Thai September tourist arrivals up 2.13 percent year-on-year - tourism ministry

[BestB]

16 minutes ago, huberthammer said:

Many places in Samui would struggle to still be alive without the Chinese.  Not saying they are a pleasant bunch to have around but they do spend money. You might not see it if you hang out in the bars but they mob the small boutique shops and certainly spend a lot of money in the small local restaurants (they order 2-3 dishes a head which clearly out spends the farangs).

 

I think a lot of BS is written about their spending pattern and people just don't want to realise that business is changing and the Europeans spending unlimited cash are getting smaller.

 

Those who managed to present their businesses in a positive light to the Chinese certainly do well, I have seen it in Samui, BKK and CM (as a side note, made it difficult to visit certain restaurants as they were packed with Chinese tourists).

How do they order 2-3 dishes when they eat only in restaurants they are taken to with s set menu ?

 

and how do they shop in boutique shops when they only allowed to shop in shops they are taken to?

 

unless you referring to those not with tours, in which case their numbers are rather minim al in comparison to tour groups 

[huberthammer]

20 minutes ago, BestB said:

How do they order 2-3 dishes when they eat only in restaurants they are taken to with s set menu ?

 

and how do they shop in boutique shops when they only allowed to shop in shops they are taken to?

 

unless you referring to those not with tours, in which case their numbers are rather minim al in comparison to tour groups 

I think you are in denial.  As I said, I see them all the time invading restaurants ordering a la carte and certainly no Chinese tourist shops they do their shopping. Either you talk about the first wave of Chinese tourists 5 years ago or you are in an isolated area if you think they travel, shop and eat in groups all the time. 

 

[BestB]

50 minutes ago, huberthammer said:

I think you are in denial.  As I said, I see them all the time invading restaurants ordering a la carte and certainly no Chinese tourist shops they do their shopping. Either you talk about the first wave of Chinese tourists 5 years ago or you are in an isolated area if you think they travel, shop and eat in groups all the time. 

 

Yes you right , I am in denial because you see.

 

Why bother with facts that they dine in pre chosen restaurants with a set menu , after all you see so it is so????

[huberthammer]

19 hours ago, BestB said:

Yes you right , I am in denial because you see.

 

Why bother with facts that they dine in pre chosen restaurants with a set menu , after all you see so it is so????

I guess you belong to the group of people who have not realised that things changed and that today's tourist require to adjust your business model. pretty sure you will struggle if you keep working under the assumption that the bar chat about Chinese tourists is true.  

[BestB]

1 hour ago, huberthammer said:

I guess you belong to the group of people who have not realised that things changed and that today's tourist require to adjust your business model. pretty sure you will struggle if you keep working under the assumption that the bar chat about Chinese tourists is true.  

You right again , I will rely on sure proof business model “ I see” because “ I see” is by far more factual than anything else????

[Wallander4]

Good work TAT - if you say it is so then … little like Koh Murder is safe again

[Sonhia]

What the official figure claims, contradicts the word on the streets.

 

Just like student grades, I take this report with a pinch of salt and consider the figures as doctored.

[Peterw42]

10 minutes ago, Sonhia said:

What the official figure claims, contradicts the word on the streets.

 

Just like student grades, I take this report with a pinch of salt and consider the figures as doctored.

What "word on the street", some guy sitting in a bar in soi sexpat giving us his expert opinion based on the bar stool next to him is empty.

[BestB]

18 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

What "word on the street", some guy sitting in a bar in soi sexpat giving us his expert opinion based on the bar stool next to him is empty.

As oppose to some guy riding around and claiming it’s busy?

[PREM-R]

14 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

What "word on the street", some guy sitting in a bar in soi sexpat giving us his expert opinion based on the bar stool next to him is empty.

Yesterday Dep.PM Somkid was talking about promoting tourism during November and December, traditionally the start of the 'High Season'. Today, I read that visa on arrival will be provided free of charge.  Do these actions suggest that the Thai tourism industry is as 'vibrant' as the TAT figures suggest?  

 

         Surely if you have a commodity that is in great demand, there is no need to offer incentives or discounts to potential customers.   Do Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Lamborghini etc offer 'buy one, get one free' deals when you have to wait 3 years to buy one of their products?

[Peterw42]

22 hours ago, BestB said:

Yes you right , I am in denial because you see.

 

Why bother with facts that they dine in pre chosen restaurants with a set menu , after all you see so it is so????

 

1 hour ago, BestB said:

You right again , I will rely on sure proof business model “ I see” because “ I see” is by far more factual than anything else????

 

Let me give you an example of "see" verses reality,

 

Wife's cousin owns a huge Thai BBQ place at jomtien, full of chinese every night. The Thai owner prints flyers in Chinese and puts them all over Pattaya, hotel lobbies, tour desks etc "Thai BBQ restaurant, free pick up from hotel"

 

The Thai owner answers the phone all day (has even learnt some Chinese) taking bookings, 6 people from hotel X, 4 people from hotel Y etc. Later that evening he sends his bus to pick them all up, the Chinese come and pay the same price as everyone else, no set menus or Chinese ownership, no deals with tour companies, the bus then takes them back to their hotel.

You would of course be sitting on your barstool and see the bus full of Chinese drive past, and presume they are on a package tour going to eat in the set menu Chinese owned restaurant, after all you are seeing it so it must be the case.

[BestB]

7 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

 

 

Let me give you an example of "see" verses reality,

 

Wife's cousin owns a huge Thai BBQ place at jomtien, full of chinese every night. The Thai owner prints flyers in Chinese and puts them all over Pattaya, hotel lobbies, tour desks etc "Thai BBQ restaurant, free pick up from hotel"

 

The Thai owner answers the phone all day (has even learnt some Chinese) taking bookings, 6 people from hotel X, 4 people from hotel Y etc. Later that evening he sends his bus to pick them all up, the Chinese come and pay the same price as everyone else, no set menus or Chinese ownership, no deals with tour companies, the bus then takes them back to their hotel.

You would of course be sitting on your barstool and see the bus full of Chinese drive past, and presume they are on a package tour going to eat in the set menu Chinese owned restaurant, after all you are seeing it so it must be the case.

Wow, facinating story. A bit like your laundry being done 1 day later so that equals to being busy.

 

lets put aside facts like in low season most head home and most businesses are under staffed or that Chinese tour groups do not allow anyone in their groups to wonder off and if your wife’s cousin or whoever it is was catering for them tour group would be demanding at least 30% cut or they would be told not to go.

 

but hey, what would I know . I do not have a wife’s cousin , just sit on bar stool.

 

interesting how someone with so much negativity about bar stool knows a lot of bar stools????