The airport is empty

[baneko]

Just came back from Siem Reap. Went with the missus for a holiday. Got to immigration and it was empty. Also when I arrived back from work. Empty.

I know its low season but Siem Reap was buzzing. Lots of asians and farang. After immigration I went to get my motor. Stopped at family mart and asked the wife, how many farang do you see on the concourse. She counted 3. I know its low season but it must be bad back home(europe). BKK is dead and Siem Reap overflowing. Is this a sign of things to come?

[siam2007]

Depends what time of the day arrive. At night it is a huge mess every night when the numerous scheduled and charter flights from China arrive. I am avoiding to arrive at BKK nowadays between 9 pm and 1 am. During daytime though, it has happened to me too that I walked straight to the Immi-Officer with nobody else in sight, both at BKK and DMK

[Gumballl]

I've never understood the big deal with long immigration lines. Yes, sure, you may have to wait 10 minutes to see the IO, but whoop-tee-doo! After travelling half way around the world in a seated position, standing for a brief moment or two is cake. Only a baby would cry.

If it matters, last week I arrived at BKK (after 11pm), and all queues were open. My family and I (btw, my wife is Thai) checked in through the ASEAN queue.

After I left the airport, it took me another 4 hours to reach my home.

[craigt3365]

We got in Monday around 6:30am. There was a line, but it wasn't bad. Moved very quickly. I've been there when it's taken 30+ minutes to get through. But that was always late at night. First time I've arrived this early.

Not sure SE Asia is past it's due date, but the global economy is hurting. Europeans are staying closer to home. America still hasn't 100% recovered from their economic disaster. Isn't the Aussie dollar down a bit? All these things add up.

Plus, it's definitely more expensive here. Not as financially attractive as it was 10 years ago. IMHO.

[mango66]

Tourists go there where they like to stay !!

Seems thai is not a favour for the moment;

But most Chi and shit and hordes are transported to don Muang I heared;

A lot of single mails in groups you still see in Swampy;

( They dont have this financial burden, as they share one for the complete group !! its cheaper they found out )

[ozyjon]

I drove from Costa del Sol in Spain to Lagos in the Algarve in Portugal,

this time last year there are traffic delays everywhere you go, many

supermarkets have a huge waiting line of cars trying to get in, this time

the roads and traffic are as usual with the locals and the odd tourist about,, there

is a financial crisis in Europe and people are staying home with their their cash.

[jgold]

Maybe this week things were slow. I booked a hotel for a family member last week and she could not extend her stay at her hotel because it was completely booked. I actually had a hard time finding a new hotel for under 2500 baht a night that wasn't a crap hole. All the decent hotels around silom were full last week.

Siam Paragon was also very busy last night, looked like the weekend. I had the idea things were actually doing well around here.

[recycler]

We got in Monday around 6:30am. There was a line, but it wasn't bad. Moved very quickly. I've been there when it's taken 30+ minutes to get through. But that was always late at night. First time I've arrived this early.

Not sure SE Asia is past it's due date, but the global economy is hurting. Europeans are staying closer to home. America still hasn't 100% recovered from their economic disaster. Isn't the Aussie dollar down a bit? All these things add up.

Plus, it's definitely more expensive here. Not as financially attractive as it was 10 years ago. IMHO.

Not to mention all the positive news about Thailand, political situation, tourists murdered and the authorities reactions to that, human trafficking, and so on and so on....

[Mansell]

I was in Siem Reap in April when it was announced as the second most popular destination in the world. Don't ask me what the first one is. The Cambodians were so happy they erected a stage and there was a big party in the streets. SR was also pretty crowded in April. Of course the real destination is Angkor Wat.

I thought SR was a fun place to be with very friendly people who smile a lot. I have never seen so many restaurants in a square mile as there are in this city. A very safe place, except the dogs could be nasty to anybody walking....Cambodians don't walk.

