Pattaya Halloween: The only scary thing was the complete lack of tourists

[madmen]

2 hours ago, AussieBob18 said:

Unless they take drastic actions to decrease the Baht, the world economy will take action itself

What type of action, please be specific.

[dimitriv]

19 minutes ago, dreaming said:

Average tourist spend 6000 baht per day. Assuming your friends come for 2 weeks 4 times per year. They spend 336.000 baht

 

 

6000 Baht a day ?  I am sure most tourists don't spend that amount. Where do you get this from?

 

For many Europeans 3500 Euro for a 2 week holiday in Europe with 2 adults and 2 children is normal. 

 

That translates to 2000 Baht a day.  And that includes cheap tickets to the holiday destination.

 

I saw a nice documentary last week about Chinese tourists. Even in Europe they like Chinese tourists because they spend a lot of money. BUT...  The biggest part of their money goes to shopping. They prefer expensive brands, often things they take home to sell with a profit. This helps malls, shops, brands. But doesn't help the local people.

 

 

 

Edited November 2, 2019 by dimitriv

[spidermike007]

Scary indeed. Scary to the officials who refuse to take any responsibility for the havoc they have created, the cash cow they have slaughtered, and the income lost. And very scary for the millions of Thais dependent on tourism for a living. This has been building for years. The army is largely to blame. They are useless to the Thai nation. 

[madmen]

15 minutes ago, dimitriv said:

 

6000 Baht a day ?  I am sure most tourists don't spend that amount. Where do you get this from?

 

For many Europeans 3500 Euro for a 2 week holiday in Europe with 2 adults and 2 children is normal. 

 

That translates to 2000 Baht a day.  And that includes cheap tickets to the holiday destination.

 

I saw a nice documentary last week about Chinese tourists. Even in Europe they like Chinese tourists because they spend a lot of money. BUT...  The biggest part of their money goes to shopping. They prefer expensive brands, often things they take home to sell with a profit. This helps malls, shops, brands. But doesn't help the local people.

 

 

 

Dude thats the the thing about google, it trumps fantasy with facts and these are by mastercard

2018 International Overnight Visitors	Growth Forecast for 2019	Average Length of Stay	Average Spend Per Day (USD)
Bangkok	22.78 million	3.34%	4.8 nights	$184

That translates to 5500 baht approx today but easy 6000 at time of report

 

https://www.tatnews.org/2019/09/bangkok-tops-mastercards-global-destination-cities-index-for-the-fourth-consecutive-year/

Edited November 2, 2019 by madmen

[dotpoom]

4 hours ago, keith101 said:

New Year and Songkran will be the big testers as to how the Baht is affecting tourism , I suspect the numbers will be well down and tourists who do come wont stay as long or spend as much .

"Elementary.....my dear Watson"!

[madmen]

13 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Scary indeed. Scary to the officials who refuse to take any responsibility for the havoc they have created, the cash cow they have slaughtered, and the income lost. And very scary for the millions of Thais dependent on tourism for a living. This has been building for years. The army is largely to blame. They are useless to the Thai nation. 

How have "officials" slaughtered the average 5 day tourists? People come here to party and not to study the political landscape

Edited November 2, 2019 by madmen

[Spellforce]

More tourists in Pattaya every year and less mongers in beer bars in evening that's all I can see.

For many reasons, bars today are a waste of time and money.

[glennb6]

live on the dark side, not tourist central whatsoever. pats being a tourist city and that tourism supports so many other businesses and the population in general. I know it's still considered 'slow season', but there are a lot of shuttered shop house storefronts, seems like less overall commerce and activity. over the past year I've noticed quite a few small shops open and then close within half a year.

 

my sense is there is saturation. only so many customers to go around, only so much money can be spent locally, and when tourism is down it drags all else down in a tourist area.   just my 2 cents

[dimitriv]

13 minutes ago, madmen said:

Dude thats the the thing about google, it trumps fantasy with facts and these are by mastercard

2018 International Overnight Visitors	Growth Forecast for 2019	Average Length of Stay	Average Spend Per Day (USD)
Bangkok	22.78 million	3.34%	4.8 nights	$184

That translates to 5500 baht approx today but easy 6000 at time of report

 

https://www.tatnews.org/2019/09/bangkok-tops-mastercards-global-destination-cities-index-for-the-fourth-consecutive-year/

 

I hope you understand that this is not representative for the average tourist. 

