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

[Rimmer]

A troll/baiting post has been removed

[Leaver]

On 12/2/2019 at 5:21 PM, KhunFred said:

My hope is that Vietnam will suck the economy of Thailand dry. Expats here have been bullied and mistreated in a manner that simply says: "we don't want you....GET OUT!!!"  All the farang oriented businesses will lay off employees right and left. The arrogance of Thai Immigration is a marvel to behold.

I do not hope Vietnam sucks Thailand's economy dry. 

 

My hope is Vietnam creates some competition for Thailand, so Thailand starts competing to offer a more value for money and pleasant holiday experience for tourists, and better treatment for expats, by way of visa regulations. 

[DrTuner]

1 hour ago, Leaver said:

My hope is Vietnam creates some competition for Thailand, so Thailand starts competing to offer a more value for money and pleasant holiday experience for tourists, and better treatment for expats, by way of visa regulations. 

What will happen is Thais will just continue as they are and do nothing, the country will continue on a downward spiral until it becomes completely irrelevant. We've seen how incapable of any change Thais are.

[Leaver]

On 12/5/2019 at 7:09 PM, DrTuner said:

What will happen is Thais will just continue as they are and do nothing, the country will continue on a downward spiral until it becomes completely irrelevant. We've seen how incapable of any change Thais are.

Sadly, I think you are correct. 

 

Nothing has been to date to stop the exodus, and bleed out of money.  Same Same the Nokia phone company.  Rested on its laurels, even while it was losing huge market share.

Edited December 9, 2019 by Leaver

[moontang]

Was watching one of the too many YouTubers.  He went to a Mexican Viet restaurant, paid 4.50 USD for a burrito and he said it tasted sweet and another example of TripAdvisor giving unreliable reviews.  Then he went to a nightclub, and paid 5.58 USD for a small bottle of Corona.  Wouldn't be a value in the US, even with wages 8-20 times higher.  Many are plain bitter about being forced out of Thailand, but no doubt all is not well in LOS, but communist Vietnam is hardly utopia.  I wish the YouTubers would at least stop acting like fairries.

[Leaver]

8 minutes ago, moontang said:

Was watching one of the too many YouTubers.  He went to a Mexican Viet restaurant, paid 4.50 USD for a burrito and he said it tasted sweet and another example of TripAdvisor giving unreliable reviews.  Then he went to a nightclub, and paid 5.58 USD for a small bottle of Corona.  Wouldn't be a value in the US, even with wages 8-20 times higher.  Many are plain bitter about being forced out of Thailand, but no doubt all is not well in LOS, but communist Vietnam is hardly utopia.  I wish the YouTubers would at least stop acting like fairries.

Corona is a fully imported beer.  He could have got a Tiger or San Mig beer, or similar, for a lot less.  Not a good comparison example. 

[moontang]

40 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Corona is a fully imported beer.  He could have got a Tiger or San Mig beer, or similar, for a lot less.  Not a good comparison example. 

So Vietnam does the import tax ripoffs, too...shocking.  I like tiger, brewed here in Nonthaburi, no tax stamp, but all you hear about are the nasty Thai beers.  I brought an out of town visitor a Heineken..she said let's try some Thai beer..I said, you just did, Sai Noi, Nonthaburi.  Now if only bozo the clown will make room on the shelves of Tesco for some tigers next to his 100 cases of Chang and leo...I will be a happier man.

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, moontang said:

So Vietnam does the import tax ripoffs, too...shocking.  I like tiger, brewed here in Nonthaburi, no tax stamp, but all you hear about are the nasty Thai beers.  I brought an out of town visitor a Heineken..she said let's try some Thai beer..I said, you just did, Sai Noi, Nonthaburi.  Now if only bozo the clown will make room on the shelves of Tesco for some tigers next to his 100 cases of Chang and leo...I will be a happier man.

Other factors to consider than just tax.  Transports costs, and the cost to the venue to have slow moving stock on hand. 

[moontang]

34 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Other factors to consider than just tax.  Transports costs, and the cost to the venue to have slow moving stock on hand. 

Retail beer prices are nearly identical, Nationwide in Thailand..50 km from the brewery or 1000 km..620 THB per case...for Tiger.  

[Leaver]

4 hours ago, moontang said:

Retail beer prices are nearly identical, Nationwide in Thailand..50 km from the brewery or 1000 km..620 THB per case...for Tiger.  

I thought we were discussing imported beer, namely, Corona.

 

Around 420 baht for a create of Tiger in Vietnam.  That's retail price. 

Edited December 9, 2019 by Leaver

[Dont confuse me]

I lived in the LoS for 6 years managed to sell up and get out a few years ago.

