Travellers Vent Frustrations Over Soaring Costs, Two-Tier Pricing, and Cannabis Concerns

[JimHuaHin]

One day Thailand will learn, but I doubt that day is coming soon.

[richard_smith237]

On 4/28/2025 at 10:15 AM, BritManToo said:

I also like air con and a swimming pool, if there's no clean beach within walking distance.

 

Don't think I've ever needed to pay more than 1,000bht to achieve that in SEA.

 

Slightly different... But, are there any 1000 Baht hotels, that have a pool and on the beach ? 

 

Koh Samet, Koh Chang, Rayong, Jomtien, Phuket, Hua Hin ?? - Anything acceptable in those area's starts at at least 3000 baht per night... 4500 baht a night is a good deal (relatively).

 

 

 

 

[Ben Zioner]

18 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Convenience is key - so we’re looking for somewhere drivable, beachfront, with a large pool for the kids and good restaurants nearby.

KC Grande on Koh Chang is exactly  what you need. But don't go hill side. 

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

KC Grande on Koh Chang is exactly  what you need. But don't go hill side. 

 

Indeed it is, which is why we've stayed there before...   

 

4000 baht per night for the Deluxe Villa's

 

 

[rough diamond]

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

The pool must by olympic size, 50-meter pool, for laps.

This is a must, as you say.

 

Why?

You actually get more exercise etc  by doing more laps/turns in a smaller pool!

[Will B Good]

Free market economy....as long as there is true competition, the price for hotels and flights is the price for hotels and flights.

 

Dual pricing.....usually coppers.....don't go or get over it.

 

Cannabis was a huge mistake.

 

Thailand and litter go hand in hand......that will require a generational scale change in education and attitudes.

[BritManToo]

51 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

Why is Malaysia so consistently overlooked. I use my French or my Australian passports and every and I get a great time on every trip, and better value for my Dollars. Food and wine lovers just don't bother with Thailand anymore.

I used to pass through KUL on my way to Manila.

I remember the immigration lady at KUL asking how long I was staying, I replied 6hr while waiting for my connecting flight. She suggested I should spent longer as it seemed a shame to waste the 90 day waiver she was stamping in my passport.

 

I was always impressed that immigration in there and in PI were so friendly to tourists (both places immigration ladies spoke perfect English), unlike Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam who were never at all friendly (and no English).

[GammaGlobulin]

16 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

Why?

You actually get more exercise etc  by doing more laps/turns in a smaller pool!

 

Much less risk of bumping one's head against the ends of the pool.

 

The probability in a 25-meter pool is twice that of a 50-meter pool.

 

This is the main reason I prefer long-distance ocean swimming, outside the hotels, in Naples Florida.

The hotels have pools, but dangerous, compared to ocean swimming.

 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I was always impressed that immigration in there and in PI were so friendly to tourists (both places immigration ladies spoke perfect English), unlike Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam who were never at all friendly (and no English).

 

Thai immigration officers may not be overflowing with warmth, but they’re certainly not ogres either. Like immigration staff anywhere in the world, they tend to be indifferent - which is completely understandable given the mind-numbing nature of the job. Sitting there for hours on end, stamping passports, would drain anyone of the will for small talk.

 

Personally, I’ve had very few negative experiences entering Thailand - or anywhere else, for that matter. There was one instance of an overzealous officer misapplying the rules, but nothing dramatic. On the flip side, I’ve had the occasional pleasant surprise: once, a charming female Immigration officer in Thailand recognised me from a previous visit and struck up a friendly conversation.

 

I’ve had similarly positive encounters elsewhere - once in the UK and again in the UAE, where the officer invited my son into the booth to stamp our passports; a nice human moment. But, for the most part, the experience is defined by quiet, disinterested efficiency. And honestly, that’s about all we should expect.

 

 

 

 

[rough diamond]

Just now, GammaGlobulin said:

Much less risk of bumping one's head against the ends of the pool.

Is that your excuse for your posts?

[rough diamond]

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

The hotels have pools, but dangerous, compared to ocean swimming.

So you would lets kids go swimming in the ocean rather than in a hotel pool.

 

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Much less risk of bumping one's head against the ends of the pool.

 

The probability in a 25-meter pool is twice that of a 50-meter pool.

 

This is the main reason I prefer long-distance ocean swimming, outside the hotels, in Naples Florida.

The hotels have pools, but dangerous, compared to ocean swimming.

 

 

A comment such as this really leaves the mind boggling - the disconnect with reality is astonishing.

 

The probability is zero if you look where you are going !!!...

 

I used to swim a lot, competitively in younger years, and I can honestly say, the risk of bumping my head at the end of the pool is zero...

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

7 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

Is that your excuse for your posts?

 

No.

I do ocean swimming, primarily.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

5 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

So you would lets kids go swimming in the ocean rather than in a hotel pool.

 

 

Only if their parents were averse to having their kids bump their heads on the concrete of pools.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

6 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The probability is zero if you look where you are going !!!...

 

When in the pool swimming, I stare at the bottom of the pool.

So far, I have not hit my head on the bottom.

 

So, this is a very effective strategy.

 

[rough diamond]

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

No.

I do ocean swimming, primarily.

 

How do you do that when you never leave your house according to you?

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

7 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

So you would lets kids go swimming in the ocean rather than in a hotel pool.

 

Only if their parents were averse to having their kids bump their heads on the concrete of pools.

