Tourism: Indians "last hope" for Pattaya as Thai media reports massive high season decline

[Why Me]

3 hours ago, soistalker said:

I can stay in Vietnam for a year for $185usd.

But then you would be in Vietnam. Which is a pretty <deleted>ty place to live to be honest. And on $185 a month (year?) it would even <deleted>tier.

 

Thailand with all its faults is still heckuva a lot more livable than its neighbors.

Edited November 27, 2019 by Why Me

[kingofthemountain]

28 minutes ago, Why Me said:

3 hours ago, soistalker said:

I can stay in Vietnam for a year for $185usd.

But then you would be in Vietnam. Which is a pretty <deleted>ty place to live to be honest. And on $185 a month (year?) it would even <deleted>tier.

 

Thailand with all its faults is still heckuva a lot more livable than its neighbors.

185$ is obviously the cost of the visa

not all its annual expenses.

[Naresh Kumar]

I just came back from attending an Indian wedding in Hua Hin at the Sheraton. This was one of the smallest Indian weddings I've attended as it was only 200 guests for 3 nights, all multi cuisine meals, and stay was hosted by the parents. Normally the big fat Indian wedding hosts about 400 - 500 guests, and is spread over 3 to 4 nights. Try and imagine the local infrastructure of event managers, serving staff, cooks, decorators, transport services......each of the weddings that Indians host in Thailand, and the businesses just this group of Indians support in Thailand. For a farang, its difficult to swallow that there is this rich community of brown skin people who are much wealthier than them, so the only way they know how is to look down on them, such a shame. One of the earlier comments mentioned that the Indian habit of bargaining comes from the fact that in India still a large section of the market is held by small shop keepers who do not display prices, and hence a natural instinct in Indians to try and find a bottom level for anything they are paying for. The Indian buyer is not forcing anyone to anything, if you don't lower the price, he will move on to the next one, till he realises what the real market price is. A farang is basically unaware of Asian customs and culture. They are quick to pass judgement as if theirs is the only way to live, well if that is so what are they doing in this part of the world, go back. Thais seem to be bending backwards to welcome the Indian tourists, how is a farang opinion even relevant ?

[Straight8]

oh noooo dorrrnnn't!!!

 

Indians last hope... ????

[fforest1]

12 minutes ago, Straight8 said:

oh noooo dorrrnnn't!!!

 

Indians last hope... ????

No Indians 2nd to last hope...

 

Nigerians last hope...

[mike787]

Vietnam is FAR better bang for the buck, great people, easy immigration, and amazing food.  The Thias did this to them selves, but they are self absorbed none of this will matter because introspection and self awareness are beyond  their understanding.

[DannyCarlton]

20 minutes ago, Naresh Kumar said:

I just came back from attending an Indian wedding in Hua Hin at the Sheraton. This was one of the smallest Indian weddings I've attended as it was only 200 guests for 3 nights, all multi cuisine meals, and stay was hosted by the parents. Normally the big fat Indian wedding hosts about 400 - 500 guests, and is spread over 3 to 4 nights. Try and imagine the local infrastructure of event managers, serving staff, cooks, decorators, transport services......each of the weddings that Indians host in Thailand, and the businesses just this group of Indians support in Thailand. For a farang, its difficult to swallow that there is this rich community of brown skin people who are much wealthier than them, so the only way they know how is to look down on them, such a shame. One of the earlier comments mentioned that the Indian habit of bargaining comes from the fact that in India still a large section of the market is held by small shop keepers who do not display prices, and hence a natural instinct in Indians to try and find a bottom level for anything they are paying for. The Indian buyer is not forcing anyone to anything, if you don't lower the price, he will move on to the next one, till he realises what the real market price is. A farang is basically unaware of Asian customs and culture. They are quick to pass judgement as if theirs is the only way to live, well if that is so what are they doing in this part of the world, go back. Thais seem to be bending backwards to welcome the Indian tourists, how is a farang opinion even relevant ?

