Video: Pattaya ghost town...Coronavirus decimates tourism as staff go home for high season

[Leaver]

13 hours ago, PEE TEE said:

Down why come here with the strong thb  and get low exchange rates better going to spain 

Correct.

 

Thailand / Pattaya has now positioned itself in a strange place in the tourism market, especially in thee region.

 

You get the cheap and nasty infrastructure, but with developed nation prices, then on top of that, particularly for the snow birds, visa grief.

 

The western market finally wised up and are going elsewhere.  Nothing to do with the virus.  The western market was nowhere to be seen this high season. 

[Leaver]

13 hours ago, Skallywag said:

I can say bars were full of western tourists along Soi Buakow, the triangle bar, and the LK Metro Promenade on Saturday 10:30 PM

How do you know they were tourists?  

 

A lot of expats frequent that area. 

 

Edited February 4, 2020 by Leaver

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, RyanWalker said:

Just because you were on your way to your ladyboy, now it was "packed"???? Stop snortung bath salts ya clown

You know nothing of me and appear to be a troll, get your nose back into your bottle!

[mikebell]

'ferry tourists around in armored cars.' The BIB would still get them.  They'd shoot the tires out.

Edited February 4, 2020 by mikebell
missing words

[Leaver]

6 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

You just don’t know when to give up do you? You don’t know how the tourist industry works other than reading posts from other equally ignorant posters. 
 

From the article linked:

“

According to the ABC, a trial of direct Perth-to-Shanghai flights – which launched just a fortnight ago – resulted in a healthy surge of visitors. But the current ban on “package vacations” has meant mass cancellations, with one restaurant claiming they lost more than 1000 Chinese tourists in just two days.“’

 

Package vacations means group travel. Also FIT’s don’t ever booked meals or tours in advance. That’s the whole purpose of FITs. To see what the destination offers and to make on the spot decisions without a travel agent preplanning the itinerary in advance. 

You should stick to the trade shows.  You have no idea about grass roots tourism.

 

Are you seriously comparing the Chinese FIT's going to Australia with the Chinese FIT's going to Thailand?  Do you really think these Chinese FIT's in Thailand have the same financial capabilities?

 

Do you even know what's involved for a Chinese individual to even get a tourist visa to Australia, let alone afford the air ticket, even a 3 star hotel, F & B, transport, tours etc? 

 

 

The Chinese FIT's coming to Thailand are one step up from a western backpacker.  The Chinese FIT's going to Australia are similar to any other western tourist visiting Australia.

[Leaver]

7 hours ago, Traubert said:

And whhhooosshh!! The goalpost shifts.

 

The ones I'm portraying are what? Well, as I didn't portray any, I'll tell you. No, you dont see them in beer bars and only the daring few in a Gogo occasionally. They avoid the public beach for two reasons, the first being six or seven have hired a beachside villa, and secondly they dont sunbathe. They don't monger either, they bring their girlfriends and they party for eight or nine days round their own pool.

 

Then you have the FITs that are renting a condo off the beach. Probably off a Chinese owner. These are the ones that frequent the better restaurants, book tours in all those booths all over the place.

 

The Chinese come for three things. Temples, food and shopping. That's why the average farang wonders where they all are while he's staring moodily into his happy hour Chang in the 69 Bar and composing his diatribe for TVF when he gets home half cut.

 

As said in another post, the Chinese FIT's coming to Thailand are one step up from a backpacker.  They are not the Chinese FIT's other western countries are attracting, but TAT would like to think they are. 

 

Yes, they visit Temples, not expensive to do.

 

They have to eat, but you don't see them in nice restaurants.

 

As for shopping, I go into Central and T21, and I don't see them spending up in brand name shops, and this is pre virus.

 

Edited February 4, 2020 by Leaver

[Leaver]

7 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

Spot on.

 

Over the New Year, some friends from Malaysia came for a holiday. They rented a villa outside of CM, near Doi Saket. 2 wings, 7 bedrooms, 6 with en-suite, flat screen 48 inch Tv’s in every room plus a big projector in one of the living rooms. Private pool, pool table, gym and table tennis table. Land area 25,000 square feet or thereabouts. Surprisingly cheap at 20,000 baht per night, no meals provided. Chinese owner whose main customers are, you guessed it, mainland Chinese. 
 

