Pattaya Songkran: Hotel bookings well down as tourists stay away

 

Picture: Sophon Cable

 

Sophon Cable TV painted a grim picture of tourism in Pattaya at Songkran. 

 

But at least they have "SONGRANZONIC" - even if it comes when most people have stopped celebrating the holidays.

 

The Thais are not coming to Pattaya. 

 

The Europeans are not bothering as it's low season.

 

Picture: Sophon Cable

 

Even the Chinese are staying away. 

 

But the tourism authorities have a cunning plan up their sleeves - it's called "SONGKRANZONIC" and will be held at a water park.

 

Taking place on April 19 and 20 this might save the day!

 

Picture: Sophon Cable

 

Sophon spoke to the head of the local chamber of commerce and tourism leader Ekkasit Ngampichet who recounted a tale of doom and gloom.

 

He said that hotel bookings on average for Songkran were at 60% capacity, well down on expectations. 

 

He said that Thai tourists were clearly planning on trips to their hometowns rather than holidays in Pattaya.

 

Or they were even choosing to go abroad rather than visit the eastern seaboard. 

 

Worse still it was low season for Europeans. 

 

And even the Chinese were not coming in the numbers expected. 

 

The only hope was that there might be some last minute bookings, admittedly a newer trend and characteristic of online hotel seekers. 

 

Still all was not lost, said Ekkasit - he has a short term plan.

 

This is an event called Songkranzonic that will be held at the Cartoon Network water park on April 19 and 20. 

 

 

With Pattaya celebrating the festival later than other areas of Thailand this is hoped to bring in a few Chinese tourists and get some hotels booked. 

 

But with Sophon not giving any precise details of what Songkranzonic is, it appeared a relatively forlorn hope. 

 

In their headline Sophon called Pattaya "ngoi" at the moment - this means in low spirits and listless. 

 

Source: Sophon Cable

 

I think the numbers are the same every Songkron- same number of tourists ( mostly single old fart fangs like me) & the young 14 yr-24 yr Thais invading Pattaya after they finish BKK & Chonburi Songkron 

Worse still it was low season for Europeans. 

Translation : We can only screw them over so many times

 

And even the Chinese were not coming in the numbers expected. 

Translation : We listened to TAT!! Never again!

 

Still all was not lost, said Ekkasit - he has a short term plan.

Translation : He has a bat-shit crazy idea.

 

 

Edited April 10, 20197 yr by Chelseafan

I think Ekkasit may need to study this.......................

Hang on a minute, where are all the families we hear so much about that just can't stay away from the World Class Resort?

I'm still astounded that tourists (other than those who want to get their end away) actually go to Pattaya - the beach sucks, the nightlife (if girlie bars aren't your thing) sucks and if you believe the media reports, it's full of violent taxi drivers. 

I love cunning plans but in Pattaya this often involves being swept out to sea????

Many are now in air bnb as it just gets bigger and impossible to control and at 3000 baht referral fee Ive already converted quite a few condo owners.

But who in their right minds would expose themselves to 10 days of ice water hammering from buckets ? It gets kind of old after day 3

But we have just been informed on a previous thread that spending will increase by 2% - So what's the problem?

1 hour ago, webfact said:

But with Sophon not giving any precise details of what Songkranzonic is,

Is it a medical condition ? possibly a mental one ..

Great I wouldnt know,  I am locked inside for 10 days. 

Next week there will be a press release saying that all the hotels are full

As a hotel owner of 12 years, i have to agree, its dead, Dead like i have never seen it before in past 12 years.

 

Usually at this time, my place is at about 80% capacity, today i am at 8% capacity.

 

Have dropped prices even further and still nothing

 

A few restaurants that i know, are closing for 10 days, which they have never done before.

 

So most definitely numbers are down and not little down, but seriously down

Looks wonderful - https://www.facebook.com/Songkranzonic/

how many sexpats are there in this world?  OK, maybe 4 billion.  Anyhow, no idiot needs to do this more than once.  and paying for sex isn't that cheap if you factor in currency rates, and then you might get AIDS and die, and who wants to be the 100th guy of the month, and everything is more expensive because they lookk at you like a sucker, and then everyone knows you are a sexpat......   and it's not very nice there anyhow.  

