Pattaya: "Zero" tourists - last remaining Russians have cancelled and tourism industry faces 80% closure for up to a year

 

Picture: 77kaoded

 

An industry leader in Chonburi has painted the grimmest picture yet of the devastating effect of the coronavirus outbreak on tourism in Pattaya.

 

Speaking to 77kaoded was acting chair of the Federation of Thai Industries, Chonburi Chapter, Thanet Suphasahatrangsee.

 

He pulled no punches. 

 

He said there were now 0% tourists going to Pattaya. Up to now there had been a few remaining Russians going to the resort. 

 

The requirements to have health certificates and 100,000 baht insurance policies have put paid to that. 

 

He said that 80% of the tourism industry in Pattaya faces either temporary or permanent closure. 

 

The effect of the outbreak will be felt for at least 10 to 12 months. 

 

Picture: 77kaoded

 

He expected sell offs to foreign business interests. 

 

He said that the nature of the tourist industry with its great labor intensity needs meant that it was particularly badly hit as workers needed salaries and employers needed to keep up social security payments. 

 

Tourism industry leaders had met with Pattaya mayor Sontaya Khunpluem to outlined a six point plan to present to the government to help businesses from going to the wall. 

 

Picture: 77kaoded

 

This included help in paying up to 70% of wages to workers for 180 days, deferring social security payments for six months, help with tax and interest payments, assistance in paying electric and water bills and the cost of cleaning products. 

 

Thanet recognized that measures taken by the government in shutting down much of the life of the country were important and accepted by those in industry. But by the same token the government must understand the enormous effect this has taken on the economic life of the nation, especially in the tourism sector.

 

Source: 77kaoded

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-03-30

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I think he is correct. I would go even father and say that tourist will not be back for 18 months. We all know the ignorance of most countries; Thailand will always be viewed as Asia and the Epicenter of the virus and people planning their Holidays will opt to choose other destinations. Pattaya and several other tourist destinations in Thailand will be devastated; Thailand as a whole will have to re-think its Tourist Economy. 

33 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said there were now 0% tourists going to Pattaya.

I believe he applied for a job in T.A.T., and was instantly rejected !

That's great. The best news I've heard for a while,  something positive always comes from a negative.

So does that mean we won't see anymore Pattaya world family holiday resort article's from TAT and no more use in posting the honest cabbie stories either.

No more drunken farang being assulted by bouncers

No more ladyboy thefts

No more taxi cab fights

 

 

 

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

He expected sell offs to foreign business interests. 

 

Mmmmmm, now who might that be ?? Chinese people whose economy haven't been hit so hard by all this probably....

19 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

I believe he applied for a job in T.A.T., and was instantly rejected !

yes, i heard the same.  A prerequisite is that you have to be a good liar with maths.

Instead of giving away money why don't they come up with a complete makeover plan and employ those without work to complete it?

condo values will be of course totally unaffected. 

 

 

I suspect there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth going on right now at TAT who had been trying to tell us it would all start to come good again from next month. Should be easy though to now calculate tourist numbers. ZERO. Not quite sure how they will put a positive spin on that, but I am sure they will try.

 

Pattaya getting the headline because it always gets the attention.

 

But Pattaya is just the canary in the coal mine.

 

Expect to see the same throughout the tourist industry.

 

Expect to see severe knock-on effect throughout Thai society.

 

Expect to see some posters getting more than than they wished for........but not in a nice way.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

last remaining Russians have cancelled

CNN reports Moscow has imposed a citywide quarantine for all residents, starting March 30 until further notice.

I would be generous and give this whole coronavirus thing 18-months to turn around.... if the Director General of the WHO can pull numbers out of his butt and ignore reality, then why not?

 

The 18 months should be plenty time to raise that festering blot called Walking Street, including the condo that will never, ever be finished. Rip up the narrow sois and streets, the old and inadequate drainage and plumbing and rebuild the whole place. That way it has a head-start on the region and has a chance of becoming Asia's most popular family beach resort when the sun eventually rises again.

