High Season Tourist Arrivals In Thailand Disappointing

[Ulysses G.]

I have resided in Thailand for 13 years and have been in the tourism business for all of that time. i have noticed only one year that we did not have some problem that was reported internationally. From scams and ripoffs to Sars, chicken flu and violent politics this country is determined to destroy itself.

Right on dude. Those dastardly Thais invented Sars and the chicken flu and tsunamis just to make difficult for us white folks and then they asked the red shirts and the yellow shirts to get in our way as well.

It will serve then right when we all F-off to Africa or South America where everyone is honest and polite and everything is really cheap.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Ulysses G.

[jboras]

Lets look at some facts

Thailand was a very popular holiday destination for 2 reasons. The nature/weather and the cost of holiday.

The cost has gone up by 30%-50% due to exchange rates and growing prices in Thailand

While the nature and weather is still on offer, there are also a number of issues such as scams, riots, instability etc.

All at the same time, there are new places such as Cambodia, Vietnam and few others, who offer the same experience but a cheaper rate.

Sex tourism is still doing ok, however more and more sex tourists are discovering new destinations where they do not get fleeced and the costs are actually cheaper then Thailand.

So put everything into one basket and you have a problem.

Thailand should either move to be an upscale holiday destination, but that means "taking care" of all the scams and problems or go back to a cheap affordable destination.

Talking about scams, i mate of mine here in Brisbane has been chatting with a bar girl and being young, in love and bloody stupid, he is about to spend time in Bangkok and wants to meet her at the airport on arrival. She says OK Darling 'up to you' but she works in a Jap Karioke bar and has told him that he will have to pay a bar fine if she comes to the airport..............guess what ...Bht 1500, yes thats correct. He asked me "whats a bar fine" lololololol

Your mate is getting done! As if you didn't know it!

Bar fine is money the girls pay to leave the bar in compensation for lost business by the girl not being there to suck customers into buying drinks for themeselves and her and her friends and everyone...

Bar fine is B 500 maximum

B 1000 is if you want to go for a quickie!

So unless she gives him a quickie as well he is better off going to any bar.. he willget a better one and cheaper!!!!!

[ginjag]

Well, well, what did they expect, domestic flight-admin fees-dearer than the air ticket-----insurance,same----luggage the same (extra-other than hand luggage) seat number--food--drink--comfort kit-the list goes on. Well well, BKK airport. ticket lady (taxis) scam apart from the resort rip offs....they have all been named---and the well famous police-in their tailered uniforms--big corrupt joke---local town bosses involved in their 4 year corrupt reign......................so no one can confront the police-or question them...oh well

[DavidLangdown]

Actually, he didn't say that either. To Lady Astor's accusation of: "You sir, are drunk!" Churchill replied: "And you madam are ugly. But in the morning, I shall be sober."

tr

Now hear is a surprise. Lower? No shyt.

Correction.......Sir Winston Churchill said in parliament to Lady Astor, after she had called him a "drunken sot".............Madam ! in the morning, i will be sober, will you be beautiful !

Ahh Well thats another version i suppose.

[kuffki]

Lets look at some facts

Thailand was a very popular holiday destination for 2 reasons. The nature/weather and the cost of holiday.

The cost has gone up by 30%-50% due to exchange rates and growing prices in Thailand

While the nature and weather is still on offer, there are also a number of issues such as scams, riots, instability etc.

All at the same time, there are new places such as Cambodia, Vietnam and few others, who offer the same experience but a cheaper rate.

Sex tourism is still doing ok, however more and more sex tourists are discovering new destinations where they do not get fleeced and the costs are actually cheaper then Thailand.

So put everything into one basket and you have a problem.

Thailand should either move to be an upscale holiday destination, but that means "taking care" of all the scams and problems or go back to a cheap affordable destination.

