46 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

Are getting decent Health Insurance and including that in your $1,000/month?  Are getting decent Car or Motorbike accident and collision and liability insurance?  What visa are you using?  Just how nice an apartment are you referring to?  10 sq m?  No Air con? 

 

  No doubts that Thailand can be cheaper and the actual financial "requirements" are often not required or rarely enforced, but that does not mean that one should not budget for them. 

obviously, you didn't check out the website that I provided you.  waste of my time to answer your questions.  you have already made up your mind.

16 hours ago, Leaver said:

There is an aging expat population here.  It's a holiday in Thailand that advertises the place as a future retirement destination to many.  If westerners stop coming here in the numbers that they previously were, Thailand will also see a reduction in expats also. 

Yes, I was given a figure of 35% down on retirement extensions YOY at Jomtiem so you could be right. Never heard whether that figure was mostly Westerners or it could be the remaining 65% are actually Chinese and Indian and the Westerners are dropping out faster. 

Please stay on topic:

Thoughts on "will there be a Real High Season" this year?

jomtein is dead currently. im not sure how they keep the bars open. went to one last night with a live band playing and there were only three other customer there.

18 hours ago, fhickson said:

so where are the old demographic going? cant be the cradle, therez always a frezh supply.

 

cant be vietnam or cambodia, its too difficult for older aging expats and the health csre is not there. whats left, bali?

is there always a fresh supply?

 

i would say the old demographic is quite literally dying out. 

 

the newer demographic has a different focus and a different way of life.

certainly certain things will never change, but the way people go about them is different.

19 hours ago, fhickson said:

so where are the old demographic going? cant be the cradle, therez always a frezh supply.

 

cant be vietnam or cambodia, its too difficult for older aging expats and the health csre is not there. whats left, bali?

There will be an amount of natural attrition. (death)

 

There will be an amount of them return to their home country, due to ill heath, or affordability issues.

 

Why can't they move to Cambodia or Vietnam.  If they are in need of constant medical care, sure, Thailand has better medical, but they can always be diagnosed in Cambodia or Vietnam, and fly to Bangkok for an operation. 

Fewer foreigners, means less money, means less profit for the greedy merchants and the greedy "pretties" which means more humility, which leads to prices dropping and more respect towards the foreigners and not taking them for granted. Cannot be all that bad after all....

11 hours ago, fhickson said:

jomtein is dead currently. im not sure how they keep the bars open. went to one last night with a live band playing and there were only three other customer there.

I'm in pattaya now.  yeah.  crowds are not there like before.  last year, walking street was shoulder to shoulder people.  and the traffic was so bad on beach road, I hated it.  went to tukcom today.  riding the songtao from pattaya klang to pattaya tai on soi buakhao, all the massage parlors looked empty.  the small flea market was also empty at around 4pm.  weird.  when I went into the friendship market to get some groceries, hardly anybody in there.  but all the fresh bread was pretty much gone at 4:30pm.  so, somebody is around to buy it.  right?

 

yesterday, I went over to the terminal 21 food court for lunch at noon.  not crowded like usual. estimate 50% off usual crowds.  just a guess mind you.

28 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

Fewer foreigners, means less money, means less profit for the greedy merchants and the greedy "pretties"

You are right on this but not on this one

29 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

which means more humility, which leads to prices dropping and more respect towards the foreigners and not taking them for granted.

No humility nor more respect to expect. just angry thais wondering why these f.....g farang do not come anymore

And less customers = prices up, just because they think they can earn the same money doing this way.

TIT

More off topic posts removed, if you can not now stay on topic after two request to do so you will receive a formal warning for trolling

13 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Fewer foreigners, means less money, means less profit for the greedy merchants and the greedy "pretties" which means more humility, which leads to prices dropping and more respect towards the foreigners and not taking them for granted. Cannot be all that bad after all....

 

Wrong.

 

Thai Business 101 = Money go down, put price up. 

 

As the easy western money dries up here, you can expect price rises.

 

Also, another concern is, you can also expect a rise in crime, including, corruption, as tea money dries up as well.  

10 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

Wrong.

 

Thai Business 101 = Money go down, put price up. 

 

As the easy western money dries up here, you can expect price rises.

 

Also, another concern is, you can also expect a rise in crime, including, corruption, as tea money dries up as well.  

In that case,  better spend the next 5 month winter break in VietNam.

9 hours ago, observer90210 said:

In that case,  better spend the next 5 month winter break in VietNam.

You will not be the only one.  Tourist arrivals up nearly 30% on last year. 

 

http://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/index.php/cat/1501

 

"International visitors to Viet Nam in September estimated 1,561,274 arrivals, increase 3.2% over last month and up 28.8% over the same period last year."

On 10/8/2019 at 2:33 AM, Leaver said:

There will be an amount of natural attrition. (death)

 

There will be an amount of them return to their home country, due to ill heath, or affordability issues.

 

Why can't they move to Cambodia or Vietnam.  If they are in need of constant medical care, sure, Thailand has better medical, but they can always be diagnosed in Cambodia or Vietnam, and fly to Bangkok for an operation. 

