Lack of tourists

[louse1953]

Bangkok is empty right now with popular places like MBK very quiet lower then low season.

Couldn't get a seat for lunch there the other day,and dodging people on all floors.MRT packed as well.Bangers has 10million+ people don't just disappear.

[Joe Mamma]

I am enjoying the farang shortage immensely! But waiting for the sellout time when the bubble bursts here and the properties will be had at a fraction of the price. Hard times in eastern Europe and China will precipitate this.

[louse1953]

So who could the Thai people blame for lack of tourists they could try themselves at long last they have successfully managed to chase away tourists in reasonable numbers they can give themselves a large pat on the back for this, now to get rid of the expats and that will be the job completed.

Do you think tourists are that important when the future of the country is at stake.The airport seemed chockers to me the other day.The ones that postponed will come eventually,Th.is like a drug to many,and who could blame them,getting outa Europe,now.

[Ulysses G.]

You just might be on to something!

it's refreshing to walk around town and not see a bunch of gawking tourist! I certainly can do without them. they drive the prices up.

They also keep a lot of businesses going that would not be able to make profit otherwise. I admit that I find it annoying that all my favorite restaurants are busy right now, but tourist season allows them to stay open the rest of the year when it is easy to get a table.

[Lancelot]

As recent as Dec 5, Pai was full of tourists, both locals and foreign

[hellodolly]

For what it's worth, the Thai guy i buy my freshly-made orange juice from in the local market said today that tourist numbers have been down this year AND last - and he is situated on a corner where he sees everyone who walks through what is a well-promoted 'ethnic' market in a city. Just a local measure, but one i trust.

Chiang Mai has been very busy this year but how you see it will depend on your location and your customer base. The high season always has a little lull in early December after a busy November and picks up again this weekend. That's my experience for the last 20 years. The night bazaar is a lot busier than around the moat and inside the old city at this time of year normally.

Walked through the night bazaar the other nite it was packed with tourists and they weren't all Chinese. As for international news the BBC is clueless I am not sure the rreporter is even in Thailand.

I would imagine tourism would be down in Bangkok.

Maybe the next government can get a TOT that knows there is more to Thailand than Bangkok.

[hellodolly]

We dont see a lot of tourists out at Mae rim but I have noticed the last few days a lot more vehicles on the road into Chiang Mai. Not sure if there are more festivals or sales going on but the backlog of traffic can get quite long at times.

Agree, there appears to be more and more Chinese in town therefore the chance of hitting one increases....they have absolutely no road or traffic sense

You are rite and yet there are farongs who think Thais are the worst drivers in the world.

[JSixpack]

Every year some old fart finds evidence that this tourist season is the worst ever. He notices a business sold to a new owner or being remodeled and, not understanding capitalism and free markets, sounds the alarm that everything is closing all over town. Then he talks to his local beer bar owner over a few Changs and gets an earful. Bar owners are notorious for poor-mouthing.They're in a tough business.

So it seems pretty clear that tourism season is alive and well, thank you, except in BKK for obvious reasons. The BKK troubles have surely helped other areas.

I anticipated the annual doomsaying in the Pattaya forum:

Special sop for our doomsayers and haters ready to jump in: let me say it for you, first: this will be the WORST high season ever. No tourists will visit this year, businesses will close all over town, all the hotels will be vacant (esp the beachfront hotels), all the condos (concrete coffins) will be unsold and abandoned (no lights on), nobody will make any money, the food will be crap, the service will be crap, the electricity will be shut off, the roads will collapse, prices will be sky-high, danger will lurk on every corner, the streets will be deserted, the beach itself will disappear, all the fun has gone, and--most important--NOBODY will walk on that dam_n promenade! Pull up a sandbag, doomsayers. There!

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/682801-tourist-season-its-started/#entry7056956

[cmsally]

Still a fair amount of tourists but way down from last month when it was much busier. Chinese govt have travel warnings out for Thailand as do a number of others.

[Thighlander]

In Phuket the golfcourses are basically empty. But this is more due to the outrageous green fees, Baht 4,500- 4,700 ++, they are asking.

The joys of tourist traps......6000 thb to play the Air Force course in Chiang Rai; all year!

[Thailand]

They are are on the golf courses. Korean and Japanese mainly. Chocker!

[xylophone]

Patong was very quiet on sunday. Not many people in Jung Ceylon. But Central Festival was very crowded,Not with Tourists , Thais.

Seem to get "waves" of Chinese tourists descending upon the place, along with more than the usual amount of rude Russians, neither of which really add a lot of income to the local economy.

For some reason the Chinese delight in buying up hundreds of packets of 15 baht powdered sauce mixes, clogging up the supermarket aisles, whilst the Russians get their food cooked at the fish counter and take it home and eat it.

