18 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

The massive increase in the number of Indians coming to and setting up stores in Pattaya is at some point going to drive away all the Europeans who do not wish to vacation in Bombay ?

Well, the world is not turning around the Europeans!

Maybe the Chinese and the Indians share the same thoughts.

The Globe will keep on turning, matters not who is extinct!

 

1 hour ago, DrTuner said:

More Chinese = Less Europeans. Same with Russians. All my Euro friends that used to come every year have now found new places, mostly closer in Portugal, Spain, etc. All tell the reason is too many Russians or Chinese.

Its a free world. Colonisation is over.

1 minute ago, ravip said:

Its a free world. Colonisation is over.

Colonization is just restarting. By China.

29 minutes ago, koimiloi said:

It's the low season now and there aren't that many tourists so going through immigration at swampy is easier. 
There's no reason the police should take photos of your passport and departure card if you aren't in trouble. hope they don't do that too much.  
 

No idea why they done it.  It was quite funny them questioning if I liked Somtam! Told them I didn't and hated pla ra as well.  They had a good laugh. 

When I went out for a smoke the car park security were on the job with under vehicle camera and what have you.  Maybe there was something going on that I was not aware of.  

 

 

I have grown a beard in the four weeks I was away....... 

Maybe they thought I was a member of the religion of peace..... Or a monkey!! 

Edited August 1, 20187 yr by tryasimight

32 minutes ago, koimiloi said:

It's the low season now and there aren't that many tourists so going through immigration at swampy is easier. 
There's no reason the police should take photos of your passport and departure card if you aren't in trouble. hope they don't do that too much.  
 

I've been coming through swampy reguraly for the last four years..... It really is luck of the draw.  Unfortunately where I fly from there is no business class so I have to mingle with the great unwashed ( taking the piss here 5555)

 police shaking down tourists renting scooters at every intersection..thats in itself is disgusting...Thailand disrespects tourists making them feel like targets ,not welcome guests.

Edited August 1, 20187 yr by mok199
speliings

19 minutes ago, ravip said:

Its a free world. Colonisation is over.

Ah. Give me the days of the time when the natives knew how to kowtow properly and after carrying your 4 sea chests and sort hang and press your shirts and suits would back out the room bowing to you because they knew their place. Never, did they expect a tip as a thank you was more than enough. Even instructions on how to improve their level of service was gratefully and gracefully accepted. Call for a couple of pink gins at 2am? happy to serve master. May I polish your shoes while I'm here? Don't worry about stamps in your passport Sir, my second cousion is Chief of Police and is waiting for your orders.

Ah, the good old days.

 

Edited August 1, 20187 yr by overherebc

1 minute ago, overherebc said:

Ah. Give the days of the time when the natives knew how to kowtow properly and after carrying your 4 sea chests and sort hang and press your shirts and suits would back out the room bowing to you because they knew their place. Never, did they expect a tip as a thank you was more than enough. Even instructions on how to improve their level of service was gratefully and gracefully accepted. Call for a couple of pink gins at 2am? happy to serve master. May I polish your shoes while I'm here? Don't worry about stamps in your passport Sir, my second cousion is Chief of Police and is waiting for your orders.

Ah, the good old days.

 

Dream on....until you breath your last...

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Ah. Give the days of the time when the natives knew how to kowtow properly and after carrying your 4 sea chests and sort hang and press your shirts and suits would back out the room bowing to you because they knew their place. Never, did they expect a tip as a thank you was more than enough. Even instructions on how to improve their level of service was gratefully and gracefully accepted. Call for a couple of pink gins at 2am? happy to serve master. May I polish your shoes while I'm here? Don't worry about stamps in your passport Sir, my second cousion is Chief of Police and is waiting for your orders.

Ah, the good old days.

Still works if you're a Sino-Thai Hi-So. Not sure if they drink gin though.

2 minutes ago, ravip said:

Dream on....until you breath your last...

Do I really need to add anything regarding Sarcasm?????

4 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Ah. Give me the days of the time when the natives knew how to kowtow properly and after carrying your 4 sea chests and sort hang and press your shirts and suits would back out the room bowing to you because they knew their place. Never, did they expect a tip as a thank you was more than enough. Even instructions on how to improve their level of service was gratefully and gracefully accepted. Call for a couple of pink gins at 2am? happy to serve master. May I polish your shoes while I'm here? Don't worry about stamps in your passport Sir, my second cousion is Chief of Police and is waiting for your orders.

Ah, the good old days.

 

I think that's behind half of the whining I have been watching for the past  20 years.......555555

20 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

I think that's behind half of the whining I have been watching for the past  20 years.......555555

Problem being most of it comes from 2 weeks in the sun brickies from the east end and Greenock who still have the wellie marks on their legs.

????

I don't know where you guys are living but I still see Thailand FULL of tourists from all over.

On 7/31/2018 at 10:22 AM, Geoffggi said:

Not just the price of flights, the overall cost of living in Thailand has risen dramatically over the past few years resulting in Thailand not being such an attractive place to visit in relation to other more attractive & safer neighbouring countries.

Where? Value for money in Thailand is unbeatable.

On 7/31/2018 at 10:37 AM, Small Joke said:

Chiang Mai is getting quieter and quieter every year.  Well, the westerner night haunts are. I read the media and yet my own eyes don't back up their claims, at least up north. 

