What has happened to the high season?

[cyberfarang]

7 hours ago, Chiengmaijoe said:

DELETED

 

In answer to the question raised by the op, parts of Chiang Mai are really busy, as they usually are at this time of the year, but the seedy side has been in decline for years, so anyone's view of how busy Chiang Mai is will always be dependant on where they are going. The number of references here to Loi Kroh rd are an indication as to where many of these opinions are coming from. The vast majority of Chiang Mai tourists not only don't visit Loi Kroh, but will go out of their way to avoid it. Except, of course, the part of Loi Kroh between McDonalds and the iron bridge.

This is not negativity but is fact. Nothing I have mentioned is false. There are probably people that you know who love Chiang Mai and I too also love Chiang Mai in my own way, I am only expressing reasons why I think CM tourism is down that is, lack of choice, it`s becoming expensive and far too much grot, including difficult immigration procedures and lung nashing pollution at certain times of the year.

 

What parts on what I am commenting don`t you understand?

Edited December 2, 2016 by seedy
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[sanemax]

5 hours ago, elektrified said:

No locals in the Goodview?? LOL it's always about 75%" locals".

 

  OK , fair enough  , I got "Goodview" mixed up with *No View= Lemon Spice*                 Easy mistake too make

[seedy]

Off Topic Nonsense Rant - and Quoted Replies - Removed

[chiang mai]

8 hours ago, Chiengmaijoe said:

DELETED

 

In answer to the question raised by the op, parts of Chiang Mai are really busy, as they usually are at this time of the year, but the seedy side has been in decline for years, so anyone's view of how busy Chiang Mai is will always be dependant on where they are going. The number of references here to Loi Kroh rd are an indication as to where many of these opinions are coming from. The vast majority of Chiang Mai tourists not only don't visit Loi Kroh, but will go out of their way to avoid it. Except, of course, the part of Loi Kroh between McDonalds and the iron bridge.

 

I think that's a very accurate assessment and what was said about Loi Kroh is very true. Upper LK has been in decline for many years whilst lower LK is quite vibrant at times - I avoid even driving down upper LK for some odd reason and instead go the long way around. I think a more reasonable gauge of tourist numbers and activity might be Anusan Market and Walking Street. A really good indicator for me is the volume of traffic going back and forth on the Samoeng Road as tourists flock (or don't) into the mountains for the day/weekend, strawberry season and all that kind of thing.

Edited December 2, 2016 by chiang mai

[seedy]

Bickering and Derogatory posts Removed

[SooKee]

The social scene, or rather lack of, is what kills CM for me. Some folks like to go out some folks don't. Nothing wrong in either approach but if you do the lack of variety in CM is a drag.

In CM the social scene tends to break down into 6 main categories
- Thai style places with food, a band playing Thai music (some better than others but the repertoire gets repetitive week in / week out) such as Infinity, Maldives and Oxide.
- Backpacker / student 'dive' clubs / bars like Zoe, Spicy and Warm Up.
- Thai style hostess / PR bars (some with music / some not) the best of which for me would be Roadside and maybe Rabbit at Chill Park, both in Mae Hia.
- Places like Yummy Pizza and Papa Rock which seem popular with expats and often have farang bands playing really loud, really dated music and food too.
- Places which try for a pub style with limited success like Beer Republic and Beer Lab selling way overpriced bottled import beer or draught import beer which can be very touch and go as to whether it'll be good or the dregs of a keg that wouldn't normally be served in a pub where they know what they're doing. There's also pubs like UN Irish and Archers where the beer can be better and the food can be good. But they're all a bit flat and lack much by way of atmosphere or buzz.
- Loi Kro which is about as unappealing as it can get.

Common to all is that they are generally really spread out, so if one is crap you have a long hack around town to get to the next one which will likely be just as underwhelming. In addition of course. They all close at 12. I know folks will say just go out earlier but honestly, for folks working, or visitors used to a more liberal approach, who can or even wants to? Most people I know go out to eat around 8. Finish around 10 then go to chill for 2-3 hours. In CM you'd get two hours max and that's only if you don't have a 20 minute trek to get to your chosen watering hole AND provided they don't start shutting up shop at 11:30 because it's dead and / or to appease the BIB. The other two problems for me is there's nowhere that has any kind of wow factor, especially for a sundowner to do some people watching our soak up the view and nowhere that would be pleasant to spend an afternoon chilling with visiting chums.

