"Expensive" Phuket dead as a dodo this high season

[Olmate]

 Yes true but you can find it under the dirt, tho it,s usually found a bit deeper than some here choose to dig, or aren,t around long  enough to even start looking!

1 hour ago, soalbundy said:

I'm giving my son English reading lessons, this morning the choice was a Burmese folklore story, "how to turn dirt into gold", I thought how appropriate after reading this article because in the the story it said, "it can't be done".

 

[NamKangMan]

16 hours ago, Olmate said:

Your point is valid but based on a brief visit, any observations and impressions that a person may form are just that, telling like it is for them!A good or not good week or two. Long term visitors or permanent residents have a much better perception of the good and bad. Also not much point of visiting the place if you want to change it to how you think it should be. It is Phuket, not where ever! Not sure how anyone can pay too much for food here either, I think  former poster is eating 5 star. 

 

Your point is also valid, and yes, as expats, we also make observations.

 

The thing is, as expats, we have experience living here, and many of us have work arounds to escape many of Phuket's traps and shortfalls. 

 

Tourists do not have such a luxury. Even those who come here twice a year would probably comment on the decline of the place, and how difficult it has become to navigate around all the BS here.  

 

They most like compare each visit to their first visit, when things were easy and cheap here. Why shouldn't they move to a place that offers what they like?

 

Picture yourself as a first time tourist here, with little to no knowledge of work arounds.  Do you think you will be having a pleasant holiday here?  The BS starts with the taxi touts at the airport arrivals door, and is relentless until you are waiting in the departure lounge at the end of your holiday. 

 

Phuket has changed, but what really needed to change was its short comings.  Phuket failed to address them, so the western tourists changed for another tourist destination. 

[NamKangMan]

On 1/6/2019 at 3:48 PM, soalbundy said:

I'm giving my son English reading lessons, this morning the choice was a Burmese folklore story, "how to turn dirt into gold", I thought how appropriate after reading this article because in the the story it said, "it can't be done".

 

What they are doing here is "turning gold into dirt" and yes, it can be done, and they are doing a good job of it here. 

[Gene1960]

LOL Dead, no not dead, Phuket is extremely busy
 
I've been here for the last month, I went to Karon Beach and Kata a few weeks ago, They were JAMMED packed and its hard to find a space to sit down on the sand. 
 
When you Look down the beach, You're just thinking to yourself "Thats alot of tourists"
 
 

Yes. Karon and Kamala are packed.
We see a lot of new hiso thai families as a new tenants in Laguna and they eat out, and ladies lunch. Met a family of 11 from the South of China in Laguna who took the villa usually occupied by my French friends for two months and they are looking for a bigger villa in the area to bye. Even Boat Lagoon resort is full with the Chinese after a longtime. Don’t know what’s going on in Patong.

[Aussie999]

Nothing to do with this article... but why is it so hard to get the article in chronological order. At least one goes back to April 2018, surely it can't be that hard.... get a better programmer. 

[sead]

3 days I stayed in Phuket last year. Booked 7 days. Was so pissed because of the prices and mentality of Phuket that it was a blast returning to Pattaya. I'm talking about everything from pool table, food, tuktuk, drinks,  bar fines  the mentality of waitresses in disco pushing you to drink. 

Naah. Going again next week to see a friend and let's see if some happened but doubt it.

[billythehat]

On 1/5/2019 at 10:39 PM, stevenl said:

He is just a frustrated former resident. Couldn't make it here, so now everything is bad here.

Hilarious, Dutch, I’ve never lived there! 

[Denim]

Ah well , the blue blood yellow shirted protesters that wanted a military government got what they wanted. 

 

So ...suck it up and be happy. Money isn't everything.

[inThailand]

The crowds seem to be only on the beach, 7 11, and on the roads. Most businesses are not fairing so well for high season. 

[Old Croc]

1 hour ago, inThailand said:

The crowds seem to be only on the beach, 7 11, and on the roads. Most businesses are not fairing so well for high season. 

Are you capable of understanding that those people don't live on the beach eating sand?

