Future outlook for Phuket

[Phuketshrew]

12 hours ago, chrisandsu said:

12 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

 

 

Talk is cheap. If you dare, put your money where your mouth is and start by getting rid of all your China made products and not buying any more. I fear that you may not even have a toilet bowl to sit on lol. 

Just do as the Thais do . Put on a massive import tax from

any goods from China . Necessity is the mother of invention . 

You mean revert to squatting on the "starting blocks"?

[ThePearl]

Lot of posters dont get it.

Phuket in relation to western tourists will be off limits until a cure is found...Australia are enforcing their borders..Most cases come via air or sea, understandably governments are distressed with 2 week government quarantines mandatory making for vacations a non event...Governments are not trusting figures coming out of some countries....what posters forget is the cost to western countries and the debt incurred and the fact that they are gun shy...

Phuket tourism in a western sense is finished until a cure is found or the globe gets herd immunity which would take many many years.

[Agusts]

Phuket governor reckons the virus will be contained by 30 April....., so perhaps some restrictions maybe relaxed from 1 May (the 2nd part is my hope,  he only mentioned the first sentence...)

 

 

Edited April 14, 2020 by Agusts

[Sharp]

It's becoming clear economies are going to have to live with it try to control it and open up !!

 

How much longer will it take to get it through to people...      

[thaibutty]

I am interested to read what the original posters assessment of the situation is three month after the initial discussion.

Also wanted to give an update on my decision to those who kindly offered advice. 
 

We have decided to leave phuket and left the island last week. 
 

We were fortunate enough to find Long term tenants for our house. 
 

Despite the easing of measures in phuket and Thailand I still don’t see the future outlook all too bright. 
 

The west Coast of phuket is deserted, there are thousands of empty houses and condos waiting for someone to rent and the prices have dropped significantly. And with no new people coming in they won’t come back up any time soon. 
 

I don’t see Tourism to bounce back this year, and also not next year. 
 

While repatriating we had to endure a 12hour flight with face masks on, while receiving limited service from staff dressed in hazmat suits. Acceptable on a necessary repatriation flight. Hardly what tourists expect when going on a holiday. 
 

And even once they arrive in phuket, who wants to constantly walk around with a mask, check-in/out of places, not allowed to sit with your friends/family on the same table. 
 

as long as these measures are in place, there won’t be a return to normal tourism. 
 

so overall, I am glad we made the move without too big of a financial loss and get to restart in Europe. 
 

 

[mike787]

BLEAK!!!!

[LivinginKata]

4 hours ago, mike787 said:

BLEAK!!!!

 

Agreed

[soi3eddie]

I recently spent 2 nights in Koh Lanta and 2 nights in Ao Nang. I was going to go to Phuket and Khao Lak too but bypassed them as the situation in the former places was so desperate. Virtually no hotels, restaurants, coffee shops or massage places open. Only a few long term expats and business owners. I counted no less than five 7-Eleven stores closed down in Ao Nang. The local mood was very depressed. It's a terrible situation and I felt bad for everyone. So many places and land for sale/rent with no propect of buyers. I can't see much improvement until at least November 2021. 

Edited July 4, 2020 by soi3eddie
clarity

[Agusts]

All well made points, except there are no property or cars or bikes or businesses  for rent or sale at low prices, as far I come across,  prices are kept up as before,  most people sit on what they have and hope things go back to normal, not that desperate yet...., it will take more months to really bite...

 

I'm the mean time the casino stock markets are all back up to pre-virus levels, like there is nothing wrong with economies and nothing happened...!!!? 

 

[DrDave]

42 minutes ago, Agusts said:

All well made points, except there are no property or cars or bikes or businesses  for rent or sale at low prices, as far I come across,  prices are kept up as before,  most people sit on what they have and hope things go back to normal, not that desperate yet...., it will take more months to really bite...

 

I'm the mean time the casino stock markets are all back up to pre-virus levels, like there is nothing wrong with economies and nothing happened...!!!? 

 

Take a look at the Phuket Buy/Sell group on Facebook.  I've noticed an increasing number of properties (villas and condos) being offered for rent at greatly reduced rates compared to a year ago. The best deals seem to be primarily in the Rawai area.

[madmitch]

Things do look bleak for Phuket. It's seen as one of the islands that foreign tourists will be allowed to come to but I've just read an article in the Bangkok Post and reading between the lines they are looking at groups only for the foreseeable future and we all know what that means. One Thai from Phuket was interviewed and he said he was happy for foreigners to return.....as long as they are quarantined for 14 days. No tourist will accept this. Returning Thais and expats will reluctantly put up with it. Of course the TAT put a positive spin on things - its their job - but most people have always doubted their statistics and projections. No exception here.

 

I'm away from Phuket for a few weeks. Hua Hin was very busy with domestic tourists last weekend but the owner of the place we stayed stated that it's only at weekends. Monday to Thursday is dead. But at least it's something. I'm currently in Chachoengsao, just east of Bangkok, and apart from QR check-ins, which I note more and more people ignoring, and mask-wearing in the town, it's business as usual; but this is a place that doesn't rely on tourism.

