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

[BritManToo]

On 12/10/2019 at 10:05 AM, 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.  

In Cambodia there are plenty of bars in Siem Reap selling beer at 50c a glass, in Phnom Penh slightly more expensive at 75c.

In Vietnam everywhere I have been (Saigon, Hanoi, Da Nang) beer was selling in bars/restaurants at 75c-$1 a small bottle.

Hooker bars charged slightly more, usually $1.50/small bottle.

 

To get near to those prices in Thailand I'd need to drink at the table outside the 7-11.

[Leaver]

On 12/22/2019 at 9:29 PM, BritManToo said:

Hooker bars charged slightly more, usually $1.50/small bottle.

Yes, but are usually air conditioned, with music that fits the clientele, unlike here. 

[Ron jeremy]

On December 21, 2019 at 5:03 AM, adammike said:

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.

You visited 10 years ago? Now there's a fair comparison. Perhaps things have changed, perhaps not. I haven't seen this RECENTLY.

 

[adammike]

30 minutes ago, Ron jeremy said:

You visited 10 years ago? Now there's a fair comparison. Perhaps things have changed, perhaps not. I haven't seen this RECENTLY.

 

Ok Mr passive aggressive,I was replying about scams the way it was.

[Ron jeremy]

37 minutes ago, adammike said:

Ok Mr passive aggressive,I was replying about scams the way it was.

Yes I can read, 10 years ago. Talk g about things 10 years ago, really??????things change.

[BritManToo]

On 12/21/2019 at 5:03 PM, adammike said:

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.

One of the primary rules of 'naughty places'.

Never carry more money than you immediately intend to spend.

Edited December 24, 2019 by BritManToo

[scubascuba3]

On 12/21/2019 at 5:03 PM, adammike said:

 

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.

I had the same experience, i wonder if it was the same shop. I picked up a vibe they were going to try something and a girl went under the massage table and i caught her arm heading up the side trying to take my money. The massage girl was trying to distract me....

 

 

Never happened in Thailand

Edited December 24, 2019 by scubascuba3

[Leaver]

On 12/21/2019 at 9:03 PM, adammike said:

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.

Vietnam has progressed a lot in 10 years.

 

Anyway, a Thai would never do such a thing.  ????

[Leaver]

On 12/24/2019 at 1:50 AM, Ron jeremy said:

You visited 10 years ago? Now there's a fair comparison. Perhaps things have changed, perhaps not. I haven't seen this RECENTLY.

 

I was told the penalty for a Vietnamese committing a crime against a foreigner attracts double the sentence than if the same crime was committed against a fellow Vietnamese.  That's a big deterrent. 

 

It's Vietnam's way of protecting tourism, and tourists. 

 

Here, you can commit a crime against a foreigner, such as assault, and it's a 500 baht fine. 

 

 

[Hanuman2547]

On 12/28/2019 at 5:11 PM, Leaver said:

I was told the penalty for a Vietnamese committing a crime against a foreigner attracts double the sentence than if the same crime was committed against a fellow Vietnamese.  That's a big deterrent. 

 

It's Vietnam's way of protecting tourism, and tourists. 

 

Here, you can commit a crime against a foreigner, such as assault, and it's a 500 baht fine. 

 

 

Of course if it is a really bad crime against a foreigner, the Thai might have to pay 500 baht and give a wai!

[kiever]

This happened to me in samui before 1 week at massage . When I came  back from shower I sAw she was keeping my bag in her hands at bed. She immediately left my bag and told me she tried to find her phone and then she suddenly remembered she put her phone out of curtains . I use pacsafe anti theft bag so no way she can cut or open zippers with several trials. I didn’t lose anything and I just didn’t come back that massage parlour albeit She was nice masseuse anyway

Edited January 1, 2020 by kiever

[Leaver]

8 hours ago, Hanuman2547 said:

Of course if it is a really bad crime against a foreigner, the Thai might have to pay 500 baht and give a wai!

I can only imagine the pain and suffering of a Thai who has to wai a farang.  The shame of it.  ????

[Leaver]

On 12/24/2019 at 11:47 AM, BritManToo said:

One of the primary rules of 'naughty places'.

Never carry more money than you immediately intend to spend.

And never let said money out of your sight.  ????

[Leaver]

On 12/22/2019 at 10:32 AM, Thainess said:

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!

From my experience in the tourist areas of Vietnam, in general, it's about 30% to 35% cheaper than Thailand. 

 

Outside the tourist areas, easily 50%. 

 

A lot of variables involved, but these were my rough estimates, across different goods and services.

 

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Leaver

[morrobay]

From search for Vietnam and Thailand tourism revenues 2018 , Vietnam $26 billion Thailand $58 billion. Both charts show about same upwards lines. But since Vietnam is just getting started those lines are going to cross. 

[Leaver]

55 minutes ago, morrobay said:

From search for Vietnam and Thailand tourism revenues 2018 , Vietnam $26 billion Thailand $58 billion. Both charts show about same upwards lines. But since Vietnam is just getting started those lines are going to cross. 

Finally, we are talking about the MONEY from tourists, and not the number of tourists, which is what a normal tourism industry is all about.  ????

 

So, with way less tourists than Thailand, but nearly half the revenue from them, what does that tell you? 

 

Western tourists are flocking there, and spending, like they used to Thailand.  

 

It's interesting that Thailand gets so many more tourists than Vietnam, yet only double the money. 

 

How long to you give it before the money crosses, and then the tourism numbers also cross? 