Yet there are posters who insist that it’s only the cheap tourists that come here. Can’t educate someone that doesn’t want to learn I guess. 

Perhaps the Malaysian market can save Thailand / Pattaya. 

 

I can see next weeks TV headline, "Never mind about the Chinese, Indians and Russians, we have the Malaysians."  ????????

 

Give me your assessment of the percentage of the tourists you described, to the cheap package holiday tourists? 

 

 

Edited February 4, 2020 by Leaver

[Leaver]

9 hours ago, Jacobi Barnes said:

So why are Phuket and Bangkok more crowded than ever? I'm confused. I have no clue what it's like in Patong ( not my crowd ) but Laguna, Layan Beach, Kamala, Naithon are all slammed with more tourists than we've ever had. I couldn't get a reservation for Valentines Day dinner 2.5 weeks in advance at my favorite Phuket restaurant in Laguna. So I tried to book my second favorite restaurant in Bangkok but I'm number 105 on the waitlist at a place that charges 10,000 baht / plate ( shocked that it's booked because I didn't realize that there were so many people in Thailand with this kind of cash. Is it all the Chinese coming back for V-day? or just rich farang and Thais?). Settled on Elements at the Okura Prestige as it was the only decent restaurant that had availability 2 weeks out ( I'm number 5 on the waitlist at Okura so crossing my fingers I get a spot).

 

Hmm...I can't help but wonder if this article is fake news ... or is it just that Pattaya  attracts a different type of tourist than the rest of Thailand? I've never been to Pattaya but now I'm curious to check it out to see if it really is the ghost town that so many on TV are claiming it to be.

Probably because the establishments you mention attract a niche market.

 

As for the regular style places, dead. 

[Leaver]

6 hours ago, Traubert said:

I know, I travel on the same aircraft as them, I check in with them, I wait in departures with them and I hear them talking about where, and what and when.

 

Surely none of the pundits on here are going to claim I cant overhear their conversations?

When I go to the airport I see then stuffing their suitcases with dried fruit and seaweed.  Big spenders.  ????

 

Surely none of the pundits on here are going to claim I don't see this with my own eyes?  ????

 

Edited February 4, 2020 by Leaver

[IAMHERE]

17 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

So this means the low season has officially started?

Good news is now there is a low-point for all future low seasons to be compared with.

[Leaver]

9 hours ago, emptypockets said:

Why? You revel in others misfortune?

I can understand people happy about less traffic on the roads here, and less large tour groups taking up the sidewalks etc.  Pattaya's infrastructure can not handle the mass package holiday tourism well.

 

However, whilst most of them are zero baht tourists, they do provide a lot of employment, albeit, to 300 baht a day Thai workers.  These workers rely on that 300 baht a day to pay their bills, put children to put through school, provide for their elderly family members, and possibly service loans. 

 

I feel for these Thai's now.  They will struggle. 

 

Unlike western countries that have a government benefits system to fall back on when you are out of work due to your factory shutting down etc, Thailand has nothing.  

[Skallywag]

1 hour ago, Leaver said:

How do you know they were tourists?  

 

A lot of expats frequent that area. 

 

True.  Was reacting to the posters who act like every business in Pattaya iis decimated because tourism is down.  Western expats and tourist numbers seem to be at a level good enough to support many businesses is all I was suggesting.   

 

[Tech65]

Tourism economy dowturn was predicted already for 2020.

The corona fake-virus hysteria has only anticipated a bit what was coming.

[johnarth]

they are saying only Chinese go there, by the look of it, it must be true, so in the future it will be chinertown, no farangs allowed.

[morrobay]

9 hours ago, Traubert said:

 

 

 They avoid the public beach for two reasons, the first being six or seven have hired a beachside villa, and secondly they dont sunbathe. They don't monger either, they bring their girlfriends and they party for eight or nine days round their own pool.

 

Then you have the FITs that are renting a condo off the beach. Probably off a Chinese owner. These are the ones that frequent the better restaurants, book tours in all those booths all over the place.

 

The Chinese come for three things. Temples, food and shopping. That's why the average farang wonders where they all are while he's staring moodily into his happy hour Chang in the 69 Bar and composing his diatribe for TVF when he gets home half cut.