 

My overseas holiday has beeen replaced with a tour of Isaan, an area of Thailand I've never really visited. Not quite what I had in mind late last year but it will hopefully help some smaller busnesspeople around the country.

 

But as a domestic tourist, would I go to Phuket right now, knowing nearly all shops, bars, hotels and restaurants in the tourist resorts are closed or emply? The answer would have to be no.

Edited July 5, 2020 by madmitch

[thaibutty]

11 hours ago, DrDave said:

Take a look at the Phuket Buy/Sell group on Facebook.  I've noticed an increasing number of properties (villas and condos) being offered for rent at greatly reduced rates compared to a year ago. The best deals seem to be primarily in the Rawai area.

Yes, the number of properties for rent at drastically reduced prices is growing daily.

Friends found a 3bed pool villa in Rawai for 28k down from 50k, for a 2 year contract. 
Of course, some prices were inflated to start with.

we got lucky that we found long term tenants. We dropped the price slightly from what we had wished for but we were early enough to still lock in an acceptable price. 
With so many places coming on the market now and almost no takers it can only get worse. 
 

I also noticed that many are trying to offer short term rentals until December only. So they seem to believe (or hope) that by December tourists return for holiday rentals. 
They might be in for a rude awakening. 

[thaibutty]

2 hours ago, madmitch said:

Things do look bleak for Phuket. It's seen as one of the islands that foreign tourists will be allowed to come to but I've just read an article in the Bangkok Post and reading between the lines they are looking at groups only for the foreseeable future and we all know what that means. One Thai from Phuket was interviewed and he said he was happy for foreigners to return.....as long as they are quarantined for 14 days. No tourist will accept this. Returning Thais and expats will reluctantly put up with it. Of course the TAT put a positive spin on things - its their job - but most people have always doubted their statistics and projections. No exception here.

 

I'm away from Phuket for a few weeks. Hua Hin was very busy with domestic tourists last weekend but the owner of the place we stayed stated that it's only at weekends. Monday to Thursday is dead. But at least it's something. I'm currently in Chachoengsao, just east of Bangkok, and apart from QR check-ins, which I note more and more people ignoring, and mask-wearing in the town, it's business as usual; but this is a place that doesn't rely on tourism.

 

My overseas holiday has beeen replaced with a tour of Isaan, an area of Thailand I've never really visited. Not quite what I had in mind late last year but it will hopefully help some smaller busnesspeople around the country.

 

But as a domestic tourist, would I go to Phuket right now, knowing nearly all shops, bars, hotels and restaurants in the tourist resorts are closed or emply? The answer would have to be no.

I would also believe that most European tourists will stay closer to home for the foreseeable future. Who wants to spend a small fortune to travel to Thailand where they are much more restricted than in any of the European destinations. 

[madmitch]

45 minutes ago, thaibutty said:

I would also believe that most European tourists will stay closer to home for the foreseeable future. Who wants to spend a small fortune to travel to Thailand where they are much more restricted than in any of the European destinations. 

I totally agree. The one exception could be the Russians. They seem to be the only nationality who seem to want to travel and who are making enquiries and even booking.

[mike787]

18 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Agreed

It's "Curtains". Covid = game changer/over!  Shut it down for a very long time or forever.  

[ChasingTheSun]

LOL

 

Lots of negativity on this thread picking on Phuket.

Keep in mind, EVERYWHERE in the world that still has a lockdown is suffering bigly. Not just Phuket.

 

ANYWHERE In the world that is tourism reliant has been hit especially  hard.

Things will bounce back to normal in Phuket and elsewhere faster than you would imagine once the lockdowns are lifted.

 

In addition, there is a fast-growing realization and consensus globally that the kungflu is really just a nasty flu season, and not worthy of any general lockdown. Many are calling the whole China flu hysteria a hoax, and just a power grab.
 

At most, theLis nasty flu is worthy of special precautions for the elderly 70+  and those with certain co-morbidities. Unfortunately and obviously, those specific folks need to be locked-down or only venture outside to the reopened world at their own risk, until an effective treatment or vaccine is found.
 

Indeed, Thailands perceived (current) success at keeping the (tested) virus levels low is actually a huge draw for even more tourists to come once the lockdowns end. 
 

It sucks if your income has been severely impacted by the lockdowns, but those who can hang-on for a little while longer will see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

 

 

 

[wasabi]

FWIW. I am in Phuket right now, Karon area in particular. The word that comes to mind is decimated. Very few people and most businesses shut, many for good. I am confident it will recover, but when and how much?

 

I see there are a few infrastructure projects going on but they are not taking full advantage of the ghost town to fix BOTH sides of the sidewalk. Still lots of narrow places where you have to walk in traffic. Not the experience 'high end tourists' are looking for