Phuket: Thais in poverty because foreign tourists stopped coming - island's tourism obliterated

[Harveyboy]

On 3/20/2021 at 8:25 PM, tgw said:

I feel sorry for the many good, friendly, honest and hard-working people I met there when on holidays.

I do not feel sorry for the handful of dishonest scammers and people who insult foreigners in Thai language, thinking they don't understand.
Thankfully, these were only few people, although Phuket seemed to have more of the sort than other Thai destinations I visited.

perhaps now they might just realise you dont bite the hand that feeds you... dreaming of course they will always scam  we are all millionaires  don't forget    

[BenDeCosta]

32 minutes ago, Harveyboy said:

perhaps now they might just realise you dont bite the hand that feeds you... dreaming of course they will always scam  we are all millionaires  don't forget    

 

I've tried explaining to many Thais that most of the farangs who visit have to work 50 weeks of the year to finance their two weeks of debauchery. They don't believe it, they think that all farangs live in houses made of gold bricks and drive around in Bentleys, and eat fish and chips wearing a top hat.

[digibum]

32 minutes ago, BenDeCosta said:

 

I've tried explaining to many Thais that most of the farangs who visit have to work 50 weeks of the year to finance their two weeks of debauchery. They don't believe it, they think that all farangs live in houses made of gold bricks and drive around in Bentleys, and eat fish and chips wearing a top hat.

That’s a tad cliche.  
 

I have spoken to many Thais living in the US and U.K. and what they actually didn’t realize until they moved there was the cost of living being so high.   
 

It wasn’t that they overestimated income, they underestimated costs.  

 

As one friend said to me, “Yes, I make good money here but my family doesn’t understand taxes or car insurance or the price of food.  All they know is if I make $3,000 a month, they think I can just send them $1,500 and live on $1,500.  But I’m lucky if I can save $500 to send them and then they make me feel like I’m cheating them.”   
 

And given Thai attitudes towards how one properly demonstrates wealth (i.e flashy clothes, cars, hotels, etc), very few think the guy in a tank top, 99 baht flip flops, and staying in a 500 baht a night flophouse is driving a Bentley or wearing a top hat back home.   
 

The issue is that they don’t care.  It’s just as easy to milk money out of a poor guy as it is a rich guy.  

They hit the jackpot if some guy sends them 10,000 or 20,000 baht a month for support or some tourist buys them a 20,000 baht gold necklace.  
 

In fact, it may even be easier to extract money from someone that has very little because they tend to be the most desperate.  
 

There’s a reason why things like the lottery and fortune tellers are more heavily marketed to poor people than rich people back in the US and Europe.  
 

Does the lottery commission care how hard people work for their money or how many vacation days they get per year?  LOL.  

[Beckham Beach]

Unfortunately the Maldives is jut not the same as Thailand. 1) The population is only 400K 2) People transfer at the airport either to a boat or plane at the airport and do not go into Male which is where most of the problems with COVID have occurred. 3) Even if you vaccinated everyone in Phuket, it does not stop them visiting other places. The Vaccines are not 100% effective, and you can catch the disease asymptomatically and still spread it. 

 

However, vaccination seems to eliminate serious COVID disease. The point about quarantine is well made. If you lock people up on arrival, they won't come....period. We should vaccinate all frontline tourism workers and afterwards allow unlimited entry to anyone who has been vaccinated. Simples.

[Pedanov]

So what are the reasons? Do they blame rich tourists who are welcomed and don't spend tons of money in cheap bars and do not rent plenty of cheap houses? Or is it short term tourists who has two weeks of vacation which they for some reasons do not want to spend fully in quarantine? Or is it long term tourists who were not allowed to spend the winter? BTW what happens with SMART visa for IT freelancers which was expected to renovate "soon" after new rules were accepted in December AFAIR? All I see is talking too much and doing nothing. That's why people of Phuket are suffering. Please don't blame foreigners for that.