 

Sure they are the Cape Dara crowd and they get  taken around in their glorified golf cart so they dont have to put up with the bs of going from a to b to c around here.  But as with the cash property buyers not sure what their numbers really are. Most of these FIT are at the Base, not sure what kind of spenders they are. But real sustainable  tourism here is never going to come from the  top drawer, its going to be the middle classes.  And  why in the world would they put up with visiting  here with the nearby options. Of course for single males they are going to put up with it. But im baffled as to why the average family would. Although there seems to be a nitch market in Jomtien for Russian families This is just academic for me, could care less. Actually the less tourists the better and better for the exchange rate. And Puhleeez enough of this "average farang having a chang" bit. Not only has that line been exhausted it does not apply to most residents  on this forum. thank you.    

[Gweiloman]

3 hours ago, Leaver said:

You should stick to the trade shows.  You have no idea about grass roots tourism.

 

Are you seriously comparing the Chinese FIT's going to Australia with the Chinese FIT's going to Thailand?  Do you really think these Chinese FIT's in Thailand have the same financial capabilities?

 

Do you even know what's involved for a Chinese individual to even get a tourist visa to Australia, let alone afford the air ticket, even a 3 star hotel, F & B, transport, tours etc? 

 

 

The Chinese FIT's coming to Thailand are one step up from a western backpacker.  The Chinese FIT's going to Australia are similar to any other western tourist visiting Australia.

 

3 hours ago, Leaver said:

As said in another post, the Chinese FIT's coming to Thailand are one step up from a backpacker.  They are not the Chinese FIT's other western countries are attracting, but TAT would like to think they are. 

 

Yes, they visit Temples, not expensive to do.

 

They have to eat, but you don't see them in nice restaurants.

 

As for shopping, I go into Central and T21, and I don't see them spending up in brand name shops, and this is pre virus.

 

 

3 hours ago, Leaver said:

Perhaps the Malaysian market can save Thailand / Pattaya. 

 

I can see next weeks TV headline, "Never mind about the Chinese, Indians and Russians, we have the Malaysians."  ????????

 

Give me your assessment of the percentage of the tourists you described, to the cheap package holiday tourists? 

 

 

I fear for your mental health. Seriously. With every post, you seem to be getting slightly more unhinged. 
 

Many 4-5 star hotels in Thailand disagree with your assessment on the wealth of the Chinese tourists staying in their establishment. As do shopping centres such as Emporium and Emquartier. 
 

Malaysians make up the 2nd largest group of tourists to Thailand but their numbers (around 4-5 million annually) has remained stable for many years. 
 

You are entitled to your opinion of the Chinese tourists coming to Thailand. Some of us just know better. 

[bristolgeoff]

they put many eggs in their basket for Chinese tourist and Indians.if the virus is spreading like a wildfire.no one is going near the area.made it hard for the expats and visa  to stay now who is losing out.lessons learn,t maybe

[sharecropper]

 

On 2/3/2020 at 10:49 AM, JomtienRay said:

There are plenty of farang tourists in Jomtien.. 

One of the highest seasons I've seen in Jomtien in 17 years. Restaurants jam packed, bars less so.

[taxin]

On 2/3/2020 at 9:51 AM, bluesofa said:

Does that make it a buyer's market - or will the logic state that the price has now tripled to make up for the lack of victims?

 

My usual hotel in Pattaya when I checked 2 weeks ago was 960 baht, 3 days ago it was 1,600, today it’s 1,750, logic ?

 

The same standard hotel room I can get for under 1,000 in Bangkok and Phuket. 
 

I’ve never understood why Pattaya hotel rates are amongst the highest in Thailand, for a place that really is a cesspit (and now an empty one).

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, taxin said:

My usual hotel in Pattaya when I checked 2 weeks ago was 960 baht, 3 days ago it was 1,600, today it’s 1,750, logic ?

 

The same standard hotel room I can get for under 1,000 in Bangkok and Phuket. 
 

I’ve never understood why Pattaya hotel rates are amongst the highest in Thailand, for a place that really is a cesspit (and now an empty one).

Try an unusual hotel now, plenty of bargains to be had at the moment.

I have never ever found Phuket to be cheaper, and not Bangkok.

They aren't, and if you do not like the place (cesspit), why do you have a 'usual' hotel here?

 

[Jiggo]

Sounds good, last month there was swarms of Chinese on the Bali Hai Pier, took me ages to get past them.

