rattlesnake

Don't believe in anything else than their own immediate gratification. Pre-teen EQs in adult bodies. This is the core issue, in my opinion.

Those new demographics have no families or responsibilities. So they can easily save the few hundred euros required for their plane tickets. It's totally normal nowadays to meet a 40 year-old with no prospects or life plan. 15 years ago, this was still pretty rare.

Definitely.

The lower budgets go to Thai-owned places, there is very little space for farangs here, as ChaiyaTH said, best to make the money elsewhere and spend it here.

They obviously don't do the basic due diligence and are under some sort of illusion… which quickly dissipates as these places never last long.

I definitely agree, I have been working online myself for 15+ years and I have actual skills… But I can only notice the current massive inlux of "content creators" who have no skills. It's similar to the bars and massage parlors, I mean who needs another geezer walking on the beach with his phone in selfie mode, explaining what it's like to live in Thailand, yet there are 50 who pop up per month.

Ultimately, the issue is that too many people are doing BS jobs. A "content creator" or "online copywriter" or whatever can make up to 1,000 euros per month, but there are no solid prospects when one chooses this avenue. I very much doubt that the new arrivals in Thailand (typically young, single and poor) will make it here in any significant way.

Yeah… Another thing he said what that Thailand was still a lot more attractive than the UK, for various reasons (relaxed atmosphere, prices, cheap quality food…). That's the thing, the whole world is in a downwards spiral, 2024 Thailand is not as good as 2014 Thailand, but still better than 2024 Europe.

100%, I rarely give my opinion but if asked, I will always say "do something nobody else is doing" (and think "please, pretty please don't open a bar, restaurant or massage parlor!!").

The change in tourist demographics and spending habits are definitely notable. The Thai government clearly still believes that foreigners = big money, but this is not the case anymore. I saw a cocktail bar open just recently in Hua Hin, nice place, with a bit of an "exclusive" vibe. The place is always dead. Why? Because the farangs who have moved here over the past 2 years (and I know several personally) are poor, they don't have enough money to make it in their respective countries and are surviving here on 20-40k/month.

Could you expand on this? 2016 was the death of the King (and I definitely think this was a pivotal event too), is that what you are referring to? My wife is from Ubon and I know a lot of people there. I have definitely noticed a before/after Covid. Many people were doing just fine before, now they are struggling, the flashy cars were repossessed long ago and they are in debt, with no solid prospects. The government's current focus on tourism may boost figures on a macro level, but it isn't doing much for mainland Thailand, and this certainly isn't going to be resolved by sporadic 10k handouts.

Covid was definitely a pivotal event. Thailand as a whole still hasn't recovered from it.

Just not as happy looking, more serious. I suspected that was the case, but was interested in having his view as he could compare two distinctive points in time (unlike myself as I live here and have seen the change take place very gradually).

My brother was here recently (not in Pattaya) after a 10-year hiatus, and one of the things that struck him was that the Thais have lost their smile.

Would you say it has changed for better or worse?

Yeah, that's basically their purpose, they raise the alarm and protect the household. Indeed, I've been chased a few times, usually on the motorbike but once when jogging and I went from 5 to 20 mph in a split second… They are part of the Thai landscape, but I would never leave a kid near them, even in a "friendly" environment.

Brilliant!

Especially these past three years, for some reason which I can't figure out.

That's what I always thought. Probably "looks cool". Which reminds me, who remembers this craze from about 10 years ago? Often sported by men in their 30s and 40s

You said that 7/11 food is not their preferred option, and I concur. This ties into my refutation of the OP, which posits that to a lot of Thais, eating 7/11 food is a desirable thing only precluded by insufficient monetary means. As I stated previously, I believe this premise to be flawed.

Thank you for confirming that they will only buy 7/11 food when they don't have access to street food. We are therefore in agreement.

It is cheap food (the average microwavable dish costs 40 baht) and the reason the 7/11 staff does not eat it is not because they can't afford it. The premise of the OP is flawed.

The quote I replied to was: Yet, I’m aware that the staff at 7-Eleven earn quite modest wages. Many of the food items I casually throw into my basket are things they’ve likely never tried themselves If you have Thai friends, ask them if they like 7/11 food. Most of them will answer "mai aroi". They don't eat that sh*t, that's why you don't see them buying it.

Thais are not "in need", in fact they are doing better than most Westerners living in Western countries.

7-11 is cheap, what is the most expensive food item there? 50 baht? The 7-11 employees spend more than that when they eat at the local moo krata. Spending more than 200 baht at 7/11 is a farang thing because to a Thai, it's just not appealing at all to actually "shop" there (farang concept), it's a convenience store where they grab one or two items, that's all.