[KarenBravo]

10 hours ago, tigerfeet said:

If the living wage is 6000 why spend 33000 why not live of 13000 then save the rest in 4 years you have 1000000 then at 13000 at month you have enough for 8 years .but Thai people live for today and like to show off when they have money .but hey ho it's come home to roost now.i see it where we are workers returning with nothing after years of earning big money.its the Thai way never change.

 

Because the Thai education system is generally sub-standard. Thais leave school mathematically and financially illiterate.

 

At a seafood restaurant, I was with four Thais. Of course, when the bill came it was handed to me and it had about twenty items on it. I totted up all the prices in my head and said what the total was. When the waitress came back and the bill was exactly the same number as I stated, they all looked at me as if I was some super-hero. I learned mental arithmetic at primary school.

 

It drives me nuts when I see Thais in shops having to use a calculator to work out 100Bt minus 10Bt and other such simple sums that any six year old should be able to answer.,

 

It's the same when they borrow money from a loan shark. All they are interested in is can they afford the monthly interest payments with absolutely no thought as to how they will pay back the principal.

 

Of course, keeping the general citizenry ignorant is just what the ruling class want, so, don't expect any change. 

Edited March 22, 2021 by KarenBravo

[tgw]

10 hours ago, tigerfeet said:

If the living wage is 6000 why spend 33000 why not live of 13000 then save the rest in 4 years you have 1000000 then at 13000 at month you have enough for 8 years .but Thai people live for today and like to show off when they have money .but hey ho it's come home to roost now.i see it where we are workers returning with nothing after years of earning big money.its the Thai way never change.

 

there's one good reason for that - saving money involves being selfish and not giving it to constantly broke relatives and friends instead.

 

so, many Thai people prefer to just splurge when they have money, because friends & family here are worse than Western tax systems.

[bwpage3]

The government has never taken this opportunity to take the Thai people to task over their horrific treatment of foreign tourists and scams.

 

What could be a lesson in the tourists that indeed feed you, is the tourist will return TO feed you.

 

Nothing about changing their behavior, taking care of the tourist areas (trash), stopping the scams, just being decent hosts to the tourists.

 

It is quite clear the govt doesn't understand how the western world works with limited vacation time and travel time.

 

Thinking someone will spend their hard earn money to stay in quarantine for 2 weeks while half the tourist shops have closed done is just plain ignorance.

 

Not a plan one that is beneficial for the tourists to return. The thought must be tourists are so desperate to return, they do not have to do anything.

 

Sooner or later they will return is the mindset and the fat-cat officials have plenty of money for themselves and I think they don't really care about the broke families out of work.

 

Hate to say it but Thailand needs a long, drawn out financial crash like in 1997. Something that traumatic that will get the people thinking with a new mindset and appreciation for tourist.

 

 

[Sujo]

I have gone to phuket for holidays 2 or 3 times a year from 2000 to about 2010. Then it got less and less.

 

the reason i stopped going had nothing to do with covid. But covid did make my friends re think where is better to go for our frequent trips in future.

 

The pause in holiday meet ups means phuket loses, vietnam wins. Habits are hard to break but the virus caused us to re think and the bad out weighed the good.

 

 

[BumGun]

On 3/20/2021 at 10:23 PM, bwpage3 said:

Perhaps during these poverty stricken times, Phuket needs to revisit poor treatment of tourists, scams and all the other bad things. 

 

Why ? It didn't\ seem to deter many in the past ?

[desert dueller]

On 3/20/2021 at 8:00 PM, madmitch said:

Could you explain how someone earning 33,000 baht a month can save millions?

Read in context, learn to comprehend, and you will hopefully find the answer to your question. The millions are meant cumulatively, not individually. And yes, any local earning 33000 baht a month can save from that. Needless to say, it won't last forever - most savings never do. But they should tie you over for a year or so, to survive and cater for basic needs. No car repayments, of course.

[desert dueller]

On 3/21/2021 at 4:12 PM, pookett said:

 

Indeed. However, on the bright side, the businesses that are still open now are the ones that DO know how to treat customers properly and deserve any and all the custom they get.

The chaff has all blown away.

Obviously not. Read the case of a fraudulent restaurant overcharge.

[harleyclarkey]

Sucked and scamed the tourists for years . 

