they won't be back, people will realise there are better places elsewhere, too expensive, air fares through the roof, global economic recession, blah, blah, blah. With the main tourist market now able to travel, fast forward to this time next year and the whingers will be complaining it's too busy. ????

One of the downsides of that area is it seems to attract dodgy wide-boys like the OP. The Norwegian property ponzi scheme in that area pumped advertising revenue into this forum for years, perhaps unsurprising so little has been reported on that. Buyer beware.

Why do Americans go abroad when they love talking about themselves and their country so much ? Wouldn't it be much more enjoyable for them to remain in their own patch of global paradise. Not a thread goes by on here without an American trying to relate it somehow to their home country. I haven't read a single comment, just the headline and comment count is enough for me. ????.

Totally agree, an utterly pointless exercise for the general public, not the public officials and their contracting families and mates, given so far they can't hold any of the Jomtien beach events there due to the fact that narrow traffic lane stretch and surrounds can't support the number of people seen in Pattaya for the fireworks, music etc. Obscene corruption, but the locals had a chance to vote for change and didn't take it so up to them I suppose.

Congratulations.

Get your life set up properly here and you can enjoy your years without being overly concerned about money and comparing it to western norms, one of the best things about living here. I look at the vested interest blogger posting his money obsessed videos on here and just think what a grovelling schill he is.

Have any of you commenting regards Pattaya actually renewed your driving licence recently, to give us a feel for the current process ? I'd like to hear your personal experiences to assess the worth of using an agent. A friend who did so a few months ago explained what he got for his money, and even though I am someone who has done everything official myself here over the years and is dead against paying agents for anything , I'm actually contemplating it when mine is due. As I can't remember the exact details I don't want to post innacurate information, but I am sure it requires 2 visits now as opposed to one when I last renewed and with the particular agent it is a door to door service, which I'd value for a stress free experience given the motorway network has changed so much in the last 5 years. My thinking is also influenced by the fact it's a 1 in 5 year agent fee as opposed to an annual immigration type agent fee.

Yes but I don't see why you make a jump to your assertion that someone who has decided it is for them is somehow trying to influence other people just by relaying their practical knowledge and experience.

And yet here you are.

I'm far more interested in reading posts from people who have personal experience of a topic being discussed than those that haven't. It's like the guys from other parts of the country who feel a desperate need to comment negatively on all things Pattaya when they have no current relevant experience living in the city, utterly pointless.

Easily, 84% arrived by air back in 2019 which was an average of just under 92,000 a day. ( approximately 30,000 Chinese a day were in those numbers. ). It's very early days airport capacity wise with their 2023 forecast.

1,748,366 in November, just over 58,000 a day. December was higher although exact figure not confirmed yet.