Come back Farangs! Tourism in Chiang Mai decimated by Chinese exodus

[fanjita]

13 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

Currency exchange rate is the BIG part of the tourism industry, somehow the boss didn't see it YET

Thanks, Mavideol.  I can confirm that your average UK economy class tourist just hasn't got the funds for a two week holiday in LOS.  If they have then it's going to be an expensive holiday at that.

 

Brexit has killed the exchange rate for all currencies for well over two years now.  

[sanemax]

20 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

Currency exchange rate is the BIG part of the tourism industry, somehow the boss didn't see it YET

I am sure that they are aware of the effects of the strong Baht , but there are more important thing that trying to attract more tourists .

  Imports and exports are far more important than a few tourists 

[farcanell]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Chiang Mai News quoted operators as saying that negative incidents and the resulting adverse social media comment had affected the Chinese tourism market considerably. 

Perhaps the operators need to listen to themselves.... and act proactively in reverseing the negatives, by improving their operations /services/ attitudes/ safety..... 

 

???????????? how naive of me...

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, fanjita said:

Brexit has killed the exchange rate for all currencies for well over two years now.  

Vietnam and The Philippines have almost the same rate to the pound now, as they had before Brexit.

Only Thai currency is strong.

[Formaleins]

You get what you sow! For months we have heard how they only want this type of tourist or that type, quality this and quality that, all of course without offering anything In return. As usual it has been ME ME ME, what I want.....Well, now you have got what you rightly deserve, and all your crap enticements with free visa, double entry, two for the price of one etc. etc. the list goes on and on, won't do your whining any good now! Trying to have your cake and eat it always ends the same way. In fact you have survived longer than you deserved and longer than I hoped or expected, now you get to reap what you sow! Excuse me while I take care of my heart, it seems to be bleeding.

[wvavin]

Thailand had been enjoying very good tourism money for decades not because of the peoples' capability, it is simply lucky.

[totally thaied up]

1 minute ago, sanemax said:

Imports and exports are far more important than a few tourists 

29 odd million people is a lot of dollars coming in and yes imports and exports are important but sooner or later the baht will turn down. The baht being strong is a strong deterrent. I can go to Bali and buy many things at a better price for a holiday and the Chinese are going there in droves. I have friends in Jakarta that live a much better life than me on the same money due to exchange rates. 

 

Exchange rates always played parts in my holiday choices. 

[fanjita]

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Vietnam and The Philippines have almost the same rate to the pound now, as they had before Brexit.

Only Thai currency is strong.

I don't keep an eye on the Dong (except my own one) or the Peso so quite irrelevant to me, but thanks for the gen, nonetheless.  

[totally thaied up]

9 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Vietnam and The Philippines have almost the same rate to the pound now, as they had before Brexit.

And I can live very well, in fact, better in the Philippines now then Thailand on the AUD. Just a shame the Philippines just did not get the chance to improve. Only two things really put me off the Philippines - Typhoons and Earthquakes; the rest I could live with.

[hottrader77]

8 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Cheap tourist visa's not working?

chinese yuan was 5.07 only 5 months ago now 4.75 think all countries are sick of thai baht been riddiculous levels , same as against uk pound it used to be 70 baht to pound 15 years ago now 42 think there will be less uk tourists soon and if it continues even the retired pensioners will be coming back to uk , ALSO ITS said after BREXIT the baht will be going to 29 to uk pound within 5 years after so thailand better get its act together and DEVALUE THE THAI BAHT BACK TO 70 TO THE POUND AND STOP SCAMMING US !!!

[marcusarelus]

4 minutes ago, totally thaied up said:

29 odd million people is a lot of dollars coming in and yes imports and exports are important but sooner or later the baht will turn down. The baht being strong is a strong deterrent. I can go to Bali and buy many things at a better price for a holiday and the Chinese are going there in droves. I have friends in Jakarta that live a much better life than me on the same money due to exchange rates. 

 

Exchange rates always played parts in my holiday choices. 

Been reading Thai Visa since 2005 and there was always someone saying the baht would fall.  Not yet.  

[totally thaied up]

1 minute ago, marcusarelus said:

Been reading Thai Visa since 2005 and there was always someone saying the baht would fall.  Not yet.

Everything has a cycle. I have seen enough cycles in my life NOT to say it will NEVER happen. It may, it may not but nothing is set in stone. 

[The Deerhunter]

8 hours ago, worgeordie said:

But on the 4th November, there was a post on this forum 

which stated "Bookings Surge at Chiang Mai Hotels for Cool Season",

wishful thinking ?  or fake news.

