More than twice as many restaurants set to close in 2017 as Thais eat out less

[speedtripler]

20 minutes ago, Joebuzz said:

I see it a bit different.  If the majority of restaurants closing are in Isaan that means money is not being sent 'back home' which means mongers aren't spending which likely means tourist numbers are down which means they ever present 'Tourist numbers are up!' Is completely BS.

You think all the money in Isaan comes from 'mongers? 

[NanLaew]

On 14/07/2017 at 0:43 AM, webfact said:

Also mentioned as contributing factors were foreign owned franchises squeezing out locals by offering discounts and two for one deals as well as the increasing emergence of online delivery services, reported Daily News.

Nobody mentioned the growing line of cheap, frozen Thai 'TV dinners' in the coolers at 7-eleven and Family Mart. These are all made by local companies and sold through the locally owned convenience stores. When Mrs Nan had her excellent Isaan food emporium last year, the bulk of evening trade were young working people and couples who would stop and order 'to go' and pop down to the 7-eleven and get their drinks and smokes, come back and take their food order home. With less baht in their pockets, they increasingly did their one-stop shopping at 7-eleven and only ordered the really tasty stuff maybe 2 or 3 times a week. Although they loved her cooking and she wasn't expensive, the reality was to save any money, they had to eat processed, frozen food more often.

[Grubster]

I think the high Thai baht has a big effect on exports which feeds down the line, labor here is way too cheap also leaving workers little chance to dine out. Western tourism seams way down to me also, and I would guess the average western tourist spends ten times more than eastern tourist's.

[speedtripler]

52 minutes ago, Grubster said:

I think the high Thai baht has a big effect on exports which feeds down the line, labor here is way too cheap also leaving workers little chance to dine out. Western tourism seams way down to me also, and I would guess the average western tourist spends ten times more than eastern tourist's.

Ive seen coachfulls of chinese tourists at various hotels in chang mai and its pretty hilarious to watch them in action at the breakfast buffet 

The feeding frenzy and pace has to be seen to be full appreciated  and some even putting slices of dry white bread and other items in plastic bags to eat later 

 

i doubt the thais are going to make much money off these these kind of quality tourists but they chose it so now they can live with it 

[Lancelot01]

Also 7/11, Family Mart selling cheap microwaved Thai food.

[473geo]

If the agricultural sector takes a cut of around 60%+ in disposable income, then some downturn is to be expected

Maybe it had to happen, perhaps the government is correct to limit support to save further economic challenge for the country

But this news can hardly be unexpected as the rural population apply the self sufficiency model.

A family near us rented a restaurant in a nearby town, we went and ate there a few times to support them, I enjoyed the food, very tasty.Unfortunately it appears the rent proved an overhead too far in relation to customer turn around,  as they returned to cook at their home with a few tables outside for paying customers. 

[Scott]

An inflammatory post has been removed.  

[Grubster]

6 hours ago, 473geo said:

If the agricultural sector takes a cut of around 60%+ in disposable income, then some downturn is to be expected

Maybe it had to happen, perhaps the government is correct to limit support to save further economic challenge for the country

But this news can hardly be unexpected as the rural population apply the self sufficiency model.

A family near us rented a restaurant in a nearby town, we went and ate there a few times to support them, I enjoyed the food, very tasty.Unfortunately it appears the rent proved an overhead too far in relation to customer turn around,  as they returned to cook at their home with a few tables outside for paying customers. 

You are so correct about the lack of disposable income in rural Thailand, any farm subsidies would be spent back into the economy and would help not hurt the taxpayer over all and in the long haul. Many here think of subsidies as welfare, I think of them as sustaining a healthy economy. Many of our local food shops have also closed as the farmers collect bugs, rats, snakes, frogs, nuts and berries from the woods, net birds and baby fish etc. to survive on little or no money. It really bugs me that the government requires kids to have school uniforms that many cannot afford so they just don't go.

[YetAnother]

Hurry up !

go out to eat before your favorite restaurants close !

[tominbkk]

What % of Thai people pick up their food at the market?  My local market is simply swamped between 4:30-8:00 pm with people grabbing bags of food for home.  Probably half the price of a restaurant, normally excellent quality and value because the market's market is very competitive.  Plus a lot of variety so you can always have something different every night.  

 

Also the local restaurants around my house that offer good food and value are busy all the time.  The ones that offer shitty or expensive food or are bad service don't last.  Seems obvious.

 

Personally I cook 80% of the time as I am quite particular with the quality of my produce and meat, but having spent the first half of my working career working in F&B it doesn't seem that out of the ordinary that that many restaurants are going under.  It is a very competitive biz that novices should think twice about going into.