My daughter has just returned from attending a large Malay/Indian wedding in KL. 500 guests including the Prime Minister. Very lavish. How many of these weddings do you think take place in Thailand every year? Enough to sustain the Thai tourist industry or very few? This is not the future of Thai tourism.

 

I understand your point about the Indian culture of bargaining but when it consists of 4 Indians crowded round one young girl trying to negotiate sex for the group (take it in turns, whilst the others watch) and reducing that girl to tears due to their relentless haranguing, then to a Thai or farang your culture is completely unacceptable. It may be fine by you but not to the rest of the planet. Likewise 3 men sharing one drink. Sorry, but you can stick your "culture".

[fforest1]

39 minutes ago, Naresh Kumar said:

I just came back from attending an Indian wedding in Hua Hin at the Sheraton. This was one of the smallest Indian weddings I've attended as it was only 200 guests for 3 nights, all multi cuisine meals, and stay was hosted by the parents. Normally the big fat Indian wedding hosts about 400 - 500 guests, and is spread over 3 to 4 nights. Try and imagine the local infrastructure of event managers, serving staff, cooks, decorators, transport services......each of the weddings that Indians host in Thailand, and the businesses just this group of Indians support in Thailand. For a farang, its difficult to swallow that there is this rich community of brown skin people who are much wealthier than them, so the only way they know how is to look down on them, such a shame. One of the earlier comments mentioned that the Indian habit of bargaining comes from the fact that in India still a large section of the market is held by small shop keepers who do not display prices, and hence a natural instinct in Indians to try and find a bottom level for anything they are paying for. The Indian buyer is not forcing anyone to anything, if you don't lower the price, he will move on to the next one, till he realises what the real market price is. A farang is basically unaware of Asian customs and culture. They are quick to pass judgement as if theirs is the only way to live, well if that is so what are they doing in this part of the world, go back. Thais seem to be bending backwards to welcome the Indian tourists, how is a farang opinion even relevant ?

This Indian wedding thing is complete NONSENSE....

 

I am not saying it never happens because it does...But unless a Indian is VERY VERY VERY VERY well off it makes ZERO sense to fly to another country to have a wedding...

The cost of passports and plane ticket hotel rooms taxis food for 200 300 400 500 people would be absolutely enormous...Just because a few Indians can afford a wedding in Thailand it sure does not mean most can afford this...Its not a growing trend now or ever PERIOD...

Edited November 27, 2019 by fforest1

[Pravda]

33 minutes ago, Naresh Kumar said:

I just came back from attending an Indian wedding in Hua Hin at the Sheraton. This was one of the smallest Indian weddings I've attended as it was only 200 guests for 3 nights, all multi cuisine meals, and stay was hosted by the parents. Normally the big fat Indian wedding hosts about 400 - 500 guests, and is spread over 3 to 4 nights. Try and imagine the local infrastructure of event managers, serving staff, cooks, decorators, transport services......each of the weddings that Indians host in Thailand, and the businesses just this group of Indians support in Thailand. For a farang, its difficult to swallow that there is this rich community of brown skin people who are much wealthier than them, so the only way they know how is to look down on them, such a shame. One of the earlier comments mentioned that the Indian habit of bargaining comes from the fact that in India still a large section of the market is held by small shop keepers who do not display prices, and hence a natural instinct in Indians to try and find a bottom level for anything they are paying for. The Indian buyer is not forcing anyone to anything, if you don't lower the price, he will move on to the next one, till he realises what the real market price is. A farang is basically unaware of Asian customs and culture. They are quick to pass judgement as if theirs is the only way to live, well if that is so what are they doing in this part of the world, go back. Thais seem to be bending backwards to welcome the Indian tourists, how is a farang opinion even relevant ?

 

I rent my condo to an Indian. Great guy. Always pays on time. Has a good job in IT. 