Talking about scams, i mate of mine here in Brisbane has been chatting with a bar girl and being young, in love and bloody stupid, he is about to spend time in Bangkok and wants to meet her at the airport on arrival. She says OK Darling 'up to you' but she works in a Jap Karioke bar and has told him that he will have to pay a bar fine if she comes to the airport..............guess what ...Bht 1500, yes thats correct. He asked me "whats a bar fine" lololololol

Your mate is getting done! As if you didn't know it!

Bar fine is money the girls pay to leave the bar in compensation for lost business by the girl not being there to suck customers into buying drinks for themeselves and her and her friends and everyone...

Bar fine is B 500 maximum

B 1000 is if you want to go for a quickie!

So unless she gives him a quickie as well he is better off going to any bar.. he willget a better one and cheaper!!!!!

What dump would that be from???

May be little beer bar in the back of the soi.

Bar fine for a decent bar or GoGo for an nice looking girl is 600-1000 baht.

For BKK girl working Jap bar, a quickie would be nothing under 2000 baht plus the bar fine, but more likely to be 4000-6000 plus a bar fine

[Ulysses G.]

kuffki is accurate as per usual. What Japanese lady bar has a 500 baht bar fine?

[jboras]

Lets look at some facts

Thailand was a very popular holiday destination for 2 reasons. The nature/weather and the cost of holiday.

The cost has gone up by 30%-50% due to exchange rates and growing prices in Thailand

While the nature and weather is still on offer, there are also a number of issues such as scams, riots, instability etc.

All at the same time, there are new places such as Cambodia, Vietnam and few others, who offer the same experience but a cheaper rate.

Sex tourism is still doing ok, however more and more sex tourists are discovering new destinations where they do not get fleeced and the costs are actually cheaper then Thailand.

So put everything into one basket and you have a problem.

Thailand should either move to be an upscale holiday destination, but that means "taking care" of all the scams and problems or go back to a cheap affordable destination.

Talking about scams, i mate of mine here in Brisbane has been chatting with a bar girl and being young, in love and bloody stupid, he is about to spend time in Bangkok and wants to meet her at the airport on arrival. She says OK Darling 'up to you' but she works in a Jap Karioke bar and has told him that he will have to pay a bar fine if she comes to the airport..............guess what ...Bht 1500, yes thats correct. He asked me "whats a bar fine" lololololol

Your mate is getting done! As if you didn't know it!

Bar fine is money the girls pay to leave the bar in compensation for lost business by the girl not being there to suck customers into buying drinks for themeselves and her and her friends and everyone...

Bar fine is B 500 maximum

B 1000 is if you want to go for a quickie!

So unless she gives him a quickie as well he is better off going to any bar.. he willget a better one and cheaper!!!!!

What dump would that be from???

May be little beer bar in the back of the soi.

Bar fine for a decent bar or GoGo for an nice looking girl is 600-1000 baht.

For BKK girl working Jap bar, a quickie would be nothing under 2000 baht plus the bar fine, but more likely to be 4000-6000 plus a bar fine

Depends on the guys appeal I suppose.... if a lady doent want to go it could be any price! But when i was there we had taken many a lady out for B500 and the rest was free ... of course we dined and danced all night! Before retiring .... we had girls that stayed with us fordays on end... because we ll just had a good time....!!!!! They were not from not from any small soi, try Bed Club, Novotel, Colloseum, German Pub... just a to name a few... and yes there are girls in BKK without a bar fine nor a price tag... if you know where to look... habe you tried the factories in the outskirts of Bangkok a lot of good girls there as well... marriage material... BKK is not just small soi's.

Edited December 2, 2010 by jboras

[kuffki]

Depends on the guys appeal I suppose.... if a lady doent want to go it could be any price! But when i was there we had taken many a lady out for B500 and the rest was free ... of course we dined and danced all night! Before retiring .... we had girls that stayed with us fordays on end... because we ll just had a good time....!!!!! They were not from not from any small soi, try Bed Club, Novotel, Colloseum, German Pub... just a to name a few... and yes there are girls in BKK with a bar fine nor a price tag... if you know where to look... habe you tried the factories in the outskirts of Bangkok a lot of good girls there as well... marriage material... BKK is not just small soi's.

