This place is becoming like a ghost town

[Bill97]

1 hour ago, CorpusChristie said:

I have also noticed an increase in overcharging and short changing .

 

You certainly live if a schiitiey place regularity encountering unpleasantness.  They really are after you.

[Kadilo]

1 hour ago, CorpusChristie said:

I have also noticed an increase in overcharging and short changing .

 

Everything strangely seems to have coincided with your arrival. 

[CorpusChristie]

Just now, Bill97 said:

You certainly live if a schiitiey place regularity encountering unpleasantness.  They really are after you.

I have previously  very rarely ever encountered any over charging or short changing at all and have noticed it happening recently 

[Bill97]

1 hour ago, CorpusChristie said:

I have previously  very rarely ever encountered any over charging or short changing at all and have noticed it happening recently 

They see your life is empty and are giving you something to chew on.  Next time thank them.

[CorpusChristie]

2 hours ago, Bill97 said:

They see your life is empty and are giving you something to chew on.  Next time thank them.

You think that the shop keepers saw me looking bored and thought to themselves  " I will overcharge him so he can post about it on TVF" ?

   

[moe666]

On 8/29/2020 at 6:22 PM, rumak said:

Very misleading post.    Chiangmai is a very large city,  and traffic everywhere but the old city is back to normal.  Lots of it.    All the businesses I frequent are operating as normal.  All schools and govt offices open.   

There are many tourist based businesses in town center....the usual restaurants, coffee shops, a few bars,  many guest houses , massage places , cooking classes, cycle rentals, etc etc.   YES,  that part of

the economy is all but shut down.  You could even call it a ghost town.  

But to infer that ALL of Chiangmai is like that is just another mad max statement to get attention.

5% to 10% of the overall economy closing up does not a ghost town make.

One other thing that keeping foreigners out has impacted is the large number of rentals (condos, houses, serviced apts, etc) that are obviously without customers.   It was overbuilt to begin with, and many owners are Chinese, Farangs, even Koreans who were looking for an investment.   No tenants for an extended period of time could lead to some more problems down the road.  

 

You left out hotels in you post, there are mid range hotels still closed for business as they depend on tourist for there main income stream. My wife who works in the hotel industry has given up at present as there are not enough hotels in CM open. As an added a friend just came back from Ko Sumaui and he was the only guest in a beach side resort with pool and open kitchen. He paid 650 a night.

[fangless]

13 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

You think that the shop keepers saw me looking bored and thought to themselves  " I will overcharge him so he can post about it on TVF" ?

   

 

No!

I suspect you looked in the mirror and thought "I will just make a post on TVF which has nothing to do with the topic under discussion."

Edited September 23, 2020 by fangless

[ChakaKhan]

On 9/22/2020 at 8:06 AM, CorpusChristie said:

You think that the shop keepers saw me looking bored and thought to themselves  " I will overcharge him so he can post about it on TVF" ?

   

Confirmed. then he can go to police and have you sued for slander and defamation....

 

[EricTh]

Yes, all these tourist areas who used to overcharge tourists are closed.

 

After the Sept 26 amnesty is over, more will be closed.

 

But the ones who cater to locals near my area are doing a roaring business. 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2020 by EricTh

[stament]

On 9/22/2020 at 3:00 PM, CorpusChristie said:

I have previously  very rarely ever encountered any over charging or short changing at all and have noticed it happening recently 

me too, happened a few times in the last 3 weeks and a couple of people forgetting my change.  Could be a coincidence or intentional but definitely more frequent.

[CorpusChristie]

On 9/24/2020 at 8:16 AM, stament said:

me too, happened a few times in the last 3 weeks and a couple of people forgetting my change.  Could be a coincidence or intentional but definitely more frequent.

Sign of the times though , formerly honest people just trying to get by  .

I dont begrudge them, its all about survival these days 

[meechai]

5 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

Sign of the times though , formerly honest people just trying to get by  .

I dont begrudge them, its all about survival these days 

Tell you a good one to keep your eye on...Gas pumps

 

If your in a truck or car watch the meter on pump.

 

I had a boy put 800 in when I asked for 1000

At end after reached 800 he stopped then came to the window

 

He didn't expect me to ask in Thai why only 800 baht when I handed him the 1000 note.

He then went on to try & say he did 200 first then 800

 

I told him he was lying & I was going to get out of the truck & find his boss

He gave me back the 200 change quickly

 

Edited September 26, 2020 by meechai

[ChipButty]

5 minutes ago, meechai said:

Tell you a good one to keep your eye on...Gas pumps

 

If your in a truck or car watch the meter on pump.

 

I had a boy put 800 in when I asked for 1000

At end after reached 800 he stopped then came to the window

 

He didn't expect me to ask in Thai why only 800 baht when I handed him the 1000 note.