[manfredtillmann]

different times - different day

arrived from frankfurt 2 weeks ago, a380, docked somewhere gate c 16 or so. a good 2km walk to immigration, than lined up and timed 47 minutes to get my stamp. gf with thai passport had gone through 30 mins earlier, collected luggage etc.

by the time i got to the shuttle bus to don mueang 120 mins had passed from the time i had left the plane.

i learned 40 years ago at a travel industry business school to allow 4 hours for check out / check in at bkk - seems like little has changed.

[masuk]

We got in Monday around 6:30am. There was a line, but it wasn't bad. Moved very quickly. I've been there when it's taken 30+ minutes to get through. But that was always late at night. First time I've arrived this early.

Not sure SE Asia is past it's due date, but the global economy is hurting. Europeans are staying closer to home. America still hasn't 100% recovered from their economic disaster. Isn't the Aussie dollar down a bit? All these things add up.

Plus, it's definitely more expensive here. Not as financially attractive as it was 10 years ago. IMHO.

No, the Aussie dollar is not down a bit! It's down a lot!

Sent my pension over through last year, and it was 30 baht to the oz dollar. now I'm lucky to get 25baht.

[Fullstop]

They're all back in their hotel rooms trying to think of better ways to hide their unregistered guns.

[Kannikapor88]

Maybe this week things were slow. I booked a hotel for a family member last week and she could not extend her stay at her hotel because it was completely booked. I actually had a hard time finding a new hotel for under 2500 baht a night that wasn't a crap hole. All the decent hotels around silom were full last week.

Siam Paragon was also very busy last night, looked like the weekend. I had the idea things were actually doing well around here.

and then you woke up ...

[jamie2009]

Pattaya also very quiet, very few if any customers in the bars around Soi Bukhao, the busiest one has only recently opened Scooters Bar, 60/70 s music although the beer is a bit pricey if you only buy one, 120 baht for 2 bottles of Chiang, small, 80 for one, very nice bar ladies although it has been mentioned 750 baht bar fine. There does seem to be a lot of fellas from India but they just wander round, never go in the bars.

[jackanapes]

things are very quiet at the moment not many tourists around bars are fairly empty except for the regulars of course you are absolutely right Jamie 2009 scooters bar used to be the blue room is nice but pricey but it does have music which accounts for the high prices you cant have everything.

[Lissos]

It was far from empty when I arrived there roughly two weeks ago on a flight. I would say it was one of the slowest traverses of immigration and baggage claim I'd ever experienced arriving in Thailand (appx 7-8 times since the late 90s), the queues of people from several planes having landed was huge and there just weren't enough staff on counters to deal with it, so quietness is probably as others say, a case of differing times of day. Saw plenty of other foreigners in different areas of Bangkok, and a trip 'down memory lane' to Banglamphu showed it was absolutely jammed with foreign visitors. Mega mega busy!! I know some people here almost 'want' Thailand to be suffering from tourism loss and in some ways such a phase can be good for a country's tourism in the bigger picture but that isn't the impression I got. It seemed as popular as ever. How many are return visitors or newbies though, who knows. Myself, I only stayed about a week this time, for various reasons. The days of me staying a month or two is over now. The climate (ever rising costs, attitude of locals involved in tourism logistics, tighter restrictions on entry/re-entry etc) is not as condusive now. Still enjoyed aspects of my short visit (by choice) but a new wave of visitirs comes in to replace us, who will probably become jaded themselves eventually, to be replaced by a new batch. It will always be popular, despite bad press.

[Briggsy]

Pattaya also very quiet, very few if any customers in the bars around Soi Bukhao, the busiest one has only recently opened Scooters Bar, 60/70 s music although the beer is a bit pricey if you only buy one, 120 baht for 2 bottles of Chiang, small, 80 for one, very nice bar ladies although it has been mentioned 750 baht bar fine. There does seem to be a lot of fellas from India but they just wander round, never go in the bars.

Is this a thinly-veiled advert?