At first it might look like there's some decent variety but take out the 3-4 styles that I've no interest in and it drops rapidly. Winding down to my last month in CM and it's got to the stage where we'd rather not bother. Of all of them, The Hangout at Hangdong isn't too bad. At least they have bands that play a broader range of music and is more like a pub that serves food rather than many of the live music places in CM which are more restaurants that also serve drinks.

There's a few things that CM is really great for but a vibrant / varied social scene isn't one of them. It's not that it's low on the list of CM strong points, it's so abysmal it doesn't even feature. Just about every place that I've met visitors to CM they've always asked is it always THIS dead / boring (and the vast majority were singles / couples in the non-hooker hunting types of venue) and that was on the good nights!!! How many people want to visit / stay somewhere that's dull at night? Friends of mine than plan to come I tell them come maybe for 2-3 days, see / do what you need to, then go somewhere more lively.



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[cmsally]

Is North Gate jazz still happening or did that go too ?

That was very popular.

 

I think at the moment we are in an era of appearance over substance . The appearance sometimes works and sometimes not but for sure the substance is lacking.

In the past you had real culture, real artefacts and handicrafts (and some real characters!). Most of these are now sadly lacking.

[elektrified]

2 hours ago, cmsally said:

Is North Gate jazz still happening or did that go too ?

That was very popular.

 

I think at the moment we are in an era of appearance over substance . The appearance sometimes works and sometimes not but for sure the substance is lacking.

In the past you had real culture, real artefacts and handicrafts (and some real characters!). Most of these are now sadly lacking.

I'd be curious to know also if the North Gate Jazz Cooperative is still happening? I used to go often and quite honestly had forgotten about it. As much as I like Boy, his place has also become quite boring over the years.

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, SooKee said:

The social scene, or rather lack of, is what kills CM for me. Some folks like to go out some folks don't. Nothing wrong in either approach but if you do the lack of variety in CM is a drag.

In CM the social scene tends to break down into 6 main categories
- Thai style places with food, a band playing Thai music (some better than others but the repertoire gets repetitive week in / week out) such as Infinity, Maldives and Oxide.
- Backpacker / student 'dive' clubs / bars like Zoe, Spicy and Warm Up.
- Thai style hostess / PR bars (some with music / some not) the best of which for me would be Roadside and maybe Rabbit at Chill Park, both in Mae Hia.
- Places like Yummy Pizza and Papa Rock which seem popular with expats and often have farang bands playing really loud, really dated music and food too.
- Places which try for a pub style with limited success like Beer Republic and Beer Lab selling way overpriced bottled import beer or draught import beer which can be very touch and go as to whether it'll be good or the dregs of a keg that wouldn't normally be served in a pub where they know what they're doing. There's also pubs like UN Irish and Archers where the beer can be better and the food can be good. But they're all a bit flat and lack much by way of atmosphere or buzz.
- Loi Kro which is about as unappealing as it can get.

Common to all is that they are generally really spread out, so if one is crap you have a long hack around town to get to the next one which will likely be just as underwhelming. In addition of course. They all close at 12. I know folks will say just go out earlier but honestly, for folks working, or visitors used to a more liberal approach, who can or even wants to? Most people I know go out to eat around 8. Finish around 10 then go to chill for 2-3 hours. In CM you'd get two hours max and that's only if you don't have a 20 minute trek to get to your chosen watering hole AND provided they don't start shutting up shop at 11:30 because it's dead and / or to appease the BIB. The other two problems for me is there's nowhere that has any kind of wow factor, especially for a sundowner to do some people watching our soak up the view and nowhere that would be pleasant to spend an afternoon chilling with visiting chums.

