Is tourism in Thailand set to get worse before it gets better?

[from the home of CC]

Don't know about other locales but Hua Hin is busier this time of the year compared to other years. imo Many folks on this thread make a lot of whine with sour grapes. Just because your own country is going down the tubes (and there are many, and the recession hasn't even really hit yet) does not mean Thailand will follow suit. Billions live a short hop away and just because your xenophobia doesn't allow you to rationally figure it out doesn't mean that other countries won't be supporting the industry here. Racism and egocentricity blind many people on this forum, and fully display just how ignorant they are - which is a little ironic for these same folks will trash the educational systems here. Seems to me that many seemed to be lacking from their own countries education systems.  

[mauGR1]

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

Don't know about other locales but Hua Hin is busier this time of the year compared to other years. imo Many folks on this thread make a lot of whine with sour grapes. Just because your own country is going down the tubes (and there are many, and the recession hasn't even really hit yet) does not mean Thailand will follow suit. Billions live a short hop away and just because your xenophobia doesn't allow you to rationally figure it out doesn't mean that other countries won't be supporting the industry here. Racism and egocentricity blind many people on this forum, and fully display just how ignorant they are - which is a little ironic for these same folks will trash the educational systems here. Seems to me that many seemed to be lacking from their own countries education systems.  

Could be that Hua Hin is busier than other places, i am in Koh Chang and i've never seen it so quiet.

Even the grocery shop in my village, normally busy the whole year, looks desperately in need of customers

Well, tbh, i've never seen many Chinese here.

As for the rest of your post.. Sour grapes, xenophobia, racism, egocentricity, blind, ignorant.... Aren't you exaggerating a bit ?

[kingofthemountain]

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

Don't know about other locales but Hua Hin is busier this time of the year compared to other years. imo Many folks on this thread make a lot of whine with sour grapes....

I don't know where you live in Hua Hin but i have spent some days

here in september, hanging around walking and driving my car and it was a ghost city, very small traffic on the road, most of the restaurants in the city was empty (One sunday evening i was the only customer in a big sea food restaurant in the front line) and so on.

A lot of choice in the hotels with big promotions also because no customers and even the night market was half empty.

Listen to you it seems the flood of tourists is just arrived this lasts days.

[BobbyL]

2 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

I don't know where you live in Hua Hin but i have spent some days

here in september, hanging around walking and driving my car and it was a ghost city, very small traffic on the road, most of the restaurants in the city was empty (One sunday evening i was the only customer in a big sea food restaurant in the front line) and so on.

A lot of choice in the hotels with big promotions also because no customers and even the night market was half empty.

Listen to you it seems the flood of tourists is just arrived this lasts days.

Similar experience. Hua Hin was absolutely dead in July. Actually felt depressing walking around as literally all the restaurants and bars were empty. 

[baansgr]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The solution is so easy, but will never, IMO, be adopted.

Go back to 90 days visa exempt arrivals for people from western countries ( that actually spend money on local businesses ), allow back to back stays, and require all beach resorts to set aside some rooms for cheap charley tourists. 

That was how the beaches were developed back in the 80s, and loads of bagpackers thronged the country. Concentrating on wealthy visitors and discouraging bagpackers has contributed to the decline of local businesses not in the Chinese orbit.

 

It won't, IMO, happen, because the authorities don't want western tourist any more, far as I can tell from everything they are doing

Nail on the head....couldn't put it better myself

[baansgr]

6 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Hmmm

Well, they keep coming and could careless.

Unless, 40 million people have no way to access online reviews of Thailand....

But the 38/40 million isnt a true figure. It includes 2 million Laotians that is obviously workers back and forth, same with Malaya...another bogus figure of Muslim sexpats visiting for a few hours, Khmer workers...border runners, transit flights....you can knock at least 10 mil off, suddenly its only 28 million which 11 million are Chinese....so we are now down to 17 million....not many more Western tourists than 10 years ago...

[Max69xl]

2 hours ago, morrobay said:

Expensive/exchange rate. Folks will put up with bad attitudes and all the endless BS, you and everyone else can list. They put up with it before but with a good exchange rate. Now with this ridiculous (for what your getting) exchange rate folks are just not going to have it anymore. Way too many good options now. We will see how these oblivious, last card, masses of Indians and Chinese works out. 

"We will see how these oblivious, last card, masses of Indians and Chinese works out."

Don't believe what you read in the newspapers. The numbers comes from TAT and are totally fake. In September several districts reported 30% less reservations, but the boss at TAT said the number was only 2,7%. In some places the number was up to about 50%. What TAT predicts will never be the truth, and there are no masses of Chinese and Indians. The reason for much less westerners are the way to strong baht. Nothing else. 

[Max69xl]

8 minutes ago, baansgr said:

But the 38/40 million isnt a true figure. It includes 2 million Laotians that is obviously workers back and forth, same with Malaya...another bogus figure of Muslim sexpats visiting for a few hours, Khmer workers...border runners, transit flights....you can knock at least 10 mil off, suddenly its only 28 million which 11 million are Chinese....so we are now down to 17 million....not many more Western tourists than 10 years ago...

