Low season is really low

[SheungWan]

And now Tops supermarket at 2nd Road / Pattaya Klang is closing down. One of the girls said they have been there 15 years but now the 2 million Baht/ month rent is too much. You look at the Pattaya ( bad ) News Clippings

and its not surprising that for alot of folks the enough is enough - the Thais can have this place - point has been reached.

Seems to be the case,Ive just hung on unnecessarily,now even I have had enough. Got three mutts and putting one up for adoption in US/UK flights etc paid for,sad,but three is two too many anyway,but manageable.

Making my first move to re-establish myself next two weeks,Portugal or Spain,but those Spanish houses for sale/rent are really cheap and looking at pix of them look fantastic,anyway a once or twice over is required,but just want to get the hell out of it PDQ

Portugal has a beautiful Atlantic coast that looks like the Central California coast.

Swimming in the Atlantic should be fun.

[Asiantravel]

And now Tops supermarket at 2nd Road / Pattaya Klang is closing down. One of the girls said they have been there 15 years but now the 2 million Baht/ month rent is too much. You look at the Pattaya ( bad ) News Clippings

and its not surprising that for alot of folks the enough is enough - the Thais can have this place - point has been reached.

oh no !! I will really miss that place

[Asiantravel]

And now Tops supermarket at 2nd Road / Pattaya Klang is closing down. One of the girls said they have been there 15 years but now the 2 million Baht/ month rent is too much. You look at the Pattaya ( bad ) News Clippings

and its not surprising that for alot of folks the enough is enough - the Thais can have this place - point has been reached.

2 million Baht/month rent?

And "the girls" are all informed about the finances of Tops, right?

Actually it was one of the customer service girls who seemed pretty informed. I went in today and tried to ask if the rent had always been 2 million /mo or if it had just been raised. But the same girl was not there and no one else could understand the question. But if I understood correctly this store is moving to the bottom floor (Tops ? ) supermarket at Central Festival. And this first girl said that is where she will continue working. Why dont you research this and get back to us regarding the 2 million ? In any event it is -1 supermarket in Pattaya.

Is the building work in the basement at TukCom about expanding the space for the small TOPS supermarket there?

yes that's what is on the signs

[a99az]

Wonderful we will have the beach to ourselves for a few days.

[Asiantravel]

And now Tops supermarket at 2nd Road / Pattaya Klang is closing down. One of the girls said they have been there 15 years but now the 2 million Baht/ month rent is too much. You look at the Pattaya ( bad ) News Clippings

and its not surprising that for alot of folks the enough is enough - the Thais can have this place - point has been reached.

One of the most useless TOPS supermarkets I've ever been in. Every six months or so I venture in. There's maybe 3 or 4 customers, if that, and I never see anything to buy. Contrast this with the one in Central Plaza Rama 9 in Bangkok. Stupendous market.

The closing is another sign that foreigners of the Euro/NorthAm/Oz kind are leaving. As am I. Moving back to Bangkok in a couple of weeks as a short-term interim measure. During which I will spend some time in Saigon. What a dynamic city. Love visiting there.

how ridiculous to compare this outlet to one in Bangkok

so don't waste your time ever going to a tops express outlet then because you definitely wouldn't be impressed

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

LOL. I've forgotten about TOPs Express. The last one I remember would be what is now a big Family Mart on Nern Pub Wan. Reminds me of the "usefulness" of the mini Tesco Lotus behind Num Chai home electrics store on Suk.

Edited August 24, 2015 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[Asiantravel]

And now Tops supermarket at 2nd Road / Pattaya Klang is closing down. One of the girls said they have been there 15 years but now the 2 million Baht/ month rent is too much. You look at the Pattaya ( bad ) News Clippings

and its not surprising that for alot of folks the enough is enough - the Thais can have this place - point has been reached.

I was in there this morning and Tops staff said they were closing this month! It's really looking depressing now because they have closed down some sections like dairy products and turned the lights off. So some parts of the supermarket is dark.

I spoke to one of the small retailers that has a stand opposite Tops and he said in an assuring voice that another supermarket will come there such as Tesco Lotus.without a supermarket there that centre is going to be totally deserted.

I thought about this later and I find that hard to believe because I couldn't see Tesco Lotus agreeing a rental level that Tops already rejected.

I wonder how much effort went into the negotiations in trying to keep Tops their even if it meant a rent reduction.

