Nearly one-third of tourism-related businesses 'may shut down permanently'

[Time to grow]

2 minutes ago, VBF said:

I wish I knew that for certain.

Me too! In fact, I have a crystal ball but it's broken. Like you, I would make changes in my spending habits if only I knew. 

 

I have much more respect for qualified scientific findings than vested politicians, the corporate media, the central banks, etc... Nevertheless, scientists are not infallible and they do make mistakes.

 

I plan as if life will go on but I have little confidence that it will.

[andux]

3 hours ago, djayz said:

Considering how the quality of the service in many businesses in the hospitality sector has dropped over the last few years, I for one amn't sad to read this.

 

Over the past few years, I've been made to fell more like a nuisance in many restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, etc. with staff who are either too busy on their phones or playing around with colleagues to serve us; smileless, joyless welcomes - if any at all -; menus thrust into my hand by service staff who then just stand there impatiently with pen and paper ready to take my order immediately - heaven's forbid I should waste their time browsing through the menu!; sometimes being told "sorry, no have this, no have that" - owner doesn't know how to keep inventory? 

 

I know a lot of people have lost their jobs, and more will in the coming months, and are now struggling to survive, but sometimes life is hard. A lot of them will probably find employment in other sectors. If it weeds out the bad establishments from the good, then so be it. 

 

I'd give anything if I could see a genuine smile again upon entering a restaurant, like 10 - 15 years ago. It really warmed my heart and made me return time and time again. 

 

Now it feels more like we're on a production line - next please! 

 

One thing that I noticed is that when I'm in a good mood everyone smiles at me. When I'm in a bad mood and having negative thoughts, people seem to be colder.

 

Give it a try, put a smile on your face and you'll see everyone smiling at you. Thai people haven't lost the ability to smile, but they seem to have an innate ability to read your mood. That's my experience at least.

[GAZZPA]

54 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

Yes, I read what you said carefully and my apologies for making it seem like I was taking a dig at you.  

There is no answer, it's a brutal situation.  Everyone is suffering earth wide.  

 

To the other poster, I have no interest in answering anyone who calls a pandemic a plandemic (sic).  It surprises me that Thailand allows you to even write such outrageous garbage on this forum without being deleted.

I hope you are wrong, i think there must be an answer.. The government should invest heavily in infrastructure, yes it costs but it will pay back and move the country forward.. i think preparing the country for post pandemic and aiming to crush the SE Asia competition is the only way, at least the only way i can think of.

[jasonr3255]

Rumors running rife that unless Thailand open up for tourism within the next couple of weeks some of the major airlines are preparing to shelve Bangkok as a designated route/stop over going forward. The powers that be need to take this seriously and stop playing games ! 

[VBF]

2 hours ago, Blumpie said:

I know, <deleted> is wrong with people?  I get all kinds asking me for links to news stories, information that is widely available and even widely reported here on Thai Forum.  

 

www.google.com

 

@Time to grow and @BlumpieMen after my own heart....... It's called laziness  

 

As I said in one of my posts, "if you can post on a forum you can use a search engine, Google or whatever" 

Plus, if you do that, you get a variety of responses, not just the one someone wants you to see.

Grrrrrr ????

Edited July 12, 2020 by VBF

[Stargeezr]

On my last visit to Pattaya,  last year, I noticed a lot of buildings empty and

up for lease, and this was before the pandemic started. I expect to see a lot more

empty businesses as well as totally failed hotels and guest.houses when I go back

next year.  I think that will be the same in almost every city in Thailand. In my city in

Canada, there are restaurants and other businesses closing permanently as the 

building owners still want their rent money, and there has been no business.  This is the new reality since the pandemic.  The world has been affected and will not recover quickly or at all

in some cases.

Geezer

[vinny41]

57 minutes ago, jasonr3255 said:

Rumors running rife that unless Thailand open up for tourism within the next couple of weeks some of the major airlines are preparing to shelve Bangkok as a designated route/stop over going forward. The powers that be need to take this seriously and stop playing games ! 

do you have a link please

[Blumpie]

2 hours ago, Time to grow said:

Me too! In fact, I have a crystal ball but it's broken. Like you, I would make changes in my spending habits if only I knew. 

 

I have much more respect for qualified scientific findings than vested politicians, the corporate media, the central banks, etc... Nevertheless, scientists are not infallible and they do make mistakes.

 

I plan as if life will go on but I have little confidence that it will.

There are people far more qualified to try to work out a solution that we will ever be.  

 

Of course there are countless examples of people who hope for the worst and offer no solutions that end up being just what they deserve - probably janitors, floor sweepers, or other mundane careers.  

