"They must have gone to the temples instead!" - Pattaya as dead as a dodo in the holidays

[webfact]

"They must have gone to the temples instead!" - Pattaya as dead as a dodo in the holidays

 

Picture: Sophon Cable TV

 

Sophon Cable TV were down at Jomtien beach yesterday wondering where all the tourists went. 

 

There was a two day holiday but virtually no tourists - certainly nothing like last years Buddhist holiday double header. 

 

As local shops and pubs went dry due to an alcohol ban deckchair vendor Pongsak Uapongkarun suggested a reason for the lack of visitors:

 

"It looks like they have gone to the temples and places where there are religious festivals. The families are certainly not coming to the beach. It's 50% down on last year". 

 

He also took aim at the world economy for taking away his livelihood. 

 

Speedboat operator Uthit Attasaengsee painted an even greater picture of gloom. No one was taking recreational trips on his boat and business was down 80% year on year he reckoned. 

 

He called on someone, somewhere to do something about it. 

 

No one suggested who that might be. 

 

Source: Sophon Cable TV

 

 

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[keith101]

They should talk to TAT who keep saying tourist numbers are up .

[Mickc]

I was there last week, there was but a handful of tourists around the beach and restaurants. I ate with my wife opposite the beach with hardly a tourist in sight... now, given the price that we paid for our food the experience was extremely underwhelming... poor service in restaurant (we were the only ones in it) the beach STINKS to high heaven, my thai wife complained about it more than I did, the sea was brown all this whilst being harrassed by street vendors... I live here and I love Thailand, but for what I paid I can go elsewhere, pay less and have a better overall experience. They need to realise, it's not that people aren't coming... people are not coming back.. westerners are not tolerant of certain conditions especially when your $ doesnt go as far.

[RotBenz8888]

Our Thai friends choose to travel abroad instead because the baht is strong. And they've been to Pattaya plenty of times, just a boring experience. Myself, I would never take my family to that dirty scam.

[PatOngo]

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

No one suggested who that might be. 

He could always try praying to Lord Baht and making some merit, that might work!

[mikebell]

I tried to dine out last night, notwithstanding the fact I couldn't buy a G & T or have a glass of wine with my meal.  ALL my favourite restaurants were closed.  Looks like many tourists will suffer an unforgettable holiday in Thailand and tell all of their friends.

It's not just the property owning laws which are racist and medieval.

[Peterw42]

Not sure what this has to do with tourist numbers. 16th and 17th is a Thai religious holiday. Why would there all of a sudden be more or less tourists. If there were no tourists on the 15th, there wont be anymore on the 16th.

The same amout of Thais are still here, whether they choose to go to the beach is up to them.

 

Not really following the logic, there are no thais at the beach on a thai holiday so therefore tourist numbers are down.

[bert bloggs]

Sukhumvit was jock a block ,so some people were driving here yesterday afternoon .gave up trying to get to Makro n pattaya ,so went down railway rd to the one in s pattaya .

[sammieuk1]

At least the beach turned back up by the look of it ????

[pokerface1]

I know there are many people who hate crowded beaches. There loving it now 555

 

 

[bluesofa]

27 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

He could always try praying to Lord Baht and making some merit, that might work!

Credit where it's due.

[ChipButty]

Might have something to do with the prices of them boat trips especially here in Phuket

[overherebc]

22 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Not sure what this has to do with tourist numbers. 16th and 17th is a Thai religious holiday. Why would there all of a sudden be more or less tourists. If there were no tourists on the 15th, there wont be anymore on the 16th.

The same amout of Thais are still here, whether they choose to go to the beach is up to them.

 

Not really following the logic, there are no thais at the beach on a thai holiday so therefore tourist numbers are down.

Easter weekend in UK is a religious holiday and it seems everybody and their brother hits the coast, depending on the weather. ????????

[JayBird]

He needs to adjust his business model to cater to the changing demographic of visitors.

What would the influx of Indians want?

[marcusarelus]

51 minutes ago, Mickc said:

I was there last week, there was but a handful of tourists around the beach and restaurants. I ate with my wife opposite the beach with hardly a tourist in sight... now, given the price that we paid for our food the experience was extremely underwhelming... poor service in restaurant (we were the only ones in it) the beach STINKS to high heaven, my thai wife complained about it more than I did, the sea was brown all this whilst being harrassed by street vendors... I live here and I love Thailand, but for what I paid I can go elsewhere, pay less and have a better overall experience. They need to realise, it's not that people aren't coming... people are not coming back.. westerners are not tolerant of certain conditions especially when your $ doesnt go as far.