This is Karon Beach a few minutes ago. You can see their tents at the back of the beach. The hotels in the area are empty (sarcasm).

 

Edited January 14, 2019 by Old Croc

[Old Croc]

On ‎1‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 9:21 AM, sead said:

3 days I stayed in Phuket last year. Booked 7 days. Was so pissed because of the prices and mentality of Phuket that it was a blast returning to Pattaya. I'm talking about everything from pool table, food, tuktuk, drinks,  bar fines  the mentality of waitresses in disco pushing you to drink. 

Naah. Going again next week to see a friend and let's see if some happened but doubt it.

I hope you bring enough money for your full stay next time. For people a little short of cash, Pattaya is really the much better option for playing pool and bar fining prostitutes.

 

I believe Phuket is slowly, but inextricably heading towards high end tourism. There are no more cheap hotels on the beach front, all have been replaced by 5 star resorts. The Patong Bay Garden, where I stayed several times, has morphed into "The Bay and Beach Club".

Even the iconic Bangla may end up as little more than a shopping precinct with just a sterilized version of the old wicked party scene. (Anybody remember Bugis Street before Singapore cleaned it up?) 

 

[petermik]

7 hours ago, Old Croc said:

 

 

I believe Phuket is slowly, but inextricably heading towards high end tourism. There are no more cheap hotels on the beach front, all have been replaced by 5 star resorts. The Patong Bay Garden, where I stayed several times, has morphed into "The Bay and Beach Club".

Even the iconic Bangla may end up as little more than a shopping precinct with just a sterilized version of the old wicked party scene. (Anybody remember Bugis Street before Singapore cleaned it up?) 

 

I made my first visit (after coming to LOS for over 10 years) to Phuket 20th/24th last month staying in Kata/Karon and found food prices in local Thai restaurants to be good for the quality and quantity provided,only marginally more expensive than here in Pattaya,a large beer was overpriced at 120 baht though....my only complaint was the fact that I felt like I was staying in a suburb of Moscow........be a long time before I go again  

[dick dasterdly]

I live in Rawai and over the years have noticed that there are fewer Western tourists, but far more Asian tourists.

 

Not a problem at all, APART from the multitude of coaches now everywhere....

 

A couple of days ago I drove for the first time in a long time, to the 'T-junction' at end of Sai Yuan (to turn left towards Nai Harn), and was shocked to see a traffic jam at the junction!  At first I thought there must be a police stop point causing the traffic jam, but there wasn't - it was mostly the amount of 4-wheeled traffic!

 

No idea what this signifies re. tourists (probably more due to the increase in number of cars/trucks/vans etc. on the roads), but there were a lot of tourists about too.

 

[LivinginKata]

4 hours ago, Old Croc said:

<snip>

(Anybody remember Bugis Street before Singapore cleaned it up?) 

 

 

Yes I do.  Chinese shop houses. Billy Boys swank down the road at the stroke of midnight, all in their best evening attire. Quite the sight. Just caught the last of it on a 2 day business visit in Singapore. My very first time in the Far East. Never seen anything like that before. 

 

Now it's Bugis Square. Boring concrete jungle. Sorry ... way off topic. 

[John7777]

My first visit to Phuket was in the year 2000.  I had a good time then, and I had a good time every other time I returned.  I'm getting ready to move back to SE Asia in a few weeks and I'm still considering Phuket.  At least the air is breathable there.  Anyway, I always felt that Phuket wasn't necessarily all that expensive.  Can you spend a lot of money there?  Of course.  But you can also stay economically.  Up to you, as they say.  People who complain about pricing need to realize that no one is twisting their arm.  If they want to buy an overpriced beer, OK, but it's not like there aren't options.  Same for housing/accommodation.   You really can pick your price.  My only complaint about Phuket is the lack of cheap public transportation.

 

If you want expensive, go stay in South Beach Miami Beach for a few weeks.  You probably couldn't find a hotel room for less than $200 US dollars.  

[fisherd3]

On 12/20/2018 at 9:36 AM, NamKangMan said:

 

Transport is the biggest one, and in my opinion, the main reason that caused the tourist demographic to change here, rapidly.  The majority of tourists to Phuket now are package holiday Chinese, in coach buses.

