Where Is Everyone?

[ctrunfree]

Wandering around the Silom/Patpong area it appears that the place is practically deserted..even the stallholders around Patpong seem to have gone past the pestering stage...I've never seen this area so quiet....what can be done to get the tourists back?

[CheapCharliesHotels]

Everyone that I talk to that has been comming here for years are all saying that the prices are too much. In 1999 2000 when I first started comming the baht was 46 to the dollar, today it is 33.75.

Nana & Dynasty hotels were 800, today 1400 in the shiney season.

No real increase in value, all though the new pool at the Nana is nice, but 600 baht nice?

[473geo]

Everyone that I talk to that has been comming here for years are all saying that the prices are too much. In 1999 2000 when I first started comming the baht was 46 to the dollar, today it is 33.75.

Nana & Dynasty hotels were 800, today 1400 in the shiney season.

No real increase in value, all though the new pool at the Nana is nice, but 600 baht nice?

Then take into account + 30% for the exchange rate fall.....800 vs 1870....big difference

[hansnl]

Wandering around the Silom/Patpong area it appears that the place is practically deserted..even the stallholders around Patpong seem to have gone past the pestering stage...I've never seen this area so quiet....what can be done to get the tourists back?

Too late!

[mrmich36]

Wandering around the Silom/Patpong area it appears that the place is practically deserted..even the stallholders around Patpong seem to have gone past the pestering stage...I've never seen this area so quiet....what can be done to get the tourists back?

The last time i walked trough silom it was packed as always. That was last friday, i go there again this friday and it will be the same as ever, busy busy busy. i come here now for 3 years and i see no difference. sorry

[phetaroi]

The last time i walked trough silom it was packed as always. That was last friday, i go there again this friday and it will be the same as ever, busy busy busy. i come here now for 3 years and i see no difference. sorry

Except for the sex business, Pragon and Central World is where the action is. I was shopping at Paragon today...packed...could hardly move.

I think Silom is beginning to be come a bit passe. Even the old standby -- Robinsons - is gone.

[Zpete]

The last time i walked trough silom it was packed as always. That was last friday, i go there again this friday and it will be the same as ever, busy busy busy. i come here now for 3 years and i see no difference. sorry

Except for the sex business, Pragon and Central World is where the action is. I was shopping at Paragon today...packed...could hardly move.

I think Silom is beginning to be come a bit passe. Even the old standby -- Robinsons - is gone.

Whadya mean, "ROBINSON"S" is gone........???????

Was there on my last trip Dec 08.

[trogers]

The night crowd has moved. Try the stretch of sidewalk between Sukhumvit Soi 3 and Soi 17.

[phetaroi]

Whadya mean, "ROBINSON"S" is gone........???????

Was there on my last trip Dec 08.

Robinsons at Silom and Rama IV. Closed. Isn't it?

[theoldgit]

Whadya mean, "ROBINSON"S" is gone........???????

Was there on my last trip Dec 08.

Yes it's closed as Robinson's, though the building itself is open selling older stock from various companies.

Of course the strong Baht, coupled with the weakness of other currencies as well as closure of the airports, old news but people remember, internationally publicised airport scams, police corruption and a general belief that Thailand is not what it once was, I think there are many reasons that tourists are not coming in the previous numbers, but people are not travelling as much, full stop.

[PatinBKk]

Gone somewhere a bit more foreigner friendly and better value....Thailand is very expensive, OK you can eat at the noodle stalls and drink a Chang from 7/11, aint exactly holidaying is it...if you want to shop, eat and stay at reasonble places it has become way too expensive. The Thai mentality is that of a farmer, lets not forget thats where most of the poulation comes from. If a farmer has a bad crop, he puts his prices up to comensate, thats fair dinkum as he had the initial outlay and food is a neccesity, afraid that T.Shirts, beer and hotels isnt, so although I dont like saying it, the greedy pigs have got what they deserved.....

[Thailand Traveler]

The last time i walked trough silom it was packed as always. That was last friday, i go there again this friday and it will be the same as ever, busy busy busy. i come here now for 3 years and i see no difference. sorry

Except for the sex business, Pragon and Central World is where the action is. I was shopping at Paragon today...packed...could hardly move.

I think Silom is beginning to be come a bit passe. Even the old standby -- Robinsons - is gone.

....I was shopping at Paragon today...packed...could hardly move.

PACKED OF TOURISTS?

[Zpete]

Nutha thought.

I did a lot of food shopping down below in TOPS.

Is it closed too?

[JoePai]

Wandering around the Silom/Patpong area it appears that the place is practically deserted..even the stallholders around Patpong seem to have gone past the pestering stage...I've never seen this area so quiet....what can be done to get the tourists back?