At first it might look like there's some decent variety but take out the 3-4 styles that I've no interest in and it drops rapidly. Winding down to my last month in CM and it's got to the stage where we'd rather not bother. Of all of them, The Hangout at Hangdong isn't too bad. At least they have bands that play a broader range of music and is more like a pub that serves food rather than many of the live music places in CM which are more restaurants that also serve drinks.

There's a few things that CM is really great for but a vibrant / varied social scene isn't one of them. It's not that it's low on the list of CM strong points, it's so abysmal it doesn't even feature. Just about every place that I've met visitors to CM they've always asked is it always THIS dead / boring (and the vast majority were singles / couples in the non-hooker hunting types of venue) and that was on the good nights!!! How many people want to visit / stay somewhere that's dull at night? Friends of mine than plan to come I tell them come maybe for 2-3 days, see / do what you need to, then go somewhere more lively.



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Good post.

For myself, I chose an hotel close to Loi Kroh as it's within walking distance of some nightlife options, the night markets and loads of restaurants.

Staying in the old city is OK, but without transport it's got very little after dark entertainment to walk to.

 

Because of the rip off red songtheaws after dark I won't go anywhere I can't walk to, so that excludes most of whatever entertainment is mentioned on this thread. It's long past time for taxis with meters that work.

 

There's a few things that CM is really great for but a vibrant / varied social scene isn't one of them. It's not that it's low on the list of CM strong points, it's so abysmal it doesn't even feature. Just about every place that I've met visitors to CM they've always asked is it always THIS dead / boring

Sadly very true.

[seedy]

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[scottiejohn]

17 hours ago, elektrified said:

Many have closed. One of the oldest which was in Sansai that had live music 7 nights/week recently closed. Another I used to visit sometimes, also in Sansai, closed down and within a week the entire strip of restaurants, bars, etc. was bulldozed ready for development.

 

Promenada on Thurs-Sun has live music and food and drinks. About 90% Thai patrons.  I would recommend that on your visit. We go often. It's nice for an evening out. (Be careful of the police on the main road by the exit waiting to bust drivers who had too much too drink!)

 

I'm not saying there are none, don't get me wrong. But seriously, if you come across some good live music venues while on your visit, please let us know.

 

There a re a few places with solo acoustic guitar/singer entertainment like near the bus station.

The Thai European Bar/Restaurant in Anusarn market has a live group playing Western Music every night at 9pm

[elektrified]

2 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

The Thai European Bar/Restaurant in Anusarn market has a live group playing Western Music every night at 9pm

Thanks. Will check it out.

[ttthailand]

 
    The Good view is packed everynight , seems to be with Chinese and Felangs , havent seen any locals in their . They either do extremely good food, as it isnt that cheap, or, as I expect, it had been featured in guide books .
   I dont think that the Chinese coming to CM has nothing to do with felangs not coming here .
  Chinese blend in with the local populace and they are hardly noticed and the Chinese are generally OK , the sometimes big groups can be annoying, when they block the way .but they hardly cause any issues or problems .
   Chinese have had some bad media coverage, but they are generally OK

I was at the Good View on Friday night and it was 90+ % Thai. A few loud Chinese who most were looking a little disgusted at and myself and five or perhaps six farang. The place however was packed !
Chinese in the news here on TV, Bangkok post, other networks all put the rude Chinese here in Chiang Mai as a problem. I am sure many see these reports and think twice about coming. This includes me... I get tired of hearing all the shouting, line jumping, and other rude behavior and normally avoid places with same.


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[LivinLOS]

23 hours ago, Chiengmaijoe said:

In answer to the question raised by the op, parts of Chiang Mai are really busy, as they usually are at this time of the year, but the seedy side has been in decline for years, so anyone's view of how busy Chiang Mai is will always be dependant on where they are going. The number of references here to Loi Kroh rd are an indication as to where many of these opinions are coming from. The vast majority of Chiang Mai tourists not only don't visit Loi Kroh, but will go out of their way to avoid it. Except, of course, the part of Loi Kroh between McDonalds and the iron bridge.

 

For me this seems on the money.. 