 

That is in Toronto where a different class of Indians as well as Chinese live and work. 

 

I think everyone is aware that there are rich Indians and Chinese living in Thailand. Also almost everyone is aware (except you it seems) that Thailand only gets bottom of the barrel Indian and Chinese tourists. The rich one are not going to be bothered living in a third world country in unstable government and no long term stay options. This is nothing wrong or racist. Twenty years ago I chose Thailand as my tourist destination solely because it was cheap. I certainly didn't have money for Maldives or Paris.

 

 

[WhatupThailand]

Indians "last hope" for Pattaya, said General Custer

[simple1]

19 hours ago, thequietman said:

It's actually a cultural thing. There are no suggested retail prices in India. Nothing is labeled, so it pays to talk with several vendors before making a significant purchase and so they do it here as a matter of routine. 

 

Frustrating for the vendor, yes, but it's quite normal for them. ????

One assumes for haven't been in in India for a while. I have just returned from a month in India. Having, albeit briefly, visited a number of locations, many shops, including markets, have price labelling. I'm sure you know their is now a large middle class in India who can afford international holidays. I would guess many of the men referenced who visit Thailand, especially Pattaya, for the sex trade are relatively similar to males from the West - often not the best representatives of home country culture.

[daveAustin]

41 minutes ago, Naresh Kumar said:

A farang is basically unaware of Asian customs and culture. They are quick to pass judgement as if theirs is the only way to live, well if that is so what are they doing in this part of the world, go back. Thais seem to be bending backwards to welcome the Indian tourists, how is a farang opinion even relevant ?

Careful with the judgments there, ole mate, bordering on trolling. The Thais do hospitality extremely well and cater to this or that group with ease... whomever has his hand in his pocket really, it doesn't matter what you look like. I like Indians, clever folk, tasty cuisine and some stunning women etc, but it is pretty much common knowledge among the Thais - who can be abrupt, xenophobic and down right racist - that Indians are seen as quite low down. It will grind on visitors I'm sure.

 

By the by, watch that high horse and be mindful that the truly wealthy westy would rarely consider this neck of the woods.

[sunnyboy2018]

14 hours ago, BoBoTheClown said:

Real tourists have no problems coming into Thailand.  Broke foreigners who try to live here on tourist and student visas are the ones not welcome.

'Broke' is a relative concept. Throughout history economy travelers have been famous and indeed opened up Europe, India, Thailand and many other locations. Who do you think led the trail to Goa  Kathmandu,  Chang Mai, Bali?...etc. And importantly such people return when they are wealthy.  It was not super rich tourists who turned Banglampoo into a wealthy area it was backpackers. Your imagined model of travel is based on snobbery and spite.

Edited November 27, 2019 by sunnyboy2018

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, Traubert said:

Anybody getting the impression that Mike doesn't like the Army?

I despise them and everything they represent. They are moving Thailand backwards and lowering the quality of life for the average Thai and ex-pat both. They are virtually useless. Not to mention highly racist and xenophobic. What is there to like?

[sunnyboy2018]

52 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

This Indian wedding thing is complete NONSENSE....

 

I am not saying it never happens because it does...But unless a Indian is VERY VERY VERY VERY well off it makes ZERO sense to fly to another country to have a wedding...

The cost of passports and plane ticket hotel rooms taxis food for 200 300 400 500 people would be absolutely enormous...Just because a few Indians can afford a wedding in Thailand it sure does not mean most can afford this...Its not a growing trend now or ever PERIOD...

Indians do spend massive amounts on weddings. Might not make sense but they do.

[DannyCarlton]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

I despise them and everything they represent. They are moving Thailand backwards and lowering the quality of life for the average Thai and ex-pat both. They are virtually useless. Not to mention highly racist and xenophobic. What is there to like?

They wear some very nice watches. Jealous?

[spidermike007]

2 minutes ago, DannyCarlton said:

They wear some very nice watches. Jealous?

