Old Price List, Miami Hotel

[srowndedbyh2o]

I was cleaning house and came across this price list for the Miami Hotel. Not sure if the cards are still laying around in the lobby or not, so I thought I’d post these photos. Only 20 Baht to 1 US$. Yikes!

 

[Chou Anou]

AFAIK (it predates me in Thailand), the THB to USD rate was a solid 25 throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, right up until the big Asian crash in 1997.

<<<<Off topic trolling comments removed to prevent further troll replies>>>>

 

That being said, nice images, thanks for posting!

Edited March 9, 2018 by metisdead
Post edited as stated in comments above.

[Justfine]

"Only 20 Baht to 1 US$. Yikes!"

 

Hotel rates have always been bad and were worse back then.

 

[metisdead]

Troll posts removed. 

[Spaniel]

2 hours ago, Justfine said:

"Only 20 Baht to 1 US$. Yikes!"

 

Hotel rates have always been bad and were worse back then.

 

When I first arrived in Bangkok in 1967 the official exchange rate was 20 bhat to the US dollar.       I have stayed at the Miami many times over the years but not recently.       I stopped by the Miami a couple of months ago and the lobby looks the same  as it did in the sixties.

[sitanonchai]

I once booked a room at Miami in the early nineties,price was 500 baht. Upon arriving  a the room turned back right away, not worth the money even 120 baht still to much.

I guess it's still the same old junk as 25 years ago. I walked passed it in November and the outside  still looks the same.  

Don't know about the inside now.

 

However nice to see those old price lists.

Edited March 9, 2018 by sitanonchai

[Bang Bang]

Ah, the Miami of yore with the original Thermae just round the corner. Shitty rooms, good times.

[bubba45]

The baht was tied to the dollar circa 70s, 80s, into the 90s. I think when they let it float it jumped to about 45. That was around the crisis. I think. Memory is fuzzy.....

 

But when I got here in the 80s and the baht was around 25 or so, things were DIRT cheap. So don’t try to compare the rate today with what 25 was back then. 

[bartender100]

First hotel I stayed in, 1987. Not much budget choice in them days

[Mahseer]

Around 81 it was 20 baht to the $ and was 22 when I left in 84. Usded to stay at the Honey hotel on Soi 19 which I believe is still there.

[Spaniel]

49 minutes ago, Mahseer said:

Around 81 it was 20 baht to the $ and was 22 when I left in 84. Usded to stay at the Honey hotel on Soi 19 which I believe is still there.

The Honey Hotel closed in December 2017.

[smotherb]

On 3/9/2018 at 9:55 AM, Chou Anou said:

AFAIK (it predates me in Thailand), the THB to USD rate was a solid 25 throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, right up until the big Asian crash in 1997.

<<<<Off topic trolling comments removed to prevent further troll replies>>>>

 

That being said, nice images, thanks for posting!

The THB to USD rates were in the 20 to 1 range in the 1970's, do some research

[smotherb]

19 hours ago, Justfine said:

"Only 20 Baht to 1 US$. Yikes!"

 

Hotel rates have always been bad and were worse back then.

 

A suite for $10 is a "Yikes"?   Thailand was much cheaper when the rates were 20 to 1.

[johng]

Does anyone remember
"Miami Mansions" and its location ?

[smotherb]

16 hours ago, Spaniel said:

When I first arrived in Bangkok in 1967 the official exchange rate was 20 bhat to the US dollar.       I have stayed at the Miami many times over the years but not recently.       I stopped by the Miami a couple of months ago and the lobby looks the same  as it did in the sixties.

Yeah, I stay there once in a while, reminds me of the old days--better comparison than the Nana

[zaZa9]

2 hours ago, Mahseer said:

Around 81 it was 20 baht to the $ and was 22 when I left in 84. Usded to stay at the Honey hotel on Soi 19 which I believe is still there.

Yes , I stayed with Mr Boon and family  at Kata Beach , Phuket in '81 and the rate was 20 baht to the US dollar. IIRC he charged 50 baht a beach bungalow per nite... In Bkk , I stayed at Bonnies Guesthouse on Khao San rd... I couldnt afford the Miami back then !

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, Spaniel said:

When I first arrived in Bangkok in 1967 the official exchange rate was 20 bhat to the US dollar.       I have stayed at the Miami many times over the years but not recently.       I stopped by the Miami a couple of months ago and the lobby looks the same  as it did in the sixties.

I once booked in to the Miami at 3pm about four years ago, paid for my room, got my key.

When I got to my room the AC was not working, I reported it to the receptionist and

was told the AC engineer would not be arriving till 7pm, I asked for my money back and

have not been there again since.

[Suradit69]

On 3/10/2018 at 8:52 AM, bubba45 said:

The baht was tied to the dollar circa 70s, 80s, into the 90s.

It was pegged against a basket of currencies for a little over a decade and then allowed to float again in 1997.

 

It seemed for awhile to move in tandem with the Japanese Yen. While the central bank made an effort to defend it then using reserves and a possible rate hike, these days there's realistically not much they can do to influence the rate other than indirectly through economic & financial policy and maybe trying to talk it up or down. Overt attempts to control it would probably backfire since it could be interpreted by the market as an attempt to remedy a problem.