 

but we go there every year, me and my 19 kids and we walk around and hand out condoms...

 

1 hour ago, SammyT said:

I'm still astounded that tourists (other than those who want to get their end away) actually go to Pattaya - the beach sucks, the nightlife (if girlie bars aren't your thing) sucks and if you believe the media reports, it's full of violent taxi drivers. 

You may be "astounded" to know that Pattaya has 30+ international standard golf courses and many first class restaurants also, but appears your interests lie elsewhere? ????

1 hour ago, madmen said:

Many are now in air bnb as it just gets bigger and impossible to control and at 3000 baht referral fee Ive already converted quite a few condo owners.

But who in their right minds would expose themselves to 10 days of ice water hammering from buckets ? It gets kind of old after day 3

 

Use AirBnB and break the law.

2 minutes ago, CGW said:

You may be "astounded" to know that Pattaya has 30+ international standard golf courses and many first class restaurants also, but appears your interests lie elsewhere? ????

Clearly my interests don't lie elsewhere, otherwise I probably wouldn't have commented. 

 

So all those old men in soi 6 and 7 are here on golf trips?

8 minutes ago, puukao said:

how many sexpats are there in this world?  OK, maybe 4 billion.  Anyhow, no idiot needs to do this more than once.  and paying for sex isn't that cheap if you factor in currency rates, and then you might get AIDS and die, and who wants to be the 100th guy of the month, and everything is more expensive because they lookk at you like a sucker, and then everyone knows you are a sexpat......   and it's not very nice there anyhow.  

 

but we go there every year, me and my 19 kids and we walk around and hand out condoms...

 

Have you thought of applying to the Pattaya TAT in an advisory capacity?

 

Rooster

1 minute ago, SammyT said:

So all those old men in soi 6 and 7 are here on golf trips?

I have no idea, are they? you must frequent the area while I am on the golf course? 

When will they get the message, Thailand is now too expensive plus it has been made plainly obvious the people in power don't want any farangs living here - Outcome, no tourists.... QED

You just don't get it 

No tourists like your songkran it is out of control it is a war with water only the beerbar tourists and people on drugs come for playing this war 

 

There are other spots, more interesting and cheaper, to visit.

And the only thing needed after the decline of tourists is an exodus of retirees.

Well done, Thailand.

Poor people depending on tourism for a living.

This afternoon 10th April I saw first car covered in "white Songkran paste"   so this year  it will be 9 days of water throwing...maybe  tourists are not wanting to get wet for over a week !!!!

2 hours ago, madmen said:

It gets kind of old after day 3

It "gets old" after about 20 minutes  or the 4th or 5 ice bucket in the face whichever comes first.

1 hour ago, Phuketshrew said:

But we have just been informed on a previous thread that spending will increase by 2% - So what's the problem?

Yes well, they will probably do their normal trick- simply bump up all the prices so those that do visit compensate for those with more sense. They can never see it though, they keep ripping people off over and over again then wonder why no one comes back! Total stupidity.

Be honest I don't fancy Songkran in Pattaya. I spent NYE down on Patong Beach once....place was full of idiots. I don't fancy having an idiot throw water on me, it's not really any fun at all. Yes I'm an old fart with one foot in the grave....you can call me Victor if you like.

29 minutes ago, Henrik Andersen said:

You just don't get it 

No tourists like your songkran it is out of control it is a war with water only the beerbar tourists and people on drugs come for playing this war 

With or without tourists Songkan will still be celebrated - as it always has been, yes it has evolved into "war games" but that says a lot about Thai people these days. I live in an area where no tourists venture and it is war in all the small villages - they don't have a lot in their lives so happy to let them get on with it - I stay home. 

They forgot to mention & supply stats regarding exodus of expat retirees such as myself that have gotten the heck out of Dodge for the duration of this festiveness

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Hang on a minute, where are all the families we hear so much about that just can't stay away from the World Class Resort?

Come see them on April 19th.