Patong is dead.

[Seligne2]

Just wait. In 20 years now will be the "good old days".

[keestha]

Just wait. In 20 years now will be the "good old days".

Yes. When Soi Bangla will have been turned into a fun zone for Chinese families.

[KarenBravo]

Just wait. In 20 years now will be the "good old days".

Yes. When Soi Bangla will have been turned into a fun zone for Chinese families.

Don't think so. The Chinese will have moved on.

Bangladeshis and Nigerians, I reckon.

[LivinLOS]

Just wait. In 20 years now will be the "good old days".

Yes. When Soi Bangla will have been turned into a fun zone for Chinese families.

Don't think so. The Chinese will have moved on.

Bangladeshis and Nigerians, I reckon.

But the TAT will simultaneously be citing how tourism numbers are up.. And they are trying to appeal to the 'quality tourist' demographic..

[xylophone]

Yeah read all that and cant find much to disagree with.. Tho really only 20% spending a grand ??

Despite all the (somewhat valid) complaints about how expensive Patong/Bangla generally is, unless you are sitting in front bars in Tiger, buying lady drinks, ringing the dastardly bell, hitting the gogos or drinking something foolish like Corona (stupidly overpriced) or expensive like Chivas Regal (which while considered expensive here, is generally a fraction of what you would pay for such in the west) it is still very easy to keep under a grand per person, especially if you are mainly a thai beer drinker (which is main thing sold).

It's about 8-12 beers if you don't hunt around or 8-12 beers plus same amount of shots if you do head down sois. If you really hunt you can find places where it will buy you 50 to 70 small shots. For most, in 3 to 4 hours that's quite a lot of drinking

And quite frankly, would love to hear of any wealthy western country that even comes close

12 beers in bangla beer bars on a grand.. not many 80 baht beers in the girly bars these days.. More 150 baht ones..

Sup 5 or so beers, then move onto the gin or vodka tonics (can be in excess of 200 but lets call an average of 180 ??), just a few friendly LDs and then it all starts..

Anyway it is what it is.. Its fun town, you dont expect it to be udon prices.. But even without taking someone home, just drinks and party, its hard to not to spend 5k on a night out..

1000 baht will get you 10 beers in many bars in Bangla, except the two "Tiger" complexes............Smiley bar has beers at 80 baht and many of the bars in Soi Freedom have them at 100 baht.

As for shorts, around 160 baht, but then some the stuff in the bottles is a "bathtub home brew" so a hangover is almost guaranteed!!

As for the LDs, well in many places you are mostly buying "lolly water" and although I don't mind the girls wanting some of the money without ruining their liver, I don't like the thought of the bar profiting from it as well.

It used to be a great place to party but now I sense a certain "tense" feeling about the place which ruins it somewhat.

[KarenBravo]

Patong dead?

Seems like there is a lot of people around during the day.

Same for Kata and Karon.

[NamKangMan]

Just wait. In 20 years now will be the "good old days".

Yes. When Soi Bangla will have been turned into a fun zone for Chinese families.

Don't think so. The Chinese will have moved on.

Bangladeshis and Nigerians, I reckon.

Who knows? Maybe the Greeks, Spanish and Italians will have enough money to travel again, by that time.

[cloudhopper]

I don't know if Patong is dead but it sure smells like it. We anchored out in the bay yesterday and when the breeze turned offshore about 8pm last night the stench was overwhelming.

[xylophone]

Patong dead...........signs of the times??

Empty bars in both Tiger complexes, and others for sale and all round, a decrease in the number of patrons, especially the big spenders.

The little enclave of bars just up from the resurrected Tiger has the majority of them empty.

Many bar owners struggling in Soi Freedom and would happily sell their bars, even at a loss.

What was formerly the "Beachhouse" bar and food establishment on Nanai Road and later became a coffee shop/bar of some description is now empty. Not surprising really as only ever saw one or two people in it at the best of times.

The Italian restaurant next to it is advertising Italian dishes at 120 baht (still) yet remains fairly empty most of the time.