Google health care in Vietnam 

several new internationally acclaimed hospitals have now been built

10 minutes ago, Ron jeremy said:

Google health care in Vietnam 

several new internationally acclaimed hospitals have now been built

How has the acclaim been generated if they are newly built?

1 hour ago, Leaver said:

You will not be the only one.  Tourist arrivals up nearly 30% on last year. 

 

http://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/index.php/cat/1501

 

"International visitors to Viet Nam in September estimated 1,561,274 arrivals, increase 3.2% over last month and up 28.8% over the same period last year."

Looking at the figures, seems the increases are due to Chinese and Korean tourist numbers heading north at a rapid rate. Out of the frying pan into the fire?

2 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

Google health care in Vietnam 

several new internationally acclaimed hospitals have now been built

Everything in Vietnam is progressing very quickly, but I think they are a long way from attracting medical tourism, but yes, their medical is improving very quickly. 

 

In my opinion, nation wide, and in general, Thailand has better medical.  However, for minor illnesses, minor to moderate injuries, and common medical procedures, Vietnam is fine. 

 

For major medical, many in Vietnam take a short flight to Bangkok, the same as those who fly from Udon Thani to Bangkok for the same operation.     

50 minutes ago, dabhand said:

Looking at the figures, seems the increases are due to Chinese and Korean tourist numbers heading north at a rapid rate. Out of the frying pan into the fire?

Sure, a lot of Chinese, but I would suggest a portion of those increases in western tourists, and the more wealthy Asian tourists, such as Korean and Japanese,  have been poached from Thailand.

 

Just look at the impressive increases in the western tourist numbers. 

 

http://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/index.php/items/14259

 

How long before the word gets around that Vietnam offers a better value and more pleasant holiday than Thailand?

 

 

High season has already started.  Way more people around than in September.  Line ups at Central Grocery store which is new.  My midpriced mid sized hotel is full.  Bars seem fuller but as always, some busier than others.  Some always empty.

 

N. Pattaya is full of Chinese.  More of the flag following groups around.  More buses around.  Saw lots of people streaming into those Chinese discos around Central Marina in the evening.

 

The doom and gloom people are idiots.  You know who I am talking about.  They have no clue what they are talking about.  Pattaya is always adapting.  When the Russians came everyone said Pattaya was going to die, all high end stuff would fail.  Now those same morons are saying the same stuff because of Chinese/Indians.

 

It's unbelievable to amount of development going on Pratumnak hill and around Jomtien and around N. Pattaya.  Most of it higher end.  Some would say too much development but that is nothing new for Pattaya or Thailand in general.  The city is growing and that means more people are coming.  All kinds, from all over, including high end.  Full stop.

52 minutes ago, shdmn said:

Line ups at Central Grocery store which is new. 

The tourists have to buy their food and alcohol somewhere.  ????????

1 hour ago, shdmn said:

 

 

 

 

It's unbelievable to amount of development going on Pratumnak hill and around Jomtien and around N. Pattaya.  Most of it higher end.  Some would say too much development but that is nothing new for Pattaya or Thailand in general.  The city is growing and that means more people are coming.  All kinds, from all over, including high end.  Full stop.

Go team go.  Time will tell if you and the other overdevelopment cheerleader are correct in this cart before horse construction. 

1 hour ago, morrobay said:

Go team go.  Time will tell if you and the other overdevelopment cheerleader are correct in this cart before horse construction. 

Where did I say that I like overdevelopment?  It is what it is.  We are just guests here and cannot change it.

18 hours ago, shdmn said:

Where did I say that I like overdevelopment?  It is what it is.  We are just guests here and cannot change it.

Possibly because in several of your previous posts you seem to link development, and particular developments, as an indicator of economic growth and prosperity here, when in fact, many of these developments have high vacancy rates and / or no customers.  

On 10/10/2019 at 7:49 PM, morrobay said:

Go team go.  Time will tell if you and the other overdevelopment cheerleader are correct in this cart before horse construction. 

I agree with your cart before the horse analogy. 

 

Many places develop and expand to meet demand.  Here, they seem to have the belief, build it and the people will come.   

 

They already have an over supply of everything here.  They really are trying to cut the Pattaya pie into as many slices as possible. 

On 10/10/2019 at 6:23 PM, shdmn said:

My midpriced mid sized hotel is full. 

What are your room rates?

On 10/16/2019 at 2:35 PM, Leaver said:

What are your room rates?

????

On 10/9/2019 at 3:04 AM, DEKEM said:

but all the fresh bread was pretty much gone at 4:30pm.  so, somebody is around to buy it.  right?

Maybe they are simply baking less.

 

On 8/18/2019 at 3:33 PM, Vacuum said:

When you've seen one naked hooker, you've seen them all...

    It could be your last time, may be your last time, I don't know. 

 

   You better look for more with different shapes, sizes and so. 

 

 

22 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

It could be your last time, may be your last time, I don't know. 

What Thailand / Pattaya is now seeking is tourists that want to see one for their first time.  ????

 

Problem is, with Chinese and Indians being the majority of tourists to Thailand / Pattaya now, hookers are cheaper back in their home country, so why would they bother with it here?

1 hour ago, Leaver said:

Pattaya now, hookers are cheaper back in their home country, so why would they bother with it here?

The Indians most certainly do....