As a savvy restaurant guy here's some advice.  Never eat at a restaurant with a view as you will be paying for the view and not the food.  I found my last time in Pattaya the food good at the newest mall - Terminal 21 and no one bothered us while we ate.  

[Puchaiyank]

Pattaya has had it's heyday...even Thais find the place disagreeable...why spend more baht to promote a wasteland...?

[CGW]

3 minutes ago, RobboR said:

You can't beat eating by the sea (in a decent area) with the views, the breeze & the buzz of people.

Finding a "decent area" where you wont have to listen to the roar of Motorcycle, truck & cars exhausts and have to breathe in the resulting pollutants is the problem though, need more pedestrian zones where the "law" is actually enforced - & then we get into another subject -as we all know by now that isn't going to happen! ???? 

[essox essox]

30 minutes ago, JayBird said:

He needs to adjust his business model to cater to the changing demographic of visitors.

What would the influx of Indians want?

they want good curry eateries at reasonable prices...

 

[marcusarelus]

12 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Pattaya has had it's heyday...even Thais find the place disagreeable...why spend more baht to promote a wasteland...?

Every time I go it's packed with Thai people and cars with Bangkok plates.  

[ChipButty]

2 minutes ago, essox essox said:

they want good curry eateries at reasonable prices...

 

Indian food in Thailand is expensive

[marcusarelus]

8 minutes ago, RobboR said:

I hate eating in malls, depressingly sterile with absolutely no atmosphere. 

You can't beat eating by the sea (in a decent area) with the views, the breeze & the buzz of people.

Since I've lived here I rarely eat inside.

Different strokes.  I don't like the bugs, rats and vendors and smoke and prices for the view not the food.   Have you eaten at Terminal 21 or are you just quoting your stereotypical views?

[marcusarelus]

1 minute ago, ChipButty said:

Indian food in Thailand is expensive

Depends on where you go - many posts about it - do some research.  

[ChipButty]

3 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Different strokes.  I don't like the bugs, rats and vendors and smoke and prices for the view not the food.   Have you eaten at Terminal 21 or are you just quoting your stereotypical views?

I think the food court in Terminal 21 Bangkok is great, not been in the Pattaya one

[petemoss]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He also took aim at the world economy for taking away his livelihood. 

He didn't mention the knob who banned smoking on the beach then. Used to regularly hire a rake of deckchairs in Jomtien and enjoy a day on the beach with my family. Haven't done it once since the smoking ban. I had the curtesy to go and tell our regular vendor the reason why we wouldn't be visiting her again, lovely lady, really miss her. The only reply I got was one of those sick fake smiles. som nam na.

[LivinLOS]

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

Not sure what this has to do with tourist numbers. 16th and 17th is a Thai religious holiday. Why would there all of a sudden be more or less tourists. If there were no tourists on the 15th, there wont be anymore on the 16th.

The same amout of Thais are still here, whether they choose to go to the beach is up to them.

 

Not really following the logic, there are no thais at the beach on a thai holiday so therefore tourist numbers are down.

Many workers have time off work.. So they would normally go to the beach.. This is about domestic tourism. Its not all about the mighty westerner.. 

 

Whats not to understand. 

[Puchaiyank]

20 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Every time I go it's packed with Thai people and cars with Bangkok plates.  

What you have witnessed is a mass exodus...????

[petemoss]

Just now, LivinLOS said:

Many workers have time off work.. So they would normally go to the beach.. This is about domestic tourism. Its not all about the mighty westerner.. 

 

Whats not to understand. 

Where I used to sit, in Jomtien, there were as many Thais sat around me as farangs. More at weekends. More Thais smoked than farangs. Now, no Thais, no farangs, go figure.

[KhunBENQ]

Less Thai tourists?

Have they taken into account that in 2018 there was a four(!) day long weekend (Fri 27, 2018 to Mon 30). This year the general was not generous. No extra holiday on Monday 15.

So two days at best and starting on a Tuesday. Not many Bangkokians might have taken the trip for that.

 

[Uptooyoo]

It's actually quite pleasant. I've got the privilege of laying my towel anywhere I want. No noisy jet-skis droning up and down the beach all day, no people tripping over me. I like the "new normal."

[ianezy0]

1 hour ago, JayBird said:

What would the influx of Indians want?

Why 5 straws and a bottle of coke of course. Not that you would make much money selling straws.