 

The lack of proper public transport restricts the freedom of movement of independent travelers.

 

In many cases, tourists were paying more for transport than their accommodation, and F & B, for their holiday. 

 

Tourists are charged a minimum of 200 baht just to get into a tuk-tuk, versus 200 baht to hire a motor scooter, thus, Phuket's atrocious road injury and death statistics.  

 

Transport is an essential service that has not operated in a free market here for a long time.  Imagine a Thai Province doing that with water, electricity, gasoline, medical, education, food, etc.  It would cause people to move to a different province.

 

In the same way, tourists have either moved to a different location in Thailand for their holiday, or are going to a different country.  Eg.  Vietnam.

 

 

In Rayong Town capital of Thailand's most industrial province, there is not a large bus service to Bangkok a distance of about , 200 kms , just saying the transport mafia is everywhere in Thailand.

Edited January 14, 2019 by fisherd3
Add

[geriatrickid]

On 12/16/2018 at 9:46 PM, NCC1701A said:

I live in Hua Hin which is about 10-30% more expensive than say near by Pranburi or Phetchaburi and when I went to Phuket it was so expensive for everything I was like let me out of here.  

You are so very right.  What stuck in your craw the most? When I  lived in Patong it started out as 500 baht  grey  AOT car from airport to the condo, then it creeped up to 600, 700 and then 3 years ago when I went back to sort some affairs, 900 baht. Rip off.  It's 150-200 baht  private taxi van from  the Hua Hin Bus depot  to  the strip (Clock tower to Ibis/Hyatt area) 18 km vs  400 baht for the patong  to karon, an 8 km drive.

 

The much maligned HH night market area fish restaurants will serve up a decent fish dinner and other dishes for 1200 baht and a bottle of plonk for 1000 baht. Same meal in Phuket cost me 3500 baht+.

 

I feel for the visitors to Phuket as they are getting  hosed. I haven't been back in almost 3 years and won't go until the pricing is adjusted. The hotel rates on some 3 star  hotels are  in the same range as top quality Bangkok or HH hotels. It's ridiculous. 

 

The traffic congestion makes HH's strip look   fluid in comparison. Patong's traffic is worse than Pattaya's beach road.

 

The two biggest insults  were the 90+ jet skis parked  at patong Beach and the reserved space for the  boat parasail operators with most of the beach reserved for the  tout scum.

 

[Old Croc]

Most of the posters who scream loudest about costs on Phuket have only visited, essentially, as tourists. They go to the tourist towns, stay in pricey resorts and eat and party in tourist restaurants/bars/clubs near the beaches or in the entertainment precincts. The prices they pay are always going to be much higher than almost anywhere else in the country or even in the this Province. I'm always astounded that members of this forum still get surprised and angry at what they have to pay as a tourist here.  

Phuket, because of it's popularity and the massive numbers of visitors from around the world, is naturally one of the most expensive places in Thailand.

Many don't see, or don't want to see, that there is another side to the Province away from the tourist rip-offs. The majority of expats live away from the tourist centers, unless they have businesses there, and almost never use the corrupt transport systems or frequent high cost tourist establishments.

We live in our own enclaves, have our own transport, and usually let our wives buy essentials at Thai prices in shopping centers and street markets. Prices for day to day living are generally not much more than anywhere else in the country, with the exception being the cost of buying or renting property. (The price of living on a tropical Island paradise!)

I know, having done the sums many times, that I live here for less than half the cost of Australia. As an example I bought a bigger, better house here for approx. 1/3 of the sale price of my place in Perth. 

If you are on just the basic government pension you can probably find somewhere cheaper up-country away from the ocean and all that Phuket has to offer.

[The Old Bull]

Just look at the price of a screw in tooth. They have gone from 20,000 to 60,000 , cheaper for the yanks to go to Mexico and the EU people to go somewhere like Latvia. Too greedy over here especially in tourist areas.

[xylophone]

7 hours ago, John7777 said:

Anyway, I always felt that Phuket wasn't necessarily all that expensive.  Can you spend a lot of money there?  Of course.  But you can also stay economically.  Up to you, as they say.