Just across the road and up a little, a new restaurant/bar has opened which has only one thing missing from it, because it seems a very clean place, and that is, customers!

The condominium/apartment complex in Nanai Road, "The Park", which just about stalled five or six months ago is still in the same situation. This, I was told, was because their funding had been withdrawn and they have been searching for overseas funding ever since. Many who bought off plan will be wondering if they will get their money back............??

The "Ace" condo development has stalled.

And in general, business owners in Patong will tell you that business is poor.

Is "Patong dead" ?...........I wouldn't say it is actually "dead", more dying a slow death from what it used to be, yet still more small guesthouses and hotels are being built, along with shop-houses and perhaps these people see something in Patong which I don't, however I do believe that the availability of cheap money and the Thai mentality of the fact that no one will ever lose money in owning property, is contributing to this.

Bearing this in mind, it is only the farang who will lose out when renting/buying businesses here, however there appears to be fewer of these folk around these days so something is going to give.

[LivinginKata]

^

Excellent analysis. Dying a slow death sums it up. Self induced strangulation.

[steelepulse]

If the land owners weren't so greedy, leases, rent and key money would be lower and punters would frequent these places more, but due to having such high overheads, prices are over the top for what is on offer. If I was a landowner in Patong, I too would get as much as possible until people weren't lined up to "invest" in Patong.

Until punters stop paying whatever greedy land owners are paying, Patong will continue to price itself out.

[hansgruber]

Parking is another impossible thing to overcome. I'm sick and tired of arguing with taxi drivers when I'm exiting the car on where I can or cannot park. So many businesses are losing out on diners due to parking being a near impossibility.

Also the beach road, why are people paying top rent for that road when you can't see the damn beach due to all the tuk tuks and rental cars blocking the views and hawkers selling scarves and hammocks.

It's just a sea of red tuk tuks all pumping their stereo yelling out taxi and holding tour signs.

They really need to get that road sorted out once and for all.

[xylophone]

If the land owners weren't so greedy, leases, rent and key money would be lower and punters would frequent these places more, but due to having such high overheads, prices are over the top for what is on offer. If I was a landowner in Patong, I too would get as much as possible until people weren't lined up to "invest" in Patong.

Until punters stop paying whatever greedy land owners are paying, Patong will continue to price itself out.

Good point "sp" and very relevant now more than ever, this esp as the usual suspects (wide-eyed farang newbie bar buyers) are far fewer than before..........a dying breed perhaps?

Having said that, this "malaise" is far wider than the bar scene, with some farangs asking stupid amounts for the properties they are trying to sell, this despite the property market being depressed for the last 5 yrs or so.

The cycle seems to mirror that of Spain (as others have pointed out) and the building, high prices and rents will continue until....................no-one buys and no-one comes here much any more.

But before that happens the lo-so cheapies will arrive, sounding the death knell for those who haven't heard the bell..........then again perhaps that has already started!

[eisfeld]

Even if prices for land and rent go down to about nothing, Patong will slowly die. You can't fix the over-construction. You can't magically make parking spaces and green areas appear. You can't get rid of all the criminals, scammers and anger raging tuk tuk drivers.

It has been incredibly mismanaged for way too long and is FUBAR.

The best it can do is attract the lower quality tourists which is basically what is happening right now. How long that will last is anyones guess but it wont rise to more than what it is now.

It's a general problem in Phuket and Thailand. There is no proper city planing or even enforcement of basic rules. The only really nice place in Phuket is Laguna and there the prices are just too high. There is no reason why other areas couldn't be well managed in the same way but for less money. Doesn't even have to be as fancy and exclusive.

Just leave some green areas that are maintained to look nice, leave space for parking, clean up rubbish... it's not rocket science and it doesn't cost a fortune.

I'll never understand why they build shops right on the border of the street forcing cars to park on the street and blocking one or two lanes but then behind these "town houses" there is vast empty unused land. It's ridicolous how green Phuket looks from above if you look from e.g. Big Bhudda but when you drive around it's a sea of concrete.