 

regards worgeordie

One or the other. Just a wild guess but maybe it took this long for all the advanced tour bookings to get out of the  system after the 46 drowned on the (Chinese owned???)  Phoenix (which has finally risen again now) as the name might suggest.   BTW a friend who lives 7 mths a year in Phuket says the Chinese are very thin on the ground now, but the Russians are back.

[Miami007]

2 hours ago, moe666 said:

European and American down turn still hasn't totally recovered from 2008 although it does appear to be about over. The fact that a few people are refused entry because of an appearance of living here with the stamps and multiply tourist visas is not one of the pressing concerns of the occassional tourist who probably knows nothing about that particular crack down. 

Europe/ UK and also the USA may be heading into the next downturn in 2019/2020.  Agree that the typical tourist does not worry about being denied entry.   

[Tofer]

9 hours ago, fruitman said:

Yes farang LOVE to sit on concrete stools between loads of chinese ....it's their dream when on holiday ????...maybe a soidog comes to sniff your leg, maybe annoying salespeople come to interrupt your conversation...it's all exactly what farang like ????

You forgot the exciting adventures to clean up the rubbish on the streets / beaches (yes, I know there are no beaches in CM).

[vinegarbase]

I will never recommend Thailand again to anyone and vehemently encourage them to stay away after the way I and others I know have been treated by Thai immigration. 

 

Why on earth would I tell anyone I know to come to a place that has dictatorial 24 hour address registrations, useless burdensome 90 day check ins, racist dual pricing policies, insane customs bureau that will scam you on duty and taxes any chance they get, and an immigration system that will deny, change, and says and does whatever it wants regardless if you are just trying to do the right thing and follow the law. 

 

I hope their economy gets slammed hard for the crap good honest foreigners have had to put up with these last few years. 

[727Sky]

Interesting take on how China uses tourism as a weapon

 

[Miami007]

Every time a country/ destination focuses on one single origin of tourists, there will be problems down the road.  I have seen this in Hawaii with their reliance on Japanese, in Miami with the focus on South America..  Once these sources of tourists decline, there is head-scratching by officials and business owners.

 

Also, every time one group of visitors takes over there will be a decline from other markets as their tourists will feel less appreciated by the host-country.  It's a vicious cycle as hotels and destinations take the easy way to attract more tourists from the "bubble-countries" and try to maximize short-term ROI on any marketing expenses.  By doing so, they are increasing the number of "mass-tourists" prompting business to cater even more to that group and their preferences (food in hotels, language spoken by staff), which then leads to a further decline in other tourists.  In addition, large groups of visitors from one single region are always considered to be "pushy, rude, unsophisticated and cheap" from the other nationalities.

 

Yes, I understand that it is easier to market to countries that are culturally similar to the destination, speak the same language etc but every business would be well advised to have a Plan B and diversify its source-markets.

 

In short - don't put all your eggs in one basket

[Polaky]

For farangs to come in big numbers we need an express farang lane at the airport, abolishment of 90 day reporting, free one year tourist visa's with the possibility of a free one year extension, tax on wine and spirits to be abolished, etc, etc, etc.????

[Leatherneck]

Oh! Now they want us back! 

 

As a 7+ year resident of CM, I won't miss the Chinese one bit! Good riddance.

 

My taxi driver from the airport last week said he doesn't need them either. With the "zero tour" packages, he said he makes absolutely no money from Chinese tourists...and he wants farang to come to CM. 

[sawadeeken]

Thank the 'Junta' for it....... No other countries trust a country without a 'real' government and especially when they don't take of tourists that do come.........

[chama]

10 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

It seems abundantly clear that wherever the Chinese go en masse, is subsequently avoided by everyone else. Sihanoukville is a classic example. Five years ago it was packed with tourists from everywhere, the Chinese invaded and everybody else has left. And once the good tourists have gone, they don't come back. Thailand put its eggs in the Chinese basket, and are now paying the price.

Chinese are loud, rude, uncouth, and sure that the rest of the worlds population, including the Thais, are there only to service Chinese overlords. From craping on wat floors, peeing in klongs while crowds of people go by, to using sharp elbows to push through lines where civilized people have been patiently waiting....yes, I stay as far away from them as possible and I'm sure I'm not the only.

[holy cow cm]

CM has plenty of tourists right now. It just isn’t bursting at the gills when the Chinese were crawling absolutely everywhere. I do not miss their swarms. 

[gk10002000]

Thailand keeps trying to get people to spend more and shop more.  How about making it easier and more attractive for ex pats?  Stop the constant visa and income stuff changes.  Expats spend a lot of money in Thailand, all that they have typically.  Just drawing in hoardes of budget travelers and group tours which are typical of the Chinese, I don't think is a big economic thing.  Measurable yes, but significant?  It is only significant if people built and expanded and were expecting big returns that I don't think are there

[Torrens54]

and GUESS WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT ?

