Small business owner reveals despair at economic situation in Pattaya

[Globaleyes]

On 11/11/2020 at 6:05 AM, bodga said:

Saving for a  rainy  day................unheard of in Thailand I  guess

I'm not sure what proportion of people can save for a rainy year, though....

[impulse]

On 11/12/2020 at 10:07 PM, brucec64 said:

Your odds of dying every time you get in your car is 0.0000366%. You are 11,000 times more likely to die from corona than getting into you car today. Would you get into your car if you were told that today you are 11,000 times more likely to die?

 

Also, cost of opening the borders is much higher than keeping them closed. Just look at the almost complete lockdown in Europe now because they wanted to save their summer tourist season. 

 

You seem to be forgetting the odds of dying because they can't afford to pay for food, housing and health care.

 

In the end, we're going to snap to the fact that lockdown policies are killing more people than the disease itself.

 

[billd766]

On 11/12/2020 at 5:02 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

I have a real life example of what happens when things change. In the 70s I was stationed at Nee Soon Barracks in Singapore. Transit Rd outside the gates was a thriving small community of shops that catered to British, Australian and NZ soldiers, plus bars and restaurants ( Virgin's corner may arouse some memories for any that were there ).

After ANZUK finished and all the troops went home it never recovered. I went back in the 90s to have a look ( the base was taken over by the Singaporean military ) and most of the buildings were gone. The few that remained were a shadow of their former glory.

 

Pattaya won't die because the greater part is residential, but the Beach Rd, Second Rd area may end up a very different sort of place.

I was at RAF Seletar and RAF Tengah from 1968 to 1971 and it was just the same there. The RSAF took over and wanted everything for nothing and SAF Tengah has now expanded to take over most of the village within its boundaries.

[dabhand]

18 hours ago, billd766 said:

I was at RAF Seletar and RAF Tengah from 1968 to 1971 and it was just the same there. The RSAF took over and wanted everything for nothing and SAF Tengah has now expanded to take over most of the village within its boundaries.

Yup, Singapore changed completely from the days of the UK having bases there. My old man was based in RAF Changi from 1962 to 1965 and we had a house that overlooked the apron where the planes were parked. It was great for a youngster to experience. Also Changi Village was great to explore plus the old wartime fortifications.

Went back in the 80's and Changi Airport had completed it's initial construction phase on the reclaimed land plus the village was now 'modern' style, losing it's previous charm. Our old house was still there, plus the old RAF control tower but all unused, fenced off within the SAF base. With the rapid expansion of the airport Likely that all has now been cosigned to history. Sad, but that's 'progress', especially Singapore style.

Would expect that Pattaya will be in for a period of change, particularly the area between Beach and 2nd Road. Indeed the recently announced  plans for the large theme park / Mall, etc shows that this was in the works before Covid and  further large scale changes may now come about more rapidly for opportunists with available finance.    

[ChakaKhan]

On 11/11/2020 at 1:32 AM, mike787 said:

for god sake OPEN the dam border.

Agreed! and after the borders-open up the damn dams! starting with Hoover....:)

[ChakaKhan]

On 11/11/2020 at 7:46 AM, Poet said:

Yes. They should recast as a destination of great natural beauty and architectural interest.

 

Free ping pong for the kids on family days~! ????

[ChakaKhan]

On 11/12/2020 at 4:44 PM, Tarteso said:

End of the days of wine and roses...

back to lao kao and cactus'(less water needed)

[morrobay]

19 hours ago, dabhand said:

 

Would expect that Pattaya will be in for a period of change, particularly the area between Beach and 2nd Road. Indeed the recently announced  plans for the large theme park / Mall, etc shows that this was in the works before Covid and  further large scale changes may now come about more rapidly for opportunists with available finance.    

There are two very large empty lot areas on both sides of Soi6 btwn beach and 2nd roads I guess for that plan. I have come to accept all the development in North Pattaya/South Naklua. And no nothing about this sort of business but another mall in this area that is surrounded by malls ?? And a theme park , bridges too far. Who is behind this, the same folks at Harbor mall or the money laundering crews from down South.

 

[Neeranam]

On 11/11/2020 at 7:14 PM, sitanonchai said:

Karma

Indeed, probably been screwing tourists for 15 years. 

[3NUMBAS]

have to accept the  reality of the situation ,they re not coming back

[Susco]

On 11/11/2020 at 12:57 PM, shackleton said:

First of the many departures no tourists no business  especially if dependant on Foreigners

 

 

Not the first, as there have been few similar stories on this forum in the past 6 months, and certainly not the last

On 11/11/2020 at 1:05 PM, bodga said:

Saving for a  rainy  day................unheard of in Thailand I  guess

 

How many "rainy" days there have been since April? Have seen many foreign owned business been closed, so think they also didn't hear about your smart Alec comment

On 11/11/2020 at 5:58 PM, Oldie said:

The border is open if you meet the requirements. Or do you want it completely open without any restrictions?

 

Please remind us which TOURISTS are allowed entry through those open borders, even if they agree to the rip off quarantine?

[Reigntax]

On 11/11/2020 at 5:05 PM, bodga said:

Saving for a  rainy  day................unheard of in Thailand I  guess

True but this is way beyond any expectation going from 100% to 0% in a few weeks. Every tourism reliant busness, including most airlines are technically broke and only just surviving based on assets but have minimal, if any income.

In this case the lady has done well to survive 9 months. 

Edited November 16, 2020 by Reigntax

[Oldie]

11 hours ago, Susco said:

 

Please remind us which TOURISTS are allowed entry through those open borders, even if they agree to the rip off quarantine?

Let us take Europe. In the meantime they can get a TR visa and many of these countries have hugh amounts of Corona cases. What seems to be important is that these tourists have enough money so that they are not a financial burden here in Thailand. 

