Where have all the Chinese gone? Thai media say TAT in denial about tourism numbers in Pattaya

[Caine]

19 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

TAT will "spin" it any and every way they can to paint a rosy picture, even when the reality of things are slapping them in the face.  Businesses and hotels depending on the Chinese are shutting down daily.  I've read that some hotels are experiencing a 60% drop off rate from last year, and that many small businesses who depend on the Chinese trade have had to shut down due to lack of business.

You can't believe a word of the TAT b.s., as they are always going to make it sound all rosy and well, even when they know it's not. 

You can’t believe a word of anyone’s b.s. in Thailand, the whole country is built on b.s. they can’t lie straight in bed. 

[ginjag]

2 minutes ago, BestB said:

Unless Chinese come in a group , they do not come. Most  I came across do not speak any English, they do not even try, just blab I’m in Chinese and expect everyone to understand , which naturally results in an unpleasant holiday.

 

chinese yuan is down , thai prices are up. So what did TAT expect? 

 

The Thai baht is far too strong, it is throwing away ex pats, and tourists by the millions,  TAT face facts,   corruption, less value due  to the Thai baht,  the filthy tourist areas and two tier pricing.  Please take a tip from the neighbouring countries,  Idea, 1 year visa 25,000 baht  no 90 day reporting,   but a 200,000 baht security bond in the bank for emergency hospital or flight ticket home.

If prostitution is illegal and gambling make sure it is upheld. Less police at checkpoints for spare cash,  go onto the beat, smile at the tourists instead, and protect your own people. Get respect in the Royal Thai Police force.

[Bournville]

I never hear if any mention of any lower tourist visitors from other countries. USA.. Britain.. France.. Etc.. They keep coming in the same numbers? Me thinks not. Chiang Mai is very quiet.

Other tourists! Omg. Typo! Honest! 555

[LomSak27]

7 minutes ago, thurien said:

I always wonder: Who did they and the tour organizers and the restaurants and hotels and brothels and massage parlors depend on before the dramatic influx of the Chinese? did they simply not exist in the olden times or did they do rice farming in Eesan (surely yes for the brothels' personnel) or did they simply have a life-long career of studies at the varsity?

In the last three years Chiang Mai has went into an ape snot building boom of new hotels, condos, Boutique Hotels, and shopping malls etc. (By the way massage and brothels are not big draws for the Chinese market, so might drop that form your calculations) They were building for a burgeoning Chinese market, but they were OVER BUILDING even when the Chinese were coming here. By all accounts a lot of the money in this building frenzy was NOT form Chiang Mai. At the same time you have a decrease in the number of western visitors. This is a long term trend, one that the powers that be were happy with. That is right. Now this is CM not Pattaya - but you have a serious problem and I hope they come back because if they do not it will be ugly, seriously ugly and no one here has a clue what to do.

 

You want to wonder .... wonder about that  ????

Edited November 17, 2018 by LomSak27

[Deli]

I just don't miss them.

[ginjag]

Thailand's biggest problem that most posters and TAT are overlooking,  the THAI BAHT,  when you go to a booth especially at an airport and get 38 baht to the pound,  AND  visit an ATM and are told if you withdraw at the low rate you have an additional 220 baht fee to pay, you have to agree or not withdraw money.    WAKE UP Thailand.

 

[Caine]

16 hours ago, pattayadgw said:

I'll tell you where many of the Chinese have gone... BALI!!  Bali hasn't jumped on the zero dollars tour groups and the place is flooded with Chinese... that's one place they've headed to that I know of for sure.  

 

Difficult to quantify?? haaa?? Whether a Chinese or anyone else is in a group or an individual traveller... 1 person through immigration is one person... 1 = 1.  Group of 100 people = 100 people through immigration. 

 

"While accepting that third quarter arrivals of Chinese in Pattaya this year were down on 2017 the situation could be explained in part due to less Chinese visitors coming on group tours, it was claimed." 

 

"They said that increasing numbers of Chinese were now known as "FIT" travellers - that is to say they are organizing their own trips and are thus difficult to quantify." 

Good Bali can keep the dirty bastards, gobbing  every 5 metres, had to give one a slap last year, for gobbing in the jacuzzi as he walked past.

[Time Traveller]

20 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Why is everyone in Thailand so intently focused on the cost of the visa as the deciding factor for tourists whether they come or not? It is so odd. It is so wide of the mark. Like a mantra repeated without thought.

Why are you even surprised? Thailand thinking is still stuck in the 19th century. Just look at any laws or see how any government department operates.

[theonetrueaussie]

20 hours ago, sanemax said:

Yes, I'm sure that not many people will decide to go to Thailand , just because visas are free

Yeah I am sure when the chinese are spending $2-5k for a 2 week holiday here a saving of $60 on the visa is going to be a major factor.....Not

[MaxYakov]

Where have all the Chinese gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the Chinese gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the Chinese gone?
Other countries have nicked them every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

 

Sung to the tune of "Where Have All the Flowers Gone"

Edited November 17, 2018 by MaxYakov

[CARLO BALDASSARRE]

18 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

They would be better employed focusing on Tourist safety me thinks

Better and improved safety standards across the whole Tourist Sector might, - just might bring back some Tourists.

