Latest developments and discussion of recent events in the Ukraine War

[kinyara]

27 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

In general, Westerners spend more than 95% of the Chinese, Indian, Malaysian, Arab, and Russian tourists that comprise the vast majority of what Thailand is left with after 3 ugly years of the Prayuth Decimation. 

 

But, they won't come back, for a dozen good reasons. Including the distance. 

 

But they have and are coming back in increasing numbers. in fact in the case of Americans 104,000 of them in November, the largest number since reopening and a level getting close to pre-Covid. Clearly your dislikes as a resident don't apply to shorter term US tourists, I doubt any of them know who Prayuth is or the current Thai PM for that matter.

[Hakuna Matata]

Actually, Thailand doesn't care what country the tourists are coming from: Unites States, Canada, Russia or China. As long as they are bringing the money to the country.

 

The highest of tourism receipts in 2015-2019 was Russia and the average spending per Russian tourist in 2019 was 70,000 baht (2,250 U.S. Dollars) per person, per trip.

 

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3203078/russians-fleeing-ukraine-war-seek-refuge-thailand-boost-tourism-property-investments 

 

Factors Affecting Tourism Demand of Chinese and Russian Tourists Traveling to Thailand

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by Hakuna Matata

[radiochaser]

17 hours ago, Khyron said:

We (the wife and I) usually make the trip once every 2 or 3 years, since 94. As we are getting older the long flights are getting longer it seems. A non stop from the west coast would be great. I know there is one from Vancouver, but that is sketchy in the winter when we usually go. When I retire in a few years, it won't be that big of a deal.

 

Alot of people up in No-cal were excited when they saw Thai airlines land in San Francisco for the Asean conference, having them come back would really do something for the US market. They do have one of the best liveries.

 

I don't think Thai is worth a crap anymore, but if Thai were to make the nonstop trip, other carriers would probably do as well. 

I flew non stop from JFK to Thailand one time.   I prefer traveling with a stop where I can get off the aircraft, take a shower, change clothes, etc.   

[Victor Laszlo]

Very adaptable when it comes down to their preferred nationalities. 

[radiochaser]

5 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Personally not seeing why Yanks or Canuks would bother coming the TH for holiday.  Especially repeat visits, as once would be enough.  Too far & expensive airfare, for a mediocre holiday experience.

 

Especially the HiSo travelers, and surely know better spots to visit in the Americas.  Unless the rest of the tourist world has turned to sh!t also.  TH would not make my top 10 or 20 destinations to visit.  Maybe once, then why bother again.

Wife and I have been  talking about taking the grandkids, when they are out of school for summer vacation, in the RV and touring the U.S. of A. .. It would be a long slow drive (32 footer ... RV  = Caravan for you Europeans).   But I like the idea even if I am the driver.   
Unfortunately, that is not happening next summer.   Wife has already booked flights for us, the daughter and grandkids to Thailand already!  

[radiochaser]

1 hour ago, Dcheech said:

 

Chicago is one of the three main Thai embassies outside of the US capitol, so it would make sense for TAT to locate there. BTW back in the lockdown days it was much easier to get your documentation via the Chicago embassy than  LA, NY (or the Washington DC), embassies, no matter where in the US you were living. Thanks Chicago. 

 

You are ingesting too much 'Faux News opinions about the news'  into the brainpan. Always a danger. St Louis, Baltimore, Memphis, and the entire state of Louisiana are more a cesspit than Chicago, but as they are RED or nominally red, as such FOX doesn’t belch much in their direction.. 

Happy Holidays

Having had to work in St Louis, Chicago, Baltimore and NYC, Newark, NJ, when working as a Federal Agent, they are pretty much the same in many ways, as you described, cesspits!    You also left out Philadelphia, PA!

Having lived in Louisiana as a child and teenager, with relatives all over that state, saying "entire state of Louisiana are more a cesspit than Chicago" is wrong.   

But, I will agree that parts of Baton Rouge and New Orleans is damned dangerous to be in if you are white, especially at night.  At some point, years ago before my grandmother died  I started wearing my badge and pistol on my belt when I visited her and my aunt across the street from her house!  

[KhunLA]

21 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

Wife and I have been  talking about taking the grandkids, when they are out of school for summer vacation, in the RV and touring the U.S. of A. .. It would be a long slow drive (32 footer ... RV  = Caravan for you Europeans).   But I like the idea even if I am the driver.   
Unfortunately, that is not happening next summer.   Wife has already booked flights for us, the daughter and grandkids to Thailand already!  

