It's grim out there.

[Bangkokhatter]

9 minutes ago, bob smith said:

why not?

 

bob.

NO Tuk-Tuks in Pattaya, as you would know if you had ever visited Thailand.

[bob smith]

3 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

It is low season, but still pretty busy, you should have seen it during covid, a ghost town

I did see it during covid.

 

It was like something out of 28 days later..

 

bob.

[scubascuba3]

11 minutes ago, bob smith said:

why not?

 

bob.

Pretty busy in Pattaya considering it's low season, bars and businesses are changing hands all the time, you know, living the dream 

[scubascuba3]

2 minutes ago, bob smith said:

I did see it during covid.

 

It was like something out of 28 days later..

 

bob.

Can still look like something out of 28 days later with all the elderly guys shuffling about Buakhao

[bob smith]

7 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Can still look like something out of 28 days later with all the elderly guys shuffling about Buakhao

….soi 6 is a bit like Resident Evil!

 

bob.

[wombat]

4 hours ago, 2baht said:

Phuket is highly over rated!

 

4 hours ago, bob smith said:

I agree.

 

But the tourists seem the love it!

 

bob.

Little Russia full of draft dodgers?

[bob smith]

Just now, wombat said:

 

Little Russia full of draft dodgers?

yep, pretty much.

 

between patts and phuket there must be half of the soviet union out here!

 

bob.

[Stocky]

3 hours ago, frank83628 said:

May and June is supposed to be low season, there is European summer holidays July-September (high season)

But that's monsoon season here, most Europeans come during the winter months

[frank83628]

15 minutes ago, Stocky said:

But that's monsoon season here, most Europeans come during the winter months

depends what part of the country i guess. Koh Tao, phangan, Samui, monsoon time is october /nov/dec

[spidermike007]

I don't even know why anyone goes to Phuket, other than the Andaman sea I just don't see the allure, certainly not anymore. 

 

Was first there in 1976. No resorts. A few bungalows on the beaches. Beachfront land was 1,000 baht a rai. They could not give it away. It was gorgeous. 

 

Went back in 1986. Had developed alot. Still very nice. Again in 1993. Far more development. Still amazing. Azure seas. Spectacular women everywhere. Great food. 

 

Did not return until around 2008. It was degraded, for the most part. But, still decent. It still had some good nightlife.

 

Again a few years ago. Then again last year. Nearly all the tourists were low spending Arabs, Malaysians, Chinese, and Russians. No need to ever return. The charm is lost. The over development is stunning. The prices were crazy. The nightlife is now horrible. Fairly confined to Bangla in Patong, (which is a blight on the planet) and it was very low quality, at stupid prices.

 

They seem to stay busy in the high season with foreigners, but my belief is that very few Thais have any interest in visiting Phuket for a dozen good reasons. Same applies to Samui.

 

There were countless issues, long before Covid, and NONE of them were being addressed. This administration is very regressive, and reactionary, and not the visionary and progressive leadership Thailand desperately needs now. 

[bob smith]

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I don't even know why anyone goes to Phuket, other than the Andaman sea I just don't see the allure, certainly not anymore. 

 

Spent some on Phuket a few years back. Was first there in 1976. No resorts. A few bungalows on the beaches. Beachfront land was 1,000 baht a rai. They could not give it away. It was gorgeous. 

 

Went back in 1986. Had developed alot. Still very nice. Again in 1993. Far more development. Still amazing. Azure seas. Spectacular women everywhere. Great food. 

 

Did not return until around 2008. It was degraded, for the most part. But, still decent. Good nightlife.

 

Again a few years ago. Then again last year. Nearly all the tourists were low spending Arabs, Malaysians, Chinese, and Russians. No need to ever return. The charm is lost. The over development is stunning. The prices were crazy. They seem to stay busy in the high season with foreigners, but my belief is that very few Thais have any interest in visiting Phuket for a dozen good reasons. Same applies to Samui.

 

There were countless issues, long before Covid, and NONE of them were being addressed. This administration is very regressive, and reactionary, and not the visionary and progressive leadership Thailand desperately needs now. 

Agreed.

 

Phuket has definitely lost it’s charm (if it even had any to begin with!)..

 

bob.

[itsari]

5 hours ago, bob smith said:

yesterday I went for a walk in a major tourist hotspot.

All I could see around me were empty bars, restaurants, pubs etc..