 

If ever you want to believe in Karma....well this is it.! Hope you leeches in Phuket learn from this...

 

.wishful thinking! 

 

 

Edited March 22, 2021 by harleyclarkey

[digibum]

16 hours ago, Beckham Beach said:

Unfortunately the Maldives is jut not the same as Thailand. 1) The population is only 400K 2) People transfer at the airport either to a boat or plane at the airport and do not go into Male which is where most of the problems with COVID have occurred. 3) Even if you vaccinated everyone in Phuket, it does not stop them visiting other places. The Vaccines are not 100% effective, and you can catch the disease asymptomatically and still spread it. 

 

However, vaccination seems to eliminate serious COVID disease. The point about quarantine is well made. If you lock people up on arrival, they won't come....period. We should vaccinate all frontline tourism workers and afterwards allow unlimited entry to anyone who has been vaccinated. Simples.

This makes sense only if staff and residents of Phuket also agree to some sort of quarantine leaving the island to go to the Thai mainland and tourists are not permitted off the island, period.  
 

It is of limited use to vaccinate everyone on Phuket and then have a porous border with the mainland where an outbreak could spread quickly because the government hasn’t vaccinated most of the country’s residents.  

[Magenta408]

This is very sad. I cannot imagine leaving any other comment than a feel very sorry for the people of Phuket. Yes tourist rip-off was rampant but this is a catastrophe that has to be tackled yesterday.

[GeilGeilertzen]

 

we love you farang,

we miss you farang. 

 

 

[kiwikeith]

On 3/21/2021 at 1:24 AM, andy said:

LOL, you could vaccinate the entire population of Phuket tomorrow and there will still be zero tourists coming as long as quarantine requirements remain in place.  Quarantine = no tourists, what an incredibly difficult concept to comprehend - maybe in 2027 a light bulb will go on and someone in power will get it...

Everyone seems to think that Thailand is stupid over C19, the truth is that NZ and Australia are now going to open a travel bubble soon, but they still have problems with quarantine and borders, also new strains have longer tails than the older ones. The whole world is a vaccine mess and Europe and most others that failed to control the virus still have rampant outbreaks.

 

Vaccinatlng Phuket and opening the gates to these countries will just turn Thailand into a breeding ground, and spread new strains through the population. 

 

The world is in an economic mess, not just Thailand, and when the trans tasman travel bubble opens you'll need covid insurance. 

And I bet it will shut down and open continuously. 

[medic5678]

On 3/21/2021 at 4:32 AM, Xbeemer said:

Where did you read that no one has saved money for hard times? All the Thai people I know are remarkably thrifty and have a strong ethic about saving money. Those that had a bit of money put away have, a year plus later, had to use most of it to survive. 

My personal experience tells me differently.  All of them have borrowed money to the hilt and are slaves to the bank.  At least all the ones I know (my wife's family).

[Bobydog]

On 3/21/2021 at 10:47 PM, polpott said:

If only that were true. more than 2.7 million dead people worldwide would disagree with you.

 

Only 89 dead in Thailand. Why? So called over-reaction which has saved many lives.

Aaahhh, but can you believe that figure.  A super poll to reflect an opinion of Thai People in regards to tourism etc was 1600 persons, only .027% of the population based upon 80 Mil.

[hansgruber]

On 3/20/2021 at 9:03 PM, KarenBravo said:

Only the west coast beaches that usually have the majority of the tourists.

The east looks like it typically does at this time of year. In fact, the south is unusually busy. Maybe because it presently has the best night-life. 

The south has become busy for a few reasons. 

Lots of big spending expats from the north relocated south for cheaper rents. Some were paying 100k a month in Surin and now 30 to 40k for a nice villa in Rawai Naiharn. 

Lot of downsizes tightening the belt. 

 

[daveAustin]

On 3/20/2021 at 8:42 PM, WineOh said:

I used to live on Phuket and saw first hand how the locals treated tourists during the 'good times.'

I have no sympathy for them whatsoever. 

