India is the answer! Indians flood Walking Street after bad week for Pattaya

[petemoss]

1 minute ago, sahibji said:

name me a place where scams do not happen.

Pattaya. ????

[jmccarty]

Those Indian diaspora are a good bunch of people. Perhaps they can make a few baht off of the groups on the way!  Lovely to turn Walking Street into a Bollywood movie set!  That should attract people from India to see and experience.

[petemoss]

4 minutes ago, gamini said:

I would wish for many more Indians to visit Thailand. They are a lot better than the trashy farangs who visit Pattaya. They dont get drunk and get into fights and they dress decentley! 

The Indians being talked about in this thread are traders, who arrive in groups of 4 or 5. They dress like tramps, don't get drunk because 4 guys sharing one beer all night don't get drunk. They don't get into fights because they are useless at fighting - and they know it.

[petemoss]

2 minutes ago, jmccarty said:

Those Indian diaspora are a good bunch of people. Perhaps they can make a few baht off of the groups on the way!  Lovely to turn Walking Street into a Bollywood movie set!  That should attract people from India to see and experience.

It's been done before, both Pattaya and Bangkok have been used as backdrops for Bollywood movies.

[Isaanbiker]

  India will soon take over Lieland. 

 

[sahibji]

21 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

10-11 years ago if you sat in a beer bar on Walking Street and watched the endless stream of people going by, you'd have noticed that probably 95(+) % of the tourists were "white" (Euro, Scandinavian, Canadian, Australian American, ect). Seeing an Indian or Arab was a rare thing (outside of the "Arab quarter" at least) and an Asian tour group ? Wow - people would stop and stare because it wasn't something you saw very often.

The bars and go-gos would be packed. The owners (and staff) would be giddy with about the money they were making.

 

Most of my Thai friends at the time owned various businesses - restaurants, bars, hotels. One had a small gold shop. One had a motorcycle shop.

All of them had a Harley (which is how we got to know each other). We'd ride all over the city to different places and often end up parking outside a go-go bar owned by one of the guys. Then we'd go up and down Walking Street visiting different bars/go-gos until the wee hours of the morning.
Every week or so we'd make a trip somewhere (Koh Chang or Rayong or to some Bike Week event upcountry).

There was a distinct "trickle down" effect from all that business. The businesses were making money, the owners were making money, the staff were making money and the businesses that those people frequented were making money, from noodle shops to karaoke bars to motorcycle shops and of course, gold shops.

But then the "demographic" started to change. TAT (I presume) started aiming their promotions at Russia more than Europe/N America and when the Russians stopped coming, they started going after the Indians and Chinese.

All they were looking for was an increase in number of "arrivals" - regardless of whether or not those "arrivals" were actually spending anything. They soon started finding out what a "zero dollar" tourist was (one who pays for their trip back home and literally doesn't spend a penny in the country they are visiting). 

So they saw an increase in the number of arrivals - but never noticed that all those shop/bar/hotel/restaurant owners were complaining that they were losing business big time, as those new arrivals (mostly from China and India) were not-spending-money !

Most of my friends ended up selling off their Harleys (the luxury items are the first to go) and some even ended up selling their businesses as they just weren't making money anymore. Tons of people on the street - walking past half empty (or worse) bars, restaurants and go-gos. Where one motorcycle club had 20+ business owners with Harleys, now I think there are 3 remaining.

Replacing 2 caucasian tourists that might spend 2,000 a night each on food, drink and "fun" with 6-8 people that might spend a total of 200 a night (or less) isn't going to help the economy. 
4 caucasian tourists renting hotel rooms for 1,000/night each or 4(+) people sharing one room for the same price ? Which sounds better to the business owner I wonder ?

I've sat in bars and go-gos that had Indian customers and spent more in an hour than the Indians did all night (at that place at least). I watched one guy sit in a go-go for nearly 2 hours and when he finally left (after none of the girls would sit with him anymore) his small glass of draft beer was still half full (but no doubt very warm and flat by then). That was the only drink he'd bought the whole time. Meanwhile my bill was something like 1,700 in the same period.

Gee - I wonder who the bar owners would prefer as customers ? There is a very good reason why so many "club's" charge an admittance (or "membership") fee before letting any Indians in. It is because that is the only way they will make any money off of them as they will probably only buy a single drink (one drink - even if there are 3-4 of them) and nurse that for 2 hours.
I was sitting next to the owner of a beer bar on Walking Street when a group of 6 Indians stopped in. One spoke to a waitress who directed him to the owner. The guy came over and said that because he'd brought a group of 5 with him, maybe they could get a discount on the draft beer. (I think the cheapest beer was something like 60 baht a glass at the time). He was trying to barter it down to 50 baht - but they only wanted 2 glasses !