It must be a BKK thing as flying from BKK to Chiang Mai the light was full both ways - mostly with tourists.

[phetaroi]

Nutha thought.

I did a lot of food shopping down below in TOPS.

Is it closed too?

I didn't go in, but as I recall the sign indicated the Tops was still open.

[ctrunfree]

Tops is still open, bought supplies there yesterday...maybe it is a local thing- all the express boats on the river were packed today..

[craigt3365]

I have been in BKK, Issan, Koh Chang, Pattaya....and now down to Phuket. NO TOURISTS! Amazing. Most places are empty. 50% off everywhere. Hotel included. Really nice for us. But probably not good for business. Yes, the malls in BKK were pretty busy, but were people buying? In Koh Chang, business was dead. EVen here in Pattaya, not a lot going. But then again, it is the "green" season....and yes, I have noticed that everything is more expensive. Not good!

[game4shame]

5hit exchange rate, global economic worries/recession, political instability, corruption, swine flu.

I can't comment on other countries' media but the british press exaggerates everything to death.

the military coup and airport protests were both covered as headline stories in the UK and the swine flu and global economic problems are the latest doom news. none of the aforementioned would help thailands tourist arrivals.

[phetaroi]

I find it sadly interesting that there seems to be almost a sense of delight on the part of many posters that Thailand's current tourism rate is down substantially. And of course, each such person wants to point to his or her pet peeves as the deserved cause.

Certainly, some of it has to do with the worldwide economy. After all, Japanese tourism to Australia has dropped a reported 26%. Montreal's tourism income has dropped by 11%. Scotland's and America's by over 8%. Greece's by 10%.

In terms of some of the issues, I'm not very sure that a "shit exchange rate" has that much to do with it. Thailand alone is not the only nation's whose exchange rate is affected by the Euro or the dollar. Does it have an effect? To be sure. But I never in my life did or didn't go on a particular vacation because of fluctuations in the exchange rate.

Corruption? I'm sure it has an effect, but then again I'm not sure corruption has much influence on someone who is visiting Thailand for 10 days. And, after all, most sources (guidebooks and internet sources) tell people how relatively safe Thailand is.

Thailand's handling of swine flu? I know people who have canceled vacations this summer because of the swine flu. Vacations to California. Hawaii. Swine flu is a global pandemic (so they say), and not restricted to Thailand.

Hotel costs? Come on now. Lodging is not exorbitant in Thailand as compared to many other tourist destinations in the world.

Motorcycles on the sidewalk? Litter? Heaps of trash? Taxi touts? All unpleasant, and for the most part, unknown to incoming tourists.

But again, what disturbs me most in this thread is the sense of glee of some posters in the problems Thailand is experiencing.

[Birdman]

Very good post...almost playing things down re low tourist numbers in other major tourist destinations.

[game4shame]

I can't see where anyone was suggesting it's only thailands tourist arrivals that are down. the majority of destinations will be struggling at the moment. the focus is on thailand as this is a thailand forum!!

I'm not very sure that a "shit exchange rate" has that much to do with it. Thailand alone is not the only nation's whose exchange rate is affected by the Euro or the dollar. Does it have an effect? To be sure. But I never in my life did or didn't go on a particular vacation because of fluctuations in the exchange rate.

re the exchange rate: well, the lowest I saw was 47 to the GBP approx new year 2009. only a few years back it was 67. bring £1000 spending money for a couple of week holiday - 47000 compared to the 67000 a few years ago........it'll make some people think twice. especially as they could be on the verge of losing their job as a result of the recession.

the swine flu is just the icing on the turd.

[phetaroi]

it'll make some people think twice. especially as they could be on the verge of losing their job as a result of the recession.

Somehow I doubt there have been many conversations that begin with, "Hey honey, I think I may lose my job. So let's blow our savings and take a trip halfway around the world to Thailand."

[game4shame]

it'll make some people think twice. especially as they could be on the verge of losing their job as a result of the recession.

Somehow I doubt there have been many conversations that begin with, "Hey honey, I think I may lose my job. So let's blow our savings and take a trip halfway around the world to Thailand."

eh?

that's my point.

[donmark]

I find it sadly interesting that there seems to be almost a sense of delight on the part of many posters that Thailand's current tourism rate is down substantially. And of course, each such person wants to point to his or her pet peeves as the deserved cause.

Certainly, some of it has to do with the worldwide economy. After all, Japanese tourism to Australia has dropped a reported 26%. Montreal's tourism income has dropped by 11%. Scotland's and America's by over 8%. Greece's by 10%.

In terms of some of the issues, I'm not very sure that a "shit exchange rate" has that much to do with it. Thailand alone is not the only nation's whose exchange rate is affected by the Euro or the dollar. Does it have an effect? To be sure. But I never in my life did or didn't go on a particular vacation because of fluctuations in the exchange rate.