Paradise ruined by greed

[NamKangMan]

If the land owners weren't so greedy, leases, rent and key money would be lower and punters would frequent these places more, but due to having such high overheads, prices are over the top for what is on offer. If I was a landowner in Patong, I too would get as much as possible until people weren't lined up to "invest" in Patong.

Until punters stop paying whatever greedy land owners are paying, Patong will continue to price itself out.

I agree, SP.

These Thai landlords have been pushing the market to breaking point, which, in my opinion, they have finally reached, with western tourists refusing to pay Phuket prices, and therefore in sharp decline.

A massive loss of market share, which they thought could be replaced by tourists from emerging economies.

Once you have lost a lucrative segment of the market, it's very difficult to lure them back.

As I have said before, we are edging closer to "The Phuket Financial Crisis."

[jocko]

Don't worry the new Central will have the tourist flooding back in.

Provided you can get there in a reasonable time in your car or bus.

Something to look forward to if you are still here.

[Kopitiam]

Don't worry the new Central will have the tourist flooding back in.

Provided you can get there in a reasonable time in your car or bus.

Something to look forward to if you are still here.

I don't think a new Central will be of any help here. Just look at the Central (East). If tourists are coming to Thailand for shopping, Bangkok would be a much better choice.

[xylophone]

Don't worry the new Central will have the tourist flooding back in.

Provided you can get there in a reasonable time in your car or bus.

Something to look forward to if you are still here.

Must have missed that Jocko, where is it going to be built?

[madmitch]

Don't forget the Blu Pearl shopping mall, the biggest in Thailand, due to open not far from Central. If you can't lie on a bed on the beach at least you'll be able to go shopping.

[KarenBravo]

Where Thai Naan restaurant was. Opposite Central Festival.

[LivinginKata]

Where Thai Naan restaurant was. Opposite Central Festival.

Diagonally opposite HomeWorks complex.

[KarenBravo]

So.......what happened to:-

Corralling the tuk-tuks in a common area and leaving the beach road clear for parking?

Moving the motorbike renters off the beach road to open up more parking?

Reversing the one-way system to make it logical and conform to Thai road laws?

Keeping businesses off the beach?

Keeping the CCTV cameras for the "Safety Zone" pointing in the right direction and operational?

Well......we all know why, don't we?

Edited March 19, 2015 by KarenBravo

[xylophone]

So.......what happened to:-

Corralling the tuk-tuks in a common area and leaving the beach road clear for parking?

Moving the motorbike renters off the beach road to open up more parking?

Reversing the one-way system to make it logical and conform to Thai road laws?

Keeping businesses off the beach?

Keeping the CCTV cameras for the "Safety Zone" pointing in the right direction and operational?

Well......we all know why, don't we?

Totally agree with your comment, and at least it is Patong related, whereas I thought the addition of a new "Central" was going to be in Patong, however now it appears to be not far from the original one in Phuket.

I did hear rumour that there is going to be a new shopping complex built in Sawatdirak Road, on the left side heading towards the beach, where they were supposedly going to demolish everything on that side of the road and put this complex.........Not that it will improve Patong too much, because a surfeit of low-end/budget tourists won't be spending much anywhere!

[KarenBravo]

When the powers that be announce these measures that they are going to take, it could be just an invitation for the brown, paper envelopes?

Or......maybe it really is a lack of spine to actually enforce their edicts. Maybe the enforcers see that there is nothing in it for them?

Who knows?

[hansgruber]

It's amazing in this day and age on Phuket that there isn't a taxi meter hotline to call a cab to your house. I took my bike to get serviced on bypass today and I had to hang around for 3 hours due to no taxi to call or hail so i waited for my wife to be available to pick me up. If Phuket wants to be taken seriously and get out of the village mentality they need to get some basic infrastructure in order. I laugh when people say Phuket is an international destination. Can't even manoeuvre around the island without having to walk or being extorted for a dangerous tuk tuk/green plate taxi ride.

Can't do anything without a detailed plan in your head.

I probably would give up driving altogether if it had a taxi system similar to Bangkok.

