"Expensive" Phuket dead as a dodo this high season

[madmen]

 
Makro and Tesco are full of tourists . 

Mainly Russian cheap Charlie's. When I was a tourist and everyone else I knew......
Tesco or supermarket wasn't in the vocabulary. Don't get why I would work all year and not spoil myself with resteraunt dining. It's still cheap

[farangx]

22 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

was NOT referring to airport shuttle to town which is hardly new
but the new one that runs up an down the coast hitting every beach town along the way
max Airport to Rawaii   170 baht

Good to know, thanks.

[Old Croc]

4 hours ago, hyku1147 said:

Did you notice the topic's title? If so, why did you assume that people should post positive remarks?

Not looking for positive, just reasonable and accurate.

 The people who live on Phuket are well aware of it's shortcomings, and overpricing. The place doesn't suit everybody for various reasons, but the overriding factor seems that it's out of their price range.

Life in a village in northern Thailand wouldn't suit me, but I don't make detrimental posts on their local forums all the time. I just can't understand why people who choose to live elsewhere feel the need to spend so much time on the local Phuket forum and throw their biased crap around at every opportunity.

And perhaps you should research the origins of this silly article before you blindly champion the rubbish written.

[Psimbo]

27 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Not looking for positive, just reasonable and accurate.

 The people who live on Phuket are well aware of it's shortcomings, and overpricing. The place doesn't suit everybody for various reasons, but the overriding factor seems that it's out of their price range.

Life in a village in northern Thailand wouldn't suit me, but I don't make detrimental posts on their local forums all the time. I just can't understand why people who choose to live elsewhere feel the need to spend so much time on the local Phuket forum and throw their biased crap around at every opportunity.

And perhaps you should research the origins of this silly article before you blindly champion the rubbish written.

Hear, hear!!!

[NamKangMan]

37 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Not looking for positive, just reasonable and accurate.

 The people who live on Phuket are well aware of it's shortcomings, and overpricing. The place doesn't suit everybody for various reasons, but the overriding factor seems that it's out of their price range.

Life in a village in northern Thailand wouldn't suit me, but I don't make detrimental posts on their local forums all the time. I just can't understand why people who choose to live elsewhere feel the need to spend so much time on the local Phuket forum and throw their biased crap around at every opportunity.

And perhaps you should research the origins of this silly article before you blindly champion the rubbish written.

 

I agree with you, OC.

 

However, those "shortcomings and overpricing" are what the posters who you are referring to are commenting on, as if to say, this is why Phuket is "dead" for tourists this high season, and let's be honest, many of their comments probably touch on why it is so "dead" here at the moment.  

 

I don't think they are talking up where they have chosen to live in Thailand, just taking the p*ss out of Phuket for its "shortcomings and overpricing" which has finally killed the golden goose. 

[NamKangMan]

21 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Hear, hear!!!

 

"Hear, hear!!!" - on the contrary.  The tourists are not coming "hear, hear" - they are going "there, there."  ????

 

 

 

[mvdf]

On 12/18/2018 at 12:20 PM, funcrew said:

As a Yank, I appreciate your pre-political correctness joke.

 

"pre-political correctness joke"

 

Why do Americans say nonsensical things like this? Makes me nauseous!

 

[Bucko]

On 12/17/2018 at 3:41 PM, Just1Voice said:

Thai's greed for the almighty baht will be their downfall. 

I go along with that--I was a regular visitor---but have not been back to Patong for a for 3 years-- my regular hotel more than doubled their prices-i.e 2500B - was 1200B per night at that time -and I usually stayed for 21 nights in  Febuary--- just looked again -- now it's more Tripled--i.e -3900B same room -I am retired and not a Cheap Charlie --but they can keep it-- ????????

 

[arithai12]

10 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Not looking for positive, just reasonable and accurate.

 The people who live on Phuket are well aware of it's shortcomings, and overpricing. The place doesn't suit everybody for various reasons, but the overriding factor seems that it's out of their price range.

Life in a village in northern Thailand wouldn't suit me, but I don't make detrimental posts on their local forums all the time. I just can't understand why people who choose to live elsewhere feel the need to spend so much time on the local Phuket forum and throw their biased crap around at every opportunity.