 

Loy Kroh is in deep decline.. As is the western tourist monger and cheap retiree market and services for them.. 

 

Go to niman and queue up to get a chair in beer lab and the honor of 300 baht beers.. Look at how packed namtons gets and Thais happy to buy a 400 something baht 

Saison.. In a nicely laid out instagram friendly modern social media promoting way..  Theres plenty of local and asian money here now.. Frankly I get the idea they dont much need us and dont really like the residue of Loy Kroh etc we had and have left in such a public way. Sure they will keep taking the brown envelopes to keep Spotlight or Foxys open behind closed doors, but grumble too hard about the 10 baht increase in the price of a large domestic beer and dont be surprised when they decide to stop catering to that market at all.. 

 

Thai bars seem packed.. Even way out of town the bars and cafes seem packed.. Every time I turn around new businesses are mushrooming all around Hang Dong (even sleepy nahm prea.. Tintins bar with expensive import beers in a rural Thai village.. The village not 1km from it.. Etc etc.. Thats in village back roads, 300b beers and solid custom. 

 

Tourist numbers up or down, impression of them up or down, chinese tours up or down.. Chiang Mai is only partly a tourist economy, sure it helps but the locals and domestic tourism is also sustaining the businesses that cater to their needs and doing well from it. 

[LivinLOS]

11 hours ago, SooKee said:

In CM the social scene tends to break down into 6 main categories
- Thai style places with food, a band playing Thai music (some better than others but the repertoire gets repetitive week in / week out) such as Infinity, Maldives and Oxide.
- Backpacker / student 'dive' clubs / bars like Zoe, Spicy and Warm Up.
- Thai style hostess / PR bars (some with music / some not) the best of which for me would be Roadside and maybe Rabbit at Chill Park, both in Mae Hia.
- Places like Yummy Pizza and Papa Rock which seem popular with expats and often have farang bands playing really loud, really dated music and food too.
- Places which try for a pub style with limited success like Beer Republic and Beer Lab selling way overpriced bottled import beer or draught import beer which can be very touch and go as to whether it'll be good or the dregs of a keg that wouldn't normally be served in a pub where they know what they're doing. There's also pubs like UN Irish and Archers where the beer can be better and the food can be good. But they're all a bit flat and lack much by way of atmosphere or buzz.
- Loi Kro which is about as unappealing as it can get.

Common to all is that they are generally really spread out, so if one is crap you have a long hack around town to get to the next one which will likely be just as underwhelming. In addition of course. They all close at 12. I know folks will say just go out earlier but honestly, for folks working, or visitors used to a more liberal approach, who can or even wants to? Most people I know go out to eat around 8. Finish around 10 then go to chill for 2-3 hours. In CM you'd get two hours max and that's only if you don't have a 20 minute trek to get to your chosen watering hole AND provided they don't start shutting up shop at 11:30 because it's dead and / or to appease the BIB. The other two problems for me is there's nowhere that has any kind of wow factor, especially for a sundowner to do some people watching our soak up the view and nowhere that would be pleasant to spend an afternoon chilling with visiting chums.

At first it might look like there's some decent variety but take out the 3-4 styles that I've no interest in and it drops rapidly. Winding down to my last month in CM and it's got to the stage where we'd rather not bother. Of all of them, The Hangout at Hangdong isn't too bad. At least they have bands that play a broader range of music and is more like a pub that serves food rather than many of the live music places in CM which are more restaurants that also serve drinks.

 

 

Theres bits of this I can agree with.. But outside of Bangkok and Pattaya, 2 places I wouldnt consider living, where in Thailand has better (later I do understand) ??

 

Even Phuket just is more of the mongering / nightlife / sex tourist or high cost 'brunching' with the west coast millionaires.. Theres not much better just kind of more, brighter, and later. 

[elektrified]

50 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

 

For me this seems on the money.. 

 

Loy Kroh is in deep decline.. As is the western tourist monger and cheap retiree market and services for them.. 