[geriatrickid]

I went to the Patong beach the other day and counted 63 Jetskis. I had a bit of a run in with a parasail tout when he tried to tell me where I could walk because he wanted the path clear as some fat tourist was getting ready to take off. I told him to stick it. Not the best way to handle the situation I know, and he was looking for a fight, but I was in no mood. There are no police to be seen anywhere on the beach and I don't know about the 10% umbrella policy as they are everywhere except in the jet ski zones. The vendors are still plying the beach along with the mattress and umbrella renters.

My friend works for a resort group. Yesterday he was late for dinner as he was up to the eyeballs with work. Their group of mid market hotels are at close to capacity.. They are booked to 100% capacity at several hotels until next moth and were scrambling to accommodate the excess bookings at sister hotels. I say to him that Patong is in trouble and he laughs at me and says, their business is still good, and their main clientele are lower end Europeans and North Americans & Australians. They don't book too many Chinese tour groups. We've had a few heated arguments over real estate and I tell him only a fool would buy now and he laughs it off. He thinks the bubble won't burst. I suspect they all think like that in patong, or are living in denial.

Overall, the place is rundown and seedy looking. The high cost of everything isn't justified by the quality of services delivered. I am looking forward to getting out of here shortly. This place is very very different from Hua Hin.

[Old Croc]

Development on Phuket is showing no sign of slowing.

A new resort is to be built by a Bangkok group, most likely in Chalong.

One site being considered is on Patak Road above Kata, the other is on the Big Buddha Rd.

[eisfeld]

Development on Phuket is showing no sign of slowing.

A new resort is to be built by a Bangkok group, most likely in Chalong.

One site being considered is on Patak Road above Kata, the other is on the Big Buddha Rd.

One resort? There are literally hundreds of developments going on at the moment. Resorts, condos, townhouses, villas. And it will continue in the near future until there is a collapse. There is still money to be made right now but it's getting tougher by the day. Smart developers will succeed but there is a crazy amount of properties for sale or rent for years and no price drops of course. It's an inefficient market and private "investors" will more and more start to lose their money. Plenty of other places on the rise that are a much better bet.

[Old Croc]

Development on Phuket is showing no sign of slowing.

A new resort is to be built by a Bangkok group, most likely in Chalong.

One site being considered is on Patak Road above Kata, the other is on the Big Buddha Rd.

One resort? There are literally hundreds of developments going on at the moment. Resorts, condos, townhouses, villas. And it will continue in the near future until there is a collapse. There is still money to be made right now but it's getting tougher by the day. Smart developers will succeed but there is a crazy amount of properties for sale or rent for years and no price drops of course. It's an inefficient market and private "investors" will more and more start to lose their money. Plenty of other places on the rise that are a much better bet.

Could you please name a few of these hundreds of resort developments going on at the moment?

I wasn't talking about condos, townhouses, villas, sheds or any of the other forms of development that you seem to have confused my statement with. Do you even know what a resort is?

[NamKangMan]

Development on Phuket is showing no sign of slowing.

A new resort is to be built by a Bangkok group, most likely in Chalong.

One site being considered is on Patak Road above Kata, the other is on the Big Buddha Rd.

One resort? There are literally hundreds of developments going on at the moment. Resorts, condos, townhouses, villas. And it will continue in the near future until there is a collapse. There is still money to be made right now but it's getting tougher by the day. Smart developers will succeed but there is a crazy amount of properties for sale or rent for years and no price drops of course. It's an inefficient market and private "investors" will more and more start to lose their money. Plenty of other places on the rise that are a much better bet.

Could you please name a few of these hundreds of resort developments going on at the moment?

I wasn't talking about condos, townhouses, villas, sheds or any of the other forms of development that you seem to have confused my statement with. Do you even know what a resort is?

I'm a little confused, OC.

You said, "Development on Phuket is showing no sign of slowing."

Then you said, "I wasn't talking about condos, townhouses, villas, sheds or any of the other forms of development"

What is your definition of "development?"

In general, "development" is used to describe ALL forms of land use.