My wife wanted to visit so earlier this year we had 2 months there, she went off to see parents buffalo etc etc.

I went to Hua Hin I hardly recognized the place not one person who I use to knock about with was there! 

Before I went I was warned by mates who are in Cambodia that I would be in for a shock, they weren't wrong!

It's always been a toilet and corrupted but one put up with the cons because the pros substantially outweighed them.

That's no longer the case when I first went I was getting 72 THB to the pound we all know how the Baht is now.

I always said that Thailand is in for an almighty wake up call and now its arrived.

Of course tourists down should mean quality up again this is Asia and that just don't happen.

I personally don't think Thailand will ever recover ....you reap what you sow!

 

[moontang]

20 minutes ago, Leaver said:

I thought we were discussing imported beer, namely, Corona.

 

Around 420 baht for a create of Tiger in Vietnam.  That's retail price. 

Import beer is not less near the port..taxes are way more than transport, for imports or even domestic.

 

[moontang]

2 minutes ago, Dont confuse me said:

I lived in the LoS for 6 years managed to sell up and get out a few years ago.

My wife wanted to visit so earlier this year we had 2 months there, she went off to see parents buffalo etc etc.

I went to Hua Hin I hardly recognized the place not one person who I use to knock about with was there! 

Before I went I was warned by mates who are in Cambodia that I would be in for a shock, they weren't wrong!

It's always been a toilet and corrupted but one put up with the cons because the pros substantially outweighed them.

That's no longer the case when I first went I was getting 72 THB to the pound we all know how the Baht is now.

I always said that Thailand is in for an almighty wake up call and now its arrived.

Of course tourists down should mean quality up again this is Asia and that just don't happen.

I personally don't think Thailand will ever recover ....you reap what you sow!

 

His hin has always been an alternative to Pattaya, but has never really been the real Thailand.  Both places make me glad I live in Nonthaburi.  Went to KSR for an hour last week...was absolutely pathetic, to.plete with higher beer prices..90 for a large Chang...maybe not even cold..or 99 for Singha draft...dirty glass, dirty lines, old keg, again, would not get me excited in a place with wages many times higher.  

[Leaver]

7 minutes ago, moontang said:

Import beer is not less near the port..taxes are way more than transport, for imports or even domestic.

 

It thought it obvious I was talking about international transport, not domestic transport.  Mexico is a long way from both Thailand, and Vietnam.  ????

 

[moontang]

6 minutes ago, Leaver said:

It thought it obvious I was talking about international transport, not domestic transport.  Mexico is a long way from both Thailand, and Vietnam.  ????

 

It is still a nominal amount compared to the taxes collected..

[Leaver]

14 hours ago, moontang said:

It is still a nominal amount compared to the taxes collected..

I agree.  The other problem with your comparison is the nightclub. 

 

A comparison between the The Hilton Hotel chain, a Big Mac, and a liter of gasoline has been made for both countries, with Vietnam being cheaper, but the product being the same. 

 

A member pointed out the Hilton Hotel was not a good comparison when comparing the price of accommodation, and I accepted that. 

 

There are a lot of variables in nightclubs. 

[moontang]

The beer situation isn't as bad as many say it is in Thailand, nor is it as good as people say in Vietnam.  

[Leaver]

2 minutes ago, moontang said:

The beer situation isn't as bad as many say it is in Thailand, nor is it as good as people say in Vietnam.  

I would have to disagree. 

 

20,000 VND, which is around 25 baht, for Tiger beers, in an air conditioned venue, similar to what would be called a gentleman's club here, compared to average 80 baht Tiger beers in a covered, but outdoor venue, is quite a difference. 

 

Go to a typical Vietnamese place, called a beer hoi, a Tiger beer is around 15,000 VND, which is around 20 baht.

 

Drink draught beer in a beer hoi and it's something like 10 baht a handle. 

[3NUMBAS]

south america is better value these days ,,falangs have moved on ..except stickman

[Ron jeremy]

On November 25, 2019 at 3:13 PM, madmen said:

Google currency charts and Thailand ,Vietnam and Cambodia are nearly identical over a 5 year period against the greenback. Posters are in lala land if they think Vietnam is cheaper. Beer is cheaper if your wolfing it down but big ticket items like buying a condo or renting are no different to thailand

 

Visa for Thailand rejects is cheaper but not for much longer!

I spoke of things being better value, not just cheaper, big difference.

price is what you pay, value s what you get.

[Leaver]

On 12/10/2019 at 10:29 PM, Ron jeremy said:

I spoke of things being better value, not just cheaper, big difference.

price is what you pay, value s what you get.