 

 

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Leaver

[lavezzi]

On 7/23/2019 at 7:43 AM, RotBenz8888 said:

They're still delusional and believe it's just a bump in curve. Will they ever sober up and devalue the baht, ease the visa rules and abolish the TM 30 rubbish? Frankly, I seriously doubt it, coz loosing face is the scariest of all for them

who should devalutate the thai bath, TAT?

They could just print more thai bath and inflate it but the devalutate needs is it something thailand has never faced before. They will fail.

[Leaver]

16 hours ago, lavezzi said:

who should devalutate the thai bath, TAT?

They could just print more thai bath and inflate it but the devalutate needs is it something thailand has never faced before. They will fail.

The Thai Government could devalue the baht if they wanted.  They are too busy buying cheaper assets abroad, or moving money abroad, and don't care about the consequences for the millions of Thai's that rely on the tourism indusrty to put food on the table. 

[jacko45k]

On 1/3/2020 at 11:50 PM, lavezzi said:

who should devalutate the thai bath, TAT?

They could just print more thai bath and inflate it but the devalutate needs is it something thailand has never faced before. They will fail.

Perhaps they do not want the domestic inflation that would bring about. 

[ChipButty]

On 1/3/2020 at 8:26 PM, Leaver said:

Finally, we are talking about the MONEY from tourists, and not the number of tourists, which is what a normal tourism industry is all about.  ????

 

So, with way less tourists than Thailand, but nearly half the revenue from them, what does that tell you? 

 

Western tourists are flocking there, and spending, like they used to Thailand.  

 

It's interesting that Thailand gets so many more tourists than Vietnam, yet only double the money. 

 

How long to you give it before the money crosses, and then the tourism numbers also cross? 

 

 

 

Coming soon

[Leaver]

9 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Coming soon

I wouldn't say soon, but if Thailand think these figures are "scary" now, they will be terrified of the figures 3 years from now. 

[Leaver]

On 1/5/2020 at 10:45 AM, jacko45k said:

Perhaps they do not want the domestic inflation that would bring about. 

Inflation or high unemployment?  Have to pick the one that causes the least damage. 

[Lacessit]

The handyman who looks after my condo apartment is a tour guide as his main business. Very talented, fluent in Thai, Japanese, English, Cantonese, Vietnamese. My landlord owns three apartments - the other two have been empty for the last two years, even in high season.

He used to have nearly all his tour guiding in Thailand. Now, most of his work is in Vietnam.

 

Straws in the wind.

 

 

[Leaver]

23 hours ago, Lacessit said:

My landlord owns three apartments - the other two have been empty for the last two years, even in high season.

 

Are you sure you are not paying over the odds?

 

23 hours ago, Lacessit said:

He used to have nearly all his tour guiding in Thailand. Now, most of his work is in Vietnam.

 

I did say we may see the day when a lot of Thai hookers go to Vietnam to work, because that's where the western tourists will be.  Just as girls from many different countries are hooking ont Beach Road every night, you just may see Thai hookers in nightclubs and bars in tourist areas in Vietnam, in the future.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, Leaver said:

 

Are you sure you are not paying over the odds?

 

 

I did say we may see the day when a lot of Thai hookers go to Vietnam to work, because that's where the western tourists will be.  Just as girls from many different countries are hooking ont Beach Road every night, you just may see Thai hookers in nightclubs and bars in tourist areas in Vietnam, in the future.

I'm paying 8500 baht/month, which I think is reasonable for a 46 sqm fully furnished unit in a condo with a swimming pool. Feel free to disagree.

 

[Leaver]

20 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I'm paying 8500 baht/month, which I think is reasonable for a 46 sqm fully furnished unit in a condo with a swimming pool. Feel free to disagree.

 

No disagreement from me.  Sounds like good value, unless it's in an undesirable location.

 

I guess it just goes to show the decline in expats here.

[Leaver]

On 1/8/2020 at 11:27 PM, Lacessit said:

I'm paying 8500 baht/month, which I think is reasonable for a 46 sqm fully furnished unit in a condo with a swimming pool. Feel free to disagree.

 

Forgot to ask, what area is it in?

[moontang]

On 1/8/2020 at 5:54 PM, Leaver said:

 

Are you sure you are not paying over the odds?

 

 

I did say we may see the day when a lot of Thai hookers go to Vietnam to work, because that's where the western tourists will be.  Just as girls from many different countries are hooking ont Beach Road every night, you just may see Thai hookers in nightclubs and bars in tourist areas in Vietnam, in the future.

Quite a few Vietnamese girls on Tinder BKK...

[Ron jeremy]

On January 5, 2020 at 4:22 AM, Leaver said:

I wouldn't say soon, but if Thailand think these figures are "scary" now, they will be terrified of the figures 3 years from now. 

I speak with Thai business owners, they themselves say the government is lying about tourist numbers in Thailand..

i have t agree, read the threads, business. Way down everywhere, rooms occupancy way down, bars restaurants empty. But yet the government say tourist numbers are at record levels.

but in the next sentence they say western euro numbers down, business in places down 40 percent. It just doesn't add up.

so many closed businesses, Phuket, worst year in decades etc etc etc.

with the record numbers, places should be full .

its total bs.

[Leaver]

6 hours ago, moontang said:

Quite a few Vietnamese girls on Tinder BKK...

A lot of working expats in BKK. 

 

As for Vietnamese working girls working in Pattaya, enjoy it while it lasts, because once they hear there is more "business" back in Vietnam than Pattaya, they'll be out of here.