[jastheace]

"the income from foreign tourists in 2020 will drop significantly from Bt2.2 trillion last year to only around Bt600 billion."

 

We have our answer then.....

If I've done my math correctly, Thailand reopens for tourism on the 10th December, according to that statement.????

I'll wait for 2021 before booking just to be sure....

[Jonathan Swift]

20 hours ago, ezzra said:

I hope that the tourism related business that uses the ugly and racist double pricing policies will fall and shut down first for good...

white people pathetically whining about "racism" as if they have a clue what real racism is. Move to an American city for a year, live amongst non white people, observe, see real and in your face "ugly and racist",  see if you can learn something about it. You may not be so quick to throw  that word around in Asian countries. Now, pause to run to your dictionary and learn something. A policy may be "discriminatory" but it is not necessarily racist as a result. Discrimination in various forms may or may not be the RESULT of racism. Does the policy single out specific race, or just non Thais? THAT is not racist, it is nationalist and protectionist. Its purpose and roots are in economic interests of a relatively poor country when dealing with outsiders of better financial means, it is not rooted in hate. It is rooted in the mostly true idea that foreigners can afford to spend more because they are generally much better off financially. It is discriminatory and detrimental to tourism but hardly true evil, as racism is. Meanwhile your own attitude is inappropriately malicious toward your own imaginary bad guys. Discontinuing double pricing is a good idea, but wishing that businesses shut down when they like everyone else are just trying to make a living shows a total ignorance of the culture and of the delicate balancing act of the economy. It shows no respect or compassion to good people that would lose their jobs should that happen. Those businesses are following the lead of the government. You sound like a racist yourself. I hope you don't actually live here. If you do, please leave. I love it here, and the so called  "double pricing" such that it exists has virtually no tangible affect on me, my life, and my happiness here. And I am in a very low income bracket by western standards, $1600 a month US. 

[kiwikeith]

20 hours ago, sezze said:

I agree . No tourists , sure many will stop not to reopen ... no costumers , only bills . Once tourism is going again , and it will get going again , even if it takes a few years , business will start again . Might be a different one , but demand creates opportunities , and some people will take that opportunity ( and lots of others will try to jump in also , grabbing a bit ) .

This off course is very painful for the people who are in it now , no doubt about it , but there will be light on the horizon . Might be 3 months , might be 1y , might be 5 years , but it will shine , and the longer it takes the more it will shine ( because less competition ). And yes , that also means the girls and boys serving beers among other things will be back also . Basic rule --- demand - supply

What I saw in Tachilek in January and in Chiang Mai alarmed me, gold shops and a huge new casino in Tachilek and many old bars taken over and turned into money exchanges in Chiang Mai also guest houses in Chiang Mai turned into Chinese hotels. Chinese writing everywhere  Chiang Mai looks like it’s completely taken over and Tachilek looks like the Chinese are building gold shops hotels and brothels at great speed.

[chrissloan58]

20 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

 

Smug....

Why is this guy smiling so much when he gives this announcement. Is he happy business are failing ???

[Matzzon]

8 hours ago, Time to grow said:

I am not here to hold your hand. You are likely just as capable as I am to research a topic. But that's not really what this is about is it?

No, it´s about you spreading things in post that you rather come with excuses for instead of showing proof for.

[chaihot]

6 hours ago, GAZZPA said:

I hope you are wrong, i think there must be an answer.. The government should invest heavily in infrastructure, yes it costs but it will pay back and move the country forward.. i think preparing the country for post pandemic and aiming to crush the SE Asia competition is the only way, at least the only way i can think of.

Infrastructure?  You mean like the sewage plant that spews filth into the water by the beer bar on Beach Road?  And a sidewalk that smells so bad tourists must hold their nose to get to Walking Street?

 

I won't hold my breath.

[Don Chance]

I wonder if Thai landlords will give their tenants who rent a guesthouse or tourist shop rental breaks, or will they have to pay back every month later?

If they are evicted then who can they rent to anyways?

Edited July 12, 2020 by Don Chance

[Gudge]

2 hours ago, kiwikeith said:

What I saw in Tachilek in January and in Chiang Mai alarmed me, gold shops and a huge new casino in Tachilek and many old bars taken over and turned into money exchanges in Chiang Mai also guest houses in Chiang Mai turned into Chinese hotels. Chinese writing everywhere  Chiang Mai looks like it’s completely taken over and Tachilek looks like the Chinese are building gold shops hotels and brothels at great speed.