He then went on to try & say he did 200 first then 800

 

I told him he was lying & I was going to get out of the truck & find his boss

He gave me back the 200 change quickly

 

Famous for that where I live, I get out of the truck and stand there now, I had one girl only put 500 Baht when I asked for a 1000 Baht what she did when she put the nozzle back into the pump she pulled it back out right away so it went back zero I could tell by the fuel gauge in the car, I was ready to kick off she gave me the 500 Baht change

[ChipButty]

I've noticed this last week has gone a lot quieter in the south of Phuket the holiday weekend was busy the restaurants along Rawai sea front doing good business, I know it's low season the roads last night at 7pm quiet the Friday market not busy, everyday I drive around I see another empty shop now we have rows of shops empty

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Famous for that where I live, I get out of the truck and stand there now, I had one girl only put 500 Baht when I asked for a 1000 Baht what she did when she put the nozzle back into the pump she pulled it back out right away so it went back zero I could tell by the fuel gauge in the car, I was ready to kick off she gave me the 500 Baht change

I ask the attendants to fill it up. I get out of the car, watch the pump gauge tick over until full. I pay for the fuel as it is shown on the meter, get my change, check it. Have never had a problem.

I guess I like keeping things simple.

[Dante99]

On 9/12/2020 at 8:50 PM, CorpusChristie said:

I went to that place because BM2 said it was busy in the daytime and I went there in the day time 

Sufficient time has passed and your report is overdue.  Have you been doing everything that BM2 suggested as is your duty?

[CorpusChristie]

6 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

Sufficient time has passed and your report is overdue.  Have you been doing everything that BM2 suggested as is your duty?

I have never done what BM2 suggested that I do and I dont ever recall him requesting me to do anything or go anywhere , so, no I havent been doing anything BM2 suggested that I do

[ChakaKhan]

6 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

I have never done what BM2 suggested that I do and I dont ever recall him requesting me to do anything or go anywhere , so, no I havent been doing anything BM2 suggested that I do

Im still waiting to hear about my date with the moxie gal....

[Kadilo]

33 minutes ago, ChakaKhan said:

Im still waiting to hear about my date with the moxie gal....

The Corpse has locked her away for himself. 

[CorpusChristie]

12 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

The Corpse has locked her away for himself. 

Have been friends with too many nutcases here , visited that hospital to visit some inmates , now keeping away from them , I really have no need to have friends from mental institutions , each to their own though , I respect and understand that if you do

[ChakaKhan]

1 hour ago, CorpusChristie said:

Have been friends with too many nutcases here , visited that hospital to visit some inmates , now keeping away from them , I really have no need to have friends from mental institutions , each to their own though , I respect and understand that if you do

Some say friends are reflections of ourselves, hence my crush on moxie I suppose... Lord knows sangsom has taken me to some strange situations!  And seems to me we all have to be a little touched to live in the LOS long term....land of misfit toys ..Hope she will wait for me to get thru this covid debacle for a thai tea! ????

[elektrified]

This is a very misleading post. Sure the tourist areas in the old city, Khum Khantoke, Mae Rim attractions etc., etc. are closed. But only a small percentage of people are affected by this. Many people have moved on and started new/other businesses, have new jobs and so forth. Most foreigners only judge by what they see in the tourism sector. Two of my relatives were in tourism (one a licensed tour guide), but both have moved on and one has started a new business and is doing very well with sales over 35K per month. The other started a good paying job only two weeks ago. Since the coronavirus many industries and start ups have flourished like hobbies, pets, garden supplies, art supplies, clothing, cosmetics, sports, etc., etc.

 

I was out last night with friends and every bar we went to was absolutely packed with locals spending money and having a good time.

 

 

[ChakaKhan]

14 hours ago, elektrified said:

This is a very misleading post. Sure the tourist areas in the old city, Khum Khantoke, Mae Rim attractions etc., etc. are closed. But only a small percentage of people are affected by this. Many people have moved on and started new/other businesses, have new jobs and so forth. Most foreigners only judge by what they see in the tourism sector. Two of my relatives were in tourism (one a licensed tour guide), but both have moved on and one has started a new business and is doing very well with sales over 35K per month. The other started a good paying job only two weeks ago. Since the coronavirus many industries and start ups have flourished like hobbies, pets, garden supplies, art supplies, clothing, cosmetics, sports, etc., etc.

 

I was out last night with friends and every bar we went to was absolutely packed with locals spending money and having a good time.

 

 

Will someone please think of the starving isaan chubbies waiting for us all on loy kroh rd! Hey..Hey..YOU!!!!

[Orient Express]

Summary of the previous 300+ posts for anyone who has come late to the party:

 

Corpus Christie posted pics of empty streets, closed businesses and general desolation in the central, tourist area of CM.

 

It's business as usual in the rest of CM, according to residents.

 

That's it!

