Channel 7 report: No tourists and desperate times for vendors/ hotels in Pattaya

 

 

Channel 7 went to Pattaya to interview local traders and a tourism business representative for a special report. 

 

It was grim news. The traders had no money. There were no tourists. 

 

Thais were not spending money. Evcen a 10 baht bag of soy milk was too much.

 

Most hotels were not bothering to open before October as it was just not worth it.

 

Deckchair operators reported that despite lockdown easing and government stimulus measures after the initial throes of the coronavirus pandemic things were terrible. 

 

Foreign tourists that represented the backbone of the business were just not coming.

 

People who did open in the hope of making a living were not getting their investments back on items like food. 

 

Jet skis and boats were just sitting idle in the bay at Pattaya Beach.

 

A soy milk trader was selling 50% less than normal. 

 

A local tourism business rep said that after government lockdown easing moves in July only 30 of their member hotels had bothered to open. 

 

It was just not worth it at the moment. 

 

They were waiting for October and high season before giving it a go. 

 

The government were urged to give more help in stimulating Thai domestic tourism.

 

Source: Channel 7

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-07-10

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

Foreign tourists that represented the backbone of the business were just not coming

and why should they with the way they have been treated over the last 30 years?

They have been scammed one too many times and are booking their 40 quid flights to Spain instead.

 

I can't say I blame them!

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thais were not spending money. Evcen a 10 baht bag of soy milk was too much.

if that's the case how can they justify 10 billion income during last 4 days holiday.... ohhh I know, we can't trust any of their numbers

11 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

if that's the case how can they justify 10 billion income during last 4 days holiday.... ohhh I know, we can't trust any of their numbers

Yes just the other day  it was said that Thai tourist had  booked 80-100 % of 3-5 star hotels in Hua Hin

@ prices 3,000 baht up per night....but that the guest houses and budget hotels where almost empty ?

doesn't make sense to me  surely people with no income for months on end..or a measly handout of 5,000 baht per month would be staying at the cheaper accommodation.

Saying that there where a hell of a lot of Bangkok plated vehicles along Jomtien beach road and clogging everywhere else up during those 4 days "holiday" 

( on top of the months of shutdown where do they get the money from ?)

9 minutes ago, johng said:

Yes just the other day  it was said that Thai tourist had  booked 80-100 % of 3-5 star hotels in Hua Hin

@ prices 3,000 baht up per night....but that the guest houses and budget hotels where almost empty ?

doesn't make sense to me  surely people with no income for months on end..or a measly handout of 5,000 baht per month would be staying at the cheaper accommodation.

Saying that there where a hell of a lot of Bangkok plated vehicles along Jomtien beach road and clogging everywhere else up during those 4 days "holiday" 

( on top of the months of shutdown where do they get the money from ?)

The people on the 5k a month handout are not the ones taking holidays and filling the 3-5 star hotels, it's the other segment of Thai society, the middle classes who would normally have gone overseas, the group that most TVF posters don't think exist. In the minds of most TVF posters there's the very poor, starving, rural folk and the elites and nothing in between.

11 minutes ago, johng said:

(on top of the months of shutdown where do they get the money from ?)

Many would be people with secure jobs like government employees etc.

4 minutes ago, Trillian said:

it's the other segment of Thai society, the middle classes who would normally have gone overseas,

Ok, would seem there are many more than I thought existed..seemed like half of Bangkok turned up !

 

4 minutes ago, Denim said:

Many would be people with secure jobs like government employees etc.

True,  though I thought government employees where not very well paid..except of course

"democratic soldiers"  and "others" with rich friends who die after lending luxury items.

58 minutes ago, webfact said:

They were waiting for October and high season before giving it a go. 

Good luck with that.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

They were waiting for October and high season before giving it a go. 

I get the feeling the state of emergency will be extended to cover the forthcoming October riots when the tourists are still blocked

The only way your going to get money is letting the filthy farangs in but you may find you have rinsed them over the edge to new pastures much cheaper and with no uniforms???? 

HIgh season in October? They forgot to mention what year. Not 2020, for sure.

TAT will soon be reporting the high end hotels here are almost fully booked.........

They seriously think that tourists will be flocking to Thailand in October?

1 hour ago, webfact said:

There were no tourists. 

Those deck chairs are just gonna have to sit it out I'm afraid .. 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Jet skis and boats were just sitting idle in the bay at Pattaya Beach.

That is positive news.

People from Bangkok travel to Pattaya during the weekend. Most of them have condos. They don´t need hotels. Other places like Hua Hin and Koh Chang were full the last weekend. At Koh Chang the people waited 8 hours for the ferry.

There are still a lot of Thais with money. Many of the cafes in Chiang Mai were full of Thais, also the expensive ones where a cappuccino costs 85 Baht and the cakes are more expensive than in other shops. Also sushi restaurants are full.

45 minutes ago, johng said:

 

( on top of the months of shutdown where do they get the money from ?)