This is happening world wide. The Chinese are buying everything they can get there hands on and supplying funds to governments that are running out of money. What do you think is going to happen when and if this is over and the Chinese start to call in there debt, they will end up owning the world. One world government is coming. I am not a religious person but doesn't the bible state that the world will end up being be ruled by the yellow race (Chinese). This Covid Pandemic and the news coverage by a few of the worlds richest men and a certain government has been in the works and planned for years. I am glad I am old and won't see the results as it could end up to be a massive uprising and world war on a scale not seen before but feel bad for my sons and grandchildren. Look around and see if there is any large or even middle size city in the world that doesn't have a large or medium size Chinatown.

[Gerefan]

On 7/12/2020 at 12:23 AM, Fex Bluse said:

No worries. Tourism is only 9% of the Thai economy. Right? Right? 

not in Pattaya...more like 99%

[bwpage3]

7 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Khao San is a deserted place. Over 2/3rds of businesses closed and more closing. Went last night and again tonight to my favorite restaurant only to see a ghost town. More bar workers trying to get the veey few walkers into the bars. Sad actually.

The photos say it all!

[rupert the bear]

there r a no of obvious solutions to this problem.stop the racist charging system as any foreigners left in the country will just walk away,2.give non interest loans to small and mid size businesses3.open up to tourism from countries with low nos that can be trusted IE not china.4.quit the insurance and hotel quarantine scam as no one will come,charge 1000B on entry and make the test there and then.there will be clusters but the other side is armaggedon and its knocking on the door

[Trillian]

I just checked the price and availability of hotels in Pattaya and surrounding areas using Agoda, weekend prices are not that interesting but weekday prices, even for 5 star hotels, are as cheap as chips, some discounts are massive. Things will pick up before too long.

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, Trillian said:

I just checked the price and availability of hotels in Pattaya and surrounding areas using Agoda, weekend prices are not that interesting but weekday prices, even for 5 star hotels, are as cheap as chips, some discounts are massive. Things will pick up before too long.

With who other than Domestic tourists going on the weekends because they have money from working during the week. Its not a sustainable business practice to base your hopes upon what traffic you get through your door on the weekends because of discounts given by the government and then starve during the week for guests.

[metisdead]

Some troll posts and the replies have been removed. 

[Trillian]

8 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

With who other than Domestic tourists going on the weekends because they have money from working during the week. Its not a sustainable business practice to base your hopes upon what traffic you get through your door on the weekends because of discounts given by the government and then starve during the week for guests.

Agreed. But this is a process over time and right now that process is coming off the floor and starting to move upwards.

[ThailandRyan]

A friend called last night and was going to come up to visit from Ranong. Then he saw my photos and has scrapped his plans because of a lack of open places and visits to former places he and his wife liked to visit.

 

More sadness from our visit to Khao San Rd. Last night

Edited July 13, 2020 by ThailandRyan

[hotchilli]

On 7/12/2020 at 6:46 AM, Matzzon said:

To judge out of the picture, Mr Chairat looks to be very happy over that result.

probably sitting on a very healthy bank balance & doesn't give a rats a*** !

[Trillian]

3 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

 

 

More sadness from our visit to Khao San Rd. Last night

You might want to check your link.

Edited July 13, 2020 by Trillian

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, Trillian said:

You might want to check your link.

I did, I deleted it. Somehow it mis copied the link info

[american2]

We could make an arbitrary guess that Tourism has been reset to 40 years ago levels...after there is a vaccine..  Let us also guess that available excess income does not return to the consumer  for 5-10 years.  Air carriers not recovering  again for at least 5 years to a level simiar to 5- 10 years ago.  The days of inexpensive holidays I think are gone.  I believe economies will be reset away from dependence on tourism  doestic and international.

[Trillian]

19 minutes ago, american2 said:

We could make an arbitrary guess that Tourism has been reset to 40 years ago levels...after there is a vaccine..  Let us also guess that available excess income does not return to the consumer  for 5-10 years.  Air carriers not recovering  again for at least 5 years to a level simiar to 5- 10 years ago.  The days of inexpensive holidays I think are gone.  I believe economies will be reset away from dependence on tourism  doestic and international.

It doesn't matter how you cut the numbers, Thailand's economy is not reliant on Tourism, especially not on International Tourism. If you look at the question from a GDP perspective Tourism represents 11.5% for international tourism and about 7.5% for domestic tourism. If you look at things from an employment perspective, agriculture and industry account for 54% of employment whereas services accounts for 46%. But services includes not only tourism but also retail, health, communications, transportation, architects, lawyers, doctors etc.

 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/332341/employment-by-economic-sector-in-thailand/#:~:text=The statistic shows the distribution,percent in the service sector.

 

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by Trillian

[morrobay]

So  Thailands economy is not reliant on tourism that represents about 20% of GDP. And that's based only on above table receipts. And based on country overall not applied to the hundreds of tourism locations where it is very much higher.