Hope the landlord doesn't end up with an enormous space which lies dormant for months or years.

[Jingthing]

Speaking of deserted malls.

How many decades has "Latex Mall" on Jomtien Beach road been a rotting rat motel?

That place is like a block long.

Sometimes you really wonder what the land owners are thinking.

Of course, it's not only in Thailand:

http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-dead-shopping-malls-2014-7

Edited August 27, 2015 by Jingthing

[Asiantravel]

Speaking of deserted malls.

How many decades has "Latex Mall" on Jomtien Beach road been a rotting rat motel?

That place is like a block long.

Sometimes you really wonder what the land owners are thinking.

Of course, it's not only in Thailand:

http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-dead-shopping-malls-2014-7

it is possible according to this article that TukCom in South Pattaya will also become a deserted mall when the new one opens on Pattaya Klang.

http://newpattaya.com/construction/tuk-com-pattaya-klang/

[Jingthing]

Bummer. That would definitely make the surrounding sois even more slummy!

[toenail]

I am not a tourist or snow-bird but live in north Pattaya & commute to work the past 11 years now. I definitely see a drop of retired Westerners staying here compared to when I first arrived and lived in the Naklua area.Various reasons for this to be on the decline: flying has become more expensive and more of a hassle; until a month ago, the Baht exchange was quite high compared to 10 or 15 years ago, and (unfortunately) that particular age group are becoming too old to travelt. In a few years I will be retiring and WAS thinking of staying in Pattaya but various things in the past couple years have turned me off... the corruptness of the police which means nothing will ever get better (crime, corruption, bribes)-heck, city hall can not even stop the ski scams in the past ten years; then there are the clogging of sois and streets with the numerous tourist buses (I swear there were not this many 3--4 years ago), and now (not to be offensive or politically incorrect) but the increase of the Chinese is a real nuisance. The are too loud anywhere you go and the clearing of the throat and spitting is a turn off. Nope, Pattaya will not be my place to retire.

[Anthony5]

Speaking of deserted malls.

How many decades has "Latex Mall" on Jomtien Beach road been a rotting rat motel?

That place is like a block long.

Sometimes you really wonder what the land owners are thinking.

Of course, it's not only in Thailand:

http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-dead-shopping-malls-2014-7

it is possible according to this article that TukCom in South Pattaya will also become a deserted mall when the new one opens on Pattaya Klang.

http://newpattaya.com/construction/tuk-com-pattaya-klang/

Only is it so that the building they're talking about in the article will not be a Tukcom, but a harbor mall.

http://www.harbor.co.th/

[tolsti]

A friend brought me a pack of Waitrose Chocolate Bourbons the other day. Purchased at the TOPS that is closing.... Sticker still on ... 25thb. My staff loved them... Get in there before they close on the 31st.

[tropo]

And now Tops supermarket at 2nd Road / Pattaya Klang is closing down. One of the girls said they have been there 15 years but now the 2 million Baht/ month rent is too much. You look at the Pattaya ( bad ) News Clippings

and its not surprising that for alot of folks the enough is enough - the Thais can have this place - point has been reached.

I was in there this morning and Tops staff said they were closing this month! It's really looking depressing now because they have closed down some sections like dairy products and turned the lights off. So some parts of the supermarket is dark.

I spoke to one of the small retailers that has a stand opposite Tops and he said in an assuring voice that another supermarket will come there such as Tesco Lotus.without a supermarket there that centre is going to be totally deserted.

I thought about this later and I find that hard to believe because I couldn't see Tesco Lotus agreeing a rental level that Tops already rejected.

I wonder how much effort went into the negotiations in trying to keep Tops their even if it meant a rent reduction.

Hope the landlord doesn't end up with an enormous space which lies dormant for months or years.

I think that position is about the worst possible position for a supermarket or shopping mall. I very much doubt another chain will take over. That would be a great site for a hotel complex, a 5 star hotel.

[tropo]

And now Tops supermarket at 2nd Road / Pattaya Klang is closing down. One of the girls said they have been there 15 years but now the 2 million Baht/ month rent is too much. You look at the Pattaya ( bad ) News Clippings

and its not surprising that for alot of folks the enough is enough - the Thais can have this place - point has been reached.

2 million Baht/month rent?

And "the girls" are all informed about the finances of Tops, right?