 

Go to niman and queue up to get a chair in beer lab and the honor of 300 baht beers.. Look at how packed namtons gets and Thais happy to buy a 400 something baht 

Saison.. In a nicely laid out instagram friendly modern social media promoting way..  Theres plenty of local and asian money here now.. Frankly I get the idea they dont much need us and dont really like the residue of Loy Kroh etc we had and have left in such a public way. Sure they will keep taking the brown envelopes to keep Spotlight or Foxys open behind closed doors, but grumble too hard about the 10 baht increase in the price of a large domestic beer and dont be surprised when they decide to stop catering to that market at all.. 

 

Thai bars seem packed.. Even way out of town the bars and cafes seem packed.. Every time I turn around new businesses are mushrooming all around Hang Dong (even sleepy nahm prea.. Tintins bar with expensive import beers in a rural Thai village.. The village not 1km from it.. Etc etc.. Thats in village back roads, 300b beers and solid custom. 

 

Tourist numbers up or down, impression of them up or down, chinese tours up or down.. Chiang Mai is only partly a tourist economy, sure it helps but the locals and domestic tourism is also sustaining the businesses that cater to their needs and doing well from it. 

I concur. That combined with the many visitors from Bangkok who find it cheap here, and it's clear where the future is headed. Same on some of the islands.

[balo]

I see plenty of tourists , especially backpackers whenever I visit the city centre around the moat. But I think there are less Chinese groups now than only a few months ago . 

 

 

 

[seedy]

Flaming posts Removed

[LivinLOS]

I think bangkok post is not allowed linking.. Google "engine failure bangkok post' and they list some v poor economic numbers. 

 

Also the tourist numbers missing targets. 

[seedy]

Flaming post removed. Reply to the post - do not attack the poster

[cmsally]

1 hour ago, LivinLOS said:

I think bangkok post is not allowed linking.. Google "engine failure bangkok post' and they list some v poor economic numbers. 

 

Also the tourist numbers missing targets. 

A very interesting article, and any intuition says it hits the nail on the head.

[SooKee]

 

 

Theres bits of this I can agree with.. But outside of Bangkok and Pattaya, 2 places I wouldnt consider living, where in Thailand has better (later I do understand) ??

 

Even Phuket just is more of the mongering / nightlife / sex tourist or high cost 'brunching' with the west coast millionaires.. Theres not much better just kind of more, brighter, and later. 

Well whether you'd consider living in BKK or Pattaya is largely irrelevant, no denying however that they both blow CM out of the water in terms of variety of nightlife.

In all honesty the comments about Phuket just indicate a total lack, or ill informed, knowledge of Phuket or just plain willful blindness and dare I say a degree of what sounds like bitterness or even jealous envy over those who choose to enjoy themselves by brunching or whatever. How folks enjoy to spend their leisure time is up to them really but at least even in Phuket there's far more of a social side to be had and in far more attractive surroundings than ever there would be in CM. Anyone who thinks Phuket only caters for mongers and millionaire brunchers is just as narrow minded as folks that might think CM caters only for cheap Charlies, backpackers and digital pikeys.

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[thaibeachlovers]

50 minutes ago, SooKee said:

Well whether you'd consider living in BKK or Pattaya is largely irrelevant, no denying however that they both blow CM out of the water in terms of variety of nightlife.

In all honesty the comments about Phuket just indicate a total lack, or ill informed, knowledge of Phuket or just plain willful blindness and dare I say a degree of what sounds like bitterness or even jealous envy over those who choose to enjoy themselves by brunching or whatever. How folks enjoy to spend their leisure time is up to them really but at least even in Phuket there's far more of a social side to be had and in far more attractive surroundings than ever there would be in CM. Anyone who thinks Phuket only caters for mongers and millionaire brunchers is just as narrow minded as folks that might think CM caters only for cheap Charlies, backpackers and digital pikeys.

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I think when Phuket is mentioned posters are referring only to Patong, as they probably don't know that Phuket actually exists outside Bangla. Same goes for any that put down Pattaya because they had a 5 minute tour down Beach Rd and Walking St.

[thaibeachlovers]

15 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

 

For me this seems on the money.. 

