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Thailand faces a decline in British tourists and expats: Causes and Consequences


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On 4/20/2024 at 8:43 AM, spidermike007 said:

Thailand has been facing a decline in Western tourists for a decade now. There are a dozen good reasons why Westerners don't visit Thailand as much as they used to. I was recently in Phuket and I would estimate the population of foreigners was 40% Russian, 20% Arab, 20% Malaysian and Chinese, 15% Indian, and about 2% Westerners and a sprinkling of some others. It was a low end crowd. 

 

The sad truth is that Thailand is not doing anything to improve itself they are making absolutely no effort to tackle air quality environmental issues traffic congestion or any other problems plaguing the nation. It seems to be a combination of sloth lack of vision and extreme arrogance. 

Thailand is a first world country with a third world mentality

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12 hours ago, kiwikeith said:

The USA overthrew the government of Ukraine and there's been nothing but mayham since, The USA have been doing this world wide using the CIA, and people have now had a guts full, protests world wide now and most media under severe control. 

This is the main narrative of Russian propaganda, which blames the United States for what happened in Ukraine in 2014. Because they cannot accept that Ukrainians (the majority) voted for the Western path of development and rapprochement with the European Union, and not the “Russian world” with the “Eurasian Union” (which is the brainchild of Putin). President Yanukovych won the elections in Ukraine precisely because he declared rapprochement with the West. But after receiving several billion dollars from Putin (which were eventually appropriated by them), he completely changed his rhetoric and abandoned the European path, announcing his imminent accession to the Eurasian Union. People in Ukraine were outraged by this treacherous betrayal and came out to protest. First of all, young people. And after the special services began to shoot protesters, an armed confrontation began and Yanukovych was evacuated to Russia. Russian propaganda continues to call the Ukrainian authorities a “junta,” but the fact is that it was the legally elected parliament that removed Yanukovych from power, and after that there were already 2 democratic presidential campaigns in the country.
And regarding this topic, over 10 years of regular trips to Thailand for 2-4 months, I can notice that not only the number of British, but also Europeans in general has decreased. Especially in Pattaya, where Little India is now in the city center, and on Walking Street there are more and more Indian clubs (although both establishments are somehow empty - after all, Indian tourists don’t seem to like sitting in bars or meeting Thai girls ( alone).

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17 hours ago, Dave1954 said:

Thailand is a first world country with a third world mentality

I know they like to say that they are first world, but I don't buy that. Certain sections of Bangkok are certainly comparable to first world, but once you get outside of three or four main cities, it's very third world on a lot of levels. 

 

Just look at the rail transport, the lack of cargo transport, the choked highways, the lack of law enforcement, traffic safety, there are so many factors. 

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1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

Just look at the rail transport, the lack of cargo transport, the choked highways, the lack of law enforcement, traffic safety, there are so many factors. 

 

All in the three or four main cities. Outside them is is generally OK.

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21 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Later, I found it to be far more honest and simpler to do PFP. Most women here who charge for their services, are infinitely more honest and straight forward

That is interesting from somebody who endlessly writes on this forum how and why Thailand is NOT attracting High Quality tourists.

 

You are that caught up in it and their "honesty" that you can not see the bigger picture how that sex tourists are the least desirable of all and the general population see it as a shame and completely ugly.

 

You complain about Russian families and others while you are getting around with "P4P" 

The irony.

 

 

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3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I know they like to say that they are first world, but I don't buy that. Certain sections of Bangkok are certainly comparable to first world, but once you get outside of three or four main cities, it's very third world on a lot of levels. 

Yes, a lot of the girls in the poorer regions get sold for sex to tourists and sexpats.

I dont think they claim to be first world. They are and claim to be a "developing country"

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2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I would use 'delusional' rather than 'healthy'.

I would say someone who lives with a prostitute as if she is a wife is probably more deluded than anyone else on the planet.

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17 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Well just for the sake of playing devil's advocate, what do you think the average man really knows about his wife when he marries her in the West? Without actually hiring a private detective, how does he have any idea where she's been, who she's been with, how many lovers she's had, or whether or not she's ever been freelancing? No man really knows any of that stuff. They assume that their woman is pure as the driven snow and they desperately want to believe her when she says she's only had three lovers prior to him. I know that I've been out with women who have been with hundreds and hundreds of men, so is that that much different from a semi-pro here who's been with a couple of hundred men?