I beg to differ, tons of tourists in CM.

They always go on about the number of tourists coming here . I like to see the real numbers .Many are in transit only, as Bangkok is an international gateway .A tourist is someone who stays in a country for a set period of time . People are waking to to this country .

Ok, I can see a lot of Thai bashing on here, probably some of you would prefer Thailand as a huge open air brothel. Got it.

17 minutes ago, Cletus said:

Where? Value for money in Thailand is unbeatable.

Some really nice restaurants in HCMC where you can eat really good and well prepared food, and, get a bootle of wine

( or two ) for less than in BKK.

And it's wine, it's not the cheap crap 'fruit' wine they like to stick you with in LOS.

I was a trip back to Northern Europe in June /July. Warm as here this year and not a one rain shower in + 3 weeks. Most people up there go for the sun and warmer weather here and the few going to South Europe or to Asia this summer was the ones booking their holiday 6months in advance.

On 7/31/2018 at 9:20 AM, madmitch said:

It's pretty bloody obvious really.

 

Thailand:

Weather - unpredictable. 

Sea - polluted and dangerous

Flight price - Expensive

 

Europe (talking about Mediterranean resorts here):

Weather - hot and sunny

Sea - warm and swimmable 

Flight - cheap

 

They're the basics. The only advantage Thailand has at this time of the year is on price of accommodation and food. And it has nothing to do with the Chinese boat disaster!

Thailand's weather is only unpredictable during the rainy season. During the dry season it's non-stop sunshine for 6 months. Mediterranean resort areas also experience sh*t weather during their winter. In fact, it's much sh^ttier than in Thailand, where at least you can expect warmth and some sunshine even during the rainy season, it's not like it rains all the time (except in places like Ranong or the Moo Koh Surin islands, which are closed during the rainy season anyway). But in southern France, Spain etc. it's freezing during winter. Only summer is good for swimming.

37 minutes ago, kevvy said:

They always go on about the number of tourists coming here . I like to see the real numbers .Many are in transit only, as Bangkok is an international gateway .A tourist is someone who stays in a country for a set period of time . People are waking to to this country . 

I find it hard to believe that in 2008 only 14 million tourists set foot in Thailand yet they kept coming even during the upheavals of 2010 and 2013/early 2014 and now we have 35 million. Sure, there are tourists here, but a 2.5 times increase in just 10 years seems too good to be true. I suspect what is happening is all foreigners are counted as "tourists" even those on P/R and work visas. If you leave and re-enter Thailand 10 times during the year, you're counted as 10 tourists. That's how they manage to get up to 35 million. That and the in-transit people flying from say Australia to Europe via BKK.

Who wants tourists anyway , they are pain in the butt here in chiang rai . Lucky alot dont come here .

Edited August 1, 20187 yr by kevvy

2 minutes ago, kevvy said:

Who wants tourists anyway , they are apin in the butt here in chiang rai . Lucky alot dont come here .

Seems to be a few Chinese in Cr province - they all seem to be applying for re-entry permits to go to Tachilek or the Golden Triangle Casino in Laos or something. But certainly not the numbers like in Chiang Mai, Bangkok or Pattaya.

41 minutes ago, Cletus said:

Ok, I can see a lot of Thai bashing on here, probably some of you would prefer Thailand as a huge open air brothel. Got it.

Pure frustration tied together with a false pride and attitude.  It is a loosers world here in.

10 minutes ago, jimster said:

I find it hard to believe that in 2008 only 14 million tourists set foot in Thailand yet they kept coming even during the upheavals of 2010 and 2013/early 2014 and now we have 35 million. Sure, there are tourists here, but a 2.5 times increase in just 10 years seems too good to be true. I suspect what is happening is all foreigners are counted as "tourists" even those on P/R and work visas. If you leave and re-enter Thailand 10 times during the year, you're counted as 10 tourists. That's how they manage to get up to 35 million. That and the in-transit people flying from say Australia to Europe via BKK.

Why not add to your list the passengers on board flights that don't touch down in Thailand?  Would make the figures more impressive. 

I mean who cares. The less westerners, the better for me. There are some girls who will never be attractive or attracted to Asians ?

 

Plus I can watch footie without having more Arsenal fans around. And with less Russians the crime rate will go down

1 hour ago, Cletus said:

Ok, I can see a lot of Thai bashing on here, probably some of you would prefer Thailand as a huge open air brothel. Got it.

Yes, open air brothels rock. Luckily Thailand is one. Still, they should get decent beer and wine in here, otherwise the orgy is just...meh.

On 7/31/2018 at 9:20 AM, madmitch said:

The only advantage Thailand has at this time of the year is on price of accommodation and food.

And the girls.   

How about weakening the value of the baht?

1 hour ago, jimster said:

Thailand's weather is only unpredictable during the rainy season. During the dry season it's non-stop sunshine for 6 months. Mediterranean resort areas also experience sh*t weather during their winter. In fact, it's much sh^ttier than in Thailand, where at least you can expect warmth and some sunshine even during the rainy season, it's not like it rains all the time (except in places like Ranong or the Moo Koh Surin islands, which are closed during the rainy season anyway). But in southern France, Spain etc. it's freezing during winter. Only summer is good for swimming.

We're only talking about the Thai low-season, i.e. the Mediterranean summer.

37 minutes ago, balo said:

And the girls.   

I expected this response a very long time ago!