 

18 hours ago, Kim J said:

"Where have all the Chinese gone"?

 

Well I would say they have gone just the same way as every group of "quality tourists" that come to Pattaya. Once the reality of the place dawns and word gets around they will simply go anywhere else but here.

My other half was asking me similar questions a few years ago when the Russian families all but disappeared for a time. I simply put one question to her and she has never asked again, that question being: Would you like it and what would we do if we were on holiday here in the middle of Pattaya with our daughter?

Ultimately there is little here to interest or accommodate normal families, take away the bars etc, and what would there be to interest anyone? Here is a brief list of what Pattaya does have.

Endless prostitution.

Filthy sea and beaches.

Litter strewn streets.

Constant harassment.

Permanent traffic jams.

Having to walk on roads due to lack of pavements or pavements blocked with vehicles, retailers etc etc.

Nowhere to safely cross busy roads.

It is rife with crime.

It is rife with antisocial behaviour.

It is rife with corruption and dishonesty.

Constant harassment from police if you drive.

They now want to charge first world prices for third world quality and service.

BRING IT ON.....!!!!!! I love it all ....

couple of kilometers from "PATTAYA".....

Edited November 17, 2018 by CARLO BALDASSARRE

[Tiredofglasshalfemptyexpat]

20 hours ago, smedly said:

Many factors and one of the primary ones is the Strength of the Thai BAHT - big money in Thailand wants a strong BAHT simply because they want to invest overseas both in business and property

 

As for Chinese - I predicted on here a couple of years ago that Chinese tourists will drop for a couple of reasons, been there done that and told friends and family don't bother, very unlikely (unlike western tourists) to be repeat visitors. Safety

Utter nonsense. Stability against the USD to encourage FDI into Thailand. 

The USD is strong. You can't have it both ways

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Drowning them by the boatload could literally affect numbers????

I am no lover of the Chinese, but this was a tragedy, and it is just downright

disrespectful to see all these ha-ha's from some Thaivisa members.

[dpspike]

I'm hard pressed to feel any pity for this regime. While they are busy making it more difficult for farang expats to stay in this country (eg., abolishing the use of income affidavits for non-O visas), they are running off the Chinese. I guess they were thinking all the money from Chinese tourists was going to make up for the loss of farang expats who can't/won't put 800k-400k baht in a Thai bank. Pisses me off because I have spent money everyday in this country for years, and now the junta-immigration act like that means nothing to them. Some might feel my comment off-topic, but in my mind, these events are all connected.

Edited November 17, 2018 by dpspike

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, balo said:

Chinese numbers are down ? Not my impression here in the Naklua area, 100's of buses passing every day full of them .  The fruit vendors are busy , the Chinese restaurants are busy .

But please do not send us more of them. 

 

 

I am sure any restaurants with "all you can eat" buffets will agree with you.????

[smedly]

16 minutes ago, Tiredofglasshalfemptyexpat said:

Utter nonsense. Stability against the USD to encourage FDI into Thailand. 

The USD is strong. You can't have it both ways

Utter nonsense x10 

[lvr181]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Though she conceded that safety - especially water safety - was of concern to the Chinese.

She = Amphai. Safety is of concern to EVERYONE! Fix that and then you have fixed your biggest problem and tourists biggest concerns!

 

Easier visa on arrival means that you cannot accept or do anything about THE major concern of tourists.

 

SAVE LIVES NOT FACE!! 

[Saladin]

21 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Why is everyone in Thailand so intently focused on the cost of the visa as the deciding factor for tourists whether they come or not? It is so odd. It is so wide of the mark. Like a mantra repeated without thought.

I'm with you mate. Logic tells me that Chinese tourists must go back home with very negative impressions of the deadly urban roads and injury-causing sidewalks, the dangling festoons of spaghetti-like cables, and tell all their friends. TAT needs to exert whatever power they have on regional and local government to do something about this sorry state of affairs, and reactivate the traffic police into rigidly enforcing the road rules.

[ginjag]

2 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

The only anti social behaviour I have come across in Pattaya are these old, fat, ugly, big titted, shirtless yobs.

Do think you have missed some visitors who do not integrate,  loud and generally ill mannered block booking Chinese , the other element who in Pattaya seem to  work and run taxis, tour companies without check, (brown envelopes) one big problem here is the latter.

[Nyezhov]

38 minutes ago, MaxYakov said:

Where have all the Chinese gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the Chinese gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the Chinese gone?
Other countries have nicked them every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

 

Sung to the tune of "Where Have All the Flowers Gone"

You beat me to it ????

 

[Whitestarschool]

16 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Have you ever been to Asia before, Thailand is not that much different from other Asian countries?

 

Couldn't disagree more. If you can't discern the difference between Thailand and Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, Thailand and Bali, I must deduce you only skim the surface of these countries, but may you be happy, healthy, safe, and live your life with ease.