 

A lot of guys get hung up on the whole purity aspect of this whole thing, but there are an awful lot of women in the West that would qualify as being working gals, under a rather liberal definition. Are multiple dinners, cash gifts, and prizes really any different than an agreed to price?

 

Which one is more honest? 

 

Teeing delusional goat up for ANOTHER post about his studliness & how despite him being over 50 he makes all the working & esp the non working girls squirt just from being near him....

 

goat (lol) you probably need to ease up on watching those andrew tate videos - he's a bad role model for you

 

 

 

 

Edited by BigBruv
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Just now, spidermike007 said:

I don't use Twitter, I don't like Twitter, so links like this are of no use to a decent percentage of the population. 

 

I read your mind and edited just after posting ; )

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25 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

alot of Western women, who have absolutely no ability to identify with their innate femininity, which of course is the quality that most men find most appealing. Without that, what do they have really? Not much. 

 

Western women have cold hard cash esp. with positive(?) discrimination.

 

Boomers are a unique generation who reallly did have the rub of the green.

Single earners with low level jobs were paid enough for large (by todays standards) properties that can be rented out for loads of money to fund decent retirements in low cost countries.  It's different for zoomers and millenials now so probably not in their thinking.

 

Most men now need a 'partner' just to be able to afford the rent on a decent place.

 

OT but from the BoomersAreTumours (lol) reddit https://odysee.com/@Blackpilled:b/the-great-boomer-deception:d?src=embed&t=598.292852

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On 4/22/2024 at 12:32 PM, Stocky said:

Nikki does speak very good English apparently.

I think my granddaughter's only had one Brit as her foreign English teacher. Previous teachers have been, in no particular order, Australian, South African, Moroccan, Canadian and British. The Moroccan guy Mr Habibi, was excellent.

For anyone who is wondering, my comment was one single solitary word, "otlichno" which means "great" in Russian.

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On 4/21/2024 at 9:35 AM, Scouse123 said:

 

 

I don't think it is cheaper than Thailand, expats go there because they don't have the financial requirements to obtain a visa.

 

They pay for a visa once a year and that is all. No reporting every 90 days etc and no money in the bank, however, those are the only advantages in my view.

Booze & smokes are cheaper. 

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On 4/20/2024 at 9:30 AM, Misty said:

 

So where are British going instead?

The most recent data is to 2022:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/datasets/ukresidentsvisitsabroad

 

If you consider Britons traveling to APAC as a market (ie. the choice isn't between Thailand and Benidorm this year), then before the pandemic, about 8-9% of Britons going on holiday/visiting Asia were picking Thailand. In 2021, that dipped to 3%, and it looks like India benefited from that (though India travel will be a mix of holidays, a lot of family visits and business reconnections) and in 2022, it went back up to 8%. If I strip out India and Pakistan, then in 2022, Thailand attracted 18% of British visitors to APAC, compared to 13-15% prepandemic. Non-HK China has collapsed; 16% before pandemic and 3% in 2022; 14% in 2021. Other Asia (Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam etc) went from 34% to 48-51%, and that seems to be at the expense of China, and, to a lesser degree, Japan and Hong Kong.

 

Countries in this selection are

 

Hong Kong (China)
Other China
India
Japan
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Thailand
Other Asia
Australia
New Zealand

 

 

But if I consider a wider range of destinations, then a slight different story. Comparing % share in 2022 to 2019, only the following countries have increased their share. The dominating feature, except for Brazil, is the Package Holiday. Destinations more associated with more independant travel, which is basically Asia, have lost out. I suspect there is a combination of cost; the destinations closer to the UK will be cheaper, but also, post COVID, security, ie having the support of a Tui, Virgin etc to not strand you at an airport etc.. Its more complex that that, because you also have to get into spend, nights stayed etc, which is all in that data source.

 

One take away is that Thailand has to work hard to get the Tour Operators to fill up flights, charters. Something that might be distorting is hotel vacancies; has Thailand become a place where there are more people living out of a Hotel room?

 

The biggest losers, in terms of the holiday share, are USA, Cyprus, France, Ireland, China, Japan, and Other Asia (Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia etc) Thailand is down 0.2%, but Sri Lanka, which has more package tours, is down 0.1%. Interestingly, USA is down 0.8%, Canada is down 0.12%. I put that down to Florida (Disney) being too expensive. The £:$ during that period wasn't too bad.

