Tourists Not Coming

[yabaaaa]

A friend of mine who is single was asking about Thailand for a holiday the other day. She said she likes to go to Italy but its so expensive now with the Euro she was looking at other places.

In the end she is now booked on a flight to bangkok £399 and booked her accomodation for £180 for 2 weeks all she needs is spending money. In Italy it was going to cost her £1000 for a week in Ischia.

Thailand is still good v alue depending where you are coming from.

[torrenova]

Completely misleading post by the OP.

Firstly, you have a flight to Bangkok which he states costs £399. We do not know if this is before tax or not but even if inclusive, it is far far higher than a flight to the stated favoured destination, namely Italy. I'll wager around £300 more expensive if comparing the cheapest with the cheapest.

Accommodation has been secured for £180 or Bt9,000 (@50 for easy arithmetic) or Bt642 per day. Without other information and only Bangkok being mentioned, we must assume the OP means Bt642 pre night in Bangkok. I don't think we need to go into just how little one gets for Bt642 per day in Bangkok. Does Italy have such bad accommodation ?

The quoted £1000 or Bt50,000 per week in Italy would presumably cover a decent hotel (meaning that single people who can pay £1000 a week after flights are not going to be living in a Bt642 a day hel_l hole in Italy are they ?) and spending money.

Sure, Italy on a like for like basis is more expensive than Bangkok but either city could cost 100 times the cost of the other and as the OP is already comparing apples with plums, there is no way to judge the 3rd party's spending intentions.

Then finally we have the "comparing it to price back home" rubbish. Often the mistake of newbies and largely a meaningless comparison. Italy is a cultural centre with relative 1t world amenities whilst Thailand is a largely 3rd world country with aspirations bordering on the insane.

The OP has 863 posts in 8 months. I would have thought that indicated some on the ground experience. However, I would not allow a friend of mine to purchase accommodation she knows nothing about, in a city she has never been to and in a country which may well feel like uncharted territory to her if I had sufficient experience to offer advise as I would know that Bt642 a day is not going to be up to the standards of someone who pays £1000 a week in Italy.

By the way, the Euro in Italy is not a new thing. Italy has had the Euro since inception, now over 10 years.

[siamshot]

Topic-related?   

I'm the only one, who didn't get it?

[Electra]

MMMMmmmmmmmm.......a room at 600 bt a day in tourist Thailand?

T'riffic.

And the second prize is 3 weeks in Thailand.........

[yabaaaa]

What a sad bunch of cynics ok here you go then the flight is from BIRMINGHAM UK with Emirates to Bangkok Includes all Taxes £399 and the fares are this price all year with Emirates looking again today, the accomodation is a self catering apartment here for 13 nights and the price was £180 though I see he has now increased prices a bit. http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/s...033#tariff_area

I cant believe the second poster has much to do to go into so much analysis of a post. FACTS SHE IS SINGLE ever hear of single supplements???

Flight from Birmimngham to Naples is about £269 + accomodation WITH single supplement + the cost of eating etc

The point of the post is THailand is still cheap compared to Brits going into europe with the poor exchange rate of the Euro.

However Ill let you doom mongers suggest otherwise.

She went to Ischia in a small hotel last time nothing fancy.

[yabaaaa]

Completely misleading post by the OP.

Firstly, you have a flight to Bangkok which he states costs £399. We do not know if this is before tax or not but even if inclusive, it is far far higher than a flight to the stated favoured destination, namely Italy. I'll wager around £300 more expensive if comparing the cheapest with the cheapest.

Accommodation has been secured for £180 or Bt9,000 (@50 for easy arithmetic) or Bt642 per day. Without other information and only Bangkok being mentioned, we must assume the OP means Bt642 pre night in Bangkok. I don't think we need to go into just how little one gets for Bt642 per day in Bangkok. Does Italy have such bad accommodation ?

The quoted £1000 or Bt50,000 per week in Italy would presumably cover a decent hotel (meaning that single people who can pay £1000 a week after flights are not going to be living in a Bt642 a day hel_l hole in Italy are they ?) and spending money.