And perhaps you should research the origins of this silly article before you blindly champion the rubbish written.

This is what you posted yesterday regarding Chiang Mai, so maybe others have a right to comment about Phuket too?

Getting up at 2 or 3 in the morning to wait in semi darkness in hope of getting seen that day.  And that's an improvement!  Have to feel sorry for the CM brethren, glad I don't live there.

 

I do agree with your point about the "silly article" however.

I make several trips to Phuket every year, frankly just for the sea as I much prefer to live in CM - though it also has it share of problems of course. I think there's less tourists this year (good for me btw), but far from being "dead as a dodo". One big reason for the "crisis" is that establishments have been mushrooming out of control. Really I don't know how they think that they can double the number of rooms and still have them fully booked - not to mention the crazy baht. But this is true for Thailand as a whole, not just Phuket.

About prices: I find it more expensive in Phuket than in CM but it doesn't put me off completely.

 

[Prairieboy]

On 12/17/2018 at 9:26 AM, webfact said:

Phuket has priced itself out of the market.

I have noticed other venues are similar - instead of lowering prices to attract customers as many other places do, Thailand raises their prices trying to get more money from fewer people.  Quantity is the way to go as McDonald's restaurant learned many years ago.  To charge 3 -4 times the wholesale price for beer and drive customers away is unfathomable.  Would it not make more sense to lower prices and attract customers?

[ChipButty]

15 hours ago, farangx said:

Good to know, thanks.

Seems pretty much on time as it passes a bar I have a couple of drinks in 5-20 pm I always end up looking at my watch

 

[Old Croc]

1 hour ago, arithai12 said:

This is what you posted yesterday regarding Chiang Mai, so maybe others have a right to comment about Phuket too?

Getting up at 2 or 3 in the morning to wait in semi darkness in hope of getting seen that day.  And that's an improvement!  Have to feel sorry for the CM brethren, glad I don't live there.

 

I do agree with your point about the "silly article" however.

I make several trips to Phuket every year, frankly just for the sea as I much prefer to live in CM - though it also has it share of problems of course. I think there's less tourists this year (good for me btw), but far from being "dead as a dodo". One big reason for the "crisis" is that establishments have been mushrooming out of control. Really I don't know how they think that they can double the number of rooms and still have them fully booked - not to mention the crazy baht. But this is true for Thailand as a whole, not just Phuket.

About prices: I find it more expensive in Phuket than in CM but it doesn't put me off completely.

 

I thought someone would bring up that post.

It was a rare comment from me on a local forum about the universal subject of Immigration. It was not criticism of the Province or any aspect of normal life there other than dealing with the problematic Immigration Bureau of Thailand.  My post was reflective of comments made by locals and sympathetic to them for the way they are treated when reporting or extending visas.  I expressed gratitude that I didn't have to endure it. 

[YogaVeg]

I was reading through this, then did an Agoda search expecting to see outrageous hotel room prices through the roof.

But no.

What I found is the same pricing as CM.

So that is confusing...

 

How about some specifics on price differences?

(other than alcohol please, I don't drink so I don't care)

[NamKangMan]

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

I thought someone would bring up that post.

It was a rare comment from me on a local forum about the universal subject of Immigration. It was not criticism of the Province or any aspect of normal life there other than dealing with the problematic Immigration Bureau of Thailand.  My post was reflective of comments made by locals and sympathetic to them for the way they are treated when reporting or extending visas.  I expressed gratitude that I didn't have to endure it. 

 

Are you treated any better by immigration on Phuket????

[NamKangMan]

1 hour ago, YogaVeg said:

I was reading through this, then did an Agoda search expecting to see outrageous hotel room prices through the roof.

But no.

What I found is the same pricing as CM.

So that is confusing...

 

How about some specifics on price differences?

(other than alcohol please, I don't drink so I don't care)

 

Transport is the biggest one, and in my opinion, the main reason that caused the tourist demographic to change here, rapidly.  The majority of tourists to Phuket now are package holiday Chinese, in coach buses.

 

The lack of proper public transport restricts the freedom of movement of independent travelers.

 

In many cases, tourists were paying more for transport than their accommodation, and F & B, for their holiday. 