 

Try to imagine...  Family with 4 on a 2 week holiday = over 10 000 Euro + price of tickets to Thailand.  This is over the budget for probably 90% of Europeans.

 

I think these Mastercard numbers are for business people staying a couple of days. Not for a family going on holiday.

 

 

  

Edited November 2, 2019 by dimitriv

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

One operator blamed the world economy for the resort's tourism problems.

Oh, nothing to do with the fact that Pattaya is horrible now!

In the 90s Pattaya was cheap and cheerful. Bars were full, hotels were full, BGs were happy, farangs were happy.

Since then-

traffic is awful

accommodation is too expensive

the barbeers are decrepit and boring, and the BGs care more about their phones that the hansum men passing by

the council

 destroyed the walkway

 built a sewage plant next to Walking Street entrance

 built the decrepit marina

 destroyed Bali Hi park to build the monstrous car park building

 allowed the horrid building in front of the lookout

 allowed boats to destroy the walkway to the lighthouse

 pandered to the Chinese hordes instead of their traditional base.

 allowed the beach to be washed away

 can't solve flooding

 do nothing to repair the infrastructure

 allow unrestricted construction of hotels in inappropriate places.

 

Despite it being entirely their own fault the place is losing customers, they will never admit it and will blame anything else.

 

I used to love Pattaya, but the last time I visited, I didn't care that I was leaving it.

 

 

[jackdd]

2 minutes ago, madmen said:

How have "officials" slaughtered the average 5 day tourists? People come here to party and not to study the political landscape

Because when those people are looking for their next holiday destination and search for Thailand they stumble about stuff like "foreigners are required to report their whereabouts" or "tourist denied entry, had to spend 2 days in a detention room".

They don't read 20 pages of a Thavisa thread and try to understand the details, and might at some point understand that this probably doesn't affect them.

They don't want to report their whereabouts when on holiday and they don't want to get denied entry, so as soon as they read such a headline Thailand is ruled out and they will choose another country.

[thaibeachlovers]

21 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Scary indeed. Scary to the officials who refuse to take any responsibility for the havoc they have created, the cash cow they have slaughtered, and the income lost. And very scary for the millions of Thais dependent on tourism for a living. This has been building for years. The army is largely to blame. They are useless to the Thai nation. 

The one most responsible for destroying Pattaya is Purachai, and he wasn't in a military government.

It's been a long time coming, but Pattaya's troubles started when he was wreaking havoc on the place.

All that is happening now is as a consequence of his actions.

[Krataiboy]

Obviously fake news. Expect denial and retribution from the Ministry of Truth any time now.

[marqus12]

 

My heart goes to sick buffalos in Isan without funds for proper treatment !

[yellowboat]

15 minutes ago, madmen said:

People come here to party and not to study the political landscape

They do neither according to the article.   The party days are over.  Better places to party now, unless you are a sex tourist. 

[chrisinth]

2 hours ago, dimitriv said:

 

Are you sure about that?   You can have 1 short time visitor for 2 weeks. Or a visitor who stays a year and is worth 26 tourists.  

 

Chasing away the 2nd group, and that is what they have done, can quite well contribute to the decline.

 

 

Your reasoning is flawed. An average visitor staying one year will not spend anything near what a 26 visitors staying for two weeks will spend over the one year period. Notice I say average.

 

Your second group, in the overall picture of tourism, isn't to the level of importance you are putting them at. IMO important yes, but they, overtime, learn to spend their money sensibly. 

[mrmicbkktxl]

3 hours ago, AussieBob18 said:

I have been told that I am being very negative (other posts) about Thailand and the Baht, but I am certain that I am right, and this post is just another of many examples of what is actually hapenning in Thailand.  The economy is in big trouble, but the 'echo chamber' of the Thai leaders in Bangkok (Junta et al) cannot and will not 'see' it (and some TV posters).

 

Unless they take drastic actions to decrease the Baht, the world economy will take action itself - and it will be big and ugly.  Maybe not as big as in the 1990s  - but it is going to be bad if they dont take action soon.   This is Thailand's net external debt - I will not bother showing charts about how muchg the Baht has increased against ALL foeign currencies - but of note is that those graphs look very similar to this one below.  