Sure, Italy on a like for like basis is more expensive than Bangkok but either city could cost 100 times the cost of the other and as the OP is already comparing apples with plums, there is no way to judge the 3rd party's spending intentions.

Then finally we have the "comparing it to price back home" rubbish. Often the mistake of newbies and largely a meaningless comparison. Italy is a cultural centre with relative 1t world amenities whilst Thailand is a largely 3rd world country with aspirations bordering on the insane.

The OP has 863 posts in 8 months. I would have thought that indicated some on the ground experience. However, I would not allow a friend of mine to purchase accommodation she knows nothing about, in a city she has never been to and in a country which may well feel like uncharted territory to her if I had sufficient experience to offer advise as I would know that Bt642 a day is not going to be up to the standards of someone who pays £1000 a week in Italy.

By the way, the Euro in Italy is not a new thing. Italy has had the Euro since inception, now over 10 years.

You obviously have little experience what 600 baht a night can get you in Bangkok.

By the way the exchange rate of the Euro to the £ IS quite a new thing ie LOW, started off about 1.65 then up and down to 1-45-50 and now 1-11

The accomodation she is going to IS well known by me and I never mentioned it was or wasnt when I posted oh and her Hotel in Ischia was at the low end a 3*

Being my ex girlfriend of 15 years before marrying my Thai wife I think I know her and Bangkok sufficiently well to judge both

Here you are current prices for the same dates she is coming Birmingham Naples, she then needs transfer, accomodation and food.

Cheap flights to Naples No stops 1+ stop(s)

Alitalia

--- £ 252.10 GBP

KLM

--- £ 347.10 GBP

Lufthansa

--- £ 468.20 GBP

British Airways

--- £ 1,571.80 GBP

SWISS

--- £ 1,737.70 GBP

Total price: £ 252.10 GBP

Price per adult including taxes and booking fees: £ 252.10 GBP

Outbound: Sun 17 May 09 Please select flight time

Departing

[kjhbigv]

Crikey, it is all 'doom and gloom' in Thailand!

Of course Thailand is still a bit of a bargain compared to Europe, if you are from the UK....exchange rate is so low GBP vs Euro, it's worth checking out Thailand....why not?

Has the OP's friend been to Asia before? If not, I would suggest now is the ideal time to give European resorts a miss and come and see Thailand, have some of you forgotten why you originally came to Thailand? If so, why stay if it's that bad?

Europe does become a bit 'generic' after a while, so a visit to an Asian country would be a refreshing (if not different) change to Europe.

OP, get her over, ignore the cynics, she'll have a great time!

Maybe the other posters have been here too long ;-) Get ready for my 'slating'!!

Some people are just so self-righteous....yes, Thailand is not Italy, so what? But '3rd world'? I can pop down Tesco's and buy a 50 inch LCD TV, get a Starbucks coffee and have wireless internet....'3rd world'....Thailand.....

[Penkoprod]

The only thing she MAY get a bit of a shock with is the shopping

I have found that, like for like the goods over in Thaiand are either on a par with Western prices, or even higher in some cases, like for like

But.............good on her for wanting to broaden her horizons (and you for suppoerting her)

I know a short while ago a mate of mine and his wife went to Greece and his words on returning were "<deleted> THAT.....£5 a pint !!!!"

Penkoprod

[yabaaaa]

Completely misleading post by the OP.

Firstly, you have a flight to Bangkok which he states costs £399. We do not know if this is before tax or not but even if inclusive, it is far far higher than a flight to the stated favoured destination, namely Italy. I'll wager around £300 more expensive if comparing the cheapest with the cheapest.

Accommodation has been secured for £180 or Bt9,000 (@50 for easy arithmetic) or Bt642 per day. Without other information and only Bangkok being mentioned, we must assume the OP means Bt642 pre night in Bangkok. I don't think we need to go into just how little one gets for Bt642 per day in Bangkok. Does Italy have such bad accommodation ?

The quoted £1000 or Bt50,000 per week in Italy would presumably cover a decent hotel (meaning that single people who can pay £1000 a week after flights are not going to be living in a Bt642 a day hel_l hole in Italy are they ?) and spending money.

