It Taina joke

[NamKangMan]

18 hours ago, hkt83100 said:

In front of Red Onion tonight. From there in direction to Patak Road a lot is going on.

 

When I see queues like that, it's usually Chinese with vouchers for particular restaurants. 

 

They'll wait a long time to get that meal that was prepaid as part of the package holiday.

[Kopitiam]

2 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

Taina Road can be viewed as micro economy within the Phuket economy. 

 

No hijacking.

The thread is about what is going on in Taina Road.  How to bring life back onto this road.  At one point it was about whether the owner of Red Onion has made a bad decision to relocate the restaurant there.  There has been a big drop of human traffic on Taina Rd since its hay days.  Building more hostels and hotels will certainly bring back a lot of human traffic.  Depending on the type of "human" traffic, the local economy will sprout up accordingly.  Its always a chicken and egg issue.

[Kopitiam]

21 hours ago, hkt83100 said:

In front of Red Onion tonight. From there in direction to Patak Road a lot is going on.

I was there tonight for dinner.  Same situation as above.  I realised that Red Onion has started to take reservation via phone, which makes things difficult because you see empty tables but cannot be given a table.  Crowd control is a problem as the restaurant now has a larger frontage (3 shopfront).  They are also severely short of staff.  Only 1 staff (the ladyboy) is taking order, 2 staff are bringing out food and the lady cashier is running around clearing table.  I will not be going back there any time soon during high season.

[NamKangMan]

On 2/1/2018 at 1:01 AM, Kopitiam said:

The thread is about what is going on in Taina Road.  How to bring life back onto this road.  At one point it was about whether the owner of Red Onion has made a bad decision to relocate the restaurant there.  There has been a big drop of human traffic on Taina Rd since its hay days.  Building more hostels and hotels will certainly bring back a lot of human traffic.  Depending on the type of "human" traffic, the local economy will sprout up accordingly.  Its always a chicken and egg issue.

 

"Depending on the type of "human" traffic, the local economy will sprout up accordingly." - I agree, but I would suggest there would not be much "sprouting up of the economy" from the hostel customers.

 

As far as creating more human traffic, that is along the same idea of TAT, more numbers MUST equal more money.  Right?  However, we are seeing signs that this is not the case with the demographic currently making up those numbers. 

 

As mentioned previously, those big numbers put big pressure on infrastructure and resources here, without the corresponding revenue from them. 

 

The concern is, without the revenue coming in, where is the money going to come for infrastructure maintenance and upgrades in the future, and I haven't even touched on the extra pressure on the environment.

[Kopitiam]

1 hour ago, NamKangMan said:

 

"Depending on the type of "human" traffic, the local economy will sprout up accordingly." - I agree, but I would suggest there would not be much "sprouting up of the economy" from the hostel customers.

 

As far as creating more human traffic, that is along the same idea of TAT, more numbers MUST equal more money.  Right?  However, we are seeing signs that this is not the case with the demographic currently making up those numbers. 

 

As mentioned previously, those big numbers put big pressure on infrastructure and resources here, without the corresponding revenue from them. 

 

The concern is, without the revenue coming in, where is the money going to come for infrastructure maintenance and upgrades in the future, and I haven't even touched on the extra pressure on the environment.

NKM, you are trying to hijack this thread again.

 

KB has started this threat about Taina Rd losing its attraction of yester years (see post #1) due to lack of foot traffic.  Its about how to bring back more human traffic into Taina Rd.  More hotels/hostels will definitely bring more human traffic to it.  Even the cheap backpackers will bring some business to the local traders.  Right now, there are more staff in the restaurants than customers.

[NamKangMan]

18 hours ago, Kopitiam said:

NKM, you are trying to hijack this thread again.

 

KB has started this threat about Taina Rd losing its attraction of yester years (see post #1) due to lack of foot traffic.  Its about how to bring back more human traffic into Taina Rd.  More hotels/hostels will definitely bring more human traffic to it.  Even the cheap backpackers will bring some business to the local traders.  Right now, there are more staff in the restaurants than customers.