I take your point, but when I have compared the same products, like gasoline, Tiger beer, Big Mac, are you not comparing price and value in the same transaction?

 

The Tiger beer comparison can be variable, because it has a lot to do with the environment in which it is sold.  Eg. beer bar or nightclub. 

 

A Big Mac and gasoline are sold in the same environment. 

 

I don't smoke, but I suppose a packet of cigarettes from a Family Mart in Thailand, compared to the same packet of cigarettes sold in a Family Mart in Vietnam would also be a fair comparison.  Actually, on this point, I suppose a Tiger beer can directly be compared this way also. 

[IraqRon]

On 11/24/2019 at 10:53 PM, madmen said:

Why do TV posters keep talking about living like paupers in crappy fan rooms ? Bizarre like everyone needs to live this way. First pic looks like chicken floating in sewer water. I guess it was cheap..enjoy!

the top pic is of the penang curry in Pattaya,  the lower pic is of a dish of chicken in curry with fresh veggies and rice included in VN.

 

the only posters talking about living in crappy fan rooms seem to be in Bangkok and Pats and other locations in Thailand with its one room apts. w/toilet and shower combined in small area where showering gets everything wet in the room.

 

You didn't read the post or are so fearful of others stories that you are blinded by your prejudice.

[Leaver]

On 12/12/2019 at 2:22 PM, IraqRon said:

the top pic is of the penang curry in Pattaya,  the lower pic is of a dish of chicken in curry with fresh veggies and rice included in VN.

 

the only posters talking about living in crappy fan rooms seem to be in Bangkok and Pats and other locations in Thailand with its one room apts. w/toilet and shower combined in small area where showering gets everything wet in the room.

 

You didn't read the post or are so fearful of others stories that you are blinded by your prejudice.

In many places in Vietnam, for the price of a fan room in Thailand, you can get a fully furnished apartment with air conditioning. 

[Pattaya46]

22 minutes ago, Leaver said:

In many places in Vietnam, for the price of a fan room in Thailand, you can get a fully furnished apartment with air conditioning. 

a "fully furnished apartment with air conditioning" for less than US$100 per month ?

I would like to see a few examples of what you get for that price...  

[adammike]

On 12/2/2019 at 7:21 AM, KhunFred said:

My hope is that Vietnam will suck the economy of Thailand dry. Expats here have been bullied and mistreated in a manner that simply says: "we don't want you....GET OUT!!!"  All the farang oriented businesses will lay off employees right and left. The arrogance of Thai Immigration is a marvel to behold.

What you have to realise is that Thailand has countries that contain half the world's population a short budget flight away.

When they legalise casinos westerners won't be allowed in them there will be double the Chinese visitors if not more.

It may be an official policy to give the Falang a hard time no more sex-pats, criminals or overstayers,guys living on tourist visas etc.Some just get caught in the system.

[adammike]

On 11/17/2019 at 11:53 PM, scubascuba3 said:

Vietnam used to have a bad reputation for Vietnamese trying to scam you the whole time. I know in 1998 when i was backpacking everyone i met confirmed this was still the case so i avoided it, tried it in 2008 and a couple of text book scams were tried on me, luckily I'd read Lonely Planet where they were listed.

 

Vietnam doesn't have this problem anymore?

I visited for a week 10 years ago and fair play they didn't just target foreigners everybody was fair game.

Met a few who left on boats as children or children of the boat people and they were raging at being targeted,they were small scams more annoying than bank breaking.It started at passport control surly guys in blue overalls grabbing your passport filling in the form and then demanding money to give you your passport back.

Overselling premium tickets on buses causing ructions every bus trip.

They tried everything thing to get to my wallet and passport one time in a massage parlour, I had just been to the bank to change money so I had everything with me,it was 12 noon and I was stone cold sober.it was very funny in a Benny hill sort of way.

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, Pattaya46 said:

a "fully furnished apartment with air conditioning" for less than US$100 per month ?

I would like to see a few examples of what you get for that price...  

I never said they were near a tourist beach. 

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, Leaver said:

In many places in Vietnam, for the price of a fan room in Thailand, you can get a fully furnished apartment with air conditioning. 

But it won't be in Thailand!

[Thainess]

I think this website makes it quite clear that Vietnam is indeed MASSIVELY cheaper than Thailand:

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Vietnam&country2=Thailand&city1=Ho+Chi+Minh+City&city2=Bangkok&tracking=getDispatchComparison

 

In fact, its biggest tourist city is about 50% cheaper than Thailand's biggest tourist city!

[Leaver]

11 hours ago, jacko45k said:

But it won't be in Thailand!

Which used to be a problem for many, but not so much now.