They don't count workers from neighbouring countries. The number of ~40 million tourists comes from the boss of TAT. You can easily deduct 30% from that number, that makes it ~28 million. 

[baansgr]

5 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

"We will see how these oblivious, last card, masses of Indians and Chinese works out."

Don't believe what you read in the newspapers. The numbers comes from TAT and are totally fake. In September several districts reported 30% less reservations, but the boss at TAT said the number was only 2,7%. In some places the number was up to about 50%. What TAT predicts will never be the truth, and there are no masses of Chinese and Indians. The reason for much less westerners are the way to strong baht. Nothing else. 

Many videos on YouTube of Indians being ripped off...especially the jet ski scam opposite Mikes in Pattaya....be a short lived influx be for they go elsewhere

[baansgr]

1 minute ago, Max69xl said:

They don't count workers from neighbouring countries. The number of ~40 million tourists comes from the boss of TAT. You can easily deduct 30% from that number, that makes it ~28 million. 

They do count them....its included on the "arrival" list that has been quoted many times by a TVF member

[from the home of CC]

58 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

Could be that Hua Hin is busier than other places, i am in Koh Chang and i've never seen it so quiet.

Even the grocery shop in my village, normally busy the whole year, looks desperately in need of customers

Well, tbh, i've never seen many Chinese here.

As for the rest of your post.. Sour grapes, xenophobia, racism, egocentricity, blind, ignorant.... Aren't you exaggerating a bit ?

Actually I think I'm understating the reality somewhat of just how narrow minded many visitors and residents to Thailand really are..

Edited October 7, 2019 by from the home of CC

[mauGR1]

1 minute ago, from the home of CC said:

Actually I think I'm understating the reality somewhat of just how narrow minded many visitors and residents to Thailand really are..

Lol, fair enough, some days i think the same.

I was surprised from the tone of your post, that's it.

[Max69xl]

1 minute ago, from the home of CC said:

Actually I think I'm understating the reality somewhat..

Well, your reality seem a bit twisted. There are many countries on the planet and you picked one you don't like. Why is that? 

[from the home of CC]

1 minute ago, mauGR1 said:

Lol, fair enough, some days i think the same.

I was surprised from the tone of your post, that's it.

you're right, sometimes I get wound up by the ignorance of others, a definite flaw in my character..

[from the home of CC]

1 minute ago, Max69xl said:

Well, your reality seem a bit twisted. There are many countries on the planet and you picked one you don't like. Why is that? 

what's the one country I don't like? (besides the KSA lol).  

[mauGR1]

1 minute ago, from the home of CC said:

you're right, sometimes I get wound up by the ignorance of others, a definite flaw in my character..

No worries, pls don't let the negativity of others affect your well-being.

[Max69xl]

8 minutes ago, baansgr said:

They do count them....its included on the "arrival" list that has been quoted many times by a TVF member

And that member knows what numbers TAT predicts? Yeah,right. 

TAT's numbers comes from a boss that thinks it's important to keep the government happy. 

[from the home of CC]

1 hour ago, mauGR1 said:

No worries, pls don't let the negativity of others affect your well-being.

Yes I find myself taking lengthy breaks from this site for that reason for it defeats the continuing purpose of being here. I have to focus on the fact that this negativity ultimately comes down to in many cases of not having enough money to stay here. Some folks when heading in the wrong direction (financially) wish bad fates on others, a case of misery loving company I guess.. 

[kingofthemountain]

29 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

Yes I find myself taking lengthy breaks from this site for that reason for it defeats the continuing purpose of being here. I have to focus on the fact that this negativity ultimately comes down to in many cases of not having enough money to stay here. Some folks when heading in the wrong direction (financially) wish bad fates on others, a case of misery loving company I guess.. 

I am sorry for you

but it's a little bit off topic isn't it?

[from the home of CC]

24 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

I am sorry for you

but it's a little bit off topic isn't it?

can you speak to the wife? she has zero sympathy lol

[neeray]

12 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The solution is so easy, but will never, IMO, be adopted.

Go back to 90 days visa exempt arrivals for people from western countries ( that actually spend money on local businesses ), allow back to back stays, and require all beach resorts to set aside some rooms for cheap charley tourists. 

That was how the beaches were developed back in the 80s, and loads of bagpackers thronged the country. Concentrating on wealthy visitors and discouraging bagpackers has contributed to the decline of local businesses not in the Chinese orbit.

 

It won't, IMO, happen, because the authorities don't want western tourist any more, far as I can tell from everything they are doing

My nephew was an example of your pattern. He and some well healed buddies did the back pack routine for several months about 10 or 15 years ago. While there, his big spending parents came to visit him on Koh Samui for an extended stay.

Fair to say, that type of North American tourism is all but gone now.