 

I am not hijacking the thread. 

 

I'll give you an example.  All the Chinese tourists that walk up and down Bangla Road, taking photos from the street, of girls dancing on the bars, and ladyboys, but do not go into a bar and buy a drink.  This is what you are describing - foot traffic. 

 

What I am asking is, how will cheap tourists, Eg. backpackers in hostels, breath economic life in Taina Road?

 

Sure, they will grab a cheap bowl of street noodles, maybe a couple of beers from a 7/11, but is this creating employment and profits? 

 

Foot traffic looks great, but it's literally "worthless" if the people do not spend in an establishment on the particular street / Soi, or in the immediate area. 

[Kopitiam]

4 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

I am not hijacking the thread. 

 

I'll give you an example.  All the Chinese tourists that walk up and down Bangla Road, taking photos from the street, of girls dancing on the bars, and ladyboys, but do not go into a bar and buy a drink.  This is what you are describing - foot traffic. 

 

What I am asking is, how will cheap tourists, Eg. backpackers in hostels, breath economic life in Taina Road?

 

Sure, they will grab a cheap bowl of street noodles, maybe a couple of beers from a 7/11, but is this creating employment and profits? 

 

Foot traffic looks great, but it's literally "worthless" if the people do not spend in an establishment on the particular street / Soi, or in the immediate area. 

You are contradicting yourself, "grab a cheap bowl of street noodles and maybe a couple of beers from a 7/11" , do generate profits for the street vendors and employment for 7/11 staff.  KB and I reckon that more hostels/hotels will bring more foot traffic and therefore more life back to Taina Rd.  What are you suggesting to bring back life to Taina Rd?  Even the Chinese tourists walking up and down in Bangla Rd is bringing life there.  Just imagine Bangla Rd without the Chinese tourists.  A ghost town!  Ask the management of BigC in JungCeylon whether the Chinese tourists are contributing to his company's profits.  Even cheap crabby stuff they are buying makes big profits.

[NamKangMan]

22 hours ago, Kopitiam said:

You are contradicting yourself, "grab a cheap bowl of street noodles and maybe a couple of beers from a 7/11" , do generate profits for the street vendors and employment for 7/11 staff.  KB and I reckon that more hostels/hotels will bring more foot traffic and therefore more life back to Taina Rd.  What are you suggesting to bring back life to Taina Rd?  Even the Chinese tourists walking up and down in Bangla Rd is bringing life there.  Just imagine Bangla Rd without the Chinese tourists.  A ghost town!  Ask the management of BigC in JungCeylon whether the Chinese tourists are contributing to his company's profits.  Even cheap crabby stuff they are buying makes big profits.

 

Whilst I agree that 1 baht of profit is better than no profit at all, "foot traffic" is no longer a good indication of how well Phuket's local economy is going, and yes, Tania Road is part of that economy. 

 

Just how much "flow on effect" into the Tania Road economy do you think there is from a bowls of street noodles and a few beers from 7/11?

 

As an example, I don't know how much profit 7/11 makes from selling one Chang beer, but let's say it's 5 baht.  If 100 backpackers each bought one Chang beer at the same 7/11 on Tania Road, that's still only 500 baht profit.  Not a great deal of profit, for such a large amount of customers. 

 

Then, you have the added problem of the bars / restaurants going broke in the area, because the majority of tourists in the area eat off the street, and drink out of 7/11. 

 

Once again, large amounts of foot traffic looks great, but it is worthless if there is not a corresponding turn over from them.  

 

I regularly shop at Big C, and I see what the Chinese and Russians buy.  Yes, Big C profits from them, and those profits go off the island.  So, apart from some extra employment for minimum wage staff, the Phuket economy doesn't see much out of what they spend in Big C. 

 

"Just imagine Bangla Rd without the Chinese tourists.  A ghost town!" - it's heading that way anyway.  Have you seen all the vacant bars, and bars for sale?  Whilst there maybe, literally, thousands of people walking along Bangla Road each night, it doesn't mean anything to establishments along Bangla Road if they do not come in and make a purchase.  