 

Greece
Portugal
Spain
Turkey
Egypt
Morocco
Barbados
Jamaica
Other Caribbean
Brazil
Mexico

Fly/cruise (stay onboard)

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5 hours ago, BigBruv said:

 

Back to the OP, IMHO the thrill has gone and Thailand is a bit old hat for Brits now (mongers aside).

There's little mystery in Thailand anymore (the west has Thai restaurants and ladyboys too) - everyone knows what it has to offer.  'Wow' factors gone.

 

For zoomers that's bad tinny music played at earbleed level + mindless 'fun'.

IMHO western zoomers are a bit dead eyed cynical / sophisticated for that - esp at current exchange rates / prices.

 

Middle aged Brits (mongers aside) have been enough times already and are often married so can't indulge in the only genuine world class 'hub' thing about Thailand.

 

It's now for the Indians and people from other developing/3rd world to enjoy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Think you have summed it up well tbh.

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51 minutes ago, Andrew65 said:

Booze & smokes are cheaper. 

 

I don't smoke but I thought cigs were cheap enough in Thailand, not the 12/13 GBP I hear about in the UK.

 

Booze, well Red wine is a better deal in Cambodia.

 

But for accommodation, Thailand wins for variety and value for money, electricity Thailand wins price-wise, Healthcare is Thailand and so are fresh fruits and vegetables.

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5 hours ago, BigBruv said:

 

Western women have cold hard cash esp. with positive(?) discrimination.

 

Boomers are a unique generation who reallly did have the rub of the green.

Single earners with low level jobs were paid enough for large (by todays standards) properties that can be rented out for loads of money to fund decent retirements in low cost countries.  It's different for zoomers and millenials now so probably not in their thinking.

 

Most men now need a 'partner' just to be able to afford the rent on a decent place.

 

OT but from the BoomersAreTumours (lol) reddit https://odysee.com/@Blackpilled:b/the-great-boomer-deception:d?src=embed&t=598.292852

 

 

Older Western women from the UK are heading to The Gambia, Kenya, Tunisia etc and it ain't for the beaches.

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On 4/20/2024 at 2:43 AM, spidermike007 said:

Thailand has been facing a decline in Western tourists for a decade now. There are a dozen good reasons why Westerners don't visit Thailand as much as they used to. I was recently in Phuket and I would estimate the population of foreigners was 40% Russian, 20% Arab, 20% Malaysian and Chinese, 15% Indian, and about 2% Westerners and a sprinkling of some others. It was a low end crowd. 

 

The sad truth is that Thailand is not doing anything to improve itself they are making absolutely no effort to tackle air quality environmental issues traffic congestion or any other problems plaguing the nation. It seems to be a combination of sloth lack of vision and extreme arrogance. 

Surely this is a good thing as it will help tackle the overtourism mentioned in another thread on here. Unless they want less tourists but more Brits. And why wouldn't they.

 

Edited by kimamey
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1 hour ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

Older Western women from the UK are heading to The Gambia, Kenya, Tunisia etc and it ain't for the beaches.

 

 

Yep boomers again - they still have cash to burn but are dying out - I doubt they'll be replaced by the younger generations in as bigger numbers so Thailand's future is probably Indian, Chinese and Russian.

 

People knock Brits but Thailand was more prosperous AND fun for the natives when there were loads of us there.

They all seem to be pretty tight but the Chinese and Russians also seem particularly joyless - though I guess that's what decades of communism does to a nation.

 

So good luck Thailand, doesn't seem to be any planning so they'll probably need it.

 

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10 minutes ago, kimamey said:

Surely this is a good thing as it will help tackle the overtourism mentioned in another thread on here. Unless they want less tourists but more Brits. And why wouldn't they.

 

 

 

They need/want big spenders - the problem is they're now left with 3rd worldy tourists as their main visitors now - not as spendthrift, sanook or soft as 'westerners' they've replaced.

 

Edited by BigBruv
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8 hours ago, BigBruv said:

 

 

Yep boomers again - they still have cash to burn but are dying out - I doubt they'll be replaced by the younger generations in as bigger numbers so Thailand's future is probably Indian, Chinese and Russian.

 

People knock Brits but Thailand was more prosperous AND fun for the natives when there were loads of us there.

They all seem to be pretty tight but the Chinese and Russians also seem particularly joyless - though I guess that's what decades of communism does to a nation.

 

So good luck Thailand, doesn't seem to be any planning so they'll probably need it.

 

Ÿou called it dead right bruv "joyless" is how to describe them. Perhaps it has sunk in that bringing the family means  restrictions.

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