[Susco]

1 hour ago, Oldie said:

Let us take Europe. In the meantime they can get a TR visa and many of these countries have hugh amounts of Corona cases. What seems to be important is that these tourists have enough money so that they are not a financial burden here in Thailand. 

 

So you are saying that Europeans currently can get a Tourist visa to enter Thailand.

 

Any credible source for that?

 

 

[Oldie]

2 hours ago, Susco said:

 

So you are saying that Europeans currently can get a Tourist visa to enter Thailand.

 

Any credible source for that?

 

 

Pick a country and check the info of the Thai embassy there. The ones that I checked didn't have a restriction. But the visa has certain requirements like health insurance, money on a bank account and quarantine and other things. 

 

If you find a European country that is blocked please post it here. 

[Oldie]

23 hours ago, morrobay said:

 And a theme park , bridges too far. Who is behind this, the same folks at Harbor mall or the money laundering crews from down South.

 

You don't know the theme of this park. Perhaps just more bars... 

[Susco]

25 minutes ago, Oldie said:

Pick a country and check the info of the Thai embassy there. The ones that I checked didn't have a restriction. But the visa has certain requirements like health insurance, money on a bank account and quarantine and other things. 

 

If you find a European country that is blocked please post it here. 

 

I don't have to check it, because it is not a tourist visa, it's a special long stay visa with ridiculous financial requirements, which no genuine tourist is interested in.

 

If you have any info on European TOURISTS allowed entry, please post it here

[Oldie]

58 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

I don't have to check it, because it is not a tourist visa, it's a special long stay visa with ridiculous financial requirements, which no genuine tourist is interested in.

 

If you have any info on European TOURISTS allowed entry, please post it here

I am talking about the TR (tourist) visa. It allows you 60 + 30 days. It is not this special long stay visa that allows you up to 9 months  (STV=special tourist visa). BUT the TR visa has because of Corona now special requirements. Below a detailed description. It is for sure a lot and if I am honest I would not do it.

 

https://thaiest.com/blog/thailand-tourist-visa-during-covid-19

[VocalNeal]

On 11/11/2020 at 1:01 PM, Thunder26 said:

Open borders to tourists with the set requirements, such as COVID-19 insurance.

 

What about COVID-19 insurance for you? Or are you immune already?

[Rimmer]

A conspiracy troll post and replies have been removed:

 

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[lovethai123]

On 11/11/2020 at 11:35 AM, bodga said:

Saving for a  rainy  day................unheard of in Thailand I  guess

rain hasn't stopped.. things went downhill from late march. 

 

but we hope that the chinese who r ready to spend 400k will revive  economy.

Edited November 17, 2020 by lovethai123

[jacko45k]

21 hours ago, Susco said:

 

So you are saying that Europeans currently can get a Tourist visa to enter Thailand.

 

Any credible source for that?

 

 

Check the websites of Thai Embassies based in Europe. It is certainly on the UK and Germany ones. 

[peeglen]

8 hours ago, lovethai123 said:

rain hasn't stopped.. things went downhill from late march. 

 

but we hope that the chinese who r ready to spend 400k will revive  economy.

And they were going down for years before that. 

 

I'm curious as to how a person with a subsistence existence is supposed to put away enough money to cover expenses for a year or more. Even the major banks, airlines and hotel chains have failed in that endeavor.  That's ok, they own the politicians and qualify for billions in corporate welfare. 

[ChipButty]

Maybe she decided to go before she completely runs out of money, moving out of Pattaya back to Nakorn Nowhere she could reduce he monthly out goings.

No point in her sticking it out hoping things will get better,

[soi3eddie]

On 11/13/2020 at 2:23 AM, Oldie said:

The borders are not closed. In the meantime even tourists from high risk countries are allowed to enter.

 

 

However, tourists from some countries (Australia and currently UK for example) are not even allowed to travel overseas for holidays. The safety concerns or poor finances of many just mean that they will not be travelling anytime soon even if borders were wide open with no entry restrictions.  

 

Edited November 18, 2020 by soi3eddie

[AlfHuy]

On 11/11/2020 at 1:05 PM, bodga said:

Saving for a  rainy  day................unheard of in Thailand I  guess

It's the dry season.

[mommysboy]

It's sad! But bad things happen and you have to move on as best you can. Good luck to her.

[ChaiyaTH]

11 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Maybe she decided to go before she completely runs out of money, moving out of Pattaya back to Nakorn Nowhere she could reduce he monthly out goings.

No point in her sticking it out hoping things will get better,

Well yeah except that she should have done that 6 months ago, now it almost be wiser to sit it out. Whenever these borders do open, there is suddenly a lot less businesses to cater enough people wanting to get out after a year being locked up. They will make some good $$$.

 

Bigger problem is they will forget anything as soon it goes well again, to never learn the lesson, which with a high baht eventually leads to a slow death of tourism nr 1 (and Vietnam taking the spot).

Edited November 18, 2020 by ChaiyaTH

[kinyara]

You know it's getting desperate when you see a yellow T&T exchange booth being dismantled on Beach Road and taken away on the back of a pick up. 

[peeglen]

12 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Well yeah except that she should have done that 6 months ago, now it almost be wiser to sit it out. Whenever these borders do open, there is suddenly a lot less businesses to cater enough people wanting to get out after a year being locked up. They will make some good $$$.

 

Bigger problem is they will forget anything as soon it goes well again, to never learn the lesson, which with a high baht eventually leads to a slow death of tourism nr 1 (and Vietnam taking the spot).

I'm not so sure there's going to be a flood of tourists any time soon. Many people I know are terrified to get on a plane, and may never do so again.  I'll be at the airport on January 15th !