 

...oh, I just woke up.

We all know that the tourism business will recover after August and the locals would have learned to appreciate the guests coming back and will be even more supportive, respectful and grateful that they returned.......................... TO SIBERIA!

How did the Chinese flag waving, dancing and singing by the locals go ?

I dread to think what prices the establishments will be charging when places open up again. They'll have several months of lost business to recover. I predict hyper inflation for a night out.

 

Not to mention the BIB. They must be losing a fortune right now trying to extract cash from businesses with no customers. Or checkpoints with no vehicles. They'll be like Lions that haven't eaten for 2 months. Dodging them and the LB's on your way home will be like playing Sonic the Hedgehog. 

8 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I dread to think what prices the establishments will be charging when places open up again. They'll have several months of lost business to recover. I predict hyper inflation for a night out.

I am ready to do my bit when the first GGB reopens....... but it was too much before!

I do not think so.

The Chinese are supposedly getting things going one way or another.

Pent up demand.

I bet by Nov/Dec or earlier the crowds are back.

I can't see tourism around the world recovering until a vaccination is circulated plus people get jobs again

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He expected sell offs to foreign business interests.

Nǐ hǎo
 

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The effect of the outbreak will be felt for at least 10 to 12 months. 

That is wildly optimistic. Most of the world is going to be locked down for at least six months and, after all all the fear and hysteria, are they going to be eager to cram onto a plane with hundreds of other people for 14 hours? Are they even going to be able to afford it?

Will Europeans accustomed to economy return flights for around €500 be happy to pay the €1000 or more that such tickets are likely to cost, after the lockdown, from the remaining airlines? The economics of the travel industry are going to be an utter mess for a long time.

My guess is that exotic vacations from West to East will be out of fashion until at least 2025.

Forget the next 18 months entirely. After that, the only tourist market that makes sense for Thailand between late 2021 and 2025 will be the Chinese, and only if law and order does not implode too much in Thailand before that, and only if China's own economy does not collapse.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. My guess is that Thailand will legalize casinos for foreign nationals later this year, to attract back the Chinese market as quickly as possible. Pattaya will relaunch on that optimistic new note in November 2021 with its own brand new Wynn Hotel & Casino, with other giants to follow if it actually works.

To see the future of Pattaya, imagine a rather sad cross between Macao and Sihanoukville.


 

1 hour ago, exparte said:

I think he is correct. I would go even father and say that tourist will not be back for 18 months. We all know the ignorance of most countries; Thailand will always be viewed as Asia and the Epicenter of the virus and people planning their Holidays will opt to choose other destinations. Pattaya and several other tourist destinations in Thailand will be devastated; Thailand as a whole will have to re-think its Tourist Economy. 

It took over 18 Months for the World to start having vacations in any numbers after the SARS incident.

With this Covid19 Virus, I would expect at least 2 Years, and thats if Governments around the Globe dont get complacent over the Virus, and open up their Borders too early for Tourism.

It will only take One nation to " jump the Gun " and allow Tourists too early into their Country, and the whole thing could rebound back around the World again, specially as this thing seems to be a fast moving Virus.

 

49 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I dread to think what prices the establishments will be charging when places open up again. They'll have several months of lost business to recover. I predict hyper inflation for a night out.

 

Not to mention the BIB. They must be losing a fortune right now trying to extract cash from businesses with no customers. Or checkpoints with no vehicles. They'll be like Lions that haven't eaten for 2 months. Dodging them and the LB's on your way home will be like playing Sonic the Hedgehog. 

I know what you mean but if these places resort to bumping up prices in an effort to recover lost profit, then that (full expected anyway) tactic will backfire instantly. Tourism was in decline prior to this panic and the global economy was already stalling. The strong baht meant that visitors had less money to spend and that has not changed much. The bad economic effects of the virus on everyone will mean even more debt, so that holidays will be out of the question for many potential tourists for a long time, even after this damn virus deactivates. Wales might do well, though. 