Despite Bangla Road being busy with tourists walking to and fro, apart from the usual well run and busy bars, many of the others are looking a bit bleak. Many restaurants are feeling the pinch too, with a couple of long established ones in Patong having their worst year ever.

[rct99q]

Three of the eleven neighbors who work in the entertainment business in pattaya and phuket are home right now. Wifey asked what they were up to.........seems things have dried up a bit and the normal tourist grind has withered a bit. They are expecting it to pick up a bit however there is a lot of stiff competition with an influx of overseas talent. I realize not hard information, and these figures are a bit soft but the girls thought they would give me a hand in coming up with some reason to the smaller tourist.....numbers.

[Thighlander]

Three of the eleven neighbors who work in the entertainment business in pattaya and phuket are home right now. Wifey asked what they were up to.........seems things have dried up a bit and the normal tourist grind has withered a bit. They are expecting it to pick up a bit however there is a lot of stiff competition with an influx of overseas talent. I realize not hard information, and these figures are a bit soft but the girls thought they would give me a hand in coming up with some reason to the smaller tourist.....numbers.

I heard a very similar story from a gf, who had been going down to Phuket for high season to work massage. She told me few days ago, that there was no job for her this year.

[Lokie]

Patong;

Bangla Rd is the quietest I have seen in a long while between 23.00 - 01.00hrs

A mate went home a few weeks back and emailed saying I bet Bangla is busy now and lots more Girls back from the villages - told him, nope doesn't seem like as many girls have returned/come as they normally do for high/peak season, is also something when people are commenting the Katoys are getting better looking than the ladies lol... seems Rhiana's helped to give the Kiss of death too with certain establishments, Nipple tape anyone???

Big C in Jungceylon, don't even think about being anywhere near the free for all at the Seafoodski counter, is ridiculous and downright ignorant people.

Can't say I have noticed many Chinese, plenty of Timeshare touts working the shopfronts in Kata this morning though, Do you speak English mate? "No Pal, out of my way and <deleted> Off!"

[inzman]

Pattaya is full on this year. Very busy day and night.

[elektrified]

Patong;

Bangla Rd is the quietest I have seen in a long while between 23.00 - 01.00hrs

A mate went home a few weeks back and emailed saying I bet Bangla is busy now and lots more Girls back from the villages - told him, nope doesn't seem like as many girls have returned/come as they normally do for high/peak season, is also something when people are commenting the Katoys are getting better looking than the ladies lol... seems Rhiana's helped to give the Kiss of death too with certain establishments, Nipple tape anyone???

Big C in Jungceylon, don't even think about being anywhere near the free for all at the Seafoodski counter, is ridiculous and downright ignorant people.

Can't say I have noticed many Chinese, plenty of Timeshare touts working the shopfronts in Kata this morning though, Do you speak English mate? "No Pal, out of my way and <deleted> Off!"

Thanks for the report. Sounds like you have a well-rounded lifestyle and are well in tune with all of the things life has to offer. Can't tell the Chinese from the Thais eh?

[Paangjang]

Patong;

Bangla Rd is the quietest I have seen in a long while between 23.00 - 01.00hrs

A mate went home a few weeks back and emailed saying I bet Bangla is busy now and lots more Girls back from the villages - told him, nope doesn't seem like as many girls have returned/come as they normally do for high/peak season, is also something when people are commenting the Katoys are getting better looking than the ladies lol... seems Rhiana's helped to give the Kiss of death too with certain establishments, Nipple tape anyone???

Big C in Jungceylon, don't even think about being anywhere near the free for all at the Seafoodski counter, is ridiculous and downright ignorant people.

Can't say I have noticed many Chinese, plenty of Timeshare touts working the shopfronts in Kata this morning though, Do you speak English mate? "No Pal, out of my way and <deleted> Off!"

Thanks for the report. Sounds like you have a well-rounded lifestyle and are well in tune with all of the things life has to offer. Can't tell the Chinese from the Thais eh?

Chiang mai forum isn't normally so rude or bitter... The poster was just informing us of his observation. Does he deserve to be flamed down like that?

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Buakhao Market in Pattaya was humming today. It's the busiest I've seen it in months. The side coffee and food shops were full. Only 2-3 weeks ago you could look down an aisle and see only 1 or 2 shoppers.

Edited December 10, 2013 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[Chicog]

Thailand did say they'd had something like 300,000 cancellations costing the economy $600 million or something.

This reminds me of the news reports that say;

"Police raid nets two kilo of marijuana worth $275,000,000 street value..."

Why's that then? An average of $2,000 per *booking* including lodgings, F&B and shopping seem a bit high to you?

Added: They've probably lost seven figures on this one event.