Sure, Italy on a like for like basis is more expensive than Bangkok but either city could cost 100 times the cost of the other and as the OP is already comparing apples with plums, there is no way to judge the 3rd party's spending intentions.

Then finally we have the "comparing it to price back home" rubbish. Often the mistake of newbies and largely a meaningless comparison. Italy is a cultural centre with relative 1t world amenities whilst Thailand is a largely 3rd world country with aspirations bordering on the insane.

The OP has 863 posts in 8 months. I would have thought that indicated some on the ground experience. However, I would not allow a friend of mine to purchase accommodation she knows nothing about, in a city she has never been to and in a country which may well feel like uncharted territory to her if I had sufficient experience to offer advise as I would know that Bt642 a day is not going to be up to the standards of someone who pays £1000 a week in Italy.

By the way, the Euro in Italy is not a new thing. Italy has had the Euro since inception, now over 10 years.

You obviously have little experience what 600 baht a night can get you in Bangkok.

By the way the exchange rate of the Euro to the £ IS quite a new thing ie LOW, started off about 1.65 then up and down to 1-45-50 and now 1-11

The accomodation she is going to IS well known by me and I never mentioned it was or wasnt when I posted oh and her Hotel in Ischia was at the low end a 3*

Being my ex girlfriend of 15 years before marrying my Thai wife I think I know her and Bangkok sufficiently well to judge both

Here you are current prices for the same dates she is coming Birmingham Naples, she then needs transfer, accomodation and food.

Cheap flights to Naples No stops 1+ stop(s)

Alitalia

--- £ 252.10 GBP

KLM

--- £ 347.10 GBP

Lufthansa

--- £ 468.20 GBP

British Airways

--- £ 1,571.80 GBP

SWISS

--- £ 1,737.70 GBP

Total price: £ 252.10 GBP

Price per adult including taxes and booking fees: £ 252.10 GBP

Outbound: Sun 17 May 09 Please select flight time

Departing

3* Hotel Ischia 39 euros per night and remember its 1 week in Ischia as oppposed to 2 weeks in Thailand

[flying]

The only thing she MAY get a bit of a shock with is the shopping

I have found that, like for like the goods over in Thaiand are either on a par with Western prices, or even higher in some cases, like for like

But.............good on her for wanting to broaden her horizons (and you for suppoerting her)

I know a short while ago a mate of mine and his wife went to Greece and his words on returning were "<deleted> THAT.....£5 a pint !!!!"

Penkoprod

I just came back to the US after a couple of months in TL & I agree.

Cost of food or housing (if your buying) is great in TL

The other things have gone up to be pretty much the same as here.

Which I was pretty surprised at given I live in what is probably the highest cost of living state in the US

Clothing I was really shocked as the price was as high & the quality was less.

But man food is cheap & that is important

PS: Airfare was way cheap on China Air too at $700 RT

[Penkoprod]

The only thing she MAY get a bit of a shock with is the shopping

I have found that, like for like the goods over in Thaiand are either on a par with Western prices, or even higher in some cases, like for like

But.............good on her for wanting to broaden her horizons (and you for suppoerting her)

I know a short while ago a mate of mine and his wife went to Greece and his words on returning were "<deleted> THAT.....£5 a pint !!!!"

Penkoprod

I just came back to the US after a couple of months in TL & I agree.

Cost of food or housing (if your buying) is great in TL

The other things have gone up to be pretty much the same as here.

Which I was pretty surprised at given I live in what is probably the highest cost of living state in the US

Clothing I was really shocked as the price was as high & the quality was less.

But man food is cheap & that is important

PS: Airfare was way cheap on China Air too at $700 RT

Housing is cheaper, but i think you may well find that the difference in Western style meals and Western foods isnt that great price wise these days.