Good point John and although I live in Patong I still believe that it is not expensive although I do compare the prices to those I would pay in my home country!! 

 

Here I can buy the ingredients for a Pad Thai for under $5, chicken is cheap as, and a meal in an everyday Thai restaurant can be had for a little more, then eating in my regular Italian restaurant I can get a main course for $11.00............and so on.

 

I rent an apartment for 1/3rd the cost of one room in NZ, and I could go on, but for me the only thing I find expensive here is my "extravagances" such as wine, smoked salmon and some cheeses.

 

And on transport; well I consider the 800 baht taxi to the airport to be good value.

 

Patong/Phuket may be more expensive than other places in Thailand, but here for all its faults, there is plenty to do, good shopping and restaurants.........all you have to do is to hope you don't become a traffic accident statistic!

[Olmate]

3 hours ago, xylophone said:

Good point John and although I live in Patong I still believe that it is not expensive although I do compare the prices to those I would pay in my home country!! 

 

Here I can buy the ingredients for a Pad Thai for under $5, chicken is cheap as, and a meal in an everyday Thai restaurant can be had for a little more, then eating in my regular Italian restaurant I can get a main course for $11.00............and so on.

 

I rent an apartment for 1/3rd the cost of one room in NZ, and I could go on, but for me the only thing I find expensive here is my "extravagances" such as wine, smoked salmon and some cheeses.

 

And on transport; well I consider the 800 baht taxi to the airport to be good value.

 

Patong/Phuket may be more expensive than other places in Thailand, but here for all its faults, there is plenty to do, good shopping and restaurants.........all you have to do is to hope you don't become a traffic accident statistic!

Totally agree, especially the taxi, or a van for 200baht, hour plus journey.

And have never been harassed, as is the common beef from Phuket detractors here.I have an apartment near to Patong beach,all in 8500 baht month, lived in Sattahip before here, no cheaper and much more deadly roads.

[anon7854]

18 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Most of the posters who scream loudest about costs on Phuket have only visited, essentially, as tourists. They go to the tourist towns, stay in pricey resorts and eat and party in tourist restaurants/bars/clubs near the beaches or in the entertainment precincts. The prices they pay are always going to be much higher than almost anywhere else in the country or even in the this Province. I'm always astounded that members of this forum still get surprised and angry at what they have to pay as a tourist here.  

I never heard of tourists complain about prices in Thailand (maybe the backpackers?). It's the 'pats crying at the amount of 2 week millionaires coming, ruining the market. While , yes, living away from touristy places is a good idea on the long term (and for some , the only) for others it's a pain  to live far away from the buzz.

Edited January 15, 2019 by anon7854

[NamKangMan]

On 1/15/2019 at 10:26 AM, fisherd3 said:

In Rayong Town capital of Thailand's most industrial province, there is not a large bus service to Bangkok a distance of about , 200 kms , just saying the transport mafia is everywhere in Thailand.

 

Are you comparing an industrial province in Thailand to a tourism industry island in Thailand????

 

"Mafia" in all forms, should be kept away from the tourists, not given free rein to plunder them.

 

Tourism is an advertisement for a country.  What a great advertisement the tuk-tuks on Phuket must be for Thailand, in many cases charging more for a journey than the cost of food & beverage, or accommodation, for the day. 

[NamKangMan]

12 hours ago, anon7854 said:

I never heard of tourists complain about prices in Thailand (maybe the backpackers?). It's the 'pats crying at the amount of 2 week millionaires coming, ruining the market. While , yes, living away from touristy places is a good idea on the long term (and for some , the only) for others it's a pain  to live far away from the buzz.

 

"I never heard of tourists complain about prices in Thailand" - sure, they don't complain, they just don't come here, or go somewhere else.  Eg. the independent western tourist market

[Olmate]

3 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

Are you comparing an industrial province in Thailand to a tourism industry island in Thailand????

 

"Mafia" in all forms, should be kept away from the tourists, not given free rein to plunder them.

