Tourists Numbers, Businesses.Restaurants, Customers ?

[morrobay]

Its common to read around here that tourists numbers are down , shops closing , no customers. Is this just anecdotal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anecdotal_evidence. ?

Or is it really a fact. And if so I would be interested in first hand accounts. Because just looking around from Beach rd up past 2nd road it looks very crowded and busy in general. So what am I missing

here. Having said that the seafood restaurant over water on Walking st that I have been going to for 10 years always was open at 10 am. Just now I attempted to go there and they are not open until

1 pm. And the one next to it 2 pm.

[KittenKong]

The numbers are fantasy.

Yes, there are more tourists this year but they are mostly Chinese who stay just a couple of days and get bussed from one tourist attraction to another and rarely visit bars and restaurants that are off their tour itinerary.

Real figures would show tourist nights, not tourist arrivals, and would also show the average spend per head per day. Without that the numbers are meaningless. But rolling out meaningless numbers is very common in Thailand, and Thais seem to be very easily blinded by them.

[pattayamick64]

i know there wont be as many those russian beauties around

[pattayamick64]

i had even started to learn a bit of the russian language it would always help chasing those blond girls

[Rimmer]

A post all in caps has been removed also the reply to it

[phycokiller]

certainly picked up over the last week but I would guess its down on other years

[mikebell]

Pattaya 3rd Road/Junction with Pattaya Tai was gridlocked at 7.45 last night. Coaches everywhere & a gang of police doing their usual thing.

[petermik]

Coaches everywhere but only 50/60% full

[i claudius]

Coaches everywhere but only 50/60% full

Wow,that full most I ever see have about 10

[konying]

Pattaya 3rd Road/Junction with Pattaya Tai was gridlocked at 7.45 last night. Coaches everywhere & a gang of police doing their usual thing.

Not sure how you relate traffic jam to number of tourists.

As already said, loads of buses with Chinese who also hit Walking Street making it look packed.

Once you enter any bar or club or restaurant, you quickly find its empty.

Chinese have their contracts with certain hotels and those are busy

Chinese have their contracts with certain restaurants and massage shops and "markets" and again those are busy

All the rest are empty

Take a drive down Soi Buakhao tonight and see how busy bars and restaurants are. lucky to have 3 customers in each.

My biz is right next door to 7-11, this shop is always packed with Chinese buying mama noodles