Where is everybody? Patong businesses suffering worst high season in 10 years

[rooster59]

Where is everybody? Patong businesses suffering 'worst high season in 10 years' 

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

Dancers on Bangla Rd wait for customers to turn up on Wednesday night (Dec 19). Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot
 

PHUKET: Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office Director Kanokkittika Kritwutikon this week struck out at claims online that Phuket is suffering an incredibly low number of visitors during the current tourism ‘high season’.

 

The public scramble to reassure confidence in tourist numbers comes while Weerawit Kreuasombat, President of the Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA), which represents some 500 entertainment businesses in Phuket’s busiest tourism party town, vehemently disagrees – saying that this is “the worst high season in Patong in 10 years”.

 

Ms Kanokkittika admitted that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Phuket so far this month has dropped by 2.63% compared with the same period last year, but also pointed out that the fall in Chinese arrivals had been offset by a 3.63% increase in the number of arrivals from other source markets.

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/where-is-everybody-patong-businesses-suffering-worst-high-season-in-10-years-69755.php#gc3uXcfisupAbo7q.97

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-12-22

[darksidedog]

So TAT says things are really good, while business owners say it is awful. Well, I know who I believe.

[AGareth2]

Families don't go to Go Go's

[Just1Voice]

If there was a massive thunderstorm going on outside, and TAT told me it was raining, I'd have to walk outside to make sure.  TAT= Tell A Tall one. ????

[rooster59]

Chinese tourists give Phuket a miss after boat tragedy, even as Thai authorities tighten safety measures

By Pichayada Promchertchoo

 

The salvaged vessel of Phoenix PC Diving, which capsized and sank off the popular resort island Phuket on July 5, 2018, killing 47 Chinese tourists. (Photo: Pichayada Promchertchoo)

 

PHUKET: On Jul 5 this year, as the world was transfixed on a cave in northern Thailand where a junior football team was trapped, a tragedy was unfolding in its southern waters. 

 

A boat carrying 89 tourists and 12 crew members capsized in a raging storm before sinking off the popular resort island Phuket. The vessel's final journey ended at the bottom of the Andaman Sea, along with 47 lives trapped inside the cabins – parents, children and elderly travellers, all tourists from China. 

 

The capsize of Phoenix PC Diving was one of the worst maritime disasters in Thai history and its consequences have been far-reaching, particularly on the country's tourism sector.

Full story: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/chinese-tourists-give-phuket-a-miss-after-boat-tragedy-even-as-11040416

 

Channel NEWSASIA: 2018-12-22

[ChipButty]

Pussy bars are finished that kind of tourist is not coming like they used to

[Denim]

3 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Pussy bars are finished that kind of tourist is not coming like they used to

Well, as they get older, coming gets more difficult and less frequent.

 

[smedly]

Everyone I talk to says they are fed up being ripped off with high bar prices, there are areas in Pattaya that are the same although some of the busy bars are starting to realise and have actually reduced prices down from what they were last year, bar owners need to ask themselves - would they rather have a busy bar selling hundreds of beers at 60baht or an empty bar selling one beer an hour at 120baht   

[kelboy]

5 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Pussy bars are finished that kind of tourist is not coming like they used to

That's because beer and bar fines are too high and the girls are getting fat and ugly and lazy. Also they are charging too much. They think they are the only ones in the world but hey everyone is going elsewhere. 555.

[sammieuk1]

Even the dancer appears to be looking at the time of her next flight out of town . They could try the buy one get one free offer for a quick turnaround if they get busy ???? 

[nasa123]

Tourists are NOT coming because they are bored overpriced and be shitet all over Phuket, and all the corrupt Police and Corrupt Immigration. 

[cheapcanuck]

17 minutes ago, kelboy said:

That's because beer and bar fines are too high and the girls are getting fat and ugly and lazy. Also they are charging too much. They think they are the only ones in the world but hey everyone is going elsewhere. 555.

Vietnam is what Thailand was 20 years ago. That's where my money is going this year. Bye bye Thailand, Hello Vietnam.