LMAO, ok "sexy" man

I hope you are aware there is no bar fine in Bed club or Novotel, so how did you manage to pay the bar fine and who took the payment?

As for getting it free from Novotel, you must be a really really really sexy men. Did you get any "freebies" from Nana disco also?

[jboras]

Depends on the guys appeal I suppose.... if a lady doent want to go it could be any price! But when i was there we had taken many a lady out for B500 and the rest was free ... of course we dined and danced all night! Before retiring .... we had girls that stayed with us fordays on end... because we ll just had a good time....!!!!! They were not from not from any small soi, try Bed Club, Novotel, Colloseum, German Pub... just a to name a few... and yes there are girls in BKK with a bar fine nor a price tag... if you know where to look... habe you tried the factories in the outskirts of Bangkok a lot of good girls there as well... marriage material... BKK is not just small soi's.

LMAO, ok "sexy" man

I hope you are aware there is no bar fine in Bed club or Novotel, so how did you manage to pay the bar fine and who took the payment?

As for getting it free from Novotel, you must be a really really really sexy men. Did you get any "freebies" from Nana disco also?

These clubs are not the "bar fine" category...

Bar fines...try patpong, two streets up the japanese bars, nana, Anywhere in Pattaya or Phuket, etc...

We would only frequest these "joints" when a new mate arrived in town as they wanted to see what it was all about, starting with Kangaroo Bar blow jobs...

When you stay in Thailand for a while the novelty wears off....

.... and no you dont ned to be a sexy man.... these ladies know who has been there for a while....you just need some personality ... not just a big wallet to flash around...

[jucel]

Now hear is a surprise. Lower? No shyt.

Correction.......Sir Winston Churchill said in parliament to Lady Astor, after she had called him a "drunken sot".............Madam ! in the morning, i will be sober, will you be beautiful !

this is the actual quote which is funnier

"Winston, you are drunk." To which Churchill responded, "And you, madam, are ugly. But I shall be sober in the morning."

[kuffki]

Depends on the guys appeal I suppose.... if a lady doent want to go it could be any price! But when i was there we had taken many a lady out for B500 and the rest was free ... of course we dined and danced all night! Before retiring .... we had girls that stayed with us fordays on end... because we ll just had a good time....!!!!! They were not from not from any small soi, try Bed Club, Novotel, Colloseum, German Pub... just a to name a few... and yes there are girls in BKK with a bar fine nor a price tag... if you know where to look... habe you tried the factories in the outskirts of Bangkok a lot of good girls there as well... marriage material... BKK is not just small soi's.

LMAO, ok "sexy" man

I hope you are aware there is no bar fine in Bed club or Novotel, so how did you manage to pay the bar fine and who took the payment?

As for getting it free from Novotel, you must be a really really really sexy men. Did you get any "freebies" from Nana disco also?

These clubs are not the "bar fine" category...

Bar fines...try patpong, two streets up the japanese bars, nana, Anywhere in Pattaya or Phuket, etc...

We would only frequest these "joints" when a new mate arrived in town as they wanted to see what it was all about, starting with Kangaroo Bar blow jobs...

When you stay in Thailand for a while the novelty wears off....

.... and no you dont ned to be a sexy man.... these ladies know who has been there for a while....you just need some personality ... not just a big wallet to flash around...

Oh ok, thanks for clarification.

I thought there had to be something wrong with me that i could not get it for free from the prostitutes, so its the lack of personality.

Will try to provide them with a boyfriend experience next time, may be they will pay me.

[jucel]

As hit on earlier, it isn't really the floods, the political unrest (for most) or the thieving jet ski scammers which has hit numbers but rather the strength of the baht and the economic climate in the west. Most holidays are planned in advance and thus there is a time lag between a change in circumstances and the actual event. Recent historic numbers were artificially higher due to trips planned and in part paid for when times were better.

