What is (IYHO), the single, most unwelcome change in Phuket over the years?

[NamKangMan]

Are your customers mainly using your hotel as a stop over before going to other destinations in Thailand?

ALL customers are simply using my accommodation as a one-night stopover, either because they arrive on late-night flights, have early-morning departing flights, or are 'in-transit' to/from Samui etc.

So a fair proportion of my guests do not actually visit Phuket, but have/will visit other destinations, such as Khao Lak/Similan Islands etc

From chatting with my Asian customers, their main complaint is about the high price of taxis, (many of my Chinese guests 'attempt' to use the Airport Bus service to Patong). I have never heard any of them complain about the lack of infrastructure (apart from public transport), or complain about the dirty seas, litter everywhere etc.

It is as if the problems that we expats moan about are invisible to my Asian guests.

"It is as if the problems that we expats moan about are invisible to my Asian guests." - really. Ever thought that's why your guests don't holiday on Phuket in the first place?

[NamKangMan]

As some of you might know, my wife and I rent apartments for long stay guests. We have places in Patong and Kata. While the number of enquires from Russians has increased in Patong, none were translated into paying guests. Completely different story in Kata. I would say that over 90% of enquires were from Russians and most translated into paying guests. They turn up in long term hire cars, don't look like they are skimping to me. Always younger couples, good looking men and stunning gals. No enquiries from Indians or Chinese, but some Arabs.

So, as I predict, one day day in Kata, no more Sunday roasts, but Russian meatballs and borscht.

Of course, may of the expats here think that will will never happen.

Edited May 2, 2014 by NamKangMan

[Guest]

So, as I predict, one day day in Kata, no more Sunday roasts, but Russian meatballs and borscht.

Of course, may of the expats here think that will will never happen.

Having tried both English "fuel for humans" and Russian food, which gave me the first foodgasms ever.

I would say, that's an improvement for Phuket

[simon43]

"It is as if the problems that we expats moan about are invisible to my Asian guests." - really. Ever thought that's why your guests don't holiday on Phuket in the first place?

Only a % of my guests travel on to Khao Lak etc. The rest do holiday in Phuket, and from many conversations with them, it is clear to me that my Western guests are aware of the bad reputation of Phuket and therefore choose to go elsewhere, - whilst my Asian guests are not aware of that reputation and couldn't give a damn either - they seem to have no interest at all in the environment, litter etc etc.

IMHO, (amd generalising here), this is an Asian trait - look after yourself in your own little bubble, and to hell with anything/anyone else outside that bubble.

So I don't expect to see Asian tourists demanding (or helping) with beach clean-ups.

So (again IMHO), Phuket will continue to enjoy an expanding Asian market, unless too many Chinese are killed by speedboat accidents, drowning whilst snorkelling because they forgot to breath etc.

As for the western sector, that was lost a long time ago.

So why should the governor/admin bodies be concerned about caring for Phuket - the money will keep rolling in regardless.

[timewilltell]

@ billythehat

I had a similar conversation a few months ago with some friends. There were about 6 of us in the discussion.

A business owner here actually came in at the lowest - he said 3 years and Phuket's changed beyond repair for western tourism.

Most other answers ranged between 5 to 8 years.

Well Hilton, Central, Mercure, Centara, Marriot the airport authority etc don't seem to agree. Not that I doubt the wisdom of your six friends but I would have thought the investors of these projects have put significant time into researching the long term profitability of investing here in Phuket.

These reports outline quite a few positive projects on the island:

http://www.c9hotelworks.com/downloads/phuket-hotel-market-update-2014-03.pdf

NKM is referring to traditional Western markets and the report actually states "Traditional European market share retracted to 16% led by Germany, U.K. and Sweden."

Look at the figures: Asian and Russian markets up on the graph, Australia, although not actually a Western nation but with a population that could be deemed typical of such, down.

The big hotel groups you quoted don't care where their customers are from.

And as for the infrastructure projects, only three of the ten are underway. The others are either in the process of a feasibility study or just a consideration.

Australian arrivals down by about 5,000, Russian arrivals up about 150,000 and Chinese arrivals up about 400,000

Correct most businesses, unless they are stupid, don't care where their customers will come from so therefore the tourist industry and it's by-products such as shows and activities will continue to increase.

Very true but you have yet to consider the spending demographics of those different people. I wonder how many Western tourists would equate to 400,000 Chinese when considering spending habits in the local economy?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[glassdude007]

As some of you might know, my wife and I rent apartments for long stay guests. We have places in Patong and Kata. While the number of enquires from Russians has increased in Patong, none were translated into paying guests. Completely different story in Kata. I would say that over 90% of enquires were from Russians and most translated into paying guests. They turn up in long term hire cars, don't look like they are skimping to me. Always younger couples, good looking men and stunning gals. No enquiries from Indians or Chinese, but some Arabs.