 

Loy Kroh is in deep decline.. As is the western tourist monger and cheap retiree market and services for them.. 

 

Go to niman and queue up to get a chair in beer lab and the honor of 300 baht beers.. Look at how packed namtons gets and Thais happy to buy a 400 something baht 

Saison.. In a nicely laid out instagram friendly modern social media promoting way..  Theres plenty of local and asian money here now.. Frankly I get the idea they dont much need us and dont really like the residue of Loy Kroh etc we had and have left in such a public way. Sure they will keep taking the brown envelopes to keep Spotlight or Foxys open behind closed doors, but grumble too hard about the 10 baht increase in the price of a large domestic beer and dont be surprised when they decide to stop catering to that market at all.. 

 

Thai bars seem packed.. Even way out of town the bars and cafes seem packed.. Every time I turn around new businesses are mushrooming all around Hang Dong (even sleepy nahm prea.. Tintins bar with expensive import beers in a rural Thai village.. The village not 1km from it.. Etc etc.. Thats in village back roads, 300b beers and solid custom. 

 

Tourist numbers up or down, impression of them up or down, chinese tours up or down.. Chiang Mai is only partly a tourist economy, sure it helps but the locals and domestic tourism is also sustaining the businesses that cater to their needs and doing well from it. 

Chiang Mai is only partly a tourist economy

Try telling that to the people that depend 100% on the tourists. No doubt they will be happy to hear that, not.

Regardless, thousands depend on tourists, and for the authorities to destroy any part of it is bad for the locals that do depend on that sector.

To concentrate on one demographic is insane, as proven with the demise of the Chinese tours.

 

Even the local boom will fizzle if the greater economy suffers, as looks likely. If Trump returns manufacturing to the US, how many Thai factories go bust?

I remember the last bust in LOS well. The rich were selling their expensive cars in car parks and Bkk streets were almost pleasant to walk along with the reduction in traffic. If that happens again, what chance do you give Niman and 300 baht beers?

 

Sensible planning caters for every demographic that attracts people to spend money. At the moment, that is lacking.

Actually, all I see is no planning at all.

 

 

[SooKee]

Not so sure about the solid custom at Tintins either. Near where I live so out of interest I've taken a drive past it 10-12 times over recent weeks, different times, mostly evenings. Ranged from dead and totally devoid of custom to just a handful of customers. Never once appealing enough to go in. And if you do take the risk and drive out there (unless it's local to you) where do you go if you find it's dead? That'd be Hangout if you wanted something only 15 mins away or maybe Salicha on Samoeng Road for likely an equally dead night save maybe for the odd weekend. Other than that it's back on the road for the 30 minute slog back to town.

Places like that might get a few folks in sometimes. Must do I guess. But it's a real risk plotting it into your plans for a good night out and an even more extreme example of CM nightlife being so strung out. And the chances of visitors (and that's what business owners in high season are waiting for) going or even knowing about it. 1% maybe?


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[LivinLOS]

1 hour ago, SooKee said:

Well whether you'd consider living in BKK or Pattaya is largely irrelevant, no denying however that they both blow CM out of the water in terms of variety of nightlife.

In all honesty the comments about Phuket just indicate a total lack, or ill informed, knowledge of Phuket or just plain willful blindness and dare I say a degree of what sounds like bitterness or even jealous envy over those who choose to enjoy themselves by brunching or whatever. How folks enjoy to spend their leisure time is up to them really but at least even in Phuket there's far more of a social side to be had and in far more attractive surroundings than ever there would be in CM. Anyone who thinks Phuket only caters for mongers and millionaire brunchers is just as narrow minded as folks that might think CM caters only for cheap Charlies, backpackers and digital pikeys.

Sent using Tapatalk

 

I lived on Phuket for about a decade.. Mine was the cliff top villa above Phuket beverly hills that was destroyed in the landslide, front page of the papers etc.. So no lack of experience or jealousy of living large and twin palms / indigo pearl brunching... 