[robsamui]

25 minutes ago, cheapcanuck said:

Vietnam is what Thailand was 20 years ago. That's where my money is going this year. Bye bye Thailand, Hello Vietnam.

Yes - I'm relocating in February. Cheaper, more friendly, and no more immigration officers sneering jeering and treating me like scum.

[Oziex1]

Get a fat cop to announce to all that Bangla Road is a family attraction. 

Worked for Pattaya, I think. 

[Joe Mcseismic]

It really isn't the bar owner's fault that the beer prices are set too high. It's the greedy land-lords that jack-up the rent at every opportunity. Most bar owners even with the high prices are just trying to cover their costs. Already, many bar owners are jacking it in when faced with rent increases. They just end up working for the land-lord.

[the guest]

I was in Patong yesterday in fact, seemed quite busy.

[thailand49]

TAT, go work it out with the Chinese once you get your head out of their <deleted>!

Maybe tell Big Joke to stop rounding them out?  Beware this isn't just Bars, " don't bite the hand that feeds you ".

[KhunProletariat]

I love reading articles like this. Phuket doesn't deserve tourists. Clean up your act or face the fame fate for years to come!

[RichardColeman]

This the tall flight attendant with her hand in her hair is looking for me.

[Geoffggi]

What the Thai government need to realise is that the Chinese (much against TAT figures) do not spend money in Thai owned establishments only Chinese places are on the tour guide therefore no revenue to the Thai economy. The Farangs are the people you need to sustain your economy as they spend money, the Baht is too strong, devalue the Baht and stop being greedy then the Farang will return.

[Lupatria]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

So TAT says things are really good, while business owners say it is awful. Well, I know who I believe.

Let's wait for the TAT's response, probably something like this:

+++First temples closed after authorities fear for the safety of Chinese quality tourists in stampedes as they flock to the wats+++ 

[JHolmesJr]

2 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Pussy bars are finished that kind of tourist is not coming like they used to

Thank you for your service.

we need folks like you to deter more from coming to partake in our beautiful sport... and ruining it

by overpaying / acting clueless.

 

[sahibji]

2 hours ago, smedly said:

Everyone I talk to says they are fed up being ripped off with high bar prices, there are areas in Pattaya that are the same although some of the busy bars are starting to realise and have actually reduced prices down from what they were last year, bar owners need to ask themselves - would they rather have a busy bar selling hundreds of beers at 60baht or an empty bar selling one beer an hour at 120baht   

Smedley I would go with your line of thinking. Rip offs leaves bad taste in the mouths of the victims and the word of mouth spreads fast, in this digital age. the old adage still holds good - we reap what you sow.

[soalbundy]

3 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

Families don't go to Go Go's

maybe papa does when everyone is asleep

[connda]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Where is everybody? Patong businesses suffering 'worst high season in 10 years' 

Farangs have been told in no uncertain terms that they are tolerated but are no longer sought after as a target demographic for tourism.  They seem to have received the message loud and clear. 

[Emdog]

You reap what you sow

TAT etc cannot wrap their collective heads around impact of social media. It used to be so easy to keep rip offs and all under wraps...

[gamini]

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Pussy bars are finished that kind of tourist is not coming like they used to

the main customers for these bars were "Brit" tourists. With the pound at 40 bt, they can't afford

them are many more

[phuketlive]

one big problem in patong is police hiding in streets at night to check people for alcohol... People ending up paying 10 000 or more to get away with it, so if even after 2 beers you get arrested, people will go somewhere else.

[geisha]

I thought Jomtien would liven up this week. Unfortunately for the business owners, not. There’s one or two live music bars that aren’t doing ok, but the rest, dismal. Thailand is old news, gone out of fashion. Back home in France, everyone I know says it’s too dangerous. They’re frightened to take a taxi anywhere. That, and the filthy sea water, well. Not to mention prices.

[Thechook]

The baht is at over inflated value which makes Thailand an expensive holiday destination