Jealous of being a nothing? A ghost? Someone who does absolutely nothing for their own people? No thanks. Multi million baht watches are just the tip of the iceberg. 

[DannyCarlton]

6 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Jealous of being a nothing? A ghost? Someone who does absolutely nothing for their own people? No thanks. Multi million baht watches are just the tip of the iceberg. 

If you think Prayut & Co. are the root cause of corruption in Thailand, you are so wrong. They are just the foot soldiers.

 

 

Edited November 27, 2019 by DannyCarlton

[Captain 776]

They don’t spend anything and opt for the cheapest hotel room they can find..........how is that a last hosp.

Decades of no maintenance or improvement of infrastructure is taking its toll along with other factors.

[Stargeezr]

Well when I first went to Pattaya I stayed at the Beverly Hotel, it was near the 

part of Pattaya where the Tourists from the ME were, now it is the middle of the area 

that has lots of Arabic language signs are, what a difference 20 years make.

Maybe the ME is Thailand's or Pattya's real last chance to make a tourist dollar.

Geezer

[DannyCarlton]

7 minutes ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

Well when I first went to Pattaya I stayed at the Beverly Hotel, it was near the 

part of Pattaya where the Tourists from the ME were, now it is the middle of the area 

that has lots of Arabic language signs are, what a difference 20 years make.

Maybe the ME is Thailand's or Pattya's real last chance to make a tourist dollar.

Geezer

They've already been here for a lot of years. Now, they too are abandoning Pattaya. Drinking Street was always the epicentre of Arabs in Pattaya. Arab music and shisha freely available even when they were banned in the rest of Pattaya. Now what few customers they have are Indian, Indian music etc.

[yogi100]

9 hours ago, purcho said:

My wife had a salon in CM and later one evening a well dressed Indian couple along with their teenage daughter came into her shop desperate for a head lice treatment . The daughter who was boarding at a private school on the outskirts of C/M had a bad case of lice and had to get it done . They quibbled over the price ( cant remember how much , but probably 200-300 bht ) I am glad the wife didnt reduce the price as the parents were not hesitant to tell my wife how they owned a top Indian restaurant on Lower  Sukumvit in Bkk..   Can just imagine going into their restaurant and haggling over the prices on the menu . On another note ...My wife had a salon in Pratunam prior to moving north and insisted that all Indian customers paid for their hair service in advance . Experience had taught her that Indians sometimes refused to pay on completion or demanded a discount once the job was done . Only nationality she ever had problems with .............just sayin

It's the same with tradesmen in the UK. Many just refuse point blank to do any work for sub continentals at all unless they're paid up front because of bitter previous experiences.

 

I could never imagine going in one of their corner shops and haggling over the price of a newspaper or a Mars Bar.

[yogi100]

11 hours ago, Humpy said:

Very very few Indians visit the go go bars because the girls don't like them. .... 

The doormen and bouncers won't even let 'em through the door in the first place.

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

I have lived for many years in this kind of village; it's heaven on earth ...

Strange, one I go to seems to be inhabited by old crones with no teeth... all the young women are away 'working'!

[Traubert]

The smell of fear is powerful on TVF tonight.

[tifino]

1 minute ago, Traubert said:

The smell of fear is powerful on TVF tonight.

don't worry... there's another 12 hours or so; before the Sun goes down, and they all come out from their dark corners...

 

if in doubt; copy the Indians, and walk around in a pack

[Traubert]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Jealous of being a nothing? A ghost? Someone who does absolutely nothing for their own people? No thanks. Multi million baht watches are just the tip of the iceberg. 

How is it more constructive and helpful to be a foreigner in their country dripping venom on them on a foreign language site every day? Criticising them for not being posh or highbrow enough? How does that advance the world? Anybody's world for that matter?

[Mac98]

At no expense, roll back the nightlife rules to 1998, then stand back and watch Pattaya come back to life. Remember fun?