This is exactly word for word the living conditions on my small dead end soi in Rawai 80% of the homes here are rented by long term young russians with long term car rental and a PCX motorbike, also very nice looking ladies with skimpy skirts etc.. for all to enjoy

My Mrs got to know our current russian neibhor and was informed that Hubby's parents pay for everything (6 months in Thailand) just to get the children out of Russia for the winter not a bad deal for sure..

This past month they have left along with most of the other Russian families on our soi..

Pretty much empty soi at the moment...

[keestha]

From Khao Lak: I get Indian guests at my hotel occasionally, usually families who want to stay with many people in one bungalow. As a rule they come from the Mumbai area or from Chennai/Bangalore. I am happy with them, they also eat in the restaurant and book tours.

Russians + people from former Soviet Union countries are also not unusual. They are a different type of people than the say Russians who come with a tour group, they are travelling independently. I noticed with Russian and so on couples, often the husband doesn't speak English, but the wife does. When Ivan is drinking vodka with his friends, Natasha is doing something which makes more sense: She is learning English!

Practically no mainland Chinese till now. But often buses with Chinese tour groups stop in front of the 7/11 in Khao Lak, giving the staff there a headache. (hehe maybe it makes them more farang friendly). Last low season I went to eat at a nicely laid out lakeside restaurant in Khao Lak, but I will never go back there because the scene there is now completely dominated by Chinese tour groups, I think on their way back from Khao Sok to Phuket.

[madmitch]

Ours is a fairly low-budget place and we mainly attract Westerners but we do get a few Russian, Chinese and Indians. Typical are the following traits:

Russians: book for two weeks online. If not prepaid they arrive and look around to find a cheaper place (often possible as guesthouses and small hotels often reduce prices to fill empty rooms with "walk-ins"), inform us they are checking out after one day. Argue about the cancellation terms and usually agree a compromise as I am just happy to get rid of them. No-shows are also more prevalent among Russians. I stopped using one major hotel booking site as too many Russians of this type were booking.

Chinese book their two or three nights months in advance, always arrive, usually have tours pre-booked and they are out all day, every day of their trip Before and after their tours, they come down and use all our hot water for their pot noodles. Seriously thinking of charging 10 baht a pop next season.

Indians will arrive having booked two rooms for six people and try to negotiate a) a deal whereby they can all stay in one room or a reduced price as their two rooms means a bulk-buy, despite having an agreed online price. They will then try to renegotiate on check-out.

None of the above are likely to spend one baht in our small restaurant/bar.,

Obviously this doesn't apply to every member of these demographic groups but it is what I have come to expect when I get a booking from these nationalities.

[LivinginKata]

Picking up on some recent posts...

The majority of the western long stay 'tourists' started leaving about 3 years ago. These days we rarely have rental equiries from this group.

Most of the Russians we come across speak almost no English, have to use their smart phone translator to communicate with us. It's tedious when we have any issues, end up having to ask one of our Russian guests who can speak some English to help us out.

[LivinginKata]

Post taking the original topic even more off track has been removed. Topic was about 'unwelcome changes'.

[nedkellylives]

Tourists are up not down, they are coming from different countries, some western countries were badly hit by the recession

and their currenties no longer have the buying power here, so the lower end backpacker type tourist go to othere holiday destinations

and the ones who can afford to stop in resorts for their 2 week holidays not guest houses

More and more flats, condo's, apartments what ever you want to call them are avaliable to rent every week,

so anyone renting them needs to upgrade older units and be realistic in the amount of rent and the cost for utilities they charge

Same applies to guesthouses, more open every year, where there was one now there is three all competeing

IF you want a successful restaurant you need to supply comfort food that suites the clients, they days of sunday roasts

and hot dogs are gone and over catered for

People want value for money no matter if its one star or five star hotel or guesthouse and will shop around if not happy

with their current accomodation because its not what they expected when booking

[tolsti]

The daily crawl of the promotional vans through Patong proclaiming Tonight!!! Tonight!!! (sorry Simon)

[LivinginKata]

Troll post removed.

[simon43]

The daily crawl of the promotional vans through Patong proclaiming Tonight!!! Tonight!!! (sorry Simon)

Don't worry - I limit my vocal talents to the airport area for now.

Do you think I should audition for Patong????