The problem now is that despite an increase in economic confidence in the tourist host nation countries, they are now completely aware of the baht exchange rate. For example, on a recent trip of mine, and I know it was a top hotel, a beer was around Bt300. That was ok-ish when the pound was over 60 and no worries at 70 plus but at roughly mid 40s, it equates to over £6 and for that money, you can get one in almost any top class, full service hotel. The excuses that Thailand's lack of top class facilities and service could be ignored because of cheaper prices is laughable. A beer in a wooden hut or chipboard beech bar at nearly £3 is also massively out of kilter.

It is not just about beer of course but a Bt100 scam or double price all adds up and people are rightly voting with their wallets. My suspicion is that it will not change because the real winners, the landlords, who have forced rents up and had people willing to pay them are likely to rather see their premises empty than move rents downwards.

Well in my favourite bar on Samui a Chang costs bht 40 although Bht 60 is more common around the island.

yeh i can sit in a bar opposite the beach where i live and get a large chang/leo for 50/55 baht respectively.

[neilf]

no mention of the scams that are more publicized either, as for the floods, do people in the UK or elsewhere even know about the floods?

In Holland they know all about the floods, it was highlighted so much that they thought the whole country was flooded (incl, bkk)..

so why didnt they send some kid to put his finger in a dyke

[TAWP]

Thailand is not attractive anymore , look how Phuket has became ? Not to mention this stupid "gala" dinner which is compulsory and totally over priced that all hotels force you to have. No , Thailand is not on my 1st destination anymore.

Wait, what...gala dinner?

Never been there, so...do tell.

[jboras]

Depends on the guys appeal I suppose.... if a lady doent want to go it could be any price! But when i was there we had taken many a lady out for B500 and the rest was free ... of course we dined and danced all night! Before retiring .... we had girls that stayed with us fordays on end... because we ll just had a good time....!!!!! They were not from not from any small soi, try Bed Club, Novotel, Colloseum, German Pub... just a to name a few... and yes there are girls in BKK with a bar fine nor a price tag... if you know where to look... habe you tried the factories in the outskirts of Bangkok a lot of good girls there as well... marriage material... BKK is not just small soi's.

LMAO, ok "sexy" man

I hope you are aware there is no bar fine in Bed club or Novotel, so how did you manage to pay the bar fine and who took the payment?

As for getting it free from Novotel, you must be a really really really sexy men. Did you get any "freebies" from Nana disco also?

These clubs are not the "bar fine" category...

Bar fines...try patpong, two streets up the japanese bars, nana, Anywhere in Pattaya or Phuket, etc...

We would only frequest these "joints" when a new mate arrived in town as they wanted to see what it was all about, starting with Kangaroo Bar blow jobs...

When you stay in Thailand for a while the novelty wears off....

.... and no you dont ned to be a sexy man.... these ladies know who has been there for a while....you just need some personality ... not just a big wallet to flash around...

Oh ok, thanks for clarification.

I thought there had to be something wrong with me that i could not get it for free from the prostitutes, so its the lack of personality.

Will try to provide them with a boyfriend experience next time, may be they will pay me.

If you have been in Thailand as long as you sound, geehz....... there are a lot of office girls that just want friends and a good time, not boyfriend experience, just friends...... but you wont find them in Patpong or nana...

Oh yeah... office girls actually pay for dinners and drinks too!.....

[evanson]

Now hear is a surprise. Lower? No shyt.

But no mention of the two real main reasons - the recession in Europe and the rise in the THB. Still in denial!

Precisely. But, pragmatically, what are they going to do about this? The Thai tourist businessman still keep upping their rates. They do not understand/care about economics. They would loose substantially in their tourist sector (very little tourists here on Phuket so far in this 'High Season', together with high priced flights from Europe). They are (according to my educated Thai friends, Stupid people with a very long history of Stupid 'Education}. The majority of whom have sod all idea about what's going on in the world about them. Which suits their various 'governments very well ...'

