Patong is dead.

[hansgruber]

I rarely venture down to Patong but my son wanted to go bowling at Jungceylon.

What amazed me is that Jungceylon was so quiet, I mean low season quiet which is unusual for January and a Saturday. Only one other bowling lane taken the whole time we bowled 4 games. No people around at all and the lack of traffic getting in and out of Patong was great.

It's easily the quietest high season I've ever seen.

[Seligne2]

The Russians are broke. As are the Americans, the Brits, the Chinese, and most everyone else. (Except for the Nordic nations).

[keestha]

Even the TAT shouldn't be able to deny that tourism is down. Economical situation in Europe, Euro depreciating a lot, no more Russians. They're all complaining: taxi drivers, tour operators, you name it. Places where a room was hard to find last high season, you can have your pick now.

[billythehat]

The Russians are broke. As are the Americans, the Brits, the Chinese, and most everyone else. (Except for the Nordic nations).

Brits?...I’m not skint and neither are many of the quality Brit tourists I know that visit Lalaland. No Sir, I think there are many and varied reasons why folk are not going there...kop some of NKM’s sermons for the unfortunate low-down. Arh, the good old days...

[phuketrichard]

if its a nice day there at the pool, beach or on a tour

why go to a shopping mall on a nice day?

BUT also i usually go on sundays an compared to last year the lines at the Big c checkout are much shorter this year

[LivinginKata]

I have not ventured in Jungceylon for a couple of years. It does not surprise me that you saw it as quiet. This new wave of charter flight/ bus tourist don't spend much other than at 7-11s. For sure, folks come in to look-see and window shop, much like Central's mall.

Not sure I agree about the traffic. I drive from Kata (10.30) and back (15.30) each day. Plenty plenty tourist type traffic, coaches, mini buses, packs of hire m/bikers with no idea, and the hire car folks driving slow and looking at the view. For sure the number of hire cars and bikes are way way up.

[pagallim]

I cycled up to Khao Lak today, and spoke at length with the lady owner of a restaurant that I regularly have a late breakfast at. Bottom line is that things are pretty dire there also, with very, very few people about, and those that are typically spend their time/money in the resorts they are staying, or are on tours (mainly Chinese).

I remember a few comments on a thread some time ago, saying that most of the Euros, particularly those from the Nordic countries, had deserted Phuket for Khao Lak. That doesn't appear to be the case.

[LivinginKata]

Pag, you cycle to Khao Lak. I am truly impressed. How long does that take.

[KarenBravo]

I cycled up to Khao Lak today,

You're a nutter........

[hansgruber]

Even the TAT shouldn't be able to deny that tourism is down. Economical situation in Europe, Euro depreciating a lot, no more Russians. They're all complaining: taxi drivers, tour operators, you name it. Places where a room was hard to find last high season, you can have your pick now.

The complaint is hear is that the service charge that hotels workers get is down, nearly half of what they were getting in previous years.

if its a nice day there at the pool, beach or on a tour

why go to a shopping mall on a nice day?

BUT also i usually go on sundays an compared to last year the lines at the Big c checkout are much shorter this year

Can't play 10 pin on the sand unfortunately. I don't even like the game or the loud blaring music they play in there.

I have not ventured in Jungceylon for a couple of years. It does not surprise me that you saw it as quiet. This new wave of charter flight/ bus tourist don't spend much other than at 7-11s. For sure, folks come in to look-see and window shop, much like Central's mall.

Not sure I agree about the traffic. I drive from Kata (10.30) and back (15.30) each day. Plenty plenty tourist type traffic, coaches, mini buses, packs of hire m/bikers with no idea, and the hire car folks driving slow and looking at the view. For sure the number of hire cars and bikes are way way up.

I mean the traffic as you enter and exit Patong. The Karon Rd with the drain construction is painful.

Parking there today was amazing, no looking for a spot down the big c end.

Leaving is normally a nightmare on the 3rd road on the weekends but I got out of JungCeylon and on the hill to Karon in 5 mins.

[pagallim]

Pag, you cycle to Khao Lak. I am truly impressed. How long does that take.

Actual riding time there and back (201 km) was 6.5 hours, at an average of 30.4 km/hour.

[LivinginKata]

Pag, you cycle to Khao Lak. I am truly impressed. How long does that take.

Actual riding time there and back (201 km) was 6.5 hours, at an average of 30.4 km/hour.

I know you like to cycle, but that is way way extreme. My apologies to members - going way off topic.

[beechbum]

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I don't even like the game or the loud blaring music they play in there.

Better of going to Big C.

[schlog]

Patong is really dead. Fascinating is wifes volume of sales in her shop is in december/ january only on the same level like in august/ september. First time in 17 years.

I came back from KUL this week and first time ever i had big sympathy with the immigration guys. Unbelievable with what kind of people they have to handle.

It looks like welfare planes landed here on Phuket. Not one in my row had his immigration card ready.

Sad no fast lane was available in this afternoon.

[pagallim]

I guess that while resorts still have reasonable occupancy, it's the peripheral traders such as shops, restaurants and bars are the ones really suffering. That said, the places that I go to, and which have always had their act together for quality and importantly pricing, are still doing ok.

[Shot]

Pag, you cycle to Khao Lak. I am truly impressed. How long does that take.

Actual riding time there and back (201 km) was 6.5 hours, at an average of 30.4 km/hour.

I know you like to cycle, but that is way way extreme. My apologies to members - going way off topic.

Makes my butt sore just thinking about it.

