Is Pattaya proving to be bullet proof to high season slumps?

By Dan Cheeseman

 

 

If you have been reading Thaivisa or traveled recently to different areas in Thailand you would have noticed a few more people arriving for high season, but some regions are not getting what they expected.

 

The Thaiger media in Phuket is asking ‘where is everyone?’, whilst in Hua Hin local media are asking the same question too. Speaking to a local hotelier, Koh Chang is reporting business as usual with levels at an ‘OK’ level.

 

Pattaya on the other hand has been much more bouyant with bars in Soi LK reporting huge custom with some customers unable to even find a seat! If you saw my video posted on Dan about Thailand Facebook earlier in the week of Bali Hai pier where I could not move for all the Chinese, a direct contrast to reports of reports of Chinese tourism being down. It would seem Pattaya is having a good high season.

Bryan Flowers, CEO for the Night Wish Group who have 22 bars in Pattaya, says “We are seeing a lot more Asian customers especially Koreans, our sales are up year on year”.

 

You could not move on Bali Hai for all the Chinese tourists – Dec 2018

 

Now true my thesis is absolutely based on observation and feedback from fellow expats and business people, but it does look as though Pattaya will – unlike other regions – have a good high season this year.

 

What makes Pattaya so different?

 

I always think Pattaya is underrated by many casual observers, yet those in the know have long thought ‘new’ Pattaya just offers too much not to be a big tourist draw.

 

Full story: https://danaboutthailand.com/2018/12/19/is-pattaya-proving-to-be-bullet-proof-to-high-season-slumps/

 

-- DAN ABOUT THAILAND 2018-2018-12-19

Soi LK metro generally has good numbers all year round, so no great surprise that it is busy, and highlighting it doesn't really prove the point. A wider view across all of town shows that numbers are not high at all. A few years back it was as busy as this in June and July. The majority of bar and restaurant owners I know are not at all impressed with the number of people in town. Chinese and Korean might make the place look busy, but on the whole they do not add much to the overall business going on, so my humble opinion, is that Pattaya is not immune to the tourism drop, and will not be having a bumper high season in comparison with what it has been accustomed to.

I have friends arrived here 5 days ago. They come for a 3 week holiday every 2 years, but this is the first time they came during high season.

 

They had to change hotel because their usual hotel had construction going on next door, so they visited quite a few hotels.

 

They asked me where are all those tourists, as it seemed to them that the hotels are well booked, but bars and restaurants are empty.

29 minutes ago, webfact said:

What makes Pattaya so different?

It's a world class family resort!

 

Quote

  31 minutes ago, webfact said:

What makes Pattaya so different?

 

GIRLS!!!

my two girlfriends who work on Soi Six say "Business is slow, send money." I believe them.

The bars on Walking Street are sloooow. Not that I go there mind you.

The restaurants I go to are slow.

My hair cutter is slow.

My gym is slow.

 

Everyone is just standing on the pier?

Soi LK reporting hugh custom ha ha. I was on there the other night and one of the a go gos was offering free beer to attract customers. Even with that there were only 4-5 people in there. This is a week before Christmas.

I have only been to Pattaya twice and the high/dual price was enough for me as I'm living and working here in Thailand, it just mead me feel "NAH" about Pattaya. When they try to charge me 80-100 Baht for a small plate, like an appetizer, with som tam, while I pay 30 Baht where I live, and then it's enough som tam for me to eat as a single dish (even without rice) for lunch or dinner... then at least I have a problem to find any motivation to go there!

2 minutes ago, Kasset Tak said:

I have only been to Pattaya twice and the high/dual price was enough for me as I'm living and working here in Thailand, it just mead me feel "NAH" about Pattaya. When they try to charge me 80-100 Baht for a small plate, like an appetizer, with som tam, while I pay 30 Baht where I live, and then it's enough som tam for me to eat as a single dish (even without rice) for lunch or dinner... then at least I have a problem to find any motivation to go there!

I am not quiet sure what you are trying to say. But you must be the only farang in pattaya that eats som tam

It is now "PEAK" season, (December 15-January 15) the old "HIGH" season as far as I am concerned. A mixed bag of moaning and groaning. Restaurant and markets moaning about low numbers. LK Metro, Walking St., Soi 6 are all doing fine I am sure. Beer Bars and out of the way from the mainstream areas hurting. We shall see what comes to pass. Lots of Chinese faces does not translate into sales for most businesses. 