Guessing w/1.5k posts, you've been here before.  Good time to come, unless looking for a 'beach' holiday.  Pools are fine but surf will be rough.

 

I prefer traveling during rainy season, less tourist, no smog issues, and with a bit of luck, not too much rain.   We usually do 2 week at a time on our O&As and so far been very lucky, and haven't really been rained 'in' much.  Maybe a day or so.   We self drive, so mobile if need be, but yet to really move because of rain.

 

Good Luck ... Happy Travels.

Edited December 29, 2023 by KhunLA

[radiochaser]

2 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Guessing w/1.5k posts, you've been here before.  Good time to come, unless looking 'beach' holiday.  Pools are fine but surf will be rough.

 

I prefer traveling during rainy season, no smog issues, and with a bit of luck, not too much rain.   We usually do 2 week at a time on our O&As and so far been very lucky, and haven't really been rain 'in' much.  Maybe a day or so.   We self drive, so mobile if need be, but yet to really move because of rain.

 

Good Luck ... Happy Travels.

First time was in 1972 - 1973 working a SINGINT mission as an Army grunt for the NSA.  1973 is when I learned about Songkran.  I don't want to go to Thailand during the 1 or 2 week Songkran and will not go there during a 1 month long Songkran.   

 I have been returning almost every year since 1987.     Family now has 2 condos there in which I can stay if I travel there by myself, which I do sometimes, with the wife following a week or two later or she leaves a week or two before I do. 

Beaches are OK for a few hours.  Mostly here in the U.S. if I can fish off a dock, otherwise, I don't are for them.   I like deserts, desert mountains, mountains, and wide open plains.   I am not very fond of city vacations and hope to never have to go on a cruise with the wife, who talks about that sometimes. 

[brommers]

In pre pandemic times I had at least 4 US friends and 2 Brits spend 4 months here every year. In fact the Brits have a large house here, but not one of the has returned nor I tends to return. The reason is Pollution. They see no reason to spend many hours flying here only to have to breathe in the kind of muck that farmers and others pump into the air for month after month. So they are visiting countries nearer home, taking cruises and have no intention of holidaying here ever again.

[DudleySquat]

2 hours ago, Dcheech said:

 

Chicago is one of the three main Thai embassies outside of the US capitol, so it would make sense for TAT to locate there. BTW back in the lockdown days it was much easier to get your documentation via the Chicago embassy than  LA, NY (or the Washington DC), embassies, no matter where in the US you were living. Thanks Chicago. 

 

You are ingesting too much 'Faux News opinions about the news'  into the brainpan. Always a danger. St Louis, Baltimore, Memphis, and the entire state of Louisiana are more a cesspit than Chicago, but as they are RED or nominally red, as such FOX doesn’t belch much in their direction.. 

Happy Holidays

 

Nothing you wrote negates what I wrote. 

[Irish star]

20 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Nice dig, second post too. So automatically every dude with his shirt off at the beach is British and a yob? Who’d have thunk it, people at the beach baring their chests!

How about riding beach road in motorbikes shirtless 

[alex8912]

19 hours ago, Khyron said:

We (the wife and I) usually make the trip once every 2 or 3 years, since 94. As we are getting older the long flights are getting longer it seems. A non stop from the west coast would be great. I know there is one from Vancouver, but that is sketchy in the winter when we usually go. When I retire in a few years, it won't be that big of a deal.

 

Alot of people up in No-cal were excited when they saw Thai airlines land in San Francisco for the Asean conference, having them come back would really do something for the US market. They do have one of the best liveries.

 

I don't think Thai is worth a crap anymore, but if Thai were to make the nonstop trip, other carriers would probably do as well. 

I highly doubt it. There was also a non stop Thai air flight from JFK to BKK years ago. They don't make $$ on the seats. They make $$ on what's below the seats in cargo.  You can't have the planes that heavy and have them fly 17 hours non stop.  No other carriers will do a non stop either to BKK it's not business oriented at all.  Just Singapore air does NYC/Newark non stop and they are smart NO ECONOMY seats just premium economy and up. The part about " charted " flights is just stupid.  They don't even know this doesn't even exist from USA or Canada. 