35 minutes ago, donnacha said:

Desperate times call for desperate measures. My guess is that Thailand will legalize casinos for foreign nationals later this year, to attract back the Chinese market as quickly as possible. Pattaya will relaunch on that optimistic new note in November 2021 with its own brand new Wynn Hotel & Casino, with other giants to follow if it actually works.

I sincerely hope that doesnt happen after seeing what has happened in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

38 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

It took over 18 Months for the World to start having vacations in any numbers after the SARS incident.

With this Covid19 Virus, I would expect at least 2 Years, and thats if Governments around the Globe dont get complacent over the Virus, and open up their Borders too early for Tourism.

It will only take One nation to " jump the Gun " and allow Tourists too early into their Country, and the whole thing could rebound back around the World again, specially as this thing seems to be a fast moving Virus.

The difference here being that SARS was "contained". Thus, few people acquired immunity. It is looking more and more like COVID-19 is already deeply imbedded, and there is a very good chance that within 6 months a huge percentage of the population will already be immune to this virus. And if the numbers start to show very low death rates (approaching that of typical influenza), and very few deaths for those who are relatively healthy, then the world will get back to "normal" more quickly. Although, it will still be reeling from the economic damage being done by these few months of shut down, and that will be the problem with tourism recovering. People don't vacation when they are struggling to pay the mortgage or the rent.

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

how they will put a positive spin on that

we anticipate tourist numbers will start to increase from 0% next month. TAT will host a number of events that should see an increase in arrivals at Suvarnabhumi from the 0% of previous forecasts to many many more.

2 hours ago, exparte said:

I think he is correct. I would go even father and say that tourist will not be back for 18 months. We all know the ignorance of most countries; Thailand will always be viewed as Asia and the Epicenter of the virus and people planning their Holidays will opt to choose other destinations. Pattaya and several other tourist destinations in Thailand will be devastated; Thailand as a whole will have to re-think its Tourist Economy. 

Will people choose to go to USA, France, Italy and Spain over Thailand? As things stand I think not. 

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Not quite sure how they will put a positive spin on that, but I am sure they will try.

Latest from TAT.............tourist numbers for next month are forecast to be 0% +.

 

 

3 hours ago, Liverpoolfan said:

dregs of society

you actually sound like a dreg

1 minute ago, smedly said:

you actually sound like a dreg

how so?

3 hours ago, Liverpoolfan said:

Great news!

maybe all the dregs will flee an never come back.

 

A chance to start a new in 18 months time.

Pattaya could become the new hua hin!

 

As long as the dregs of society stay away for good it will be just fine!

Pattaya has been an adult oriented destination for forty-plus years. I doubt that you were here before the early 70’s, enjoying a quiet time on the pristine beaches with your family, only to be interrupted by the gangs of roving sexpats who never left. 
If you (and the rest who think like you) don’t like it here, then please take yourselves to one of the many other coastal cities in Thailand that offer a more family friendly environment (Hua Hin, maybe?). As is evident from the ever-increasing number of bars here, there are many of us who still like to have fun.

The people who make their living in Pattaya don’t agree with you, and most of them will be forced to take less desirable jobs for lower pay if this mess keeps up. There could never be enough hotels, resorts, golf courses, shopping malls, or restaurants to employ all of the people who are losing their jobs in the nightlife industry right now, and even if there could, these people would never be able to make the same kind of money working in those kinds of places. That is why they CHOOSE to work in the bars.

2 minutes ago, Ryan754326 said:

The people who make their living in Pattaya don’t agree with you, and most of them will be forced to take less desirable jobs for lower pay if this mess keeps up. 

My heart bleeds.

They killed the golden goose!

 

Maybe now is a time to reflect on how badly they have treated their guests over the last 40 years.