Edited December 2, 2010 by evanson

[jayjay0]

And scam after scam posted on the net and highlighted on European TV. The whole World knows about Thai cops and their antics, and the Suwanapoom lock-ups, not to mention the litter police on Sukhumvit. Why come here when you can go somewhere where law and order is on you side,

How to kill the golden goose, suckers.

It must be a small world you live in. My condolences.

If you want to travel to Some of the more affluent western countries you will not have a problem with scams. But if you want to travel in Asian countries you will find scamers. In All Asian Countries.

Most people who have traveled out side there comfort zone into foreign countries are well aware of the scamers There is not that many countries with Honest policemen many are like Thailand and have a large percentage who do not live up to western standards.

But let us remember western standards are so high that a lot of western countries can't live up to them either. You might want to try traveling through Africa, Central America and South America. It will most certainly broaden your horizons .

[mrdjt]

I'm only going to say one thing..

this is Asia do as the Asians do !

All my years travelling I've learned one thing.

You can trust EVERYBODY . . . . to be themselves !!!!

So when someone tries to scam me,

with a smile, I let them know that I know but that's OK,

I don't judge, get angry,

compain that it's not like that back home.

if we can't make a reasonable compromise I move on.

Never had a problem.

Without overlooking the problems that do exist in the LOS,

I have to say,

look to your own house before you criticise others !

[evanson]

Now hear is a surprise. Lower? No shyt.

Domestic tourism, does this mean start of the double pricing. I think all Expat need to be aware of this. I never make reservation myself. I always have my Thai wife make the reservation and I have in the past paid lower prices than if I had called

My experience tends to be the opposite, many places shy away from renting to thais as sometimes they end up 5 or 6 people staying in one room.

Correct. I've seen this on many occasions. If This country wants to cater to it's xenophopic Thais Love Thais (but farang fair game), then they'll just have to put up with this prevalent aspect of 'Thai Culture'. Won't they.

[evanson]

I'm only going to say one thing..

this is Asia do as the Asians do !

All my years travelling I've learned one thing.

You can trust EVERYBODY . . . . to be themselves !!!!

So when someone tries to scam me,

with a smile, I let them know that I know but that's OK,

I don't judge, get angry,

compain that it's not like that back home.

if we can't make a reasonable compromise I move on.

Never had a problem.

Without overlooking the problems that do exist in the LOS,

I have to say,

look to your own house before you criticise others !

I find your post naive. Trust everybody with what? The tab at your local restaurant? Or your first born?

ps The more experience you gain by living in a completely different culture, the more you will learn it's the 'crazies' from your own culture who WILL try to screw you over the most. Fact.

[henryalleman]

My girlfriend is working in a 5 star hotel at the Sathorn area. A very limited number of foreign tourists this weekend. And also the domestic toursist are limited because most Thais go to visit the family back home.

[jmax]

And scam after scam posted on the net and highlighted on European TV. The whole World knows about Thai cops and their antics, and the Suwanapoom lock-ups, not to mention the litter police on Sukhumvit. Why come here when you can go somewhere where law and order is on you side,

How to kill the golden goose, suckers.

Never been to thialand but, all the horror stories of scams, false imprisonments, harsh drug laws, corrupt imm. officials. If my wife did'nt want to go i would soooo much skip it and go to laos or cambodia.

[Dap]

Depends on the guys appeal I suppose.... if a lady doent want to go it could be any price! But when i was there we had taken many a lady out for B500 and the rest was free ... of course we dined and danced all night! Before retiring .... we had girls that stayed with us fordays on end... because we ll just had a good time....!!!!! They were not from not from any small soi, try Bed Club, Novotel, Colloseum, German Pub... just a to name a few... and yes there are girls in BKK with a bar fine nor a price tag... if you know where to look... habe you tried the factories in the outskirts of Bangkok a lot of good girls there as well... marriage material... BKK is not just small soi's.

