Travel Rising Prices, Broken Systems Dim Thailand’s Tourist Charm

[KhaoHom]

International trips aside, my wife and myself go to one inexpensive place of beauty and tranquility six weeks a year and have done so since we met. Cheap.

 

There's nowhere like it in Thailand and much the world.

 

Most anywhere else will not be as beautiful, peaceful, great for health and exercise. In the better times still fun.

 

I know exactly why I don't travel / go anywhere else...just doesn't measure up. Overpriced Dec, Songkran especially

[kiwikeith]

On 4/30/2025 at 7:21 PM, Magictoad said:

It sounds like Americans whining & whinging to me!  When you read through the list it's like some out of a BLM or feminist meeting. Disparity in pricing!! Give me a break. Can some explain about THE DISPARITY IN WAGES.

Cannabis concerns. Pathetic  Just shut your window. As for children. Then don't bring them here- take them to Disney Land.

Neighbours offer betters experiences? NO THEY DONT.

Quality Matters: Scrutiny Over Infrastructure and Cleanliness

This is a third word country and people get reminded of it sometimes. 

Cost Concerns: Value for Money Diminishing

This might be an issue in some cities such as Bangkok and Pattaya but it's still VERY CHEAP in Issan and the North East.

I wouldn't go to a tourist dump like Chaing Mai.

So yes Thailand is still worth visiting.

Thailand isn't the same since the dope shops opened only a fool can not see this and Pattaya and Phuket are rubbish dumps 

I have not been to Chiang Mai for a while but I lived there a while back every time I go back there it's been worse with  Chineese gold shops and money lenders everywhere stampedes of Chinese tourists at Tapai gate not the same just a mess like the dope heads shops. If you are a dope head beware of senility it took all my friends out over time 

[Lorry]

8 hours ago, kwilco said:

 

Air pollution is a major factor for some - no-one in their right mind would book a holiday in the North between January and April

Chinese like CM a lot, and they do come at Chinese New Year (January/February).

Never heard them complain about the air.

(Maybe when breathing they feel right at home.)

[kwilco]

53 minutes ago, Lorry said:

Chinese like CM a lot, and they do come at Chinese New Year (January/February).

Never heard them complain about the air.

(Maybe when breathing they feel right at home.)

 

"Never heard them complain about the air." - Interesting - I worked with a lot of Chinese people In Thailand for about 3 years and pollution was not on the conversation every now and then, but we lived in the South - They were very concerned about pollution in their home towns but the overriding impression I got was that they were largely unaware of the levels of pollution in Thailand at various times - but when made aware, would certainly avoid it.

 

Furthermore, we know that tourism figures in the north are getting reduced at times of pollution. Chiang Mai in particular is concerned about low number during burning season. I also know  Euro-Thai families with children who are desparate to leave the region for good.

A couple of years ago - I did or rather started a tour of the North west - every single place I visited was totally empty - usually it was Thai people I"d expect to see but they were deserted - some places were actually closed in Umphang the only other tourists we saws was a small group pf Swedes. In Mae Hong Son eading for Chiang Mai, I turned back and headed South with a chest infection.

 

However you seem to had had extansive conversations with Chinese tourists - You do realise that Chinese New Year is celebrated all over the country by both Thai Chinese and visitors but you seem to have worked out the difference - BTW do you speak Mandarin?

 

 

[kwilco]

7 hours ago, KhaoHom said:

International trips aside, my wife and myself go to one inexpensive place of beauty and tranquility six weeks a year and have done so since we met. Cheap.

 

There's nowhere like it in Thailand and much the world.

 

Most anywhere else will not be as beautiful, peaceful, great for health and exercise. In the better times still fun.

 

I know exactly why I don't travel / go anywhere else...just doesn't measure up. Overpriced Dec, Songkran especially

Your photos are precisely the things that Thai is destroying and losing - it doesn't matter to many businessmen as now the majority of tourists come for the concrete  and deckchairs. ...and BTW - why are you so close to that coral?????

[daejung]

On 4/30/2025 at 2:01 PM, Harrisfan said:

When were flights $ 300?

Since 2013, the lowest price I paid from France was 650 € with one extra checked baggage and a leg from my city to Paris or Amsterdam
Last November I paid 1 842 €

[Mad Mustang]

After living in Thailand for 15 years, both in Issan and Bangkok and seeing all the changes take place. It is now over priced and doesn’t offer much value at all anymore for foreign residents or tourists. Chaing Mai air is rotten, Phuket now essentially a Russian enclave, Pattaya infested with a disrespectful low spending often unhygienic demographic of so called tourists.
Crazy rents for anywhere decent in Bangkok, endless traffic jams, rorts and scams and red tape galore and fleece the Farang is now almost a national sport. There’s not too much appealing about the place anymore.
I have a lifetime elite visa, went to Phnom Penh a month ago for the first time. For me i found it better than Vietnam and better than Thailand in every way. Packing up and going.

