Thailand tourism: Chinese New Year down! "No positives" as Thais face tough year ahead

[CNXexpat]

9 hours ago, bangkokequity said:

Here are a few cities where Air BnB is either illegal, or very tightly regulated .. resulting in many rentals to be illegal because rules are not followed (EX: Registration of guests) Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, San Francisco, Santa Monica … and many more

All of these cities have not enough condos for their population and Airbnb takes condos from the market and the rent and buy prices are increasing every year.. In Thailand there are more than enough condos. 

In Chiang Mai they are building a 600 condo complex which is advertised "Airbnb-friendly", what means a kind of hotel. The problem is, that all the large construction companies are well connected, so they build and build. If the government would regulate the Airbnb market, the companies will lose many contracts. 

[Jane Dough]

29 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

All of these cities have not enough condos for their population and Airbnb takes condos from the market and the rent and buy prices are increasing every year.. In Thailand there are more than enough condos. 

In Chiang Mai they are building a 600 condo complex which is advertised "Airbnb-friendly", what means a kind of hotel. The problem is, that all the large construction companies are well connected, so they build and build. If the government would regulate the Airbnb market, the companies will lose many contracts. 

Could it be that the upper echelons of government have come to an "accommodation" with Airbnb?

 

Rooster

 

 

[billmichael]

10 hours ago, petermik said:

Simply untrue....T.A.T figures confirm tourism is on the increase with big spending Indians arriving in their droves   

I have heard that Indians are ALWAYS on the lookout for a "bargain" and that Chinese are stubborn to give a bargain.  

[TechnikaIII]

11 hours ago, BritManToo said:

AirBnB were reporting a 74% vacancy rate for their properties in Phuket earlier this week.

AirB&B are overpriced to the edge of suicide the World over.

[Traubert]

21 minutes ago, TechnikaIII said:

AirB&B are overpriced to the edge of suicide the World over.

People are thinking of killing themselves because of expensive holiday rentals?

 

Are you sure?

[Sonhia]

Tourism has been going down for the past few years, but wait, Indian tourists will save the day, until they too have had enough...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

She cited economic conditions, the world political climate and the strength of the baht as ongoing problems. 

Sooooo, nothing to do with the Thais ruining the country as a tourist destination?

Self inflicted injury, IMO.

[mike787]

I think all will resolve...this is temporary.

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, Traubert said:

It was between 4c and -1C in Seoul last week. If he was sitting in an outside restaurant he's a braver man than me.

They went purposely this time of year to see the snow... jointly shared with a city break combination package deal.

[BritManToo]

6 hours ago, TechnikaIII said:

AirB&B are overpriced to the edge of suicide the World over.

I've always found them 30% cheaper than Agoda or booking.com (for similar rooms).

Which is why I use them.

[ubon farang]

18 hours ago, petermik said:

Simply untrue....T.A.T figures confirm tourism is on the increase with big spending Indians arriving in their droves   

Well somebody is tellin a porky here lol T.A.T. or the hotel spokesman  

[overherebc]

18 hours ago, HeyHeyHey said:

Decision decision

 

Vietnam and Philippines with cheap prices and clean air

 

or Thailand with pollution rivaling China and prices on pair with Europe

On a par with Europe? I haven't noticed prices dropping here in Thailand recently.

[Prairieboy]

I have never seen a country so fixated on tourism yet do nothing to encourage them - double pricing, scams, dishonest taxi drivers, increasing prices, medical insurance, and. of course the TM-30 and the inconsistency among the various immigration offices.

[d2b2]

13 hours ago, bangkokequity said:

I do not love everything about Thailand ... but I think Thai Visa has become an "over the top" dark corner where xenophobic, racist, and unfair comparisons drive the site.  I am trying harder to chill out and take responsibility ... no one puts a gun to my head and makes me read the replies ... but it is like driving past a car accident ... you sort of "have" to look.

By the way ... here is a new word for you: "Analogy"

 

I agree that Tv forums are overly filled with negative comments, and I usually avoid making them. I was not agreeing with the previous commenter, but pointing out your suggestion to leave is too simplistic and fails to address any problems at all. It is, as you complained earlier, “an unfair comparison”.
I know you were trying to make an analogy, but you failed. Comparing something as complex as a nation, a culture, and a government, to visiting a restaurant is simply a bad analogy. But the prefix of the term seems fitting in describing your personality. 

[SupermarineS6B]

It never ends .....World economy, blah blah blah...... Let's try telling the truth for a change, the Immigration dept under orders from above has virtually single handedly destroyed tourism in Thailand along with the manipulated Thai bht. I suspect most people are like me at the moment, scared of what immigration 's going to do next as we all know that abiding by the law and jumping through all the hoops and producing every scrap of paper doesn't guarantee entry in to the country, ( I don't fly into Thailand anymore, Malaysia first) far better to be kicked out into Malaysia than refused entry because someone's had a bad morning, and literally it can be just that. Now how can you run a country and tourism when there's absolutely no trust in the immigration system ?

I suggest TAT go and have a look at the neighbouring countries and get some tips on how not to scare people away.....  " Ye shall reap what you sow "........ and it's come back in spades.......

The only light i can see at the end of this long and dark tunnel is that the youth of Thailand are finally gaining some power to get rid of the antiquated dinosaurs at the top and give Thailand the chance to grow and not be constantly restricted for a select fews gain.......

[kwak250]

10 hours ago, Thian said:

When the weather is good i sure move back, have a nice house there and am seaching to buy another one in south europe to live with my thai wife.

But in summer time west europe is the best place of the world.

Yes i remember the amazing 2 weeks a year of sunshine .

[dallen52]

They make this stuff up.