[Whitestarschool]

1 hour ago, Bournville said:

Chiang Mai is very quiet.

 

Sat, 17 November, 12:04 PM: Chiang Mai is alive with the sound of tourists...was quiet up until a couple days ago, but the tourist hordes are returning to this Shangri-Lanna in the North Country, Buddha bless them one and all.

 

[ginjag]

Please do not forget you punters,  these figures will be distorted because no one has highlighted the fact it is the big festival of the year coming up  Loy Kratong,     so we must not count this week or next weeks arrivals. this topic is about general normal non festival figures.

 

[shy coconut]

18 hours ago, Kim J said:

"Where have all the Chinese gone"?

 

Well I would say they have gone just the same way as every group of "quality tourists" that come to Pattaya. Once the reality of the place dawns and word gets around they will simply go anywhere else but here.

My other half was asking me similar questions a few years ago when the Russian families all but disappeared for a time. I simply put one question to her and she has never asked again, that question being: Would you like it and what would we do if we were on holiday here in the middle of Pattaya with our daughter?

Ultimately there is little here to interest or accommodate normal families, take away the bars etc, and what would there be to interest anyone? Here is a brief list of what Pattaya does have.

Endless prostitution.

Filthy sea and beaches.

Litter strewn streets.

Constant harassment.

Permanent traffic jams.

Having to walk on roads due to lack of pavements or pavements blocked with vehicles, retailers etc etc.

Nowhere to safely cross busy roads.

It is rife with crime.

It is rife with antisocial behaviour.

It is rife with corruption and dishonesty.

Constant harassment from police if you drive.

They now want to charge first world prices for third world quality and service.

Not everything is wonderful in Pattaya, but you could bring your wife and daughter here for a holiday and see none of the above.

 

I'm guessing your interpretation is based on the usual sillyness posted here, you couldn't

have put together a better list of tired old clichés if you tried.

[simoh1490]

18 minutes ago, Whitestarschool said:

 

Couldn't disagree more. If you can't discern the difference between Thailand and Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, Thailand and Bali, I must deduce you only skim the surface of these countries, but may you be happy, healthy, safe, and live your life with ease.

I never said they were identical or even very similar, I wrote that they were not that much different and that in the context of the ten points that poster listed - each of the countries in Asia can be regarded as similar in the context of those points, that is not to say those countries, and Thailand, don't have good and positive attributes. it's just that share some common negative traits also: heavy traffic, poor sidewalks, corruption, prostitution, poor sewage systems leading to pollution of the sea, police harassment.

 

And in post 31, on this same aspect, I wrote: Pattaya and/or Thailand is not anything like Malaysia for obvious reasons, neither is it a Singapore, for obvious reasons and neither is it an Indonesia,

Edited November 17, 2018 by simoh1490

[Rimmer]

Some troll posts and replies removed

[NoshowJones]

21 minutes ago, ginjag said:

Do think you have missed some visitors who do not integrate,  loud and generally ill mannered block booking Chinese , the other element who in Pattaya seem to  work and run taxis, tour companies without check, (brown envelopes) one big problem here is the latter.

Yes, I believe you are right, especially the ill mannered Chinese, but when I'm in Pattaya the most unsocial behaved people are as I said, because I cannot walk any short distance without passing these old shirtless, ugly, freaks of human nature showing of their disgusting fat, big titted, bodies.

[ronaldo0]

Send the TAT to a weeks holiday in Vietnam and they will find their answer in the coach loads there !!

[newnative]

14 hours ago, balo said:

Kim can rant away how bad everything is all he wants, but Pattaya is changing, the new malls arriving, family tourists from India, China and Russia arrive in numbers.  They are the new type of tourists who can afford to travel maybe for the first time outside their own country.

 

Maybe not a paradise, but for them its a nice vacation away from polluted cities like Mumbai, Beijing , Moscow etc. 

 

The sexpats are a minority compared to them. Who will win in the end ? I think both types of tourists will survive. 

 

     Well said.  Kim should spend some time in Wong Amat; all you see are families, lots and lots of them out and about.  Does Pattaya have bars and a nightlife? Yes, of course. But that's far-outweighed by the family and regular entertainments available, way too numerous to list here.  Suffice to say that families can and are having nice vacations in Pattaya with plenty to do.

[ginjag]

2 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Yes, I believe you are right, especially the ill mannered Chinese, but when I'm in Pattaya the most unsocial behaved people are as I said, because I cannot walk any short distance without passing these old shirtless, ugly, freaks of human nature showing of their disgusting fat, big titted, bodies.

I am from the old brigade 76 years,  but do not wear socks with plastic shoes,  old saggy vest showing disgusting bellies looking unclean, in food outlets, hotels, and shopping malls.  It is bad enough on the beach,  but back on topic again the biggest reason for less tourists is the strong baht--example-- 38 baht exchange for 1 pound sterling and the 220 baht charge per transaction at ATMs---PLEASE note TAT