LMAO, ok "sexy" man

I hope you are aware there is no bar fine in Bed club or Novotel, so how did you manage to pay the bar fine and who took the payment?

As for getting it free from Novotel, you must be a really really really sexy men. Did you get any "freebies" from Nana disco also?

These clubs are not the "bar fine" category...

Bar fines...try patpong, two streets up the japanese bars, nana, Anywhere in Pattaya or Phuket, etc...

We would only frequest these "joints" when a new mate arrived in town as they wanted to see what it was all about, starting with Kangaroo Bar blow jobs...

When you stay in Thailand for a while the novelty wears off....

.... and no you dont ned to be a sexy man.... these ladies know who has been there for a while....you just need some personality ... not just a big wallet to flash around...

Oh ok, thanks for clarification.

I thought there had to be something wrong with me that i could not get it for free from the prostitutes, so its the lack of personality.

Will try to provide them with a boyfriend experience next time, may be they will pay me.

If you have been in Thailand as long as you sound, geehz....... there are a lot of office girls that just want friends and a good time, not boyfriend experience, just friends...... but you wont find them in Patpong or nana...

Oh yeah... office girls actually pay for dinners and drinks too!.....

I have been in Thailand for quite some time (17 years) and you seem to be speaking of a different Thailand that I know of

[lovelomsak]

Thailand has just gone full circle is all. When I first came it was dangerous ,lots of scams,corrupt etc. But people started coming because it was cheap. The Thais saw money coming. So they put on the smile and took the money. Corruption not only kept up with the new cash flow it out distanced it. So we went back to where it was years ago, dangerous and the wild wild east. The last 20 years here was a tourist smoke and mirrors now Thailand is getting back to normal. Now in Thailand everywhere is dangerous if it is an area where there is easy tourist money. People will come get robbed ,hurt and scammed indiscriminately. The tourist numbers may drop who knows but the crime will keep increasing.

[phetaroi]

When I was living in Thailand for about a year and a half, quite a few of my American friends were planning on coming over to visit. After May 19 I decided that Thailand was not what I was seeking in retirement, so I returned to the States. Here are some of the very common comments some of my friends here in the States have made -- without any prompting by me:

"Wow! I saw those pictures of what happened in May. I had no idea Thailand was so unstable."

"Why did you want to live in such an unstable country to begin with?"

"It sounds like it's totally corrupt over there."

"So, is Thailand just like Burma? Why would you want to live in a place like that?"

"What kind of country lets fetuses rot in plastic bags in a temple?"

Whether these comments were fair or unfair (although there's a lot of truth to each of them), Thailand's image has suffered a great deal lately. My friends may have had their antennas up a bit because of me living there for a while, but the comments they were getting from me (at least up until May 19) were all extremely positive, and then suddenly wiped away. It is not unusual for the popularity of tourist destinations to rise and fall over time. Atlantic City and Miami Beach are good examples of once hot locations that went into a slump because their reputations deteriorated. They came back, of course, but only after years of decline. The question is, over the long term will Thailand "come back" as a tourist destination for Westerners...after all, it's not just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

[evanson]

And scam after scam posted on the net and highlighted on European TV. The whole World knows about Thai cops and their antics, and the Suwanapoom lock-ups, not to mention the litter police on Sukhumvit. Why come here when you can go somewhere where law and order is on you side,

How to kill the golden goose, suckers.

It must be a small world you live in. My condolences.

If you want to travel to Some of the more affluent western countries you will not have a problem with scams. But if you want to travel in Asian countries you will find scamers. In All Asian Countries.

Most people who have traveled out side there comfort zone into foreign countries are well aware of the scamers There is not that many countries with Honest policemen many are like Thailand and have a large percentage who do not live up to western standards.

But let us remember western standards are so high that a lot of western countries can't live up to them either. You might want to try traveling through Africa, Central America and South America. It will most certainly broaden your horizons .

