Coronavirus: Pattaya's speed boat operators facing bad times

[saminoz]

4 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

Mine too ....

My heart dances and turns somersaults.

Go get a real job!

[saminoz]

1 hour ago, spiekerjozef said:

If they miss the chinese tourists so much, they've got boats.

So Koh Larn - China, Daily express tour boat, 18 day roundtrip.

With no Chinese tourists using these boats, who the hell are they going to be able to drown en masse now?

[klauskunkel]

Quote

Pattaya's speed boat operators facing bad times

can't play "dodge the propeller" anymore?

[Assurancetourix]

23 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

What happened with that marina near Bali Hai for these speed boat operators to park there boats?

 

I do not know; I don't live in Pattaya or Jomtien;
but what is certain is that when they go to get their boats with their pickups, they usually find themselves swept away by the tide;
they therefore no longer have vehicles to tow the trailers with the boats on them.

[khunpa]

5 hours ago, dcsw53 said:

There is an opportunity here.
Ko Larn has been off the radar of any sensible person because of the tidal wave of mainly Chinese flooding it every day. Why not now train and re-deploy the unemployed boat people co clean the place up, renovate, and tackle the enormous trash problem they have there ? Result : Jobs created and an island people would want to go to.
Why not ? Because this is Thailand, this type of thinking is off limits

Good idea, but take a Thai official to the site, suggest this and he will say "What rubbish?" 

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, dallen52 said:

Chinese are banned from movement until March by the Chinese government.

They are at least still travelling to Hong Kong.

[Traubert]

1 hour ago, dallen52 said:

Chinese are banned from movement until March by the Chinese government. 

 

 

Tour groups and those within Hubei only.

[KC 71]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Might be safe to go for a swim now!

Probably a good idea to remain vigilant though ! 

[Cake Monster]

6 hours ago, petermik said:

Payback time for the "boat mafia"......no sympathy for them

Many Years of taking the Tourist Dollar, and still they spend all of it and dont save any for a " Rainy Day ".

Well, this is a "Rainy Day "for Thai Tourism, and I personally dont have any sympathy for self inflicted wounds.

Not for these Boat Operators, or for any of the other Business,s that will be affected.

I just have a little sympathy for the workers of these Gougers, who are just trying to make ends meet.

[ChipButty]

36 minutes ago, khunpa said:

Good idea, but take a Thai official to the site, suggest this and he will say "What rubbish?" 

You talking Rubbish again?

[fforest1]

1 hour ago, dallen52 said:

Its called Corona, but could be Karma. 

These operators gouge and rip off tourists and possibly never think about putting something away for a slow season or something like this happening. 

 

The thai government has to seriously consider looking at welfare reform and benefits for workers. 

But I suppose you have to be paying income taxes for that...

 

Chinese are banned from movement until March by the Chinese government. 

 

Oh well,  maybe Songkran will see the improvement?

I don't think so though...

 

The speed boat operators DO NOT rip off tourist....Never have......As a matter of fact it's much cheaper for the Indians and Chinese to take the speed boats than take the ferry if a large group is being transported.....

And the distance is short enough that no one's going to drown as long as everyone has a life preserver... So don't play the safety card....

 

The ferry already gets packed WITH the speed boats....Without them the ferry would be insanely over packed....The speed boats provide a needed service...   

[peterb17]

I’m not sure what has happened to Thai Visa / Nation these days.

A story about people loosing their livelihoods- many working these boats will be on a pretty minimum wage- supporting their families.

 

Yet reading through the posts- it seems that a huge number of parties are being organised in Nakhon Nowhere - the scammers etc deserve it.

( of course as usual the Pattaya bashes have turned up in droves) 

 

Pattaya is a disorganised , corrupt, dirty sea side resort - but for those who do not know this city - it’s an OK place to live .

 

Last night - went out for an amazing dinner- tiny restaurant- over 100 different gins to sample , great food, wine etc - next to a beer bar- brilliant . 

 

So just spare a thought for the local people - who not through their own fault are going to find life difficult with this virus spreading throughout SE Asia and beyond.

 

 

 

[AhFarangJa]

You drove all the Europeans away, now reap the benefits Somchai.

You will find sympathy in the English dictionary in between S**t and Syphilis....

[DrTuner]

I can really feel the love in the air in this thread ????

[Jane Dough]

6 hours ago, dcsw53 said:

There is an opportunity here.
Ko Larn has been off the radar of any sensible person because of the tidal wave of mainly Chinese flooding it every day. Why not now train and re-deploy the unemployed boat people co clean the place up, renovate, and tackle the enormous trash problem they have there ? Result : Jobs created and an island people would want to go to.
Why not ? Because this is Thailand, this type of thinking is off limits

I think you make a very good point. In a wider context all businesses and local authorities should be thinking how they can use the "downtime" to make things better for the future. The ones who do will get benefits when the crisis is over. 

 

As you intimate, the problem here is long term planning and foresight. They are still lacking in the kingdom. 