Corruption? I'm sure it has an effect, but then again I'm not sure corruption has much influence on someone who is visiting Thailand for 10 days. And, after all, most sources (guidebooks and internet sources) tell people how relatively safe Thailand is.

Thailand's handling of swine flu? I know people who have canceled vacations this summer because of the swine flu. Vacations to California. Hawaii. Swine flu is a global pandemic (so they say), and not restricted to Thailand.

Hotel costs? Come on now. Lodging is not exorbitant in Thailand as compared to many other tourist destinations in the world.

Motorcycles on the sidewalk? Litter? Heaps of trash? Taxi touts? All unpleasant, and for the most part, unknown to incoming tourists.

But again, what disturbs me most in this thread is the sense of glee of some posters in the problems Thailand is experiencing.

I am based in Ireland at the moment, going back to Thailand in Nov. Tourism in Ireland is down 33% on last year and last year was down 10% on 2007.

Went to Lanzarote for a short break in March, barowner told me his business was down 40% ! he reckoned that overall tourists into the Canaries was down by 30%.

30% seems to be the norm for most holiday destinations in Europe.

Thailand is probably on a par with everywhere else. Nothing to do with flu, airports or anything else. Euro was worth 48B four years ago, I think it is the same now.

[Petbon]

I find it sadly interesting that there seems to be almost a sense of delight on the part of many posters that Thailand's current tourism rate is down substantially. And of course, each such person wants to point to his or her pet peeves as the deserved cause.

Certainly, some of it has to do with the worldwide economy. After all, Japanese tourism to Australia has dropped a reported 26%. Montreal's tourism income has dropped by 11%. Scotland's and America's by over 8%. Greece's by 10%.

In terms of some of the issues, I'm not very sure that a "shit exchange rate" has that much to do with it. Thailand alone is not the only nation's whose exchange rate is affected by the Euro or the dollar. Does it have an effect? To be sure. But I never in my life did or didn't go on a particular vacation because of fluctuations in the exchange rate.

Corruption? I'm sure it has an effect, but then again I'm not sure corruption has much influence on someone who is visiting Thailand for 10 days. And, after all, most sources (guidebooks and internet sources) tell people how relatively safe Thailand is.

Thailand's handling of swine flu? I know people who have canceled vacations this summer because of the swine flu. Vacations to California. Hawaii. Swine flu is a global pandemic (so they say), and not restricted to Thailand.

Hotel costs? Come on now. Lodging is not exorbitant in Thailand as compared to many other tourist destinations in the world.

Motorcycles on the sidewalk? Litter? Heaps of trash? Taxi touts? All unpleasant, and for the most part, unknown to incoming tourists.

But again, what disturbs me most in this thread is the sense of glee of some posters in the problems Thailand is experiencing.

GREAT POST! I've been reading this forum only few days, and that "sense of glee" is evident! However, it's heartening that those leading more fulfilled lives tend to be fair-minded, possibly as they can choose to visit or live anywhere, but pick Thailand.

Here in NZ, tourists from some regions are down by 50% and this headline says why:

"Inordinate numbers of murders, road deaths, rapes, serious assaults, muggings and viral disease epidemics are keeping tourists away from New Zealand"

I witnessed a wallet snatch at the city library just two days ago, and was told by a friend about three other thefts, including her handbag where $500 was immediately charged to her card, in the past month. One crawled under a desk to nab a backpack. Happens everywhere, but powerful media and the dissatisfied are selective as to where they publish what!

Edited August 3, 2009 by Petbon

[Hawaiian]

Tourism is a major source of income for Hawaii. We make mistakes, but we fix them and don't continue to shoot ourselves in the foot. Police make an extra effort to help tourist who have victimized by scams, robberies or assaults. Many times victims of crimes are invited back to testify in court with some govt agency or tourist association picking up the tab.

Personally, I go out of my way to aid tourist who look like they need help. No, I am not a transplant. I have lived in Hawaii all of my life and know that without the tourist dollar most of us would have a lower standard of living. I think the benefits of the tourism industry far outweigh the minuses. It has sped up the passage of comprehensive zoning laws and environmental protections. Our reduced rates at tourist destinations are based on residency and not race. Thailand needs learn from others.

[craigt3365]

I hate to admit that I am somewhat glad to see this downturn in tourists. Things were out of control here. Environment disasters everywhere. Hi-So's Thais could care less about the environment or their workers...just want to make a buck. Kinda nice to see them taking a hit. Maybe they will start to do something good...but I doubt it. For now, I am taking advantage of deep discounts and loving it. Sure beats 2 years ago when they were sticking it to me....