[newnative]

     Makes sense--especially for the US.  From 2015 to 2019, US visitors to Thailand were up 34%.  So, numbers were increasing, pre-covid.   Even with that increase, US visitors in 2019 were not much more than the visitors from the UK--just 1.6 million.  With a population of 330 million, vs. UK's 67 million, that US tourist number can and should be higher.  

[alex8912]

12 hours ago, Trip Hop said:

Funny you should say that? Seen a couple of shirtless yanks with goldie looking chains, strutting their stuff up Beach Road early yesterday evening.  Spotted them again still with shirts off long after the sun had gone down in Buakhao  They looked like they fitted carpets for a living?

So you can tell if someone is from the USA or Canada by their speech??  Or their look? Honestly your post is sooo full of it DUDE!!  Then of course you saw them again. They also had gold chains!!??  You are really full of it DUDE. We all know where you are from as well. 

Edited December 29, 2023 by alex8912

[alex8912]

3 hours ago, DavidH51 said:

There are Singapore Airline flights from several western USA cities and Newark that are nonstop to Singapore.  Also if you live near a Delta Hub - you can get a onestop on Delta or Korean Air to BKK via ICN.  I have flown the Delta/Korean Air flights several times.  But I think I would prefer Singapore Air because the final flight is so short.

FYI there are many one stop USA to Thailand flights:  Japan Air, ANA, Turkish , Qatar, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Singapore, a few Chinese airlines and dozens of European airlines ( but they charge more) on and on...

[fondue zoo]

2 hours ago, radiochaser said:

for the NSA

 

 

dagnabbit, now we're all on a new list.

[alex8912]

3 hours ago, Dcheech said:

 

Chicago is one of the three main Thai embassies outside of the US capitol, so it would make sense for TAT to locate there. BTW back in the lockdown days it was much easier to get your documentation via the Chicago embassy than  LA, NY (or the Washington DC), embassies, no matter where in the US you were living. Thanks Chicago. 

 

You are ingesting too much 'Faux News opinions about the news'  into the brainpan. Always a danger. St Louis, Baltimore, Memphis, and the entire state of Louisiana are more a cesspit than Chicago, but as they are RED or nominally red, as such FOX doesn’t belch much in their direction.. 

Happy Holidays

You must not watch a single YouTube vid about how bad Chicago is. The murder rate is out of control and so is crime.  There is not an Embassy in LA, Chicago or New York City either. No one needs Fox News to know how horrible Chicago is!  Do you EVER hear tons of  bad news about a large city like Boston?  You have to literally search all over for them. Chicago is done. No one would even go as a tourist anymore. I found the NYC consulate quite easy to get my visit to Thailand during corona. You also have to apply to an exact consulate or DC embassy. You do not get to choose. 

Edited December 29, 2023 by alex8912

[impulse]

34 minutes ago, newnative said:

     Makes sense--especially for the US.  From 2015 to 2019, US visitors to Thailand were up 34%.  So, numbers were increasing, pre-covid.   Even with that increase, US visitors in 2019 were not much more than the visitors from the UK--just 1.6 million.  With a population of 330 million, vs. UK's 67 million, that US tourist number can and should be higher.  

 

I think distance plays a huge role.  From the UK, a non-stop flight is pretty easy at <6,000 miles.  From the US, >8,000 miles makes a stopover pretty mandatory.  With most younger travelers (and families) taking precious vacation days to travel, it's not hard to imagine they'd look for a closer warm place.   Not to mention, it's quite possible to find a warm place to vacation without leaving the US at all.  Not so easy from the UK.

 

I love Thailand and thoroughly enjoyed working there.  But when asked by family and friends in the USA whether I recommend it as a destination, I generally tell them it's not worth the time, distance and the cost for a 2 week holiday.  (Which is all I ever took in the USA, where employers were prone to figuring they didn't need you at all if they could do without you for over 2 weeks at a time- another factor)

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by impulse

[digger70]

22 hours ago, Keep Right said:

Justin Trudeau announces plans to install taxpayer-funded free tampon dispensers in parliament building's MEN'S bathrooms

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12877163/Justin-Trudeau-tampons-transgender-taxpayers-Canada-bathrooms.html

 

More quality Canadian tourists?

Men don't use Tampons .Only maybe as an exception for a Blood nose .

People who are using Tampons Don't belong in a Mens Bathrooms they are Not Men.

[Stargeezr]

If Thailand is actually serious, the give a lot of countries 90 days visit without the need of a visa.

  TAT, are you listening?