Penkoprod

[JimmyConway]

The only thing she MAY get a bit of a shock with is the shopping

I have found that, like for like the goods over in Thaiand are either on a par with Western prices, or even higher in some cases, like for like

But.............good on her for wanting to broaden her horizons (and you for suppoerting her)

I know a short while ago a mate of mine and his wife went to Greece and his words on returning were "<deleted> THAT.....£5 a pint !!!!"

Penkoprod

Tell your mate not to go to Singapore then. We went to see Oasis 2 weeks ago, a bottle of larger over there was 16 Singapore dollars about 8 quid pi$$ take!

[flying]

The only thing she MAY get a bit of a shock with is the shopping

I have found that, like for like the goods over in Thaiand are either on a par with Western prices, or even higher in some cases, like for like

But.............good on her for wanting to broaden her horizons (and you for suppoerting her)

I know a short while ago a mate of mine and his wife went to Greece and his words on returning were "<deleted> THAT.....£5 a pint !!!!"

Penkoprod

I just came back to the US after a couple of months in TL & I agree.

Cost of food or housing (if your buying) is great in TL

The other things have gone up to be pretty much the same as here.

Which I was pretty surprised at given I live in what is probably the highest cost of living state in the US

Clothing I was really shocked as the price was as high & the quality was less.

But man food is cheap & that is important

PS: Airfare was way cheap on China Air too at $700 RT

Housing is cheaper, but i think you may well find that the difference in Western style meals and Western foods isnt that great price wise these days.

Penkoprod

Oh 100% spot on that one

While I love & pretty much eat only Thai while I am there

The couple western type things I had was as much or more.

There are even some Ice Coffee places in the mall charging 90 baht!

That is more than StarBucks here.

[thaiwanderer]

so that is one tourist and counting.................

[FairwayJack]

PS: Airfare was way cheap on China Air too at $700 RT

Hey Penkoprod....$700 RT is a great price...did you fly to the East Coast? My travel agent just quoted me 45K baht for RT to East Coast via EVA. Can you PM me your travel agent's contact details ?? I need 3 tickets. Thx.

[PattayaParent]

You can get a return flight Manchester to Bangkok for 300 Quid and hotels are offering good discounts at the moment so for a 2 week 640 Baht a night should get a good hotel.

[Scott]

Be sure to tell her to bring extra money--they are cracking down on pirated goods!

[Absingjul]

Hey Penkoprod....$700 RT is a great price...did you fly to the East Coast? My travel agent just quoted me 45K baht for RT to East Coast via EVA. Can you PM me your travel agent's contact details ?? I need 3 tickets. Thx.

You should check all of the consolidator sites. I flew RT JFK-BKK(via NRT) with JAL earlier this year for US$760.

[Penkoprod]

Hey Penkoprod....$700 RT is a great price...did you fly to the East Coast? My travel agent just quoted me 45K baht for RT to East Coast via EVA. Can you PM me your travel agent's contact details ?? I need 3 tickets. Thx.

Wrong poster

You quoted a reply to one of my posts on here

Penkoprod

[bonobo]

The reason many people are cancelling plans to come to Thailand does not have much to do with prices. It has to do with the perceived situation here.

With the airport being closed, with rioting in the streets, with well-publicized murders of foreigners here, all of this has served to lessen the appeal of Thailand as a tourist destination for many people,

If price was the only consideration, then the entire tourist world would be descending on Asuncion, Paraguay.

[goodheartman]

the japanese have invaded in droves during their national holiday period, thai girls r very happy.

thailand is value. cheap and FUN!

as opposed to neighbors, cheap and no fun, like cambodia.

im of the thought its more bout the economy than riots, murders,etc.

tourists get murdered all over the world.

los has a big base of repeaters who know los is very safe. just dont go where the riots are and youll be fine.

[bonobo]

the japanese have invaded in droves during their national holiday period, thai girls r very happy.

thailand is value. cheap and FUN!

as opposed to neighbors, cheap and no fun, like cambodia.

im of the thought its more bout the economy than riots, murders,etc.

tourists get murdered all over the world.

los has a big base of repeaters who know los is very safe. just dont go where the riots are and youll be fine.