You'll always get disdain for foreigners in heavily touristed places, esp from locals who are not party to it -- up to them. Have also lived there and I've plenty of sympathy for ordinary Thais. Ten-a-penny <deleted> tuk-tuk drivers aside, it is the everyday man you wouldn't know that is feeling it.

[metisdead]

A post in violation of fair use policy has been removed:

 

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[digibum]

On 3/30/2021 at 2:56 PM, Bobydog said:

Aaahhh, but can you believe that figure.  A super poll to reflect an opinion of Thai People in regards to tourism etc was 1600 persons, only .027% of the population based upon 80 Mil.

 

I assume you're talking about Thailand?  If so, 80 million is incorrect.  The official population is more around 69 million.  Plus, the opinion of an infant isn't really relevant so if you only look at adults, that brings the number down to 53 million adults.  

 

According to this site:

 

https://www.checkmarket.com/sample-size-calculator/

 

1600 people would be more than enough responses to produce a poll with a 95% confidence factor and a 3% margin of error.  

[UncleE]

On 3/21/2021 at 5:53 PM, jak2002003 said:

We have a house in Phuket on the East coast, and a house in Chiang Mai.

 

Our experience is totally the opposite of what you claim.

 

We live similar lifestyles and eat / drink the same foods and drinks at similar style places in both CM and Phuket...and Phuket is more expensive...from the cheap Thai pre cooked foods from local outdoor markets to the price of beer and spirits at local Thai bars outside the tourist areas.  

 

There are very few times we thought we were overcharged or 'conned' in CM, but lost count of the times that happened in Phuket. 

 

Having said that we still like both places. 

That's interesting, but pls note I was referring to Similar quality places.   

 

Nice to hear you're open minded and like both places, as I said, it's kinda like Apples vs Oranges.  I think my point is that so many people are venomous about pricing without comparing exactly what you get (surroundings, oceanside location where you will pay more anywhere in the world, etc.).   And I enjoyed CM except for the damn smoke.

 

Personally I found CM lower quality with the exception of restaurants like Gingers in CM where the staff are switched on, food and service outstanding (also looked quite popular judging by the crowds).   And of course all the Chain Stores like Makro, makes no difference in price.  Maybe we have different taste but i have no problem finding good places at similar quality and price in Phuket.  And then if you overlooked the quality at some places the people in CM made up for it.

 

Have an Accor Card and went to the buffet at Pullman in CM and they were lost, it was a total rip compared to their properties in Phuket.   I think nicer places in Phuket must get more practice at serving higher end stuff.  

 

Yes on the carts in Phuket, some are way overpriced, gave up on them, but they're just low level people trying to squeeze by on the "General Impression" that they should be able to make more in Phuket.  

 

Shopping mall food courts seem to be about same in Phuket, I might have missed it if there's a 10 baht difference.

 

Also I don't drink beer except Beer Lao which was same price at Ginger's as anywhere in Phuket.   Speaking of Ginger's last time I was in CM tried to get my friends from overseas to try some cheap places, but they didn't care, liked Ginger's so much they went many nights.   Personally I thought it was overpriced.  So I guess it's just a matter of preference.

 

Maybe just leave CM for the folks on super tight budgets, but they oughta pay attention to the venom cause it might be more of an indication of their frustration due to  lack of financial resources rather than what you actually get.

 

And then there's the airport in CM, OMG.  But it is nostalgic, reminds me of Phuket 25 years ago, LOL

Edited April 5, 2021 by UncleE
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[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, UncleE said:

Maybe just leave CM for the folks on super tight budgets, but they oughta pay attention to the venom cause it might be more of an indication of their frustration due to  lack of financial resources rather than what you actually get.

Can't see people who use shopping mall food courts being wealthy.

Always amazed about people coming to Thailand talking about shopping malls.

If I were living in Phuket, I'd be on the beach, swimming, kayaking, sailing.

 

Edited April 6, 2021 by BritManToo

[ChipButty]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Can't see people who use shopping mall food courts being wealthy.

Always amazed about people coming to Thailand talking about shopping malls.

 

Better than Temples and Elephants

[BritManToo]

18 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Better than Temples and Elephants

I like elephants!