 

But theres so little integration between westerners and Thais there (animosity even) and while there are a few places over in Phuket town which are closer, they are only similar to maldives / infinity area kind of things. I still say theres not much non mongering nightlife in Phuket and as bad as CNX's is, dont see much better there. I also think Chiang Mai province is far more attractive than Phuket province these days also, You need to head up to Nai Yang Nai Thon to find anything thats not hillsides pock marked by ugly white box architecture and cheap build high priced 'villas'.. 

 

As I said, I cant take urban as a place to live so forget bangkok and patts.. Whats that leave you ?? Samui (which I like actually) ?? Hua hin or any other 3rd tier city around far worse than here. 

Edited December 4, 2016 by LivinLOS

[LivinLOS]

57 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I think when Phuket is mentioned posters are referring only to Patong, as they probably don't know that Phuket actually exists outside Bangla. Same goes for any that put down Pattaya because they had a 5 minute tour down Beach Rd and Walking St.

 

I can assure you that I know every road and every back lane on the entire (small admittedly) island.. Possible exception to some alleys in Phuket town. 

 

10 years routinely cruising around it on a bike.. 1st wifes family from Nai Thon.. and a preference to be away from mass tourism... means I know most back lanes from Phuket to Khao lak or Phang nga too.. Exploring countryside on a motorbike was how I kept out of bars. 

[LivinLOS]

47 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Chiang Mai is only partly a tourist economy

Try telling that to the people that depend 100% on the tourists. No doubt they will be happy to hear that, not.

Regardless, thousands depend on tourists, and for the authorities to destroy any part of it is bad for the locals that do depend on that sector.

To concentrate on one demographic is insane, as proven with the demise of the Chinese tours.

 

What I meant was.. Western tourism is far less important than it used to be.. And has far less spending power than it used to have.. Theres more billionaires in China than america and I think I read they either have or are just about to have more ultra high net worth (50 Mil) than the US too.. 

 

Its the changing face of tourism, and the decline of western importance and currency hegemony.. Shrinking pensions, shrinking status.. Case of deal with it.. 

[LivinLOS]

23 minutes ago, SooKee said:

Not so sure about the solid custom at Tintins either. Near where I live so out of interest I've taken a drive past it 10-12 times over recent weeks, different times, mostly evenings. Ranged from dead and totally devoid of custom to just a handful of customers. Never once appealing enough to go in. And if you do take the risk and drive out there (unless it's local to you) where do you go if you find it's dead?

 

I dropped in for the first time about 2 weeks ago on the way home.. 9 pm ish.. 3 tables of people in a small place.. Just stunned me they would be selling craft beer at London prices on a back road in a village 30 minutes out of town in the provinces..  

I wouldnt imagine anyone would drive out there for it, but thats also the point, its selling high priced items to local people.. 'The Village' too, peter gets enough people in there and clearly is wealthy enough to not care if it works or dosnt. I mean the  10s of 100k Bonsai trees as decorations etc... How much has he put into that multi rai plot of land ?? 

[cyberfarang]

3 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

 

I dropped in for the first time about 2 weeks ago on the way home.. 9 pm ish.. 3 tables of people in a small place.. Just stunned me they would be selling craft beer at London prices on a back road in a village 30 minutes out of town in the provinces..  

I wouldnt imagine anyone would drive out there for it, but thats also the point, its selling high priced items to local people.. 'The Village' too, peter gets enough people in there and clearly is wealthy enough to not care if it works or dosnt. I mean the  10s of 100k Bonsai trees as decorations etc... How much has he put into that multi rai plot of land ?? 

Where I live there have been a few small cafes opened up and loads of coffee shops and a handful of legit massage parlours that most of these massage shops owners suddenly decide they are wasting their time and close within 6 months.

 

What amazes me is that I never see any customers in the cafes and coffee shops and wonder why do they bother and how do they manage to stay open? All the Thai noodle cafes and stalls are closed by 4.00 pm. There are a couple of spit and sawdust local Thai shops that serve cheap whiskey at 20 baht a shot where a few locals sit round a table and have a chat, but these too are closed by 8.30 pm. After that the area becomes a ghost town, it becomes possible to hear a pin drop a mile away. And I live only 14 KL from the town.