 

It is unsustainable - and a correction is inevitable and is coming.  But being the optimist that I actually am, I can see the Junta being thrown out after the correction happens, and a pro-Business and Pro-USA Govt taking their place.  And amongst all the changes that new Govt will make, I reckon the attitude towards Expats will eventually return to what is what in the past - we are good for the economy - please stay/come back. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_foreign-exchange_reserves

 

Thailand no needs to worry anything with this amount of foreign exchange reserves,unless some generals used this money already

[wombat]

4 hours ago, metempsychotic said:

 

 

Perhaps pattaya is catering to a dying demographic. 

i don't think so

[BestB]

2 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

Thailand is known as a cheap holiday destination ..........................My TW came back from Nan last week with a addidas ( fake ) T shirt , for 50B. In my local walking street I bought 2 pairs of shorts ,50B each.  In the night bazzar a tin of My Beer is 50B.

An hour of ....er...massage ( fake massage ) is 1000B with a local girl .....apparently , but don't tell everyone I like being the only falang in town.

If only all the tourist knew about the villages instead of visiting Pattaya or Phuket 

[FarFlungFalang]

Looks like The Big Oud's crackdown on foreigners is just getting started so I wonder what it will look like when he's finished his crackdown?Will there be any foreigners left to crackdown on?

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, kiever said:

this is absolutely true. therefore i found a gf online in esaan and live with her in koh phangan . i just "take care" her by giving 10000 baht monthly. no barfine no ladydrinks no nightlife anymore.

Lucky girl, after 3-4 months she can afford a good phone.

[bristolgeoff]

They have to realise in time to save the high season or not.the baht is high and tourist not coming.my friend just got out there and said very quiet in pattaya

[madmen]

37 minutes ago, dimitriv said:

 

I hope you understand that this is not representative for the average tourist. 

 

Try to imagine...  Family with 4 on a 2 week holiday = over 10 000 Euro + price of tickets to Thailand.  This is over the budget for probably 90% of Europeans.

 

I think these Mastercard numbers are for business people staying a couple of days. Not for a family going on holiday.

 

 

  

23 million business people?  but I thought the bar stool economists said the economy is broken , By your account business is SCREAMING

[madmen]

25 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

They do neither according to the article.   The party days are over.  Better places to party now, unless you are a sex tourist. 

So how do you explain mastercards Bangkok No 1 world status? And those stats were calculated during a COUP!!!!

[Colabamumbai]

Very few tourists buying anything at the Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai this week. Thais are complaining. 

[bbi1]

The complete lack of tourists are from the immigration officers not letting genuine tourists enter Thailand. Why does Thailand complain all the time when they have IO's at the airport who don't want tourists to spend money and deny them entry? Thank your own IOs for no tourists.

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm.... What a surprise? TIT

[Isaan sailor]

Scariest thing this Halloween?   Why, the Baht, of course.  Got me looking at houses in America.  Will wait for another 10% appreciation--probably sometime next year, before we say goodbye...

[natway09]

Any bar owner charging 220 Bht for a local beer deserves to go broke,,

When I came her to live I was lucky to get 18 Bht for an Aussie $ 

Now can get 20 Bht. So it is not exchange rates

[metempsychotic]

3 hours ago, moe666 said:

There you have it dying demographic, a while back read a good article of why Cook went bankrupt and it was a dying demographic. Those of us who liked to sit around the bar drinking beers all day and night are a dying bred being replaced with a younger traveler who wants to do stuff as opposed to having stuff done to them. Chiang Mai is actually running a good crowd of tourist some older folks in groups as well as young backpackers. Setting at my local drinks stand 4 got out of a songtaw with all there junk looked like just off the bus or train and there are more of the folks showing up every day

Exactly, people want to do something - mountain bike, kite surf, wakeboard, rock climb, hike - the cheap sex and and gogos are a side show maybe for a chuckle.

 

they would rather go clubbing and dance on a night out, they more interested in <deleted> each other or a like minded local than a girl from the streets in borrowed heels. 

 

The beer bar and the guy with bar girl tottering beside him are anthropological curiosities to shake their heads at and perhaps pity.