Red Bull Singha Race of Champions Thailand 2013

The race tournament, scheduled on Dec 14-15, is postponed indefinitely.

Edited December 10, 2013 by Chicog

[Chicog]

Buakhao Market in Pattaya was humming today. It's the busiest I've seen it in months. The side coffee and food shops were full. Only 2-3 weeks ago you could look down an aisle and see only 1 or 2 shoppers.

Too late to save Rehab.

[MMan]

I was at the Dusit D2 yesterday, and one of the staff told me they have had many groups cancel because of the protests (Asian Tour Groups I presume as they get many of those). Seem to be fewer Chinese in town right now than normal.

I am in the tourism business and my experience is that Asian tourists are the first to cancel because of any political unrest (whether Chinese, Japanese, Koreans or Singaporeans). North Americans, Europeans and Australians are more likely to shrug it off as political demonstrations are more common in their countries. Back during the Red Shirt protests one farang tourist told me "I've been through 2 wars, political protesters don't scare me".

[beau thai]

I am enjoying the farang shortage immensely! But waiting for the sellout time when the bubble bursts here and the properties will be had at a fraction of the price. Hard times in eastern Europe and China will precipitate this.

555-dont hold your breath

[scottishjohn]

Some girls told me Patong is quieter than it was this time last year. This time last year I was in Patong and it was heaving.

What did the girls in Patong tell you was heaving and were you invoved ?

Edited December 10, 2013 by scottishjohn

[ableguy]

Thailand did say they'd had something like 300,000 cancellations costing the economy $600 million or something.

Nah trillions according to TAT

[mizztraveller]

Just wandered round Anusarn market and it's quiet ..... real quiet!

[Lokie]

Patong;

Bangla Rd is the quietest I have seen in a long while between 23.00 - 01.00hrs

A mate went home a few weeks back and emailed saying I bet Bangla is busy now and lots more Girls back from the villages - told him, nope doesn't seem like as many girls have returned/come as they normally do for high/peak season, is also something when people are commenting the Katoys are getting better looking than the ladies lol... seems Rhiana's helped to give the Kiss of death too with certain establishments, Nipple tape anyone???

Big C in Jungceylon, don't even think about being anywhere near the free for all at the Seafoodski counter, is ridiculous and downright ignorant people.

Can't say I have noticed many Chinese, plenty of Timeshare touts working the shopfronts in Kata this morning though, Do you speak English mate? "No Pal, out of my way and <deleted> Off!"

Thanks for the report. Sounds like you have a well-rounded lifestyle and are well in tune with all of the things life has to offer. Can't tell the Chinese from the Thais eh?

Err, well yeah actually is quite easy, obviously you must be having trouble as the Han Chinese do share some slight characteristics to Thai people, was mentioned about lots around Phuket, I was merely sharing my own observations.

Note;

I will not mention the Uyghur Chinese people who live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region of the Peoples Republic of China as they are descended from a clearly different race of people.

Thanks for you kind comments also...

[kkerry]

Last Friday evening arriving at DMK and it took 45 minutes to get through immigration, all counters seemed to be open.

[Gonsalviz]

I haven't notice an increase or decrease in tourist where I live but then I move here because nobody comes here.

[masuk]

Now, Winnie, give the guy a break! He is just expressing the usual anecdotal observation, as we all do!

All in all, my impression is that this political outburst (and it won't be the last for quite some time) has received quite balanced reporting in the internationally broadcast media. I do not include provincial media in other countries. I have noted that reporters generally point out that protests are channeled locally in Bangkok, which may or may not be an inconvenience --- so long as some idiot doesn't decide to occupy an airport! That really puts a dent in vacation plans. (This potential threat is what leads various other country consulate officers to drink!)

It is true that many, many people just read travel brochures and 15-second "pop" news at home, and I do (sort of) feel sorry for them. New world travelers are especially vulnerable. In the case of Chiang Mai, this will scare off a lot of tourists who have been stimulated only by a popular movie about Thailand. Regrettable.

On the other hand, I would not recommend traveling to the Central African Republic in the near future.

Well my friends I will chirp in my 2 cents worth!! In Chiang Mai there are fewer tourists this year! I own a restaurant/bar and have managed to increase my business by over 20%! Now ask yourself this question! I have 20% less guests how am I going to make it through these tough times! In my case, it was providing a quality product (Food),at a great price!! Drinks do not factor into my success! So if you have the food, then you need to back it up with a friendly staff and good atmosphere! Also the propieter should be there to greet guests once in a while and engage in some friendly chats! Be amazed what you learn from other people in all walks of life!

I guess what I am trying to convey it is not the quantity but rather the quality that gets you through the difficult times!!

Leo is starting to kick in !!

Ciao!!

Tell me where it is, and I'll come and try it. Yes, you'll have to PM it.