Between the 6 of them !

The owner said no as he already had the cheapest price on the street, so they all left to go try somewhere else !

 

I've watched tour groups of Chinese go into a go-go bar. Each person had a choice of either a beer or a coke (as a part of the tour package). They'd sit for an hour then leave - without spending a penny or giving a single tip or anything. I spent more in the one hour than the entire group of 30+ tourists and I wasn't even trying !

Increasing the numbers of people that aren't spending money is not going to help anyone. It may make the airport numbers look good but it's not helping the economy at all.

(And yes, I have visited India a couple times - short trips though. I also spent 10 years working with a lot of Indians (and Nepalese) in Afghanistan. Most of them were nice enough but if they thought they could get away with **** they'd try it in the blink of an eye.)

If TAT started targeting their promotions back to the "caucasian" countries, they might see a drop in the numbers of arrivals (as fewer Chinese/Indians arrive) but would probably see a large boost in the tourist spending portion of the economy. The trickle down effect of that reaches all the way into the darkest corners of Isaan as most of you no doubt know already !  ????

Will they ever go back to trying to lure the "rich(er)" Westerners back while reducing the numbers of "cheap charlies" they are currently targeting ? Probably not for years to come. You'd need a whole new generation of people in charge that realize that quantity doesn't mean better than quality (when it comes to the spending habits of tourists at least - hard to say that any of them are "quality" in any way) !

But of course, those "richer" Westerners also come with a lot of baggage, much of which Thailand wants to keep out. However, they (the "authorities") probably don't want to admit that the hordes of Chinese/Indian tourists they are bringing in also come with a lot of baggage. I've met a few and these days I try to stay as far away from them as I can.

 

kerryd Westerners "richer"? who are you kidding?

[Jiggo]

7 hours ago, ezzra said:

Once there the europeans who flooded Pattaya, then there were those Russians, than came the Chinese and now the Indians, as Thailand is desperate for those tourist's dollars, i wonder who's going to be next...

All in a country run by Cowboys

[Scouse123]

6 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

Dont know ,how low can you go? mind you it depends where the Indians come from ,i find the Hindu people and the Sikhs quite nice .

 

Let's be honest, they were all Indians at one time, just of different faiths and as usual religion caused the problem leading to the formation of Pakistan and then Bangladesh.

 

The Hindus and Sikhs as you refer to, and I am sure you know, tend to mix more socially and drink alcohol, go to bars and restaurants and nightclubs. The Muslims, unless in Pattaya and the like,...... don't!

 

Anyway, I will leave that area alone as the post is about the Indians and tourism.

 

The one major point I find ridiculous reading on here are figures released by the Thai ' powers-that-be '' running and reporting tourism in the country.

 

As most of us already know, business and tourism as a business, have peaks and troughs and are affected by a myriad of outside factors and forces constantly at work, of which the country has no power over. These include the global outlook such as oil prices and recessions in countries, the US-China tensions, European fiasco, Brexit etc. and so it goes on.

 

Therefore, to start producing and revising tourist statistics monthly is a complete waste of time and a nonsense. To form any kind of statistical graph that is of any use at all, you need at least to be comparing this year with the previous two or three years. This year hasn't even got underway yet and it could just be a late start.It could be the long forecast Apocalypse that folk have been predicting coming home to roost.

 

People might finally have got the message that their tourist cash is wanted, tourists are not.

 

Nobody knows yet.

 

These weekly knee jerk articles released by TAT and the likes are just not worthy of peoples attention.

 

 

 

[Rimmer]

A vulgar post and reply have been removed

[sambum]

"Doctor, I'm in trouble" - "Well goodness gracious me"

 

Indian tourists? The cure to all ills?

 

[nobodysfriend]

4 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

  

   You can't always get what you want. 

but you can try sometimes ...?

[andre47]

7 hours ago, ezzra said:

Once there the europeans who flooded Pattaya, then there were those Russians, than came the Chinese and now the Indians, as Thailand is desperate for those tourist's dollars, i wonder who's going to be next...

It remains only.....

Aliens ????