Better to say nothing at all. 

Or use an ouija board...

[ChipButty]

1 hour ago, Prairieboy said:

I have never seen a country so fixated on tourism yet do nothing to encourage them - double pricing, scams, dishonest taxi drivers, increasing prices, medical insurance, and. of course the TM-30 and the inconsistency among the various immigration offices.

You forgot to add the word Scams various immigration offices.

[kwak250]

Really most of this boils down to the strength of the baht

When i first moved here it was 75 to the gbp

Food like kow pad was 20 baht

3 changs and a bag of ice 90 baht.

Thats about £1.20 now its about £4

Koh Tao was safe and bungalows were about £3 a night

Everywhere was fun and tourists were everywhere.

Now 39 baht to gbp its not so cheap but i still love the place .

Ask me again in another 10 years i might change my mind but for now its still a great place to live.

 

[BobinBKK]

20 hours ago, darksidedog said:

We can expect TAT to provide a conflicting perspective backed up by meaningless figures in due course I am sure. I note though that even these people are trying to provide excuses, such as strong baht, world economy etc. They would be better off looking at the country itself and the way tourists are treated once they get here. Too many negatives, generally created by greed and a disregard for the tourists safety are something that is causing it, but is never meaningfully addressed.

I agree with you 100%. I live in Bangkok and travel to neighboring countries very often. There's a world of difference between how I'm treated other Asian countries compared to Thailand. On a recent trip to Vietnam the immigration officer looked at my passport, greeted me by name, and said welcome to Vietnam. Coming into Thailand the only thing we get from the immigration officer is a sneer of a dirty look and a smug arrogant attitude. I will be going to the Philippines next month and deep-diving the local environment for cost-of-living and places to live. I honestly don't need to take just type of attitude from anyone nor should anyone else. None of us need Thailand!!!

[StayinThailand2much]

22 hours ago, petermik said:

Simply untrue....T.A.T figures confirm tourism is on the increase with big spending Indians arriving in their droves   

The Indians are coming! But in 2563 A.D. ... ????

[Max69xl]

22 hours ago, petermik said:

Simply untrue....T.A.T figures confirm tourism is on the increase with big spending Indians arriving in their droves   

Never believe any numbers from TAT. Those numbers are always fake, especially if they come from the boss. 

[Yadon Toploy]

When I flew in on Friday night, there were Chinese and Indians everywhere in Suvarnabhumi. It was mobbed.

 

Comedy watching rural Chinese on their first time on travellators trying to stand upright, gripping the handrails as they shuffled along.

 

Mind you I have been seeing these kind for 15 years, only now they are far more numerous, thus are a greater annoyance to normal travellers.

 

They were blocking the entrance to the VIP immigration lanes, almost completely, and ignored me as I attempted to squeeze through. 

 

So head down and shoulders braced it was, and I just ploughed through them.
 

Move peasants!

[Kalasin Jo]

23 hours ago, petermik said:

Simply untrue....T.A.T figures confirm tourism is on the increase with big spending Indians arriving in their droves   

Saturday I came in to Suvarnabhumi. Packed  with Chinese, always with guides and their little flags. No doubt they are spending in Chinese owned hotels, shows and business and the money gets recycled back to China. Little benefit to Thailand.

[DrTuner]

15 hours ago, djayz said:

Or is it me? Have I spent too much time here and become accustomed to it all? 

No, it's gone. Kobkarn the Destroyress of Thailand drove in the last nail by opening the flood gates to the Chinese. Quantity over quality killed whatever was left of the hospitality.

[the guest]

23 hours ago, bangkokequity said:

Exactly!  Air BnB ... you know .. the illegal enterprise undermining the hotel industry, and compromising the safety of condo residents, while completely defeating the ability of national security to track "bad guys" ... all shined up and put in a pretty party dress so no one will THINK about it.

Perhaps Thai government should ban all disruptors like AirBNB,  just another American idea trying to take jobs away from the local market. 

[Traubert]

2 hours ago, BobinBKK said:

I agree with you 100%. I live in Bangkok and travel to neighboring countries very often. There's a world of difference between how I'm treated other Asian countries compared to Thailand. On a recent trip to Vietnam the immigration officer looked at my passport, greeted me by name, and said welcome to Vietnam. Coming into Thailand the only thing we get from the immigration officer is a sneer of a dirty look and a smug arrogant attitude. I will be going to the Philippines next month and deep-diving the local environment for cost-of-living and places to live. I honestly don't need to take just type of attitude from anyone nor should anyone else. None of us need Thailand!!!

You're actually going to uproot and leave because of a two minute encounter with someone who doesn't smile at you?

 

A tad extreme I might suggest?

 

 

[Traubert]

59 minutes ago, Yadon Toploy said:

When I flew in on Friday night, there were Chinese and Indians everywhere in Suvarnabhumi. It was mobbed.

 

Comedy watching rural Chinese on their first time on travellators trying to stand upright, gripping the handrails as they shuffled along.

 

Mind you I have been seeing these kind for 15 years, only now they are far more numerous, thus are a greater annoyance to normal travellers.

 

They were blocking the entrance to the VIP immigration lanes, almost completely, and ignored me as I attempted to squeeze through. 

 

So head down and shoulders braced it was, and I just ploughed through them.
 

Move peasants!

How do you know they were rural? What is the difference between the Chinese and 'normal travellers?'

 

Normal travellers barge people out of the way?

[whiteman]

The sky is falling.                                       do not worry the Indians will save you     joke

[TechnikaIII]

12 hours ago, Traubert said:

People are thinking of killing themselves because of expensive holiday rentals?

 

Are you sure?

AirB&B ... (Perhaps there's an English comprehension problem here.)