[gearbox]

3 hours ago, Pravda said:

Also almost everyone is aware (except you it seems) that Thailand only gets bottom of the barrel Indian and Chinese tourists.

 

 

Pattaya gets the bottom of the barrel from everywhere, not just China or India.

[kellio]

It's becoming more and more obvious everyday from an expat living in Pattaya on and off for almost 20 years, that the current governing Thailand regime is making it more and more difficult for foreigners (Who I'll refer to as farangs) to stay here for extended periods or to retire here.
New laws are being introduced constantly or are put forward almost daily and all appear to targeted the white skinned while other laws are being introduced just as quickly to make it easier for other Asians such as the Chinese and Indians to come and stay here.

I don't and have never had a racial bone in my body but the reasoning behind all this is unfathomable in that the Chinese for example, spend all their money on package deals before they leave China so upon their arrival in Thailand, travel around in Chinese owned tourist buses and stay in Chinese owned hotels and eat in Chinese owned restaurants.
They rarely spend any money here at all except maybe to buy a souvenir or 2 from Chinese owned stalls or souvenir shops.and never venture out unless in groups organized by the same Chinese owned travel agencies.
They wander around following the guy with the little flag on a stick with necks on swivels and never break that line regardless of traffic or red light traffic signals.
As a result, they are constantly causing traffic jams and holding up the life supporting vehicle traffic delivering food and other essentials to the rest of the populace.
I've actually seen them step in front of emergency vehicles like ambulances with red and blue light flashing and sirens on full volume accompanied by other such vehicles like fire brigades and police just in case they break the line.
On the other hand, they are now allowing Indians to come here with little or no security checks and there's now talk of them allowing and introducing laws that don't require the Indians to even have passports and are subsiding air fares so they can travel here return for as little as US$100.
I was told a few weeks ago that that the government is going to increase the allowable number of Indians permitted to 10 times the current number.
The Indians are as bad if not worse than the Chinese as they completely ignore local culture and laws. 
They will loiter about or wander around in groups of no less than 4 and more often 10 or 12 and are usually all males with rare exception. 
They hang around street corners or on footpaths blocking all other pedestrian traffic and will not move to let others pass regardless of how politely they are asked. 
If you're in a lift and wanting to get out while there are Indians wanting to get in, brace yourself for a tussle because they will not let you get out before they charge in.
They will also walk down busy streets and sois abreast of each other, sometimes 6 at a time regardless of traffic and the constant abuse from drivers who are obviously and mostly Thais going about their everyday business or jobs, so once again disrupting and annoying everyone who comes here except themselves.
They will also walk across busy streets "duck fashion" one behind the other also adding to the congestion.
They to have little money and it's not uncommon to see 6 or 8 of them sitting on bar stools with a single bottle of water or beverage between them and 6 straws.
This is annoying bar owners so much because farangs who do have the money are not going into these bars because all the seats are taken and many bar owners are now banning them from bars altogether.
The number of new Indian restaurants being opened in Pattaya is staggering buy many are not selling food.A friend recently shared his experience in visiting 4 Indian restaurants in close proximity to each other before they found one that actually sold food.
The staff in the others made lame excuses like "Sorry Sir. The chef has failed to arrive today" or, Sorry sir but we are writing a new menu and it's not completed yet"

So, now they are going to the beaches and taking all the free seats there while ogling the Thai girls and farang alike who are also getting really annoyed.
I'm not suggesting for one moment that all Indians who visit Pattaya will act in the above manner and nor am I suggesting that all Chinese will either but the vast majority who visit for a short stay, do as any expat living here will testify..  
Why on earth the government is condoning all this I have no idea and but all the above combined with the new restrictions being introduced and the strength of the Thai baht play a major role in why expats are leaving Pattaya and others are not taking their place and I'm sure the same applies elsewhere.
PS. To any moderator considering this to be a bit too racial, it is not written as such but is simply the truth and should be allowed so others can comment and add their opinions.