[Thaifriends]

Actually Europeans now dont have much money to spend so the Indian bashing is sheer jelousy. Some wrote pathetic comments. All the bagpackers are mainly Europeans. Buy 1 beer 1 person but sit on it for an hour or more. Then try to prey on bar girls, many end up marrying them.

 

So its just racist comments from many of these low level expats.

[sambum]

26 minutes ago, sahibji said:

kerryd Westerners "richer"? who are you kidding?

I think the fact that kerryd posted "richer" in inverted commas meant richer in the context of comparison with the groups of Indians ordering one beer and 6 straws!

[Kadilo]

If i wanted to go on holiday to Mumbai I would go to ...........Birmingham. 

[geoffbezoz]

48 minutes ago, gamini said:

I would wish for many more Indians to visit Thailand. They are a lot better than the trashy farangs who visit Pattaya. They dont get drunk and get into fights and they dress decentley! 

Well let's hope a gang rape by Indians never happens in Pattaya,  something that is commonplace currently in India.  You are also certainy unaware of the facts aren't you regarding drunkenness

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/jun/13/india-drinking-problem-alcohol-abuse-fuels-violence-women-and-girls

[Millcx]

7 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

Be careful what you wish for, Thailand. 

I can only sit and hurt my sides laughing at this propaganda ... Wise up and smell the coffee .. The editor checking these stories needs to be castrated .... The high baht amongst other draconian red tape is destroying Thailand as a tourist destination ... Bollywood for 2 hours doesn’t cut the mustard

[johng50]

7 hours ago, kaiyaibob said:

At least Indians like the ladies and like a drink  ... that is 5 men like 1 lady and 5 guys like 1 bottle of whiskey and buy their own water dont forget the free pool games and look for free.. enjoy what you wish for Thailand 

Looks like the chinese have got the arse, TAT dont even mention them

anymore, so they bring over 200 odd indians, take them to walking street,

parade them like they are gods and bingo, tourism will be fixed. Next i wonder

if india will get orders for submarines and fast trains, (little do TAT know that

indians are tighter than a fishes <deleted> with their money, worse than the

chinese).

[Millcx]

7 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

If i wanted to go on holiday to Mumbai I would go to ...........Birmingham. 

Cheaper “;0)

[justin case]

thais look down on indian, even have a special insult word for them

[SupermarineS6B]

Ha ha haa ha ha ah....... Both feet and both barrells !   Talk about dumb !  And all because of some Somchai with little willie syndrome...... Good luck La la land.........

[Cake Monster]

Loan Sharking will really take off when they get there feet under the table.

[moto77]

I suspect this will have to opposite effect on everyone that isn't Indian though. Lets face it, if tourists wanted to see this, they'd be headed to Delhi in droves. 
 
Again, I do feel sorry for those of you who didn't manage to get off this ship before it sunk. 
 

[rwill]

8 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Commenting on last night's scene poster Pornchai Rojsattarat said: "Walking Street was like walking in Mumbai".

Where are the roaming cattle?

[BestB]

2 hours ago, Matzzon said:

Same good thing as you obviously are here to spit out nonsense, myths and to post things that are not understandable. What means: "It’s a good thing you sure just do not know"? Never heard such expression before.

Myths? Do tell more, as you are an expert , please educate 

[BestB]

1 hour ago, petemoss said:

The Indians being talked about in this thread are traders, who arrive in groups of 4 or 5. They dress like tramps, don't get drunk because 4 guys sharing one beer all night don't get drunk. They don't get into fights because they are useless at fighting - and they know it.

I also wish more of them would come . At least then when I offer 500 for 1 guy she would be super excited instead of getting 500 to do 5 guys????

[moto77]

  1 hour ago, gamini said:

Quote

I would wish for many more Indians to visit Thailand. They are a lot better than the trashy farangs who visit Pattaya. They dont get drunk and get into fights and they dress decentley! 

 

You'll need MANY MANY more Indians to make up the shortfall in revenue. Indians try to bargain in 7-11. 
And I'm not being racist--I've seen it happen. 

[JRUSA]

8 hours ago, ezzra said:

Once there the europeans who flooded Pattaya, then there were those Russians, than came the Chinese and now the Indians, as Thailand is desperate for those tourist's dollars, i wonder who's going to be next...

Martians 

[jacko45k]

So are they saying the solution to their woes is less discerning tourists?

[Dr Rodrigues Pereira]

Pattaya ??? As tacky as it can get ! I remember once going for a couple of days staying at the (then) new Sheraton Hotel BEACH Resort. I detected one single problem : there was no beach ???? Ab Fab !