 

Not to mention all the boarded up buildings, for sale signs, call to rent signs etc.

Establishments seem to be closing just as fast as they open!

This place is famous worldwide and it is on it's knees.

 

The Thai economy must be in dire straits at the moment.

I was on the blower to a pal of mine who lives really close to another famous tourist hotspot and he said it's the same there too.

 

I have also noticed a steep increase in the prices at certain establishments.

170 baht for a large local beer!

the retail price is between 55-60 baht..

what is going on??

 

The touts also seem extra pushy at the minute.

one tuk-tuk driver tried to physically usher me into his car for a ride.

you can see the worry and angst in their eyes.

maybe some days they don't make anything..

 

It almost makes me feel sorry for them, but then I remember how they treat foreigners when the going is good so it's no wonder they aren't coming back!

about the only place in Thailand that seems to be doing well is Phuket.

but for the life of me I can't figure out why!

 

bob.

Chiang Mai average price for a large  bottle of beer is around 75 baht. Go into town where the tourists are the same bottle of beer increases to 120 to 150 baht.

The bars wonder why they have just a few customers.

[bob smith]

4 minutes ago, itsari said:

Chiang Mai average price for a large  bottle of beer is around 75 baht. Go into town where the tourists are the same bottle of beer increases to 120 to 150 baht.

The bars wonder why they have just a few customers.

somethings gotta give.

 

tourists aren’t stupid (well, most aren’t anyway) and they know when they are being ripped off.

 

when I saw that 170 baht for a big beer I laughed.

That’s 110 baht PER BOTTLE that they are making in profit.

 

scandalous!

 

bob.

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, itsari said:

Chiang Mai average price for a large  bottle of beer is around 75 baht. Go into town where the tourists are the same bottle of beer increases to 120 to 150 baht.

The bars wonder why they have just a few customers.

CM In town rents are so high now it's hard to see how the bars could make any money no matter how many customers they have or how high the beer markup is.

[john donson]

4 hours ago, bob smith said:

...what do you think will happen to all those weed shops once the government reclassify cannabis as a narcotic?

 

bob.

 

keep that topic for your next useless post

[alanrchase]

Pointless topic. People arguing the toss over an unknown location.

[bob smith]

5 minutes ago, john donson said:

 

keep that topic for your next useless post

but you just couldn’t help but leave a comment, right?

 

thanks!

 

bob.

[bob smith]

3 minutes ago, alanrchase said:

Pointless topic

thanks for your input!

 

bob.

[NanLaew]

5 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

You seem to be focussed on the sex tourism side of things rather than the overall tourism which is going fine.

A bit of a stretch to claim Thai tourism is “grim” because Bobs local brothel and bar is quiet.

 

why not name where you were? Why the “mystery”? 
If your story is true, which I doubt because you are known to make up stories, I guess that you are talking about Nana ?

 

An English friend of mine is in the imported food and beverage business, with about 80% Thai clientele and totally exclusive of the foreign tourist locales. He's been in business here in Thailand for almost 18 years. He says in the past couple of months, his business, and the business of his Thai businessmen customers, has dropped off a cliff.

 

Now, who's being a nana?

[NanLaew]

19 minutes ago, itsari said:

Chiang Mai average price for a large  bottle of beer is around 75 baht. Go into town where the tourists are the same bottle of beer increases to 120 to 150 baht.

The bars wonder why they have just a few customers.

 

Because the "into town where the tourists are" rents are higher than the "Chiang Mai average" rent.

 

Hope this helps.

[bob smith]

15 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

An English friend of mine is in the imported food and beverage business, with about 80% Thai clientele and totally exclusive of the foreign tourist locales. He's been in business here in Thailand for almost 18 years. He says in the past couple of months, his business, and the business of his Thai businessmen customers, has dropped off a cliff.

 

Now, who's being a nana?

….and what do they do? they put their bleedin prices up!!

 

thai economics 101 - when the going gets tough, make it just a little bit tougher!

 

bob.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

Delete

 

[newbee2022]

6 hours ago, bob smith said:

yesterday I went for a walk in a major tourist hotspot.

All I could see around me were empty bars, restaurants, pubs etc..

 

Not to mention all the boarded up buildings, for sale signs, call to rent signs etc.

Establishments seem to be closing just as fast as they open!

This place is famous worldwide and it is on it's knees.

 

The Thai economy must be in dire straits at the moment.