 

Tourists are charged a minimum of 200 baht just to get into a tuk-tuk, versus 200 baht to hire a motor scooter, thus, Phuket's atrocious road injury and death statistics.  

 

Transport is an essential service that has not operated in a free market here for a long time.  Imagine a Thai Province doing that with water, electricity, gasoline, medical, education, food, etc.  It would cause people to move to a different province.

 

In the same way, tourists have either moved to a different location in Thailand for their holiday, or are going to a different country.  Eg.  Vietnam.

 

 

[LivinginKata]

2 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

Are you treated any better by immigration on Phuket????

 

I  can't compare with CM. But I am happy with Phuket Immigration, and I don't have to get there at 03.00 as read in many CM posts. Arrive 11.00, out by 11.40 at latest. Everything else on Immigration web site.

 

 

[NamKangMan]

5 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

I  can't compare with CM. But I am happy with Phuket Immigration, and I don't have to get there at 03.00 as read in many CM posts. Arrive 11.00, out by 11.40 at latest. Everything else on Immigration web site.

 

 

 

So, people chose to live on Phuket because it has a good immigration office.  Okkkkkkkkk.   ????

[steelepulse]

Looking at how many people are on the beaches and how heavy traffic is, Phuket is definitely not dead.  However, with many people now doing the airbnb and similar type things, perhaps tourists are spending more time on the beaches, then heading back to their condo instead of hitting the streets and shops.  

 

 

[Old Croc]

52 minutes ago, steelepulse said:

Looking at how many people are on the beaches and how heavy traffic is, Phuket is definitely not dead.  However, with many people now doing the airbnb and similar type things, perhaps tourists are spending more time on the beaches, then heading back to their condo instead of hitting the streets and shops. 

I think many people still judge tourist numbers in Phuket by how busy Patong is. It was once the go-to destination for most (including me), but I now consider that increasing numbers are looking for a different holiday experience away from the bars and sex industry of Bangla. 

The Chinese arrivals may have slowed following the drownings, but more and more other nationalities are coming in their stead. Indians, Russians (again), Koreans, Malaysians, Eastern European, Middle Easteners, etc.  I even noted there was a TOM charter from Manchester at the airport yesterday.

Karon beach has large crowds enjoying the benign sea conditions at this time of year and there seems to be plenty of walkers in the streets of Kata/Karon. Tania Road is set to enjoy a revival after several false starts. New and revamped restaurants are opening and there is now a footpath on both sides of the street. Apparently the new hotel opposite the doctors office is finally set to open around New Year. There is also talk of road closures for a weekend market on the street.  

Medical tourism in the private hospitals is also soaring.

I don't think Phuket is even close to being dead, it's just the old style Patong businesses that are in trouble, and they should no longer be considered the benchmark to measure tourism numbers.

[phuketrichard]

8 hours ago, arithai12 said:

This is what you posted yesterday regarding Chiang Mai, so maybe others have a right to comment about Phuket too?

Getting up at 2 or 3 in the morning to wait in semi darkness in hope of getting seen that day.  And that's an improvement!  Have to feel sorry for the CM brethren, glad I don't live there.

 

I do agree with your point about the "silly article" however.

I make several trips to Phuket every year, frankly just for the sea as I much prefer to live in CM - though it also has it share of problems of course. I think there's less tourists this year (good for me btw), but far from being "dead as a dodo". One big reason for the "crisis" is that establishments have been mushrooming out of control. Really I don't know how they think that they can double the number of rooms and still have them fully booked - not to mention the crazy baht. But this is true for Thailand as a whole, not just Phuket.

About prices: I find it more expensive in Phuket than in CM but it doesn't put me off completely.

 

IF i didn't feel the need  to jump in the water at least 5 days a week I would have  left Phuket long ago for the north BUT i love the Sea

 

As to expensive for one who lives here and just did a 6 ,000 kms trip thru the north this past summer.  Prices are at most 15% higher here. 15% of a 300 baht meal is F#@K all.
The day i need start counting my satang coins is time to call it a day!!

 

Its not dead here at all,  its just more spread out when everything was centered in Patong 15 years ago..

[NamKangMan]

20 hours ago, Old Croc said:

I think many people still judge tourist numbers in Phuket by how busy Patong is. It was once the go-to destination for most (including me), but I now consider that increasing numbers are looking for a different holiday experience away from the bars and sex industry of Bangla. 