[FolkGuitar]

Yesterday we took a ride out of Chiang Mai to the village of Baan Mai Kam Pong. This is a lovely little tourist resort area north-east of San Kamphaeng famous for its waterfall, charming little village perched on the cliff-sides and nestled in the river valley.  It is the locale for 'Flight of the Gibbon.' Despite the fact the zip-line was closed, the village was jammed with tourists exploring the ups and downs (and there are a LOT of ups and downs to this place!) and the streets filled with sight-see'ers busy taking pictures on their phones. All the restaurants were well-filled, and the street-side vendors doing a brisk business selling souvenirs, grilled chicken and pork, and some of the most delicious 'Sai Ua' I've ever tasted!  The area at the trail-head to the waterfall was packed with cars, tour vans, and motor bikes, and parking over-flowed along the street at the over-look behind the restaurant at the top of the hill.

 

Virtually all of the tourists were Asian. I seemed to be the only Farang there. The village was packed with tourists.

That said, the Old City is a Ghost Town, with closed and shuttered businesses side by side along the main streets. Although new businesses are springing up left and right, they are not aimed at the tourist market. Plenty of shoppers in all the supermarkets and better department stores and malls, all Asian and expats, but no tour buses to be seen in or around The Old City. It's a Ghost Town.

Edited September 28, 2020 by FolkGuitar

[ChakaKhan]

19 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

Yesterday we took a ride out of Chiang Mai to the village of Baan Mai Kam Pong. This is a lovely little tourist resort area north-east of San Kamphaeng famous for its waterfall, charming little village perched on the cliff-sides and nestled in the river valley.  It is the locale for 'Flight of the Gibbon.' Despite the fact the zip-line was closed, the village was jammed with tourists exploring the ups and downs (and there are a LOT of ups and downs to this place!) and the streets filled with sight-see'ers busy taking pictures on their phones. All the restaurants were well-filled, and the street-side vendors doing a brisk business selling souvenirs, grilled chicken and pork, and some of the most delicious 'Sai Ua' I've ever tasted!  The area at the trail-head to the waterfall was packed with cars, tour vans, and motor bikes, and parking over-flowed along the street at the over-look behind the restaurant at the top of the hill.

 

Virtually all of the tourists were Asian. I seemed to be the only Farang there. The village was packed with tourists.

That said, the Old City is a Ghost Town, with closed and shuttered businesses side by side along the main streets. Although new businesses are springing up left and right, they are not aimed at the tourist market. Plenty of shoppers in all the supermarkets and better department stores and malls, all Asian and expats, but no tour buses to be seen in or around The Old City. It's a Ghost Town.

Bringing happiness back to the people......lord knows I love it when the tourists are gone anywhere

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/29/2020 at 10:18 PM, CorpusChristie said:

The photo of the road was taken during "rush hour" outside Kad san Keow and that road is usually chock-a-block with traffic all around the area stretching back for kilometers , hardly any traffic there nowadays 

Thanks for the photos, but I was struck at how rubbish C M looks. Nasty ugly dirty buildings, broken infrastructure, obstructed pavements. The question I have is why anyone would want to go there?

At least in one of the photos some rather attractive art work decorates the steel shutters. Why can't every shutter in C M be decorated similarly? A hub of artists, no less. That might be worth going to see.

The potential to make C M an attractive destination is there, while C M is closed, but I doubt the city council will seize the opportunity. IMO they have to be the worst city council in Thailand for allowing dirt and rubbish on city streets and almost no effort to beautify the city. They should be taken to Phrao to see how it should be done.

They took tourists for granted for too long and the chickens are now coming home to roost. Karma, IMO.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 9/28/2020 at 8:05 AM, ChakaKhan said:

Will someone please think of the starving isaan chubbies waiting for us all on loy kroh rd! Hey..Hey..YOU!!!!

Loi Kroh was suffering long before corona. IMO it had to be the worst dump in any tourist city anywhere in Thailand. No wonder farang tourists were mainly absent in the bars, and the "night market" was a shambolic disaster, IMO.

[Bill97]

On 9/28/2020 at 2:05 AM, ChakaKhan said:

Will someone please think of the starving isaan chubbies waiting for us all on loy kroh rd! Hey..Hey..YOU!!!!

They are all yours.

[HaleySabai]

On 9/28/2020 at 7:18 AM, FolkGuitar said:

Yesterday we took a ride out of Chiang Mai to the village of Baan Mai Kam Pong. This is a lovely little tourist resort area north-east of San Kamphaeng famous for its waterfall, charming little village perched on the cliff-sides and nestled in the river valley.  It is the locale for 'Flight of the Gibbon.' Despite the fact the zip-line was closed, the village was jammed with tourists exploring the ups and downs (and there are a LOT of ups and downs to this place!) and the streets filled with sight-see'ers busy taking pictures on their phones. All the restaurants were well-filled, and the street-side vendors doing a brisk business selling souvenirs, grilled chicken and pork, and some of the most delicious 'Sai Ua' I've ever tasted!  The area at the trail-head to the waterfall was packed with cars, tour vans, and motor bikes, and parking over-flowed along the street at the over-look behind the restaurant at the top of the hill.

...."jammed with tourist"...Mae Kampong ?...wow! it has been way to long then since I last rode up there.

I'll have to do a run up there to see the level of development.

Did you go to 'The Giant'?