 

 

 

Such oddness in every post...       Is there any parent ever, who would have their child swim in the sea because a child 'could' bang their head when making a turn in a pool ???

 

....   honestly...  some of the most idiotic bumf I ever read comes from this poster who's managed to convince himself he's smart !!...   such delusion really leaves one wondering.

[Ben Zioner]

38 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Indeed it is, which is why we've stayed there before...   

 

4000 baht per night for the Deluxe Villa's

 

 

Somewhat more expensive now though..

[rough diamond]

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Only if their parents were averse to having their kids bump their heads on the concrete of pools.

 

What an idiotic comment, even coming from you!

Then swim with them and neither you nor them will hit their heads and more importantly will not be swept out to sea by a rip tide or attacked by sea creatures!

[rough diamond]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

such delusion really leaves one wondering.

I stopped wondering about the poster a long time ago.

 

[CG1 Blue]

56 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

100% agree - what tourist has ever genuinely expressed concern about marijuana being available for those who want it? Absolutely none.

As you rightly pointed out, it’s just manufactured outrage, whipped up for media sensationalism.

People will take it at face value simply because it appears in an article, which is absurd. Nonsense like that shouldn’t even be given oxygen.

100% disagree. Legalising cannabis sent out a message to low-lifes that Thailand is a place where anything goes. So more low-lifes are now heading for Thailand. That's the point you're missing. 

As the article said: 

 

"Some feel the cannabis culture is attracting a different type of tourist, altering the country’s traditional charm"

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, Ben Zioner said:

40 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Indeed it is, which is why we've stayed there before...   

 

4000 baht per night for the Deluxe Villa's

 

 

Somewhat more expensive now though..

 

That was actually the price for a Deluxe Garden Villa for our next visit... 

Koh Chang is not an option though, its too far for a long weekend.

 

The price of 4000 baht is reasonable given the standard of accommodation, quality of beach and pool etc.

Place is ideal for those with kids.

 

The last time we were there it took 7.5 hours to get back to Bangkok - thats just too long.

 

 

[Photoguy21]

I have found that if you have an understanding of the Thai language you can get good deals. I usually get discounts of just about everything I buy (not counting food). If you are a novice tourist expect to be ripped off. It isn't only Thailand there are many countries that over charge tourists.

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, CG1 Blue said:

100% disagree. Legalising cannabis sent out a message to low-lifes that Thailand is a place where anything goes. So more low-lifes are now heading for Thailand. That's the point you're missing. 

As the article said: 

 

"Some feel the cannabis culture is attracting a different type of tourist, altering the country’s traditional charm"

 

I'm not entirely sure how far the news about legal marijuana in Thailand has actually spread - it's still a fairly recent development.

 

Some younger travellers I know - friends and family - were genuinely surprised to learn it was legal when they visited. That said, none of them were particularly interested in it anyway, so it just wasn't on their radar to begin with.

 

Maybe there's a degree to which cannabis culture is attracting the wrong crowd - and it only takes a few to shift perceptions. But let's be honest - it's alcohol and hard drugs like yaba that are causing the real problems the media latch onto. It's the 'Benidorm' crowd getting into fights, or the first-time meth user wandering naked down the street.

 

Thailand has always attracted a certain element - and probably always will. The real point is that the country is drawing more tourists than ever, and when you chase mass tourism, consequences like this are bound to follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ben Zioner]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

As a City break, KL is a very good visit, Bangkok is much better for tourists.

Georgetown and Melaka are just lovely I rate them higher than any city in Thailand, most of them being close to unliveable these days. I go to KL for medical reasons, Thai hospitals being more and more racist.

[MalcolmB]

2 hours ago, norsurin said:

Phuket have become a bad place because of all the problems with russians

Oh yes, the Russians hardly ever support the prostitutes and even fewer rescue them 

Those terrible Russians, they should just leave Phuket to us high standard whoremongers and Issan hookers.

[MalcolmB]

15 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

some of the most idiotic bumf I ever read comes from this poster who's managed to convince himself he's smart !!...   such delusion really leaves one wondering

He does make some very good points though you have to admit.

[NoDisplayName]

On 4/27/2025 at 10:07 AM, CharlieH said:

Tourists also express frustration with Thailand's immigration bureaucracy, particularly the TDAC system requiring online registration three days before arrival.

 

Are we supposed to take this 'report' seriously?

 

Foreign travelers are required to complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card form no more than 3 days prior to their arrival in Thailand.

 

https://tdac.immigration.go.th/arrival-card/#/home

 

All foreign tourists entering Thailand, starting May 1, will be required to register their travel details through the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system within three days prior to arrival,

 

https://thailand.prd.go.th/en/content/category/detail/id/52/iid/385061

[rough diamond]

57 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

No.

I do ocean swimming, primarily.

 

I have just realised. 

You have stated time and time again that you live in Chiang Mai!

Which ocean are you swimming in?

[falangUK]

On 4/27/2025 at 10:31 AM, frank83628 said:

And 25yrs ago the THB - GBP used to be 72!!

 

I used to rent a basic wooden bungalow for 3k a month, now they're 12k, concrete, with aircon, pool, intenet and huge TV..... arghhh why are they not still 3k... rip off Thailand!!

 

Today, the British pound isn’t even worth 44.75 baht — quite something, really, given all the issues the country’s facing. Amazing how the baht’s managed to stay so strong through it all.