 

Tourism is an advertisement for a country.  What a great advertisement the tuk-tuks on Phuket must be for Thailand, in many cases charging more for a journey than the cost of food & beverage, or accommodation, for the day. 

Guess that would depend on ...how long was your journey, what your room cost,what you choose to eat n drink! Try a couple of weeks in Sydney and get back to us..Do you consider an hour plus journey in a cab to or from the airport not worth 700 baht?That covers their return trip empty too. I,m sure your comments are based on some extreme bias against this sector of the industry,perhaps give us an example of what’s good about Phuket in regards appropriate pricing?

Edited January 16, 2019 by Olmate
Missed word

[3NUMBAS]

not surprised as its all downhill due to greedy muggers esp the ladyboy variety robbing tourists by force

[NamKangMan]

19 hours ago, Olmate said:

Guess that would depend on ...how long was your journey, what your room cost,what you choose to eat n drink! Try a couple of weeks in Sydney and get back to us..Do you consider an hour plus journey in a cab to or from the airport not worth 700 baht?That covers their return trip empty too. I,m sure your comments are based on some extreme bias against this sector of the industry,perhaps give us an example of what’s good about Phuket in regards appropriate pricing?

 

Ahhh, the old comparing prices on Phuket to the west argument again.  You do know the the minimum wage here is 300 baht.  Right?

 

I think you have answered your own question.

 

"Do you consider an hour plus journey in a cab to or from the airport not worth 700 baht?" - I think the journey from the airport is reasonable. 

 

So, accepting the "reasonable" cost of 700 baht for "an hour plus journey in a cab" as a bench mark, do you then think just to get in the back of a tuk-tuk being minimum 200 baht to be "reasonable?"  

 

Using your 700 baht bench mark, do you think 400 baht from Kata to Patong in a tuk-tuk to be "reasonable?" 

 

What about after midnight when the same journey back to Kata doubles to 800 baht?  Do you think that is a "reasonable" price, when compared to your "hour plus journey in a cab?"

 

It must be noted, tuk-tuks do not have air conditioning and seat belts, "cabs" do.

 

Most tourists have no problem with the airport journey cost, because they only use this transport twice on their holiday. 

 

Many tourists will require more frequent, but shorter distance land transport. on their holiday.  Many regularly go from their hotel to the beach, also to the market, also to shopping, also to activities, also to shows, also to tourists attractions, also to the nightlife etc.  Their tuk-tuk travel can run into thousands of baht a day, given you pay, or you walk, or you hire a vehicle. 

 

I remember a thread a long time ago where a member posted a photo of his air ticket from Phuket to Bangkok, and it was cheaper than land transport to the airport.  Just saying.  This has been common knowledge for some time.

 

Yes, it is fair to say I have "extreme bias against the sector."  I freely admit I am the most vocal on this forum about land transport on the island, but particularly the tuk-tuk mafia. 

 

See all those coach buses, with the majority of tourists to Phuket inside them, on the roads here now?  Why do you think that is?

 

See the terrible traffic here now? 

 

Have you read the headlines that Phuket is the worst Province in Thailand for road death, thus making Phuket one of the most dangerous places in the world to be on the road? 

 

Have you seen the parking issues here now?

 

Remember the regular headlines of tuk-tuk drivers assaulting passengers? 

 

Have you been to Bangkok?  Why do you think Phuket doesn't have proper metered taxis like Bangkok?

 

Have you been to Pattaya?  Why do you think Phuket doesn't have baht buses? 

 

Land transport, an essential service, is controlled by criminals on Phuket, and I do not apologize for having "extreme bias" against criminals, who, in my opinion, are indirectly responsible for many deaths and serious injuries here, and who have forced the change of tourist demographic on Phuket.

 

Edited January 17, 2019 by NamKangMan

[xylophone]

We are talking about "expensive Phuket" although this very subject of "expensive" is being debated on another thread, however I'll stick with this one for my comments.

 

I think it's been said in one way or another, but Phuket/Patong is as expensive or as cheap as you want it to be.

 

I was out last night with a couple of friends and ate in an Italian restaurant, where the total cost for two entrees, three mains, one side dish and a coffee came to 1260 baht total – – damn cheap in my opinion.