 

The much maligned, FERANG EX-PATS will decide they’ve had a Gut Full of being treated as Third Class Squatters.

 

Hit up the Ferang for more money for everything you can think of, ”rip ‘em off,” they’ve all got plenty of money.

 

Ditch Yingluck’s FERANG HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME....let them, dielike Dogs in the Soi...plenty more to replace them !

 

If the FERANG all go home or make their homes in more Welcoming and Accommodating Countries.....THAILAND might just Wake-up....BUT...

It will be TOO LATE ! 

[holy cow cm]

Yes if they treated expats or future expatriates better they would be fine with revenue. Expats are made to jump through hoops a dog would wimper to do if told. Their 90 day check in and tm 30 BS is way too much. Home checks and I won’t do this and that forms they gave a sign with pictures of the jk e and family if have one are a full mockery of how to treat a hunan being. 3rd class citizen I could accept if I was at least allowed to become one without all their Regime Totalitarian crap enforced on is. But it is near impossible. I would only wish all other countries treated their Thai citizen expats the same, but other countries are more responsible and respectful. One word . Racists

[Torrens54]

Yep....example: Ferang can’t own the land under the house they buy to house Thai Spouse and Family....just PAY the money, put the property in Spouse’s name. All okay BUT what if...Spouse Dies, Marriage Breaks Down or in any other unforeseen situation... FERANG IS OUT “in the cold...figuratively.”

 

 

[terryofcrete]

11 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

It seems abundantly clear that wherever the Chinese go en masse, is subsequently avoided by everyone else. Sihanoukville is a classic example. Five years ago it was packed with tourists from everywhere, the Chinese invaded and everybody else has left. And once the good tourists have gone, they don't come back. Thailand put its eggs in the Chinese basket, and are now paying the price.

I hope so... it's deserved . 

[LomSak27]

5 hours ago, moe666 said:

11 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

My wife works at a tourist attraction in the Mesa Valley, business is booming and she's rushed off her feet, fewer Chinese but still plenty of tourists. AND, try driving the 107 and 1096 on a weekend, it's becoming manic with huge delays and queues. Sooo, if Muang is lite on tourists I don't know where the ones we're seeing are staying and eating. 

This article is out of date, they say the last 2 months well guess what that is the traditional low season. Tourism has picked up in CM as of this week the hotel my wife works at is fully booked and a friends guest house as of last night had 2 rooms availiable. My massage lady was jumping today when I went in for my 11am 4 chinese getting massage. Maddogs at 10am had around 15 folks enjoying breakfast which is a big increase from low season. Lots of chinese walking around and there seems to be alot of spanish speaking folks around. Do not put too much stock in a news article that seems to be promoting doom and gloom

Sorry if I do not put too much stock in you guys

 

Got your Pom Poms on ... Go Cheer-leader Go!! OK,  go to Soi 1 Ratchadamnoen and see how many are there and how many hotels - boutique and GH have no people.

Hey I moved  out two weeks ago to a condo - but it was so dead, the tuk tuk girl quit coming. She used to park out in front to the Vieng Mantra - Now a lot more farang in town as it is November and Loy Khratong BUT BUT  ................ I was in what is left of Kad Suan Gaeow shopping mall this afternoon. That will depress the heck out of you. 

I have this lease for a year but I dam well hope their is improvement because I do not want to live in a depressed town. I could go to Cleveland, likely cheaper, and a more upbeat populace.

 

 

[cyberfarang]

Lets try and put this in perspective and annualise why Chiang Mai is no longer a tourist attraction:

1.       Virtually no nightlife. I`ve been in the town on occasions when everything seems to be packing up at 10.00pm.

2.       Whether some like the girly beerbars or not they still brought in the western tourists. The LK Road has become dilapidated dump, and if guys fancy a late night drink with some female company, there is virtually nothing.

3.       Duel Farang and Thai pricing for the usual tourist attractions that can all be covered in about 3 days.

4.        Dirty, filthy massage parlours mostly staffed by old grannies that most have transformed into happy ending parlours for desperate old men.

5.       The choking season,  usually from February to the end of April. A period when there is a mass exodus of expats from the city.

6.       The strong baht Vs weak western currencies. Nothing seems to knock the baht off it`s perch.

7.       The Thai mentality that during the so-called high season that`s not happening, when short of customers is to increase their prices rather than decrease their prices to attract more customers in.

8.       An abundance of over priced Spas, that can charge several thousand bahts for a couple of hour

Sure I can think of a lot more if I put my mind to it.

The city has lost it`s zest, it has simply become bland and boring. 3 or 4 days is enough for any visiting tourists and if seen it once, no point in returning. There`s been nothing new here for years.