[Langkawee]

On 10/6/2019 at 12:07 PM, baansgr said:

Figures are arrivals, considering almost 2 million came from Lao of a population less than 7 million is obvious these are not tourists. Take into account border runners, Malaysians for a one day market, Khmer workers, Chinese and transit flight's the true "Tourist" figure is around 20 million which is pee poor for a country of this size which is dependent on tourism. The signs are everywhere that "Quality" and repeat tourists are avoiding Thailand like the plaque. Weak currencies is only part of it, visiting Thailand is now like a bad week in Beirut with no happy holiday experience enjoyed. Education, pride in ones country and manners need to be addressed befor tourists return, unfortunately the horse has bolted and unlikely to return

The real problem is people are too afraid to fly into Thailand for fear of being denied entry and deported if they have entered Thailand several times over the last several years. Obviously people dont want to take this risk. 

[Yinn]

On 10/7/2019 at 9:41 AM, DLock said:

Thailand has peaked...it's now just a matter of how far Thailand sinks. I hope it sinks a lot.

A lot of you guy on TVF. Live in Thailand. Hope thai people to sink. 

 

Will not happen.

Jealousy is not good thing. Hurt your brain. Not mine. 5555555

 

[kingofthemountain]

37 minutes ago, Yinn said:

A lot of you guy on TVF. Live in Thailand. Hope thai people to sink. 

 

Will not happen.

Jealousy is not good thing. Hurt your brain. Not mine. 5555555

 

You don't understand

 

nothing to do with jealousy or hate or whatever here

 

most of us love Thailand and the Thais

but seeing the big mess coming, and at high speed, we are sad

for the country and the people, because at the end when the s...t hit the fan

it's still the poorest the victims, farangs and thais together in the same sinking boat

 

For a lot of reasons, Yinn as genius as you are and most of the thais can not see that coming 

for some reasons we can do and our posts are an alert message, unfortunately a prayer in the desert.

Kisssssssss

Edited October 8, 2019 by kingofthemountain

[thaibeachlovers]

On 10/7/2019 at 3:46 PM, mauGR1 said:

Agree, yet i find most Thai people i deal with, to be lovely folks, and i hope for some miracle to happen.

Now, if they only could stop building useless malls and filling the once pristine beaches with ugly concrete hotels...

They build the malls for Thais, as is their right, and the horrid concrete hotels were built because flashpackers pay way more than cheap Charlie Bagpackers.

That they destroyed what people used to come for is not a factor in Bkk boardrooms. It's all about greed now, and has been for decades.

 

The headline is erroneous. It should be "Will tourism in Thailand get better"? My answer is NO. What's gone can never be replaced.

[Damrongsak]

On 10/5/2019 at 11:31 PM, Yinn said:

Up to where is.

 

Kao Lak clean, nature, new resort, wonderful. ...

Many years ago our family enjoyed Khao Lak for a few days, a few years before the tsunami.  Especially the little tip of Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park that is on the water.  

 

Pic 1 is my elder son's first visit to Thailand.  Pic 2 is him at the little beach at Khao Lak-Lam Ru, maybe 2001.  Third pic ...

 

[mauGR1]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

They build the malls for Thais, as is their right, and the horrid concrete hotels were built because flashpackers pay way more than cheap Charlie Bagpackers.

That they destroyed what people used to come for is not a factor in Bkk boardrooms. It's all about greed now, and has been for decades.

 

The headline is erroneous. It should be "Will tourism in Thailand get better"? My answer is NO. What's gone can never be replaced.

Despite my effort to be at least a bit positive, i have to admit that you are right.

 

[BritManToo]

Was in Hanoi last weekend,

Packed with western tourists of all types everywhere I went, backpackers, families, and retirees like myself.

It was just like Thailand in it's peak years.

I'd convinced myself there were less western folk in SEA due to the poor western economy, but I was wrong they were just going to places other than Thailand.

[gk10002000]

The chinese in general are group tourists by the numbers anyway.  Stay in pre arranged hotels, many of which are owned by Chinese. Go on group tours in buses.   So not that much money gets spread around to the locals.  So much different spending habits than say a few mates from the UK or the USA that save up and then go there for two or three week holidays and spend and spend.  The Russians did this a few years back also.  Heck just up Soi Lengkee there was a hotel across from my little guesthouse but that had a pool.  I went over to see about getting a room there and was told can not.  No rooms.  Well I could see by looking at it throughout the days that it was far far from full. 

 

Will more Chinese come?  Sure, it will increase for a while.  But the novelty I think will wear off, and they will mass tour elsewhere like Cambodia.  I don't see them massively flooding Vietnam yet as those two have traditionally kept their distance a little bit anyway.

[Yinn]

14 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

Many years ago our family enjoyed Khao Lak for a few days, a few years before the tsunami.  Especially the little tip of Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park that is on the water.  

 

Pic 1 is my elder son's first visit to Thailand.  Pic 2 is him at the little beach at Khao Lak-Lam Ru, maybe 2001.  Third pic ...

 

 

Sorry to see that one.

RIP Karl