28 minutes ago, Kasset Tak said:

I have only been to Pattaya twice and the high/dual price was enough for me as I'm living and working here in Thailand, it just mead me feel "NAH" about Pattaya. When they try to charge me 80-100 Baht for a small plate, like an appetizer, with som tam, while I pay 30 Baht where I live, and then it's enough som tam for me to eat as a single dish (even without rice) for lunch or dinner... then at least I have a problem to find any motivation to go there!

You can say the same about any tourist spot in Thailand.  Chiang Mai for instance.  If you eat in the Thai community where I eat, I get charged Thai prices 30 to 45 THB for an entree.  Go up the road 500 meters and every shop will attempt to charge you 80 to 100 THB for the same entree.  What's worse, the food isn't even that good.  I've lived in the Thai community the entire 12 years I've lived here.  If I want authentic and cheap - I eat where the Thais eat. And yeah, a handful of those vendor will attempt to overcharge based on race, but for every vendor that overcharges there are two that want your business and will charge you the same as Thais.  You just have to look around.  If you live in the Thai community, vendors get to know you. If they know you, you get price breaks. The only time I pay a premium for food is when I'm eating non-Thai.  And I don't do that very often because for the most part I can cook my own farang food at home.  But sometimes you just want to go out on the town.

3 hours ago, AlexCanada said:

 

 

GIRLS!!!

and boys !

as "Blur" say

Quote

Girls who are boys
Who like boys to be girls
Who do boys like they're girls
Who do girls like they're boys
Always should be someone you really love

 

33 minutes ago, Ulic said:

Lots of Chinese faces does not translate into sales for most businesses. 

And yet the TAT and friends literally are falling over each other to cater to Chinese tourist. Yeah sure, look at those numbers in bodies, but like you said, bodies don't equate to spending.  All tourists are not created equal.  So Big Joke and friends simply are playing a numbers game.  "Look at the number of tourists, especially our friends the Chinese!!!", but most business on the street level will admit that sales suck wind.   Keep telling Western tourists and expats that they are persona non-grata.  After a while - they do get the message.  ????  That's then reflected in declining tourism revenues at the street level.  
So, good job Big Joker and crew!!!    Keep patting yourselves on the back during these photo-ops as ya'll manufacture a rosy, bright narrative.  Then they start padding tourist numbers that are inclusive of Thai touring in their own country.  <laughs>  Yeah - the futures so bright TAT needs to wear shades.

Soi LK reporting hugh custom ha ha. I was on there the other night and one of the a go gos was offering free beer to attract customers. Even with that there were only 4-5 people in there. This is a week before Christmas.

I think the free beer came to you in a dream. Thai custom is to increase not decrease when going is slow

LK Metro is the only busy place on Soi Buakhao, Take a drive up and down the street and its all empty seats.

 

Does that mean Metro has good bars and all the rest are bad? No it means sheep follow sheep. 

 

The rest of town is empty, including hotels and restaurants. Plenty of rooms available for NYE and Xmas.

4 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

my two girlfriends who work on Soi Six say "Business is slow, send money." I believe them.

Come on, tell us how much you are sending. 

It is not.

 

I have lived in naklua for about 10 years, same pleasant little neighbourhood. I like where I live but have never ever seen it so quiet at this time of year. I feel a little sorry for some of the street side vendors.

Most seem pleasant, albeit when it comes to food, prefer western so they get scant business from me.

 

Few more foreign arrivals of late but it is quiet, for sure.

 

Not a criticism, does not affect me whether it is busy or quiet, prefer the latter as it happens.

 

Hard for the ordinary local Thais, who mostly seem quite decent.

5 hours ago, AlexCanada said:

 

 

GIRLS!!!

and BOYS who want to be GIRLS!

