Flat growth in tourist arrivals to Chiang Mai

[BritManToo]

Went out to the Loi Kratong party in Chiang Mai tonight.

It was very quiet with few fireworks.

 

[Sydebolle]

Well, the diplomats on the keyboard again - "flat" growth .......... I would have used "stagnant" but "flat" sounds, looks and reads better ???? 

[johnsmith8888]

Had a lovely night in cm for loy kratong. A third imp of tourists than previous years. The hotel was almost empty and we very much enjoyed the police swat team crushing out all the lanterns that we were about to send off with their feet and the traffic stops hunting for extra fines0around the moat. Is there anything more they can do to make us feel welcome?:) Rents are cheal here but that's the only reason to stay money wise. I'll be off tmw to file another TM30 so no more hotels or travel within Thailand for me. Easier to go to other countries. 

[johnsmith8888]

22 hours ago, Nicknoodle said:

I don't live in Chiang Mai but I have spent a considerable amount of time there in the last 7 years. I have only seen a minimal increase in hotels, but as earlier mentioned on this thread, the increase in numbers is only attributed to "guesthouses" now being licenced. In regard to numbers, you can ask any hotel, any bar, any travel agent, they will all say the same thing, numbers of tourists is well down year on year. But one thing I have personally noticed is that there are many more independent Chinese tourists booking cheaper hotels instead of being on tours and paying through the nose. This has in turn has caused the cheaper end hotels to increase in price. If, as per this article states, the number of hotels was up, but the number of guests was pretty much the same then I have no doubt that the hotel prices would have dropped, but they haven't! Always gotta love the Thai statements that are so obviously false. 555

+hotel I stayed in this year was a third of the cost than the same time last year.... Literally, and the hotel was half empty compared to almost full last year. 

[HaleySabai]

On 11/12/2019 at 8:10 AM, sammieuk1 said:

Went out last night to the ping river area and lanterns were banned about 200 people there from last years 5,000 another tourism catastrophe ????  

Wow, what side of the river were you on?...monday night I got roped into walking across the iron bridge and down to the river,absolutely packed with people of all shapes and sizes. I still agree though, numbers are down.

 

A prominent festival this size can reflect the economic mood of the local people. The two windows I have in viewing the grass-roots (house Moo ban & family moo ban) I'd say the mood was very sombre. Not much fire work and lantern as in the past and very quiet aside from Monday evening. People are feeling the pinch.

[Derek B]

On 11/12/2019 at 12:12 AM, WinnieTheKhwai said:

Nation can't even get Loy Krathong Day right.   So don't bother with any of the other drivel.

Loi Krathong is a Siamese festival celebrated annually throughout the Kingdom of Thailand and in nearby countries with significant southwestern Tai cultures. Wikipedia

 

Date: Monday, November 11, 2019

Did you know: Loi Krathong takes place on the evening of the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar.

[Derek B]

In Chiang Mai, the Loy Krathong festival coincides with the regional festival of Yi Peng. Yi Peng is a traditional Thai festival dating back to the old Lanna kingdom. Like Loy krathong, Yi Peng allows participants to let their year’s bad luck and misfortune drift away, only into the sky! This, in combination with Loy Krathong’s water themed celebrations makes for a truly awe inspiring display of light, tradition and Thai culture both on the water and in the sky.

[Derek B]

Pollution is Chiang Mai's downfall - especially this year.

The local authorities achieved very little in controlling the burning earlier in the year.

 

In addition the Thai Gov seems to have had no significant influence on the amount of burning taking place in neighbouring countries a common problem in the ASEAN area.

[Derek B]

On 11/12/2019 at 8:47 AM, banagan said:

I think any tourists who were here for this years 5hit show of a burning season, not only will never be back, will warn others not to come. Our air is now as bad as Bangkok's, 61 times the population of Chiang Mai! 
 

Exactly.....................

[Derek B]

On 11/12/2019 at 8:23 AM, EricTh said:

On 11/12/2019 at 8:10 AM, sammieuk1 said:

Went out last night to the ping river area and lanterns were banned about 200 people there from last years 5,000 another tourism catastrophe ????  

Lanterns is a hazard to planes flying to get into the Chiang Mai airport and also might cause fire on rooftops. 

 

The lanterns ban is lifted only for certain remote area that airplanes don't fly low and not many houses there.