I have two friends in the hotel business, one in Bangkok and one in Phuket.  Both told me that there was a huge number of cancellations after the airport closures, and that hadn't really recovered fully by the time of the riots, when there was another huge number of cancellations.

Even if those in the know realize the riots were localized and things marched on in places such as Phuket, images on CNN and BBC showing riots in Bangkok left the impression that Thailand was under anarchy, and for a sigfinicant portion of the potential tourists, that was enough to cancel plans to come to THailand and to chose other destinations instead.

[think_too_mut]

.... the accomodation is a self catering apartment here for 13 nights and the price was £180 though I see he has now increased prices a bit. http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/s...033#tariff_area

Is it you again? You are referring to yourself as "he"?

Good to see your biz is rolling but it's hardly the mainstream kind of accommodation most tourists would know of, let alone be part of tourist packages.

[goodheartman]

not saying it didnt have an effect.

but las vegas is hurting and they didnt have airport closed by old ladies, tourist die there too!

the world tourist industry is a hurtin! not only THAILAND!

[bonobo]

not saying it didnt have an effect.

but las vegas is hurting and they didnt have airport closed by old ladies, tourist die there too!

the world tourist industry is a hurtin! not only THAILAND!

Of coruse tourism is down worldwide due to the economic conditions.  But Thailand has had the situaition exasperated by the recent events.

And fair or not, when a tourist from Michigan dies in Las Vegas, it is of no notice other than perhaps the local paper.  But when a Swede dies in Thailand, it is national news back in Sweden.

[yabaaaa]

.... the accomodation is a self catering apartment here for 13 nights and the price was £180 though I see he has now increased prices a bit. http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/s...033#tariff_area

Is it you again? You are referring to yourself as "he"?

Good to see your biz is rolling but it's hardly the mainstream kind of accommodation most tourists would know of, let alone be part of tourist packages.

Now you really are "thinking too much", this bloke is called Trevor all the info is on his site inc phone numbers you know what im called

I think you will find many people are now turning more to "independant" travel, shying well away from "packages" d.i.y is now the order of the day for many travellers.

[yabaaaa]

The reason many people are cancelling plans to come to Thailand does not have much to do with prices. It has to do with the perceived situation here.

With the airport being closed, with rioting in the streets, with well-publicized murders of foreigners here, all of this has served to lessen the appeal of Thailand as a tourist destination for many people,

If price was the only consideration, then the entire tourist world would be descending on Asuncion, Paraguay.

I think using the interenet and knowing how the press works many folk know what the real score is with Thailand. Europe is too expensive now for many Brits. Id be off to Mexico now if I could.

Ive seen many things reported over the years where I have been at the event or know the person involved to see the most innacurate reporting even from major news papers, you really can't believe a lot of whats said. The last one was from the "Sun" claiming a poster called yabaaaa said you could easily buy fire certs in Thailand which was in fact not what I said and could be seen right here on this forum as thats where they took the info from.

[bonobo]

The reason many people are cancelling plans to come to Thailand does not have much to do with prices. It has to do with the perceived situation here.

With the airport being closed, with rioting in the streets, with well-publicized murders of foreigners here, all of this has served to lessen the appeal of Thailand as a tourist destination for many people,

If price was the only consideration, then the entire tourist world would be descending on Asuncion, Paraguay.

I think using the interenet and knowing how the press works many folk know what the real score is with Thailand. Europe is too expensive now for many Brits. Id be off to Mexico now if I could.

Ive seen many things reported over the years where I have been at the event or know the person involved to see the most innacurate reporting even from major news papers, you really can't believe a lot of whats said. The last one was from the "Sun" claiming a poster called yabaaaa said you could easily buy fire certs in Thailand which was in fact not what I said and could be seen right here on this forum as thats where they took the info from.

Sure, discerning folk could find out the "real score."  But most folk do take what they read or see on the television as gospel.  Inaccurate or accurate, true or baldface lies, whatever is on the tube is accepted as the actual and complete facts.

[goodheartman]

no we dont! take everything we see as gospel!

[bonobo]

no we dont! take everything we see as gospel!

And you qualify, on your own, as "most people?"