I have lived/ worked in Thailand 15 years and have seen an “upgrade” in Pattaya. More 4-5 star hotels, an assortment of ethnic restaurants to choose from and with Terminal 21 and Central, one does not need to go to BKK for shopping anymore. True, the old grumpy farangs will wish Pattaya was like it was 20...30 years ago, but there are still sections in Pattaya that sells cheap, beer and offers the “go-go” bars. Pattaya gets a bad rap from those visitors that do not know where to go or read only about the crime & suicides in Pattaya. Pattaya is similar surfing through your satellite TV channels... you pick & choose what you want for entertainment. There are more couples coming to Pattaya than what I saw 15 years ago, including Bangkok professionals who want a weekend get away. The biggest disappointment in Pattaya are the numerous tour buses that clog the streets along with the city’s failure to keep the bay and sidewalks clean. Meanwhile... why hassle with flying to Phuket where things are more expensive and many of the Thais from South Thailand are rude and angry all the time? ( yes, I am generalizing). The Phuket tuk-tuk drivers charge more for a ten minute ride than a twenty minute ride in a Bangkok AC taxi. Phuket was a gem 30 years ago but the locals have made it a miserable place ( unless you isolate yourself in a 4-5 star resort and don’t deal with the locals. 

1 hour ago, BestB said:

LK Metro is the only busy place on Soi Buakhao, Take a drive up and down the street and its all empty seats.

 

Does that mean Metro has good bars and all the rest are bad? 

No, it means your post is BS.

I drove thru the entire street last night at 10 pm and there were people everywhere.  In the bars, markets, walking on the street.

Maybe a few did not have many customers that that is pretty normal when every other spot is a bar.

Lots of places were full of customers try again maybe you will get it right....

 

2 hours ago, connda said:

And yet the TAT and friends literally are falling over each other to cater to Chinese tourist. Yeah sure, look at those numbers in bodiest like you said, bodies don't equate to spending.  All tourists are not created equal.  So Big Joke and friends simply are playing a numbers game.  "Look at the number of tourists, especially our friends the Chinese!!!", but most business on the street level will admit that sales suck wind.   Keep telling Western tourists and expats that they are persona non-grata.  After a while - they do get the message.  ????  That's then reflected in declining tourism revenues at the street level.  
So, good job Big Joker and crew!!!    Keep patting yourselves on the back during these photo-ops as ya'll manufacture a rosy, bright narrative.  Then they start padding tourist numbers that are inclusive of Thai touring in their own country.  <laughs>  Yeah - the futures so bright TAT needs to wear shades.

The dwindling income at street level is hugely uninteressant, only the little people feel the punch, they don't matter.

High numbers of Chinese tourists generate a high income at the top level.

And in China, of course.

And that's is where it counts, right?

21 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

No, it means your post is BS.

I drove thru the entire street last night at 10 pm and there were people everywhere.  In the bars, markets, walking on the street.

Maybe a few did not have many customers that that is pretty normal when every other spot is a bar.

Lots of places were full of customers try again maybe you will get it right....

 

Really ? And I drive through on nightly basis at 11 as I work around the corner and its empty , so who is posting bs?????

 

oh and just out of curiosity what markets did you see on soi buakhao? The one that closes at 8-9 or another imaginary one?

27 minutes ago, BestB said:

Really ? And I drive through on nightly basis at 11 as I work around the corner and its empty , so who is posting bs?????

oh and just out of curiosity what markets did you see on soi buakhao? The one that closes at 8-9 or another imaginary one?

How about the Night Market on the left-hand side before the bend and towards Pattaya Klang?

35 minutes ago, hansnl said:

The dwindling income at street level is hugely uninteressant, only the little people feel the punch, they don't matter.

High numbers of Chinese tourists generate a high income at the top level.

And in China, of course.

And that's is where it counts, right?

The Chinese use the old Day Night hotel (I think it is now called City Boutique Hotel?) off Pattaya Tai. The area outside is a coach parking area. Number of coaches seen this season quite patchy in comparison to last year.

Off topic posts removed, the topic is not about Mr Cheesman or food in Chiang Mai,  it is about:

Is Pattaya proving to be bullet proof to high season slumps?

1 hour ago, SheungWan said:

How about the Night Market on the left-hand side before the bend and towards Pattaya Klang?

The one where Tonys gym is located? thats not night market. it closes 8 or 9 this is why its all dark with no one around ????

9 hours ago, AlexCanada said:

 

 

GIRLS!!!

Uhhhh, those weren't Girls.......  ????

6 hours ago, madmen said:

I think the free beer came to you in a dream. Thai custom is to increase not decrease when going is slow

I didn't see "free", but a couple of joints were advertising 39 baht bottled domestic.

Cheap enough to entice even me!????

(I cannot usually drink because of medicine)

3 hours ago, BestB said:

The one where Tonys gym is located? thats not night market. it closes 8 or 9 this is why its all dark with no one around ????

Open this evening at 10pm.