 

Rooster

[sawadee1947]

Sell the boats ......

Then you'll have money. 

Also It's good for Environment and the beaches will be wonderful again apart from dogs and plastic and scooter and and and 

[Wavel]

6 hours ago, vadid said:

My heart bleeds.

Absolutely brilliant this will give the operators plenty of time to make their vessels sea worthy. Whilst during the time that they don’t have to pay staff, they will be able to afford enough life vests for the occupants of their vessels. It’s a win win for everyone when the tourists come back “Safety Measures” might just be acceptable. Every cloud has a Silver Lining.

[sangtip2]

Too bad  --  so sad

[fforest1]

1 minute ago, sawadee1947 said:

Sell the boats ......

Then you'll have money. 

Also It's good for Environment and the beaches will be wonderful again apart from dogs and plastic and scooter and and and 

Hey good idea.....Kind of like selling both your kidneys so you will have twice as much money...lol

[Leaver]

27 minutes ago, peterb17 said:

So just spare a thought for the local people

Are those that scam, steal and cheat not "local people?"

 

For scamming jet ski operators, zero sympathy.

 

For taxi drivers not using the meter, zero sympathy.

 

For cashiers padding out bar bills, zero sympathy.

 

For bar security who who threaten violence over padded bar bills, zero sympathy.

 

For the places that have dual pricing structure, zero sympathy.  

 

For those in the markets throwing a crazy price at me because I am a farang, zero sympathy.  

 

 

For just about every other local, I wish them well, as we head into the Pattaya Financial Crisis. (PFC) 

 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by Leaver

[shy coconut]

1 hour ago, saminoz said:

My heart dances and turns somersaults.

Go get a real job!

What, in your view is a real job?

[lumply]

The likely consequence of unemployment is petty crime so keep A close eye on your cash, passport etc.

 

[oznomad]

31 minutes ago, peterb17 said:

Last night - went out for an amazing dinner- tiny restaurant- over 100 different gins to sample , great food, wine etc - next to a beer bar- brilliant .

More info please Peter

[shy coconut]

40 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

Many Years of taking the Tourist Dollar, and still they spend all of it and dont save any for a " Rainy Day ".

Well, this is a "Rainy Day "for Thai Tourism, and I personally dont have any sympathy for self inflicted wounds.

Not for these Boat Operators, or for any of the other Business,s that will be affected.

I just have a little sympathy for the workers of these Gougers, who are just trying to make ends meet.

How about if the boat owners have invested in their business by buying, upgrading

their boats, hiring more staff and other ways.

 

Many businesses, even in the utopia you hail from, get into cash flow problems

when the main revenue stream disappears overnight, but I guess you just think 

that they xxxx all their money up against the wall.

[kingofthemountain]

1 hour ago, Destiny1990 said:

What happened with that marina near Bali Hai for these speed boat operators to park there boats?

Large sums of public money have been released to build the marina.

 

Work started with poor quality materials and management, well below the 

amounts of money released.

 

Despite that the money ran out quickly then

they was not able to finish it.

 

You can see now the remains sinking.

Nobody tried to find out where the money went.

 

Another page of the Pattaya saga...

 

[ianezy0]

11 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Are those that scam, steal and cheat not "local people?"

 

For scamming jet ski operators, zero sympathy.

 

For taxi drivers not using the meter, zero sympathy.

 

For cashiers padding out bar bills, zero sympathy.

 

For bar security who who threaten violence over padded bar bills, zero sympathy.

 

For the places that have dual pricing structure, zero sympathy.  

 

For those in the markets throwing a crazy price at me because I am a farang, zero sympathy.  

 

 

For just about every other local, I wish them well, as we head into the Pattaya Financial Crisis. (PFC) 

 

 

My, you do sound very unhappy. Perhaps a tax on the grumpy side. Try smiling a bit, it lowers the stress

[Leaver]

5 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

My, you do sound very unhappy. Perhaps a tax on the grumpy side. Try smiling a bit, it lowers the stress

Not grumpy at all.

 

Whilst I am not celebrating, when others may be, this is kharma for a lot of the people I listed.

 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by Leaver

[kingofthemountain]

22 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

Sell the boats ......

Then you'll have money. 

Also It's good for Environment and the beaches will be wonderful again apart from dogs and plastic and scooter and and and 

Yes these speed boat was a nuisance for the environment

(Noise, smell of diesel, danger for the rare bathers)

plus i have noted that since the chinese are not anymore on the water

(In ferry, speedboat or seafood restaurants)

the sea and the beach have around 80\90 % less garbage 

[Stoker58]

TAT will announce a 10% increase in tourist arrivals.

[Leaver]

1 minute ago, Stoker58 said:

TAT will announce a 10% increase in tourist arrivals.

It's possible there will be a 10% increase in tourist arrivals.

 

If only 100 people come here next week, and 110 people the week after, that's a 10 % increase.   ????