Khao San Road Feels Pinch as European Tourists Hold Off on Bookings - video

[ChipButty]

9 hours ago, hotchilli said:

So why are Phuket, Pattaya doing so well?

Who told you that? 

[ChipButty]

Only certain areas of Phuket are busy, Monday evening in Rawai at the Seafood market was not busy, Usually full of tourist this time of the year, 

If I have a drive around the area all the bike rental shops are full of bikes, 

[RayC]

10 hours ago, baansgr said:

Is there still 300 baht rooms and can you get a beer and a bird for £10  after buying your fake degree? Might be worth a visit if I can

 

Sadly,no.

 

The products you list are still available, but you will need to adjust your cost estimates upwards by a considerable amount😉

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Who told you that? 

TAT every day

[Nid_Noi]

Thailand does not smile anymore. The new generations have no knowledge of hospitality and they have no work ethics. 40 years ago more people spoke English, now almost none. Even with their smartphone application they can’t make a sale. Rama 9 spent so much money to educate the Thai, one wonders if this money has not been totally wasted.

[bristolgeoff]

I agree a previous comment said they changed  everything and then hoped it would be ok. Should have left it the way it was,maybe modernise  a few things,but they completely changed it  and then that was the end of it

[NativeBob]

Agree. KSR is done long time ago. And F*** those memories "I've been there in 90s!" 

So what? 

Marco Polo hostel was 120thb? many hostels were not more than 200thb. 

Pad Thai for the price of burger? 

Everything is vanished from KSR and unfortunately it is normal. 

Thai charm is gone.

[MarkyM3]

On 11/25/2024 at 11:45 AM, snoop1130 said:

 

Bangkok's celebrated Khao San Road, long a hub of backpacker activity, faces a slump in hotel reservations just ahead the festive season. Khaosan Business Association President Sanga Ruangwattanakul attributes the decline to European tourists' uncertainty amidst the persisting Russia-Ukraine conflict.

 

Coinciding with a wider downturn, reservations for the key dates of December 30 to December 31 have decreased to approximate 60%, falling from last year's 70%. European visitors, predominantly from the UK, France, Germany, and Italy, usually contribute to 80% of Khao San's tourist demographic, with a lesser proportion hailing from other Asian countries.

 

In spite of the disappointing figures, Sanga remains positive, anticipating an influx of bookings closer to the festive period. Khao San Road, staying true to its energetic character, will host a New Year’s Eve countdown that aims to attract between 50,000 to 70,000 tourists. On an average, each tourist spends around 1,000 baht thereby potentially injecting over 70 million baht into the local economy.

 

 

Christmas festivities will commence on December 24 with a splendid display of Christmas lights. Sanga is optimistic about Khao San's enduring appeal as a tourist hot-spot, although he admits that sales of alcohol, a significant contributor to revenues, haven’t been as buoyant. A lack of spending from Thai visitors, conscious of financial constraints, is a factor dimming economic vibrancy.

 

To circumvent these financial challenges, Sanga proposes government measures to stimulate consumer spending, including tax breaks through initiatives such as Easy E-Receipt or the Khon La Khreung co-payment subsidy. He also supports plans to enhance revenues by focusing on the 5F industries — food, film, festivals, Thai boxing, and fashion — to attract more global tourists to Thailand.

 

Despite current obstacles, hopes remain high for Khao San Road as the New Year’s Eve countdown closes in. The belief is that the celebrated strip will once again buzz with the vibrancy and dynamism that make it an essential stop on every traveller's itinerary.

 

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-11-25

 

 

Absolutely zilch to do with the Ukraine War. Clutching at straws there (great Marillion album btw 😄 )

 

I went down there earlier this year. 300 baht for a "jug" of beer everywhere so it ain't that cheap. A friend of mine who still likes to backpack and wanted to revisit the places we stayed in 20 years ago when we first visited Asia inc. KSR paid £70/night for a room around there and it wasn't much cop by the sounds of it. Residences in Sukhumvit/Asoke for an average £100/night (will be more now due to exchange rate dipping) are in a completely different league.

 

I also suspect people are moving on. The internet and social media/blogging has made information so much more accessible and quicker to disseminate and booking places is completely different to how it was when I did it 20 years back. Then, people were mainly still carrying Lonely Planet or Rough Guide around and being able to book online or see a website was still in its infancy. KSR was still full of internet cafes at the time!

 

Laos is obviously going to have some issues with their backpacker demand after the alcohol poisoning issues but that will probably be short lived.  

Edited just now by MarkyM3