[Jiggo]

3 hours ago, taxin said:

My usual hotel in Pattaya when I checked 2 weeks ago was 960 baht, 3 days ago it was 1,600, today it’s 1,750, logic ?

 

The same standard hotel room I can get for under 1,000 in Bangkok and Phuket. 
 

I’ve never understood why Pattaya hotel rates are amongst the highest in Thailand, for a place that really is a cesspit (and now an empty one).

Must have seen you coming, lots of cheaper good places on offer at this time.

[Sydebolle]

"Kilometers of pristine sand laid down especially for the tourists" - how good is this! 

The sewers still spit untreated waste water straight into the sea - so much to "pristine". I would rather call it "pristine bo11ocks"!

[ChipButty]

What about the tour guides? in the news today in Phuket 3000 tour guides with no work how true that is I dont know

[Traubert]

8 hours ago, Leaver said:

When I go to the airport I see then stuffing their suitcases with dried fruit and seaweed.  Big spenders.  ????

 

Surely none of the pundits on here are going to claim I don't see this with my own eyes?  ????

 

They sell dried fruit and seaweed in the airport prior to check in? You're at the gate for a Chinese flight?

 

Well excuse my scepticism but at BKK there's 32 flights a day to mainland China and unless you work an extended shift on security or somesuch and are extremely mobile you aren't going to see a big sample of the returning Chinese. If you are such an airport familiar, pop down to King Power collections and see what they're picking up there.

 

I think that was the last straw you grasped there friend. Shall we talk about something you're conversant with?

[overherebc]

On 2/3/2020 at 9:55 AM, petermik said:

Free samples on offer...............

And here is your starter for ten.

What's the difference between a bar fine and a fine bar?

[Leaver]

10 hours ago, Skallywag said:

True.  Was reacting to the posters who act like every business in Pattaya iis decimated because tourism is down.  Western expats and tourist numbers seem to be at a level good enough to support many businesses is all I was suggesting.   

 

I think you will find it's a different story on Walking Street, Pattaya's main night life area.

 

You would have seen some tourists, but I think most would have been expats.   

[Leaver]

8 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

 

 

I fear for your mental health. Seriously. With every post, you seem to be getting slightly more unhinged. 
 

Many 4-5 star hotels in Thailand disagree with your assessment on the wealth of the Chinese tourists staying in their establishment. As do shopping centres such as Emporium and Emquartier. 
 

Malaysians make up the 2nd largest group of tourists to Thailand but their numbers (around 4-5 million annually) has remained stable for many years. 
 

You are entitled to your opinion of the Chinese tourists coming to Thailand. Some of us just know better. 

My mental health is fine, it is you who is in denial.

 

Have you not read the several, and recent, news articles on TV where senior members in the tourism industry, and senior management of hotels, have come out and said publicly how quiet it is here now, and this was pre virus?  This is a new thing, especially with the "loss of face" in Thai culture.  Some have even been critical of officials. 

 

Are all these Thai people in the industry wrong? 

 

Do you know better than them?

[balo]

Pattaya is a wonderful city now that the Chinese has gone. No more buses and hoards of Chinese "robots" following their flag leader .  

[Leaver]

2 hours ago, Traubert said:

They sell dried fruit and seaweed in the airport prior to check in? You're at the gate for a Chinese flight?

 

Well excuse my scepticism but at BKK there's 32 flights a day to mainland China and unless you work an extended shift on security or somesuch and are extremely mobile you aren't going to see a big sample of the returning Chinese. If you are such an airport familiar, pop down to King Power collections and see what they're picking up there.

 

I think that was the last straw you grasped there friend. Shall we talk about something you're conversant with?

With so many flights to China, that means when I am at the airport for my flight, I get to see several of their flights. 

 

The maths in your post actually supports my observations.  I would say maths and statistics is something you are not very conversant with.  ????

 

Like Central and T21, I don't see Chinese buying expensive brand name items at the airport, either.  Rather, I see them in a panic rearranging and sharing the kilo's of luggage weight of dried fruit and seaweed before checking in and avoiding an excess luggage fee.   After check in, I do see them filling up their water bottles with free water from the drinking water fountains, and eating food bought from a 7/11 outside the airport.   

 

As for King Power, I haven't stepped foot inside one at the airport since the shop lifting scam, but when walking past I don't see Chinese in there spending.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8154497.stm