I last time I attended in in CM was in 2017 then the airport was closed between certain hours and the Police controlled (to some extent) the start & finish time when lanterns could be flown from the bridges over the Ping River. Was this not the case this year?

[Langkawee]

On 11/12/2019 at 8:25 AM, mickey rat said:

Air pollution. 

They could turn Chiang Mai air pollution into a historical cultural experience --- what it was like to be in a German gas chamber. My Great Uncle was shot down over France and survived and got the experience of being tested in the gas chambers and survived. 

[Langkawee]

On 11/13/2019 at 5:01 PM, HaleySabai said:

Wow, what side of the river were you on?...monday night I got roped into walking across the iron bridge and down to the river,absolutely packed with people of all shapes and sizes. I still agree though, numbers are down.

 

A prominent festival this size can reflect the economic mood of the local people. The two windows I have in viewing the grass-roots (house Moo ban & family moo ban) I'd say the mood was very sombre. Not much fire work and lantern as in the past and very quiet aside from Monday evening. People are feeling the pinch.

And its booming in Vietnam but then Vietnam is not the hub of mysterious deaths and expensive beer and miserable faces and scam hospital bills and denied visa entries. They've only got themselves to blame. And the police shakedowns of tourists and Thais riding motorcycles. You can not ride one day without being stopped by police a dozen times. At least a dozen checkpoints in central area and they stop all motorcyclists. Its more fun in Singspore, lol. They don't understand you can't mistreat tourists, nor mistreat Thais and get away with it any longer. Social media is omnipotent. Everyone knows about the burning gas chambers of Chiang Mai now. Jet ski scams, motorcycle crash repair scams, karaoke scams. You really get a great welcome when you arrive in Thailand 555. Bus crashes, lucky to get out alive. 

[Langkawee]

On 11/13/2019 at 11:30 AM, johnsmith8888 said:

Had a lovely night in cm for loy kratong. A third imp of tourists than previous years. The hotel was almost empty and we very much enjoyed the police swat team crushing out all the lanterns that we were about to send off with their feet and the traffic stops hunting for extra fines0around the moat. Is there anything more they can do to make us feel welcome?:) Rents are cheal here but that's the only reason to stay money wise. I'll be off tmw to file another TM30 so no more hotels or travel within Thailand for me. Easier to go to other countries. 

Go to Ha Giang Vietnam if you want the real Chiang Mai experience like it was 70 years ago and beer for 10 baht a can. Vietnam is absolutely booming because Thailand has been ruined by social media exposing the numerous scams. 

[Bassosa]

On 11/14/2019 at 5:35 AM, Derek B said:

Pollution is Chiang Mai's downfall - especially this year.

The local authorities achieved very little in controlling the burning earlier in the year.

 

In addition the Thai Gov seems to have had no significant influence on the amount of burning taking place in neighbouring countries a common problem in the ASEAN area.

They can't even control vehicles emitting enormous amounts of black smoke and soot. Why on earth do you think they can control burning within Thai borders, let alone across the border?

[Langkawee]

On 11/25/2019 at 6:23 PM, Bassosa said:

They can't even control vehicles emitting enormous amounts of black smoke and soot. Why on earth do you think they can control burning within Thai borders, let alone across the border?

It's boom time for hospitals and the morgue 555 welcome to CNX where a holiday will shorten your life 555

[BestB]

Do not panic CM, 39 million are waiting to board the planes as we speak ????

[Number 6]

Flat growth - emmmm ok

[ChipButty]

Local people are suffering all over Thailand the elite have to keep their foot on the brown peoples throat 

[sunnyboy2018]

On 11/11/2019 at 3:28 PM, CNXexpat said:

After Loi Krathong the hotel and especially the hostel bookings are low again. Chinese prefer good hotels and will never stay in dormitories like western backpackers. Also they like Airbnb. If the new ASTRA with more then 600 Condos and the ad, that they are "Airbnb friendly", the hotels will loose more guests.

4 weeks ago I was at the Eat@Rincome restaurant. They told me that the U Hotel (4*) is fully booked - by Koreans. 

Young Chinese do stay in dormitories but anyway there are plenty of good hotels in a modest price range and the choice is not just between cheap bad hotels  and dormitories.

[somo]

I spent a week in CM earlier this year and visited the usual haunts. Everywhere was deserted! I spoke to a few business owners who said the situation was desperate but still the Gov. agencies pump out rubbish about how tourism is at worst flatt his year.

I understand Pattya is also quiet which I can understand.