Of course it's not the same location, but it may give some idea of commercial rents.... I know the rent at one hairdressing salon in Central is over 200k per month... .and I get that directly from the owner.

Bear in mind that Tops' rent was probably set pre-2009 before Central was opened and we all know rents seldom go down. They would have taken a huge hit when Central opened, just as Big C did, just down the road did.

Edited August 27, 2015 by tropo

[Jessi]

I had a friend travel from Bangkok to Pattaya on the bus yesterday, only 7 people on the bus.

Quiet times.

[tropo]

I had a friend travel from Bangkok to Pattaya on the bus yesterday, only 7 people on the bus.

Quiet times.

I'm never that lucky. What time of the day (or night) was it?

[Jessi]

Left BKK @ 8AM

[tropo]

Left BKK @ 8AM

Without ever taking a bus in this direction that early, I would have guessed it's a low passenger count time of day.

[Jessi]

Left BKK @ 8AM

Without ever taking a bus in this direction that early, I would have guessed it's a low passenger count time of day.

He mostly travels to Pattaya at that time. He phoned me about the low numbers because in over 10 years he has never seen anything like this.

[Halfaboy]

In these days many people like to go with minibuses.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

I came to Bangkok yesterday from hometown Pattaya, a trip I've done probably two dozen times already this year. It was full at the 11:50 am departure. However, both stations were decidedly not busy (they were empty last weekend too when I came to BKK). A vast contrast from pre-bomb blast days when there would be two to three bus loads of passengers (dozens of Chinese and Koreans) waiting for their departures. Now, there's just enough passengers for one bus load, with intervals between buses growing. And they just dropped the fare to 115 baht.

[loppylugs1]

Lot less Chinese now as they are a lot poorer since the stock market there went pear shaped

[Barefoot]

Lot less Chinese now as they are a lot poorer since the stock market there went pear shaped

That's doubtful. Only one in thirty Chinese have money in the market.

[JHolmesJr]

Never saw any evidence of low season this month….many asians, far outnumbering the farangs….its just that asians are into other activities that that don't involve bars and gogos. Lots of them in central, eating shopping.

Bars fairly empty….hurting…but then again what can you expect when there is a bar every 10 steps.

[balo]

In these days many people like to go with minibuses.

Yes they prefer to gamble with their lifes.

[bartender100]

I can only comment about the area around Pratumnak and Jomtien, very very quiet, all the little restaurants at the bottom of soi 6 are closed now, the beach down there deserted, Chinese seem to have disappeared. In Jomtien after 9pm is ghost town, some bars in the Rompho market complex are now closed, and most the others very few customers. I know its low season still, but never seen it like this

[Asiantravel]

I had a friend travel from Bangkok to Pattaya on the bus yesterday, only 7 people on the bus.

Quiet times.

to give an illustration of how this is affecting Thai's I travelled from Pattaya to Chiang Mai on Nakhon Chai Air and the bus was no more than 50% full. (32 seats so about 16 occupied).

When the bus left Pattaya I thought there will surely be a huge number of people getting on in Chonburi - but not even one joined the bus.

I have used NCA a lot and I have never known them to be anything other than full to capacity.

I had two seats to myself.

And even more remarkable was that it was just the same coming back.

My only theory was that locals are either using cheaper bus companies or are simply not travelling at all.

Edited August 28, 2015 by Asiantravel

[Halfaboy]

Locals are also more and more flying.

I know a lady working in Bangkok. When she goes to Surin she takes a flight (around 950 Baht) which is only slightly more expensive than a ticket for a coach.

[Asiantravel]

Locals are also more and more flying.

I know a lady working in Bangkok. When she goes to Surin she takes a flight (around 950 Baht) which is only slightly more expensive than a ticket for a coach.

I thought that but discounted it.

you mention the lady working in Bangkok. Yes if you are in Bangkok that's a different matter but

it's so inconvenient to go all the way to Don Muang - particularly from Rayong where the NCA bus originates and then go through all the palaver associated with flying (getting to the airport an hour early, checking in, waiting to board. Then at the destination disembarking,waiting for your luggage, getting from the airport etc ) when it's so easy to just step on board a comfortable NCA bus and simply step off at the other end.

I refuse to believe the drop-off in the number of passengers on NCA is mostly attributable to people flying instead.

And passengers from Chonburi would be mostly those working in the local factories and I doubt very much if they would make the effort to go to Don Muang or pay the additional amount to fly.