 

On another point, just because something is built on Tania Road, what makes you think the people will come, particularly the backpackers to hostels? 

 

"What are you suggesting to bring back life to Taina Rd?" - pretty much the same as bringing life back to Phuket.  

 

For a start, infrastructure upgrades, proper maintenance and repairs to critical infrastructure, some form of proper public transport, the twelve major Thai families who own the majority of land here to be realistic with their rents, enforcement of the law here - particularly on the roads, but also in relation to scams, theft and violence.  None of these are not what is already being offered elsewhere in Thailand, and in neighboring countries. 

 

Sadly, Phuket has poor Governance, mainly due to corruption, and their only answer seems to be targeting tourists from emerging economies, where Phuket's infrastructure may be acceptable to these tourists. 

 

Basically, Phuket should offer a pleasant and value for money holiday, which Phuket was famous for, in the past.  Hardly rocket science. 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2018 by NamKangMan

[LivinginKata]

I was out about 18.30 driving along Kata Road from the bus station. The road was very busy and there were plenty of walkers. Even more walkers near Kata corner. We I turned into Tania Road it was remarkable how few folks turned off the beach drag. 

 

Driving down Tania I noticed all the shops for rent at the 'busy' end of Tania. I counted at least 10 shops for rent, might be even 20. Not much foot traffic. Red onion was the only place busy, but not queuing. A number of tables available and that was 18.30. If anything the foot traffic at traffic light end  light end has a bit more foot traffic,

[hkt83100]

Tonight I was told that Red Onion is closing for retirement by the end of the month. The family is moving back to Isaan after 23 years on Phuket.

[stevenl]

7 hours ago, hkt83100 said:

Tonight I was told that Red Onion is closing for retirement by the end of the month. The family is moving back to Isaan after 23 years on Phuket.

So why the move a few months ago in stead of closing at that point? 

Maybe not as good business as they expected?

[Old Croc]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

So why the move a few months ago in stead of closing at that point? 

Maybe not as good business as they expected?

Yes, very strange.

Apparently people have been waiting outside for seating on most nights, so I don't know how much better business could be.

Perhaps something like family illness caused a change of plans?

[Kopitiam]

12 hours ago, hkt83100 said:

Tonight I was told that Red Onion is closing for retirement by the end of the month. The family is moving back to Isaan after 23 years on Phuket.

If true, that would make the effort to revive Taina Road even more difficult.

[LivinginKata]

1 hour ago, Kopitiam said:

If true, that would make the effort to revive Taina Road even more difficult.

 

Taina Road is already doomed.

 

[Kopitiam]

2 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Taina Road is already doomed.

 

If its already doomed, why not asked the moderator to close this thread?

[LivinginKata]

55 minutes ago, Kopitiam said:

If its already doomed, why not asked the moderator to close this thread?

 

Why - still an alive topic of local interest.

[Kopitiam]

4 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Why - still an alive topic of local interest.

You said that Taina Road is already doomed.  That means no more hope, kaputt.

[stevenl]

17 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Taina Road is already doomed.

 

Disagree. Soon the old Lucky Guesthouse will open again there, and with new places having opened on the hills, with Thaina walk through street, I see it getting back on its feet quite soon.

[hkt83100]

The final date for Red Onion is set. It will be March 15th.

[hkt83100]

The Red Onion has been taken over by a new owner. The menu is still the same, at least of the cooks is  there. Just the signs have gone.

[Kopitiam]

I went there last night with a friend.  The quality of the food is no more the same (ordered shrimp cake, duck in red curry, etc).  The pace of food coming out of the kitchen leaves much to be desired.  When we were there, the place was not even half full, but we have to wait about 40 minutes for the food to arrive.  Will not be going back there again any time soon.

[Old Croc]

On ‎2‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 7:01 AM, stevenl said:

Disagree. Soon the old Lucky Guesthouse will open again there, and with new places having opened on the hills, with Thaina walk through street, I see it getting back on its feet quite soon.

The new north side footpath is still proceeding.