You keep banging on about Western countries. A long while ago myself and a friend were walking through a souk in Morocco, being introduced to one carpet vendor friend after another, when three burly coppers pounced on our amiable 'tour guide' and marched him off to the cop shop saying 'he very bad man'. Could you ever ever envisage seeing anything like that HERE? And Morocco's NOT Asian OR Western.

Edited December 2, 2010 by evanson

[asiawatcher]

They should start by opening up Suvarnabhumi airport the way it was supposed to be instead of all the stupid blockages and inability to work from floor to floor. Who is responsible for that mess???

[RaoulDuke]

Maybe they should just keep raising the interest rate. I couldn't believe they let the dollar go back over 30:1 for 2-3 days, before jacking up the rates and sending it back down to the 20's. Surely a strong Baht will help lure in all the tourists to a developing country. I mean, who doesn't want to pay 1st class prices for 3rd class accomodations, right??

[Xircal]

Just got back this week from a two month holiday to Thailand where a great deal of it was spent in Phuket. After 6 years of visiting Thailand I am seriously wondering whether to come back again.

Got off the plane at Phuket airport and paid 800 Baht for a quick car transfer or so I was told to Patong. I thought by buying a premium service I would escape all the usual hassle of travel agent stop oiffs but no.... About 10 mins into the ride we had stopped and I was being hounded about hotels and certain shows/tours already.

I'm surprised. You've been coming to Thailand for 6 years, but still take a ride with the first guy who waves a laminated card in your face when you arrive at Phuket airport. Or at least I assume that's what happens.

The next time you come (if there is to be a next time), walk out of the arrival lounge and on to the main concourse where the cars pull up. Then turn right and walk to the end of the building to the bright yellow booth called "Taxi-Meter". The fixed fare to Patong is 450 Baht which includes the 100 Baht airport service fee regardless of what time of the day or night you arrive. They will give you a ticket similar to the one in the attachment which you then show to the driver and tell him where you want to go in Patong. No hassles and no stops at tourist booths along the way. Taxi-meter taxis are painted a distinctive bright yellow and blue, or bright yellow and red colour and operate using the meter. In the case of the airport to destination run, it's a fixed fare like I just mentioned.

As for the tuk-tuks, you just have to learn to negotiate with them. Ask how much the journey will cost before you get into the vehicle and then offer him 25% of the figure he quoted you. But do it with a smile on your face. He'll laugh of course and you can laugh too, but then the price you'll be quoted afterwards will probably be 75% of the original. Play th same game again and you should eventually get the ride for about 80 Baht.

Thailand is not all bad news.

[dom samui]

As hit on earlier, it isn't really the floods, the political unrest (for most) or the thieving jet ski scammers which has hit numbers but rather the strength of the baht and the economic climate in the west. Most holidays are planned in advance and thus there is a time lag between a change in circumstances and the actual event. Recent historic numbers were artificially higher due to trips planned and in part paid for when times were better.

The problem now is that despite an increase in economic confidence in the tourist host nation countries, they are now completely aware of the baht exchange rate. For example, on a recent trip of mine, and I know it was a top hotel, a beer was around Bt300. That was ok-ish when the pound was over 60 and no worries at 70 plus but at roughly mid 40s, it equates to over £6 and for that money, you can get one in almost any top class, full service hotel. The excuses that Thailand's lack of top class facilities and service could be ignored because of cheaper prices is laughable. A beer in a wooden hut or chipboard beech bar at nearly £3 is also massively out of kilter.

It is not just about beer of course but a Bt100 scam or double price all adds up and people are rightly voting with their wallets. My suspicion is that it will not change because the real winners, the landlords, who have forced rents up and had people willing to pay them are likely to rather see their premises empty than move rents downwards.

Well in my favourite bar on Samui a Chang costs bht 40 although Bht 60 is more common around the island.

Which one??? Please....