[LisuLover]

Business must be slow. EVA Air have just announced a sale, 30% off LHR-BKK for tickets bought this coming weekend. Economy return is advertised from £467, Economy plus from £858. For departure until 30th June 2016.

[canopus1969]

Pattaya also very quiet, very few if any customers in the bars around Soi Bukhao, the busiest one has only recently opened Scooters Bar, 60/70 s music although the beer is a bit pricey if you only buy one, 120 baht for 2 bottles of Chiang, small, 80 for one, very nice bar ladies although it has been mentioned 750 baht bar fine. There does seem to be a lot of fellas from India but they just wander round, never go in the bars.

Is this a thinly-veiled advert?

If it is then take care the end of next week - it's a long (4 day) weekend and Pattaya will be packed by the BKK crowd descending on both Pattaya/Jomtien

[lvr181]

We got in Monday around 6:30am. There was a line, but it wasn't bad. Moved very quickly. I've been there when it's taken 30+ minutes to get through. But that was always late at night. First time I've arrived this early.

Not sure SE Asia is past it's due date, but the global economy is hurting. Europeans are staying closer to home. America still hasn't 100% recovered from their economic disaster. Isn't the Aussie dollar down a bit? All these things add up.

Plus, it's definitely more expensive here. Not as financially attractive as it was 10 years ago. IMHO.

No, the Aussie dollar is not down a bit! It's down a lot!

Sent my pension over through last year, and it was 30 baht to the oz dollar. now I'm lucky to get 25baht.

Nearly 17% DROP - not inconsequential.

[tso310]

Tourists go there where they like to stay !!

Seems thai is not a favour for the moment;

But most Chi and shit and hordes are transported to don Muang I heared;

A lot of single mails in groups you still see in Swampy;

( They dont have this financial burden, as they share one for the complete group !! its cheaper they found out )

21 flights from mainland China between midnight and 6 am last night at Swampy from a wide range of cities and Chinese airlines. Only 6 at Don Muang, all Thai Air Asia. This is what is keeping the tourist figures up.

[ross163103]

Sometimes we shouldn't question the blessings we receive......

[Anon999]

We got in Monday around 6:30am. There was a line, but it wasn't bad. Moved very quickly. I've been there when it's taken 30+ minutes to get through. But that was always late at night. First time I've arrived this early.

Not sure SE Asia is past it's due date, but the global economy is hurting. Europeans are staying closer to home. America still hasn't 100% recovered from their economic disaster. Isn't the Aussie dollar down a bit? All these things add up.

Plus, it's definitely more expensive here. Not as financially attractive as it was 10 years ago. IMHO.

In 2006 I was getting over 71 baht to GBP so even though it's up to 54 today that's 24% less. Add on inflation and it's a big difference.

[Lissos]

I remember the 70 something Baht to £1 phase too. Happy days!!!

....a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away.

[Broken Record]

In the early 1990's, it was 25 Baht to a USD and less than 40 Baht to GBP, you could get 15% Interest in a Fixed account less 15% tax in 1990, could live ok then with a few million in the bank.

Things were also a lot cheaper then.

Then the financial Crisis came, Thai Baht crashed, and in January 1998 GBP hit 90 and the USD went as high as 56.

[NanLaew]

different times - different day

arrived from frankfurt 2 weeks ago, a380, docked somewhere gate c 16 or so. a good 2km walk to immigration, than lined up and timed 47 minutes to get my stamp. gf with thai passport had gone through 30 mins earlier, collected luggage etc.

by the time i got to the shuttle bus to don mueang 120 mins had passed from the time i had left the plane.

i learned 40 years ago at a travel industry business school to allow 4 hours for check out / check in at bkk - seems like little has changed.

Only 10 gates on the C concourse and the total walking distance from C10 to the first Immigration hall is around 850 m.

I know, I know, after 10 hours in a pressurized tube, it seems a lot longer.

Arrived at 11 AM last Saturday, loads of Chinese groups but very well managed Immigration so was through, grabbed my bag and clear of Customs in about 25 minutes from plane door opening.