Thai tourism in trouble: And competitor Vietnam is "scary" for Pattaya

[pattayadude]

25 minutes ago, JaiLai said:

Phillipinos F sounds like P, so if they tell you they’re going to eat fish it’s very amusing.

Their accent annoys me but yes their level of English is very very good.

I’ve found the women are more ‘sexual’ there as well but no where near as pretty imo.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

trapic instead of traffic ????. Beauty is in the eye of beholder but facts are facts. miss world/universe is a pinay every 3 years or so..is that a coincidence? by the way i hang out in regular night clubs in Manila, something pattaya doesnt have.These are 5 star clubs, no shorts no garbage people. You can't believe the amount of 9s and 10s in those clubs. many are mixed filipino-american beauties. I agree that Thai have their own beauties but language barrier kills everything for me. maybe I'm just tired of dealing with prostitutes only interested in my pocket.

I did have my fun years in pats and bkk before the coup but things went downhill after 2014

 

[JamJar]

3 hours ago, pattayadude said:

you are absolutely correct. I have been in and out of thailand the last 20 years and I have always complained about Thai attitude being rough, arrogant, loud, condescending and even violent at times towards farangs and this is about both, their men AND their women! Maybe the $hit finally hit the fan and visitors/farangs finally realized this and decided they ain't coming back.

too much more can be said on this topic but I should stop here since I left Thailand a while ago and now living in the Philippines/the actual "Land of Smiles"  and very happy to live among people who are MUCH friendlier, easy to communicate with and where life is less expensive in general. The women are sweet,friendly, romantic and one can actually have long conversations with them. On a final note, they love to sing in your ear any song between 1950s and 2019 IN ENGLISH and they are perfect with the lyrics.  These are things Thailand lacked during my entire stay and I was not even aware of it.

 

In other news; https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/10/04/gunmen-abductelderly-british-man-filipino-wife-beach-resort/

[pattayadude]

4 minutes ago, JamJar said:

 

In other news; https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/10/04/gunmen-abductelderly-british-man-filipino-wife-beach-resort/

I have been in and out of thailand the last 20 years and I have always complained about Thai attitude being rough, arrogant, loud, condescending and even violent at times towards farangs and this is about both, their men AND their women! Maybe the $hit finally hit the fan and visitors/farangs finally realized this and decided they ain't coming back.

too much more can be said on this topic but I should stop here since I left Thailand a while ago and now living in the Philippines/the actual "Land of Smiles"  and very happy to live among people who are MUCH friendlier, easy to communicate with and where life is less expensive in general. The women are sweet,friendly, romantic and one can actually have long conversations with them. On a final note, they love to sing in your ear any song between 1950s and 2019 IN ENGLISH and they are perfect with the lyrics.  These are things Thailand lacked during my entire stay and I was not even aware of it.

[pattayadude]

11 minutes ago, JamJar said:

 

In other news; https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/10/04/gunmen-abductelderly-british-man-filipino-wife-beach-resort/

Edited October 5, 2019 by pattayadude

[Leaver]

23 hours ago, fhickson said:

 

 

wont save things though. once momentum gets going reversing it is all but impossible.

 

 

 

 

Correct.  Once you lose some of your market share, very difficult to get it back. 

[lapamita]

19 hours ago, pattayadude said:

I left Thailand a while ago and now living in the Philippines/the actual "Land of Smiles"  and very happy to live among people who are MUCH friendlier, 

....until you walk the first side street...

 

i was many time in the philis, first already 30yr ago.

no alternative for Thailand ( sad about that!)

Reason

Crimes , Food, lack of infrstructure ( fom net,hotels,to living) and sure for many Duarte

 

Alternativ maybe for people fall in love,until they wake up...beofre had same thoughts when meet a pretty, but quick i think back on the facts..and no thxs

 

and than the laws simmilar under franco in spain until the 70s:

 

criminal offense
wild marriage
adultery
abortion

[DrTuner]

21 hours ago, pattayadude said:

You can't believe the amount of 9s and 10s in those clubs. many are mixed filipino-american beauties.

9's and 10's are nice to look at but basically lethal to mix with for any time longer than horizontal mambo number five.

 

 

8 1/2's are the long term keepers.