[Stargeezr]

If Thailand is actually serious, then give a lot of countries 90 days visit without the need of a visa.

  TAT, are you listening?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

20 hours ago, Khyron said:

I don't think Thai is worth a crap anymore, but if Thai were to make the nonstop trip, other carriers would probably do as well. 

 

Back when THAI air for some years had non-stop flights between Thailand and the U.S., I don't recall that any other major airlines followed suit in that approach. And then, of course, THAI ended up entirely dropping those nonstop flights.

 

[impulse]

10 minutes ago, Stargeezr said:

If Thailand is actually serious, the give a lot of countries 90 days visit without the need of a visa.

  TAT, are you listening?

 

I'd be curious to know what percentage of genuine tourists spend more than 30 days or 60 days. 

 

I suspect it's a pretty small percentage, and 90 days would have a minimal impact compared to the current 30 days visa exempt.  But I've been surprised before...

 

[DudleySquat]

8 hours ago, Woke to Sounds of Horking said:

Then there was the guy who took a dump in front of a minimart.

 

He is obviously from San Francisco. 

[harada]

Today brain fart from TAT. 

[blazes]

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Back when THAI air for some years had non-stop flights between Thailand and the U.S., I don't recall that any other major airlines followed suit in that approach. And then, of course, THAI ended up entirely dropping those nonstop flights.

 

 

Air Canada fly non-stop YVR-BKK.

[timendres]

3 hours ago, alex8912 said:

So you can tell if someone is from the USA or Canada by their speech??  Or their look? Honestly your post is sooo full of it DUDE!!  Then of course you saw them again. They also had gold chains!!??  You are really full of it DUDE. We all know where you are from as well. 

 

Let me converse with someone from the US and someone from Canada for more than a couple minutes, and I can definitely tell you which is which. Just looking at them, not a chance.

[Liverpool Lou]

Songkran, as in " water splashing", is not going to be all month, just the traditional three days.  The Shinawatra child's idea was binned as ridiculous. The rest of the month is proposed to be celebrated with cultural b0llocks.

Edited December 29, 2023 by Liverpool Lou

[grego49]

23 hours ago, jaideedave said:

I'm a retired Canuck and from what I see on the news is the food banks are doing a roaring business these days.

Massive immigration has made reasonable housing a thing of the past.

Half of India is living in Ontario, mostly on student visas which is another scam.

Joe average is busy tring to pay his rent,food etc. A beach vacay in Pattaya is not the priotity these days.Splitting firewood is.

 

A 55-foot-tall statue of a Hindu deity is being built in Brampton and is said to be completed by 2024.

 

 

The other half are in Australia,,,

 

[newnative]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

I think distance plays a huge role.  From the UK, a non-stop flight is pretty easy at <6,000 miles.  From the US, >8,000 miles makes a stopover pretty mandatory.  With most younger travelers (and families) taking precious vacation days to travel, it's not hard to imagine they'd look for a closer warm place.   Not to mention, it's quite possible to find a warm place to vacation without leaving the US at all.  Not so easy from the UK.

 

I love Thailand.  But when asked by family and friends in the USA whether I recommend it as a destination, I generally tell them it's not worth the time, distance and the cost for a 2 week holiday.  (Which is all I ever took in the USA, where employers were prone to figuring they didn't need you at all if they could do without you for over 2 weeks at a time- another factor)

 

     No doubt about it, the flights are long, especially in Economy, which is where my spouse and I always are.  From the USA, we've done Dulles Tokyo Bangkok, several times, Dulles Qatar Bangkok, and Dulles Frankfort Bangkok.  We liked the eastern route better.  Going by way of Frankfort or Qatar broke the flights up a little better, we thought, than the western route but Frankfort airport was lousy, difficult to negotiate, and involved a very unpleasant bus ride between terminals.  

    Going to the US, we've done BKK Tokyo Dulles several times and BKK Seoul Dulles.  The Seoul flight was better--we got off from Bangkok and the flight to the US was the next gate over--hardly any walking at all.  Next time we might try going the other direction with BKK Middle East Dulles.

    I think there are starting to be some flight deals.  Two of my spouse's nieces are flying to LA next month.  They found a round-trip deal for 32,000 baht each with Japan Airlines.  It does involve a 12-hour layover in Osaka but they plan to go into the city and do some shopping.  They like that JAL has 2-4-2 seating in Economy with their flights, so a little more room.