Of course if one wants to eat at food halls and other such places, then they are also very cheap, whereas if one wanted to go to one of the long established seafood restaurants on beach road (and one in particular whose name I shall not mention) you could be quite easily ripped off as regards price and quantity.

 

As it was a friends birthday he wanted to go into one of the go-go joints and although some of the drinks are expensive, especially if you wish to buy one of the ladies a drink, we all had beers at 99 baht each, which when you consider what was on show in an air-conditioned environment, was not bad at all.

 

Another bar had beers at 80 baht whilst the new large Folies bar had a very small rum and coke at around 180 baht, which was expensive in my opinion, but another downside was that we were surrounded by four girls who all wanted a drink, for no other reason than we were there!

 

Another bar had a rum and coke at 190 baht.............and so on. It really depends on what you are looking for and where you want to go, and normally you would expect to pay higher prices for those large bars where you get some form of entertainment, whilst at the everyday beer bar, prices can be quite competitive.

 

I think that is why I would never normally label Phuket/Patong as expensive, because if one is on a budget, then holidaying here is no problem with regards to cost, provided one looks around and uses a modicum of common sense. On the other side of the coin, you can blow as much baht as you want if cost is not an issue.

[jackdd]

12 hours ago, xylophone said:

I was out last night with a couple of friends and ate in an Italian restaurant, where the total cost for two entrees, three mains, one side dish and a coffee came to 1260 baht total – – damn cheap in my opinion.

You seem to come from a very expensive country if this is "damn cheap" for you. If you went to a medium priced italian restaurant in Germany you would pay a similar price, so for Thailand this is clearly expensive ????

 

12 hours ago, xylophone said:

I think it's been said in one way or another, but Phuket/Patong is as expensive or as cheap as you want it to be.

Phuket is expensive, even objectively. This does of course not mean that everything is expensive, imho hotels are priced reasonable, and the rental price for a motorbike is also reasonable.

Expensive at Phuket:

- Food. You can buy some standard Thai "ahan dam sang" dish for 30-50THB in most places in Thailand, even in Bangkok, but at Phuket it costs 60-100THB, same for any other food

- Transport. The prices to use a taxi / tuk tuk to go a few kms to the next beach are just a ripoff

 

 

Edited January 18, 2019 by jackdd

[Old Croc]

15 minutes ago, jackdd said:

You seem to come from a very expensive country if this is "damn cheap" for you. If you went to a medium priced italian restaurant in Germany you would pay a similar price, so for Thailand this is clearly expensive ????

 

Phuket is expensive, even objectively. This does of course not mean that everything is expensive, imho hotels are priced reasonable, and the rental price for a motorbike is also reasonable.

Expensive at Phuket:

- Food. You can buy some standard Thai "ahan dam sang" dish for 30-50THB in most places in Thailand, even in Bangkok, but at Phuket it costs 60-100THB, same for any other food

- Transport. The prices to use a taxi / tuk tuk to go a few kms to the next beach are just a ripoff

 

 

I not sure whether to scoff, laugh or feel sorry for posters from places like Udon who come on the Phuket forum to declare how expensive things are because a dirt cheap street meal costs a dollar more in Phuket!

I don't know how often I've had to say that Phuket, as one of the most visited tourist spots on the planet, is naturally going to be more expensive than a village near Nakon Nowhere! 

Expats who choose to live on the tropical Island of Phuket near the ocean and the nearby world class attractions, are aware that some things are going to cost a little more. For the advantages of living in this place, we understand a meal, for instance, might cost 20 or 30 baht baht more than a small village somewhere.

I get somewhat incredulous at people who move to another country with insufficient planning and funds resulting in having to watch every baht for a meal costing almost nothing!  If minute differences like this were a worry, we too would be living in the wife's up country village near a rice paddy.

 

I do agree about, and would never defend, the ludicrous prices of corrupt public transport on the Island, but point out that expats rarely use it. I haven't been in a taxi or tuk tuk since I started living here in 2010.

This subject has been discussed in many threads ad infinitum. Cue the Bore.