[DrTuner]

13 hours ago, lapamita said:

and than the laws simmilar under franco in spain until the 70s:

 

criminal offense
wild marriage
adultery
abortion

That's no surprise, given the history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Philippines#Spanish_settlement_and_rule_(1565–1898)

[Ron jeremy]

On September 24, 2019 at 12:47 AM, Leaver said:

I can only put it down to either a language barrier, or they have been ordered from above to leave foreigners alone.

 

Either way, I have never been stopped when on the roads there.  Admittedly, I don't speed, I wear a helmet, and do not ride whilst drunk, yet, have seen Vietnamese pulled in, whilst I have always been waved through.

 

Vietnam is a corrupt country, but from what I have seen there, their corruption isn't racist based, unlike Thailand.  ????

I can back this up, never been hassled by the cops, waved thru.

 

[Leaver]

23 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

I can back this up, never been hassled by the cops, waved thru.

 

I slow right down for the check points, actually trying to be waved in, not that speed.  No matter how hard I try, I just can't get waved in.  Perhaps I'll just pull into a check point one day, just for the experience.  ???? 

 

Totally different to Thailand, where foreigners are waved in, while Thai's committing offenses ride pass. 

[Leaver]

On 10/6/2019 at 2:12 PM, lapamita said:

Crimes , Food, lack of infrstructure ( fom net,hotels,to living) and sure for many Duarte

I haven't been to The Philippines for some years, but from what I have seen in the media, for sure the president has drastically reduced drug related crime.  

 

On 10/6/2019 at 2:12 PM, lapamita said:

....until you walk the first side street...

 

Have you ever been to the villages in Issan?  Very poor. 

 

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, Leaver said:

Have you ever been to the villages in Issan?  Very poor. 

Philippines takes it to another level.

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Philippines takes it to another level.

No electric.  No running water.  No proper housing. Poor is poor, and Thailand and The Philippines both have their share. 

[BritManToo]

On 10/6/2019 at 10:12 AM, lapamita said:

....until you walk the first side street...

I always used to walk through the Barrio between the airport and the Victory Line bus station.

Usually very late at night or early morning.

The elderly locals would all be sitting outside their slum dwellings as I walked by .... "hello Sir, enjoy your stay" they would smile and shout as I went past. All very friendly.

[Rimmer]

Off topic posts trying to hijack the topic have been removed also replies

[Leaver]

On 10/5/2019 at 6:28 PM, pattayadude said:

These are things Thailand lacked during my entire stay and I was not even aware of it.

Many are too afraid, or lazy, to get out of their comfort zone in Thailand, to have a look over the other side of the fence.  If they did, they may just find the grass is greener for them. 

[Leaver]

On 9/21/2019 at 9:32 AM, TMNH said:

Without being deragatory, Thai people have no clue nor have any initiative to change anything. Perhaps younger people get it, yet the bottom line is that most look the other way.

The Thai's have tried to change things, however, this just causes yet another military coup, and the power goes back to the ruling Thai elite. 

 

Thailand is a dictatorship, disguised as a democracy. 

[Bastos60]

On 7/23/2019 at 6:31 AM, Metapod said:

Exchange rate is bad, costs are going up, visas are getting a lot harder to get, and more competitive alternatives are arising.

 

it isn't really surprising stuff. Thailand ain't that cheap anymore. Aussie dollar is like 21.7 thb these days. A lot of things are cheaper back in Aus now,

I hear you there.

During my early years of travelling to thailand, I bought a lot of stuff in Thailand myself as it was cheaper, usually came with half a suitcase empty and leaving 
with a full one. 
Now all my brand clothes I buy at home as it is cheaper.

[Leaver]

On 10/14/2019 at 8:09 PM, Bastos60 said:

I hear you there.

During my early years of travelling to thailand, I bought a lot of stuff in Thailand myself as it was cheaper, usually came with half a suitcase empty and leaving 
with a full one. 
Now all my brand clothes I buy at home as it is cheaper.

It's not all about the exchange rate.  There are other factors that effect prices here.  One example is the tax on wine here, which is now at a ridiculous level. 

[scubascuba3]

It's not all about the exchange rate.  There are other factors that effect prices here.  One example is the tax on wine here, which is now at a ridiculous level. 

Often it's a good thing, unhealthy stuff seems to have high tax such as wine and get fat quick farang food

[Leaver]

23 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

23 hours ago, Leaver said:

It's not all about the exchange rate.  There are other factors that effect prices here.  One example is the tax on wine here, which is now at a ridiculous level. 