I was on the blower to a pal of mine who lives really close to another famous tourist hotspot and he said it's the same there too.

 

I have also noticed a steep increase in the prices at certain establishments.

170 baht for a large local beer!

the retail price is between 55-60 baht..

what is going on??

 

The touts also seem extra pushy at the minute.

one tuk-tuk driver tried to physically usher me into his car for a ride.

you can see the worry and angst in their eyes.

maybe some days they don't make anything..

 

It almost makes me feel sorry for them, but then I remember how they treat foreigners when the going is good so it's no wonder they aren't coming back!

about the only place in Thailand that seems to be doing well is Phuket.

but for the life of me I can't figure out why!

 

bob.

Since you post every day some erratic stories....why not show us all your booze places in a nice video clip? Also your bar girls and please don't forget the price tags of all you had to pay for. Go for it!😇

[bob smith]

6 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

is what makes it a lure for some...as the girls are on their knees..if the price is right

 

explains why you are there as you come here to moan about it...makes perfect sense.....smh....if only one could leave....

ill...type...slowly...so can ....understand...its ..how...a ...business...makes.....profit.......

 

seems the LOGICAL choice would be to go buy it from retail......as you are paying for the EXPERIENCE...kao jai mai???

Number 1. Stop speaking Thai here, this is an English only forum.

 

Number 2. If you think that charging 110 baht extra for a bottle of lager is acceptable in the daytime then you are a bigger numpty than I first thought!

 

Number 3. I hope that all businesses, particularly those in the hospitality sector that are currently engaged in price gouging are put out of business this low season.

 

bob.

[itsari]

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

 

Because the "into town where the tourists are" rents are higher than the "Chiang Mai average" rent.

 

Hope this helps.

Then the property owners are charging more rent than than the market can bear.

There tenants are struggling 

[foreverlomsak]

7 hours ago, bob smith said:

yesterday I went for a walk in a major tourist hotspot.

All I could see around me were empty bars, restaurants, pubs etc..

They heard you were coming, dressed as you were the other day when you answered the door, and did a runner.

Seriously it's low season, and there are not as many tourists around. Phuket (or Russia 2) has the advantage (or maybe not) of having a large number of escapes from the war.

[NanLaew]

1 minute ago, itsari said:

Then the property owners are charging more rent than than the market can bear.

There tenants are struggling 

 

Correct. The property owners may also be struggling with their financial commitments as well.

 

Everyone wants things to be as cheap as possible, but nobody wants to subsidize anything in order for it to be so.

 

It's pretty much global these days.

[itsari]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

CM In town rents are so high now it's hard to see how the bars could make any money no matter how many customers they have or how high the beer markup is.

They don't get my business as they charge too much. I can not be the only one.

They can't even get the beer cold and look at you rather strange when you complain.

[BritManToo]

4 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

Correct. The property owners may also be struggling with their financial commitments as well.

 

Everyone wants things to be as cheap as possible, but nobody wants to subsidize anything in order for it to be so.

 

It's pretty much global these days.

Don't think the property owners give a flying one. There's allegedly not many of them, they're super rich and own entire streets free and clear

They are happy to just sit and wait for the land prices to inflate.

Supposedly Niman is owned by 2 families, Loy Krow owned by one.

[Hummin]

7 hours ago, bob smith said:

yesterday I went for a walk in a major tourist hotspot.

All I could see around me were empty bars, restaurants, pubs etc..

 

Not to mention all the boarded up buildings, for sale signs, call to rent signs etc.

Establishments seem to be closing just as fast as they open!

This place is famous worldwide and it is on it's knees.

 

The Thai economy must be in dire straits at the moment.

I was on the blower to a pal of mine who lives really close to another famous tourist hotspot and he said it's the same there too.

 

I have also noticed a steep increase in the prices at certain establishments.

170 baht for a large local beer!

the retail price is between 55-60 baht..

what is going on??

 

The touts also seem extra pushy at the minute.

one tuk-tuk driver tried to physically usher me into his car for a ride.

you can see the worry and angst in their eyes.

maybe some days they don't make anything..

 

It almost makes me feel sorry for them, but then I remember how they treat foreigners when the going is good so it's no wonder they aren't coming back!

about the only place in Thailand that seems to be doing well is Phuket.

but for the life of me I can't figure out why!

 

bob.

Pattaya is going to be a nice family holiday spot, get over it, and embraze the future