Thailand has lost most of its shine and has become only about $$$. I don’t think I will miss the place too much and wouldn’t recommend it as a holiday destination any more.

[JamesPhuket10]

 

Oh no, many miserable skint farangs are out in force again thinking they have some say in what goes on in Thailand.

 

The Thai government and tourist authority are not interested in your constant squealing about prices, you are nothing compared to the 40(ish) millions of tourists who come to Thailand to spend each year.

 

They have been saying for years they wish to cater for more upmarket tourists willing to spend a lot of money over a two week visit, they are the target crowd not the winging so called ex-pat (annual temporary visa extensions) on their miserable £1500 a month spending budget.

 

Phuket is reassuringly expensive (compared to the back of beyond, up-country squalid village) , it keeps the moaning skint ex-pats away.

 

I have not met any tourist or so called expats living in Phuket who thinks it is expensive compared to many other countries in the world, as far as I can see it is dirt cheap.

 

 

 

[KhaoHom]

4 hours ago, kwilco said:

Your photos are precisely the things that Thai is destroying and losing - it doesn't matter to many businessmen as now the majority of tourists come for the concrete  and deckchairs. ...and BTW - why are you so close to that coral?????

 

She is in the back of the coral..

[kwilco]

20 minutes ago, KhaoHom said:

 

She is in the back of the coral..

seriously???

[Woke to Sounds]

On 4/30/2025 at 7:56 PM, Naamblar2014 said:

Not sure why but it's a common worldwide phenomenon.

 

Why?

 

Because it's part of the Elites' plan.

 

Reduced standard of living for Western countries' citizens at the expense of increased standard of living for the former so called 3rd world countries.

 

What you're seeing is simply impatience on the part of so called 3rd worlders to emigrate to the former 1st world countries.

 

If they hang tight long enough in their own countries their standard of living will leapfrog over places like Australia, UK, Canada, etc, whose societies and infrastructures are circling the drain.

 

Nothing personal m'lad.

 

[purcho]

On 4/30/2025 at 3:56 PM, Yagoda said:

Im a Bangkok guy. My biatch is the air sucks during prime season.

Bkk air sucks all year round. Good to spend 1 day per year maybe 2

[Ubonian Canadian]

On 4/30/2025 at 9:46 PM, jas007 said:

Every time I get that, and every time it gets thrown into the trash, along with a packet of some liquid spice they send.  A real waste.  Who puts ketchup on a pizza? 

I like the free stuff. I can always find a place to use the packets.

[Lorry]

16 hours ago, kwilco said:

You do realise that Chinese New Year is celebrated all over the country by both Thai Chinese and visitors but you seem to have worked out the difference - BTW do you speak Mandarin?

Yes and yes

[Lorry]

12 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

Oh no, many miserable skint farangs are out in force again thinking they have some say in what goes on in Thailand.

 

The Thai government and tourist authority are not interested in your constant squealing about prices, you are nothing compared to the 40(ish) millions of tourists who come to Thailand to spend each year.

 

They have been saying for years they wish to cater for more upmarket tourists willing to spend a lot of money over a two week visit, they are the target crowd not the winging so called ex-pat (annual temporary visa extensions) on their miserable £1500 a month spending budget.

 

Phuket is reassuringly expensive (compared to the back of beyond, up-country squalid village) , it keeps the moaning skint ex-pats away.

 

I have not met any tourist or so called expats living in Phuket who thinks it is expensive compared to many other countries in the world, as far as I can see it is dirt cheap.

 

 

 

Right now, as the Chinese don't come as much as they used to and the Indians are a bit frugal, the Thai government wants more Europeans again, as they spend more (and there are no zero-dollar tours from Germany, neither Danish tour guides).

[whiteman]

On 5/1/2025 at 6:42 PM, KhaoHom said:

International trips aside, my wife and myself go to one inexpensive place of beauty and tranquility six weeks a year and have done so since we met. Cheap.

 

There's nowhere like it in Thailand and much the world.

 

Most anywhere else will not be as beautiful, peaceful, great for health and exercise. In the better times still fun.