Often it's a good thing, unhealthy stuff seems to have high tax such as wine and get fat quick farang food

If a tourist destination wants to attract higher end tourists, alcohol abuse is not really an issue. 

 

Alcohol is cheaper in Vietnam, and not just beer, also for top shelf spirits and wine.  Some of this is simply because the cost of living is cheaper in Vietnam, but in many cases, Vietnam has less taxes on alcohol. 

[scubascuba3]

If a tourist destination wants to attract higher end tourists, alcohol abuse is not really an issue. 
 
Alcohol is cheaper in Vietnam, and not just beer, also for top shelf spirits and wine.  Some of this is simply because the cost of living is cheaper in Vietnam, but in many cases, Vietnam has less taxes on alcohol. 

Higher end tourists won't worry about the price of wine etc

[DrTuner]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

2 hours ago, Leaver said:

If a tourist destination wants to attract higher end tourists, alcohol abuse is not really an issue. 
 
Alcohol is cheaper in Vietnam, and not just beer, also for top shelf spirits and wine.  Some of this is simply because the cost of living is cheaper in Vietnam, but in many cases, Vietnam has less taxes on alcohol. 

Higher end tourists won't worry about the price of wine etc

It's still a factor. Even when you can afford whatever you want, you'll feel like an idiot paying inflated prices. It's not the big income but low expenses that create wealth.

[KhunFred]

All they have to do is "rethink" and do another 180 on policy. They should be experts at it by now. Meanwhile, the old mantra is "their country, their laws". When they need money, things can change rather quickly. Expats can make them hurt if they leave en masse.

[scubascuba3]

It's not the big income but low expenses that create wealth.

That's one way of looking at it. If you are low expenses then you aren't a high end tourist

[DrTuner]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

That's one way of looking at it. If you are low expenses then you aren't a high end tourist

 

Ah ok yes you are right, that's how Thais define it. Big spender = high end tourist. The two week millionaires of yesteryear were top shelf tourists.

[Leaver]

22 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

23 hours ago, Leaver said:

If a tourist destination wants to attract higher end tourists, alcohol abuse is not really an issue. 
 
Alcohol is cheaper in Vietnam, and not just beer, also for top shelf spirits and wine.  Some of this is simply because the cost of living is cheaper in Vietnam, but in many cases, Vietnam has less taxes on alcohol. 

Higher end tourists won't worry about the price of wine etc

Possibly, but many will know a rip off when they see one, and may refuse to pay on principle. 

[Leaver]

17 hours ago, KhunFred said:

All they have to do is "rethink" and do another 180 on policy. They should be experts at it by now. Meanwhile, the old mantra is "their country, their laws". When they need money, things can change rather quickly. Expats can make them hurt if they leave en masse.

Many western tourists are detouring Thailand for nearby countries in the region, mainly, Vietnam. 

 

Many expats chose to stay in Thailand, but I can see that many have changed their spending habits and are living more like lower income Thai's. 

 

Of the expats that may chose to check out Vietnam, they will discover they can maintain their higher standard of living there, for the same money as living lower end here.

[moontang]

9 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Possibly, but many will know a rip off when they see one, and may refuse to pay on principle. 

Exactly, same with the craft beer farce(s).  A friend, with deep pockets went to the now defunct Beer Republic in CM.. he was outraged.. OTOH, we went to an outdoor venue with Tiger Beer cheaper than Makro, and he had a blast. Kind of like all the empty airport venues.. Plenty of high wealth thirsty, hungry people, but most got that way by not being a sucker for ripoff.  Wine and cigars are a ripoff, here, period, make no mistake about it.  And that is just the tip of the (rotten) rice stockpile. 

Edited October 18, 2019 by moontang

[DrTuner]

5 hours ago, moontang said:

Exactly, same with the craft beer farce(s).  A friend, with deep pockets went to the now defunct Beer Republic in CM.. he was outraged.. OTOH, we went to an outdoor venue with Tiger Beer cheaper than Makro, and he had a blast. 

Yeah, one of my main gripes. I really like craft beers and often choose a restaurant because they have them, especially Jim's Burgers & Beer is excellent in Pattaya. But it does reduce the enjoyment when the prices are 250-350b/pint, you just feel a bit ripped off. Not their fault, it's the stupid import taxes and laws that effectively prevent small local breweries from selling.