Tourists Pouring Into Samui

[keepsamuiclean]

What can we do?? Asking myself now for 4 months. What I did, selling DVD/CD systems and reduced the rates. Our restaurant has unchangend prices for 6 years. Nevertheless the people who come are happily opening their chips bags on our pool loungers...and my prices are only 20 Baht more than 7/11. After the riots the inquiries almost stopped. Seems that lots of potential guests put their Thailand plans on hold. And the coming people smell bargains. 400, 600 Baht for a bungalow with AC, safe, fridge, nice bathroom with hot water?? 10 years ago a bungalow with AC, hot shower and a TV with Thai program was already 800 Baht.. Feel that we have to sit it out as long as we can.

[LaoPo]

If tourists are pouring into Samui, they must be getting straight onto the ferries to the other Islands cos they aint in Bangrak and my trip to chaweng tells me it's quiet there too.

Quire right! I doersn't matter how many hotels say they're full ( well they would, wouldn't they?) it's very, very quiet here!!!!!

...your sentence reminds of 2 different cases of waiters in 2 completely different settings asking me:

"do you have a reservation Sir"...........

ME:......huh........

because the restaurants on both occasions were TOTALLY empty.......

In the hotel/restaurant catering industry most trainees learn: ...................ALWAYS tell them we're fully booked.

LaoPo

[itishothere]

I might regret this but .... well here goes .....

How about another Thai Visa party? *runs for exit*

I don't mean a full blown, music, dancing, free beers kind of thing. But how about we set a date - like the first Wednesday of the month - to meet up, have a bite to eat, a chat etc etc? Something regular, in a different location each time to spread the 'goodwill' around. Maybe only half a dozen will show up, maybe more. Maybe it will last 2 months, maybe longer. Maybe it will end up being a bit of a chore, or not much fun. But maybe not.

I am single, sad, alone blah blah blah. But if I knew there was a regular meeting, in a reasonably priced place, not 'organised' in any real way, well, I would give it a try.

[maccaroni man]

i was out last night entertaining my 28 yr old son and his wife, we started the evening at 21:30 after window shoping a bit we headed towards green mango solo was buzzing, islander was slow, only and i mean only the henry africa had customers, but i did see many happy hour prices such as buckets for 130bht and red bull vodka for 49bht until we went on the next soi where a bucket was 600bht and a red bull vodka was 150bht, i asked the bar tender if she thought maybe her prices were the cause of her bar being empty. the new ausi bar was doing ok but by 23:00 even henry's was slow and almost empty, another quick stroll and salt and soul, mint and green mango still empty. headed for soi reggie and it was alive not many people but the street was alive, went to the reggie pub they had a live band; pretty good and the places filled up by 2:00 so i guess if one looks long and hard enough you will find a party btw the ratio was at least 10 to 1 women to men

[screamingeagle]

I applaud the brilliant idea of "What can we do". But either I haven't had enough coffee this morning or the hangover is still a bit of a bother, I really don't think there is anything we can do...

We can lie about tourist numbers (like TAT), we can give massive discounts and then end up working and making no money or a loss or we can just "batton down the hatches" and hope it improves.

In the final analysis, it's down to Thailand and the Thais to sort themselves out.

[carmine]

Since 95% of us know the answer to the problem of the lack of tourists maybe we should have a Bangkok Airways rant thread, because this ones going right back in that direction me thinks.

What do you think Rooo?

[samuijimmy]

I might regret this but .... well here goes .....

Why would you regret that? Networking is a good idea.

It's becoming increasingly evident to me, some western people I know who run businesses, are becoming very depressed to the point, they cannot see the potential anymore, ... & could be doing things like making fliers or something, their places start running down & look shabby & dirty, they sit and watch the telly all day, & seem to have almost given up... & wonder why they get no or little business....

I know it is a "catch 22" sometimes, but running a business anywhere in the world is not easy.... keeping up appearances is important! ....

Where is Mrs Bucket when we need her!~ .Perhaps only Brits would understand that!

[smokie36]

I might regret this but .... well here goes .....

How about another Thai Visa party? *runs for exit*

I don't mean a full blown, music, dancing, free beers kind of thing. But how about we set a date - like the first Wednesday of the month - to meet up, have a bite to eat, a chat etc etc? Something regular, in a different location each time to spread the 'goodwill' around. Maybe only half a dozen will show up, maybe more. Maybe it will last 2 months, maybe longer. Maybe it will end up being a bit of a chore, or not much fun. But maybe not.

I am single, sad, alone blah blah blah. But if I knew there was a regular meeting, in a reasonably priced place, not 'organised' in any real way, well, I would give it a try.

You could organise something with Boater Samuian and Big C I'm sure it would be well attended....

Its a decent idea though and it looks like PoorSucker is hosting the next bash....and to top it off Rooo will be paying his dues too.

Just don't let the mods know we can have parties without free beer mate....or they may come to expect it!

[PoorSucker]

Its a decent idea though and it looks like PoorSucker is hosting the next bash....and to top it off Rooo will be paying his dues too.

The Black Pipe Party.