 

I know exactly why I don't travel / go anywhere else...just doesn't measure up. Overpriced Dec, Songkran especially

 

[whiteman]

do not forget to add the bed bugs you eat as well

[BarraMarra]

On 5/1/2025 at 8:21 AM, Phuket Pete said:

Most visitors here spend most of their days on the beach. When is a beautiful beach not a beautiful beach ?  In high season, when it's covered in sun loungers and in low season, when it's covered in trash that no one local is prepared to clean up.

Most of it is the beach venders just lobbing old discarded bags of Rubbish at the end of the day. Patong beach pedestrian only lol your more likely to be killed by a grab drliverer or a vendor stocking up his stall.

[Mo Sawadee]

On 4/30/2025 at 6:46 AM, jas007 said:

Personally, I don't see a problem.  If some things cost a bit more, so what?  Welcome to 2025.  It's a worldwide phenomena. It's called inflation, and it's not going away anytime soon.  

 

Normally, I try to eat healthy, but today, I treated myself to a pizza, delivered.  A little over 300 baht.  What would it cost in the USA?  $40? 

 

I think I got a deal here in Thailand.  Ditto for rent, utilities, and just about everything else I buy.

To be fair… the pizzas are expensive. Tiny with no toppings! 😂 

[ElwoodP]

Troll post removed.

[JamesPhuket10]

On 5/1/2025 at 9:18 AM, Ben Zioner said:

And, beyond foraging, do you have any other activities.

 

Perhaps making shoes from used car tyres? 

[JamesPhuket10]

5 hours ago, Lorry said:

Right now, as the Chinese don't come as much as they used to and the Indians are a bit frugal, the Thai government wants more Europeans again, as they spend more (and there are no zero-dollar tours from Germany, neither Danish tour guides).

 

I suppose the tattoo shops and the bar girls want more farangs on holiday, I don't see any Chinese tourists with their bodies covered in tattoos or with a bar girl on their arm. 

 

I don't think the restaurants etc are too keen on Germans, Danish etc, having worked in those countries I saw they are meanest tippers in the world and very careful with what they spend.

[still kicking]

4 hours ago, Mo Sawadee said:

To be fair… the pizzas are expensive. Tiny with no toppings! 😂 

But you get plenty of ketchup with it.

[BangkokReady]

This all must be quite difficult for some Thai people to come to terms with.  That Thailand mainly attracts backpackers, as it's a kind of cheap/safe/easy way to enjoy a taste of SEA.  In trying to make themselves a little more upmarket and attract those "high quality tourists", it seems like they may have put off the one group that actually wants to visit.

 

It's been a pretty challenging few years for Thailand.  First, thanks to covid, having to accept how much they need foreigners to survive, and now, having to admit that they cannot really attract the high class tourists that they covet, along with other countries taking their market share as soon as the prices change.  A lot to take in.

[BangkokReady]

On 4/30/2025 at 10:37 PM, Chris Daley said:

Little bag of 12 cold stale french fries for 60 baht.  Yummy.  Half filled cup of coffee for 120 baht to wash it down with.

 

You need to check out McDonald's.  😋

[ThailandGuy]

On 4/30/2025 at 10:56 AM, Yagoda said:

Im a Bangkok guy. My biatch is the air sucks during prime season.

The air sucks even if there were no tourists.  Its because of all the burning of (rice) fields and household garbage, cooking on fire and exhaust fumes. This has nothing todo with tourism.

[ThailandGuy]

I sense more and more hatred against "tourists" in Thailand.  They just want the money but not everything that comes with it.  And i can understand that given how some of the tourists behave, but these of just 0,01% of the visitors.  You can't blame the rest for that.

[Yagoda]

5 minutes ago, ThailandGuy said:

The air sucks even if there were no tourists.  Its because of all the burning of (rice) fields and household garbage, cooking on fire and exhaust fumes. This has nothing todo with tourism.

Sure it does. Why should I be a tourist if the air sucks?

[kinyara]

I would have thought a tourist considering booking a 60 day visa free holiday might reconsider the length of their trip now the government have publicly said they are looking into reversing recent changes.

 

Introducing uncertainty into tourist visa policy doesn't seem like the wisest move to boost tourism 

[Yagoda]

On 5/2/2025 at 2:45 AM, Mad Mustang said:

have a lifetime elite visa, went to Phnom Penh a month ago for the first time. For me i found it better than Vietnam and better than Thailand in every way. Packing up and going.

Phnom Penh is the pits. No redeeming value whatsoever. Go to Siem or Battambang if you are looking to chill