Not everything was shut down, far from it.

 

Most construction sites and factories never shut down, for example.

 

And there are many people with enough money to spend in the country.

 

During the previous long weekend, Central Plaza in Ubon Ratchatani (in Isaan, not known for its wealth) was full, including all the restaurants, which are not cheap.

 

On Tuesday, Sizzler had no beef left, S P had no ice cream left and Swenssen had no chocolate left...never seen anything like this before...seems like people are catching up after a few months of consumer frustration.

 

Was speaking to a Thai friend of mine recently and she said "the economy will recover soon because everyone wants to visit Thailand". Had a bit of a laugh at that and chatted about how expensive Thailand is now for smelly old westerners, and how the Thai love of endless paperwork and bureaucracy has soured many people's opinions of the place. I mentioned how I can enter Mexico visa free for 6 months no questions asked, and how it takes >100 sheets of paper for me to apply for my marriage extension here. Plus how easy it is to reside in Cambodia with little more than a few passport photos, the required money in USD and 5 minutes to fill out a form.

 

Sometimes it seems like Thai people are living in a bubble. They don't know what other countries offer, and assume that Thailand is the best country in the world. Now seems like the best possible time to start reigning in some of the ridiculous requirements for people who just want to come here and spend their hard-earned money in the country. If they want to keep the bad guys out, surely all they need is to do a background check rather than requesting endless pieces of paper and hand-drawn maps which will get filed away somewhere never to be seen again?

Just spent 3 days in Pattaya contributing to the economy, with my wife. 

46 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

The only way your going to get money is letting the filthy farangs in but you may find you have rinsed them over the edge to new pastures much cheaper and with no uniforms???? 

Be an idea to open the borders to foreign tourists now while Cambodia and Vietnam are closed to them. 

37 minutes ago, freesudani said:

They seriously think that tourists will be flocking to Thailand in October?

Wrong time for travel, certainly by air, if nobody knows what's coming up next, second wave, countries closing borders, quarantines, airlines kicking the bucket, etc.

Bit like our German government with no lack of clarity let on. If I was in my home country, the only places I would go would be either domestic or a neighbouring country, maybe something requiring land transit through Austria or Switzerland. But in all honesty: would very likely not be worth it and too much hassle for too much money and too little freedom of movement even there. Leave it for this year, if enough people even have the money after their local economic crisis.

Going intercontinental at the moment is like "asking for it", same with local travel around here, if that was even possible.

There are probably many retired expats in Thailand, who would like to stay in the nice hotels, but they have to pay full price, as they are not part of the government promotion package.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Foreign tourists that represented the backbone of the business were just not coming.

They haven't cracked open a Thai tabloid to read what their government is doing that will make sure that foreign tourism will be a thing of the past.  Restrictions, roadblocks, documents, tests, insurance, more tests, quarantine, tracking apps, masks, social distancing, more restrictions, and hand gel - "oh, and have a nice vacation!!"
It's over Somchai.  Tourist are not coming back - ever.  Time to find a job in one of the OECD economic zones busting butt on a factory floor for peanuts and happy for it as 10 or 20 million of your fellow citizens can no longer find a job and afford to feed themselves and their families.  But the government "saved lives" from that pesky Covid by destroying Thailand's economy and your job prospects.  The government officials don't have to worry about shutting the country down do they?  They all have job security.
Good luck!

 

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Foreign tourists that represented the backbone of the business were just not coming.

They're not coming because the Government has mandated that they are not allowed to!

From the videos I've seen some of the bars have overstocked on girls, 10+ in one bar and no customers. I guess they will be cutting back soon.

If my US buddy was allowed back in i would love to go spend some money in Pattaya for a few days of water fun and sun. 

2 hours ago, johng said:

Yes just the other day  it was said that Thai tourist had  booked 80-100 % of 3-5 star hotels in Hua Hin

@ prices 3,000 baht up per night....but that the guest houses and budget hotels where almost empty ?

doesn't make sense to me  surely people with no income for months on end..or a measly handout of 5,000 baht per month would be staying at the cheaper accommodation.

Saying that there where a hell of a lot of Bangkok plated vehicles along Jomtien beach road and clogging everywhere else up during those 4 days "holiday" 

( on top of the months of shutdown where do they get the money from ?)

They get their income as many around the world do, by working, saving, borrowing, corruption, extortion, stealing, loan sharking, receiving bribes and so forth. Legally and illegally.

3 minutes ago, Benmart said:

They get their income as many around the world do

I've seen money trees at a few places.

2 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

Those deck chairs are just gonna have to sit it out I'm afraid .. 

But TAT rearranges them regularly.

3 hours ago, Liverpoolfan said:

and why should they with the way they have been treated over the last 30 years?

They have been scammed one too many times and are booking their 40 quid flights to Spain instead.

 

I can't say I blame them!

I remember wanting to visit an old girlfriend from Almeria, flights from London were £18...the return flight was over £250...always a catch somewhere.