[NamKangMan]

Hans, you have now seen what I have been seeing, for some time.

As a result I what I have been seeing, I have posted, accordingly.

Now that you have seen for yourself, you are posting the same.

It's not "Phuket bashing." It's real time observations, and comparisons.

We can debate the reasons, but the fact is, there just aren't as many tourists on phuket spending up on their holiday, in the the way they did before.

[NamKangMan]

The Russians are broke. As are the Americans, the Brits, the Chinese, and most everyone else. (Except for the Nordic nations).

Brits?...I’m not skint and neither are many of the quality Brit tourists I know that visit Lalaland. No Sir, I think there are many and varied reasons why folk are not going there...kop some of NKM’s sermons for the unfortunate low-down. Arh, the good old days...

"I think there are many and varied reasons why folk are not going there" - it's not tsunamis, bird flu, swine flu, terrorist threats, military coups, volcano eruption, exchange rates, visa laws etc etc.

Phuket no longer offers a value for money holiday, when compared to its competitors.

People are still holidaying, just not to Phuket, any more.

[2fishin2]

The Russians are broke. As are the Americans, the Brits, the Chinese, and most everyone else. (Except for the Nordic nations).

Murican and I aint broke

[pagallim]

Pag, you cycle to Khao Lak. I am truly impressed. How long does that take.

Actual riding time there and back (201 km) was 6.5 hours, at an average of 30.4 km/hour.

I know you like to cycle, but that is way way extreme. My apologies to members - going way off topic.

Makes my butt sore just thinking about it.

I get around the island a reasonable amount (except the core tourist areas) and it's the same story everywhere. Places I stop for a coffe or water are quieter now than I recall last June through November. An example is a coffee shop near the Aquarium on Cape Panwa. A few months ago, always a healthy number of customers mid morning, now it's invariably dead.

Even the bus loads of Chinese tourists at Laem Promthep isn't as much as 'normal'.

I ride a few times a week through Rawai, typically near midday. Certainly the restaurants and bars along the beachfront are deserted. Maybe there's an improvement in the evening?

[Babooshka]

Pag, you cycle to Khao Lak. I am truly impressed. How long does that take.

Actual riding time there and back (201 km) was 6.5 hours, at an average of 30.4 km/hour.

Not bad taking into account the weather! Do you strava your rides?

[pagallim]

Pag, you cycle to Khao Lak. I am truly impressed. How long does that take.

Actual riding time there and back (201 km) was 6.5 hours, at an average of 30.4 km/hour.

Not bad taking into account the weather! Do you strava your rides?

Yes. I'm in both the Strava Thailand, and Phuket Cycling clubs. Not hard to work out who I am from my TV name.

Heat is the killer, so for a long ride you need to start very early. Last week I did a 300 km up tp Bang Riang north of Phang Nga. Over 10 hours riding, and left home just before 4 a.m.

Apologies for getting off topic, however the point I was making in my original post in this thread, is that the numbers decline isn't solely happening in Patong.

[Felt 35]

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Pag, you cycle to Khao Lak. I am truly impressed. How long does that take.

Actual riding time there and back (201 km) was 6.5 hours, at an average of 30.4 km/hour.

Do you go it alone or is it a group ride?

[NamKangMan]

Pag, you cycle to Khao Lak. I am truly impressed. How long does that take.

Actual riding time there and back (201 km) was 6.5 hours, at an average of 30.4 km/hour.

Not bad taking into account the weather! Do you strava your rides?

Yes. I'm in both the Strava Thailand, and Phuket Cycling clubs. Not hard to work out who I am from my TV name.

Heat is the killer, so for a long ride you need to start very early. Last week I did a 300 km up tp Bang Riang north of Phang Nga. Over 10 hours riding, and left home just before 4 a.m.

Apologies for getting off topic, however the point I was making in my original post in this thread, is that the numbers decline isn't solely happening in Patong.

"however the point I was making in my original post in this thread, is that the numbers decline isn't solely happening in Patong." - at least the roads will be safer for your rides.

[pagallim]

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Pag, you cycle to Khao Lak. I am truly impressed. How long does that take.

Actual riding time there and back (201 km) was 6.5 hours, at an average of 30.4 km/hour.

Do you go it alone or is it a group ride?

Alone. I sometimes ride with the Phuket Cycling group, but haven't done so for a couple of months. The 300 km I did last week was a solo effort of a ride the group did a few days previously, which I couldn't join because of another commitment.

[NamKangMan]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Pag, you cycle to Khao Lak. I am truly impressed. How long does that take.

Actual riding time there and back (201 km) was 6.5 hours, at an average of 30.4 km/hour.

Do you go it alone or is it a group ride?

Alone. I sometimes ride with the Phuket Cycling group, but haven't done so for a couple of months. The 300 km I did last week was a solo effort of a ride the group did a few days previously, which I couldn't join because of another commitment.

What sort of bike are you on?

How many punctures do you get?

[pagallim]

Trek Madone. Went through a period last year when I seemed to get a puncture nearly every other ride. However, for the last few months since changing tyres to Continental Grand Prix S II's, not had a problem. I do however carry 2 spare tubes, a gas cylinder, and for insurance a mini high pressure hand pump. Places I go don't have many bike shops....☺

[nailclippers]

Is the nightlife becoming dead too?

[falkan]

Is the nightlife becoming dead too?

Bangla going strong tonight as we talk..

[thrilled]

I was at Patong during low season,this past September.I was surprised as there were as many people as there was.

It wasn't crowded but it wasn't empty either.