    

Quote

 

Markets & Stocks    

Thailand floats the baht
    July 2, 1997: 3:01 p.m. ET 

Currency plunges 15-20 percent; further devaluation seen over year 

NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Thailand ended months of speculation Wednesday by devaluing its baht currency in a bid to jumpstart that country's economy. 
     The central Bank of Thailand allowed the baht to float against the U.S. dollar and other currencies Wednesday for the first time in 14 years.
     The baht plunged between 15-20 percent in overseas currencies markets, and was trading at about 29 baht to the dollar following the announcement.
     

http://money.cnn.com/1997/07/02/markets/thai_baht/

 

 

 

 

Edited March 11, 2018 by metisdead
Edited as per fair use policy.

[bkkgriz]

Oh man, the Miami Hotel. What a dump. But still had some good times in those spacious beds. I loved emergency lights connected to car batteries in the hallways. Walking through those halls and staying in those rooms gave one the sense of what Bangkok must have been like for GI's on R and R. 

[thaivisareader]

 That was my R & R hotel in 1971. (VQ1 formerly VAP61-Danang) Thermaes in front and taxis every evening to take us over to Thai Heaven on Petchburi Rd. Thanx for the mammaries! Crazy

[PerkinsCuthbert]

21 hours ago, Spaniel said:

When I first arrived in Bangkok in 1967 the official exchange rate was 20 bhat to the US dollar.       I have stayed at the Miami many times over the years but not recently.       I stopped by the Miami a couple of months ago and the lobby looks the same  as it did in the sixties.

Yes, and around that time they would yet to have completely stopped using the foreign word 'Tical' and its abbreviation 'Tcs' instead of 'Baht', as in the illustration.

[Mahseer]

6 hours ago, Spaniel said:

The Honey Hotel closed in December 2017.

Wow they had a pretty good run. The place wasn't the best back in 81 but served the seismic lads well and must say Big Jim's service was second to none.

 

cheers

[Spaniel]

1 hour ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Yes, and around that time they would yet to have completely stopped using the foreign word 'Tical' and its abbreviation 'Tcs' instead of 'Baht', as in the illustration.

Yes, the old saying was, nickel a tical.

[MyFriend You]

9 hours ago, Spaniel said:

The Honey Hotel closed in December 2017.

If those walls could talk, The Honey Hotel was one of the R&R Hotels for the GI's on R&R rom Vietnam War in the sixties/seventies.  I still remember the Dwarf man that worked there wearing a sarape & Sombrero, had a twin brother that worked in a Mexican restaurant on Wireless road.

[moe666]

Stayed there on two R and Rs, Suk. was only 4 lanes wide no center medium. In the morning and afternoon rush hour the incoming or out going traffic would take all 3 lanes leaving one the opposite way. The pool being in the middle of the court yard a few daring souls would jump off the balconies 3rd floor and 4th floor.

The room where not all that bad back in those days but we did have one hell of a party

[Tom89]

19 hours ago, Spaniel said:

The Honey Hotel closed in December 2017.

 

And a sad day it was.

[LukKrueng]

On 3/9/2018 at 9:55 AM, Chou Anou said:

AFAIK (it predates me in Thailand), the THB to USD rate was a solid 25 throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, right up until the big Asian crash in 1997.

<<<<Off topic trolling comments removed to prevent further troll replies>>>>

 

That being said, nice images, thanks for posting!

 

On 3/10/2018 at 8:52 AM, bubba45 said:

The baht was tied to the dollar circa 70s, 80s, into the 90s. I think when they let it float it jumped to about 45. That was around the crisis. I think. Memory is fuzzy.....

 

But when I got here in the 80s and the baht was around 25 or so, things were DIRT cheap. So don’t try to compare the rate today with what 25 was back then. 

the thb was fixed at around 25:1 for 13 years, from 1984 + 1997 when the thb was attacked by George Soros & friends. The bot couldn't keep up with the attacks as the ran out of foreign currency at the close of the financial year on June 30th, 97

at the opening of the banks on July second the thb was about 27:1, it kept falling and for a short period was over 50:1 and later stabilized somewhere on the 40's to 1

[thedemon]

23 hours ago, johng said:

Does anyone remember
"Miami Mansions" and its location ?

 

Yes. It was on Petchaburi Rd, down a short drive way on the northern side. I think it was on the stretch between Asoke and Thonglor, not too far from the Siam Hotel.

 

Funny, I haven't given that place a thought for probably 20 years. I assume it is long gone.

[Denim]

5 hours ago, Tom89 said:

 

And a sad day it was.

Not many GI hotels left.

 

I was sad to see the Rex go fairly recently. Used to stay there a lot. But I was pleasantly surprised to bump into the former receptionist at the VS hotel up on Rattanathibet hotel. We remembered each other despite not meeting for 10 years.

 

Another GI hotel still open is the Reno opposite MBK. Can't think of any others.

 

Even the Liberty up at Sapan Kwai is now gone along with its huge beds. Like to know who got the statue of liberty out front. Would look pretty neat in the back garden.

 

Did anybody ever stay at the Dorchester near Khao Sahn?

Edited March 11, 2018 by Denim

[johng]

 

 
Funny, I haven't given that place a thought for probably 20 years. I assume it is long gone.

Thanks I stayed there for a couple of days in 1996 or 1997....so long ago but I remember her name [emoji1]