The Chinese arrivals may have slowed following the drownings, but more and more other nationalities are coming in their stead. Indians, Russians (again), Koreans, Malaysians, Eastern European, Middle Easteners, etc.  I even noted there was a TOM charter from Manchester at the airport yesterday.

Karon beach has large crowds enjoying the benign sea conditions at this time of year and there seems to be plenty of walkers in the streets of Kata/Karon. Tania Road is set to enjoy a revival after several false starts. New and revamped restaurants are opening and there is now a footpath on both sides of the street. Apparently the new hotel opposite the doctors office is finally set to open around New Year. There is also talk of road closures for a weekend market on the street.  

Medical tourism in the private hospitals is also soaring.

I don't think Phuket is even close to being dead, it's just the old style Patong businesses that are in trouble, and they should no longer be considered the benchmark to measure tourism numbers.

 

"I think many people still judge tourist numbers in Phuket by how busy Patong is." - in my opinion, Bangla Road is still Phuket's single biggest tourist attraction.  Thailand is famous for its nightlife, with the majority of tourists wanting to see it at least once on their holiday. 

 

For this reason, I think pedestrian traffic on Bangla Road, between the hours of 8pm and 10pm, is not a bad indicator of how busy the island is.  Of course, other indicators are vacancy rates, airport arrivals, traffic (particularly coach buses) shoppers, and beach goers etc. 

 

I do see people from the countries you mention on Bangla Road, but they are "observers" not customers.  They walk up and down, take some photos, and go.  If they do not even go into a bar for alcohol, or a soft drink, and take in the atmosphere of Phuket's single biggest tourist attraction, even for a brief period, where will they spend their money on their holiday, and what on????

 

Once again, the tourists may be coming, but unless they spend, businesses, and therefore, the Phuket economy, will suffer, as we see many are now.

 

 

[the guest]

Yeah not only is Thailand expensive, but the Thai Baht is artificially too high. Many of my friends have given the country the red light, and gone to other Asian countries.

 

The party is certainly over !

[xylophone]

On 12/20/2018 at 1:47 PM, Old Croc said:

I don't think Phuket is even close to being dead, it's just the old style Patong businesses that are in trouble, and they should no longer be considered the benchmark to measure tourism numbers.

There is a lot of truth in what you say, and also a lot of truth in what NamKangMan has posted, and it is a rather mixed bag in my opinion.

 

I have spoken to owners of bars, restaurants, beauty salons, guesthouses and small hotels as well as some of the workers, and the great percentage of them say that business is quiet, in fact one restaurant owner in a very busy Soi near Bangla has said that his business is currently 60% down this year versus the same period last year.

 

Not only that a few expats that I've spoken to have said that the massage girls standing outside of their relevant parlours are getting very aggressive in their approach to foreigners because they are desperately short of money and need the business.

 

There may be people milling around, but they aren't spending anywhere near enough to support the tourist industry in the main here.

 

And sure enough, some of the smaller businesses have closed or are close to it, but there again maybe they are a throwback to the "old days"..........??

[Old Croc]

I could argue against the title of the biggest single tourist attraction being that one street, but little point. 

People still come to Bangla to gawk in great numbers, but it's the hard core, old fart, bar stool occupiers and girlie customers that have dwindled (probably in more ways than one!) and I repeat, the traditional bars and clubs are hurting and probably need to change to attract new customers.

(Avocado toast café, anyone?)

If you're wondering where all the tourists hang out now, look at the popularity of the shopping emporiums, the huge new street markets and the w..ky beach clubs everywhere on the coast.  

[NamKangMan]

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

I could argue against the title of the biggest single tourist attraction being that one street, but little point. 

People still come to Bangla to gawk in great numbers, but it's the hard core, old fart, bar stool occupiers and girlie customers that have dwindled (probably in more ways than one!) and I repeat, the traditional bars and clubs are hurting and probably need to change to attract new customers.

(Avocado toast café, anyone?)

If you're wondering where all the tourists hang out now, look at the popularity of the shopping emporiums, the huge new street markets and the w..ky beach clubs everywhere on the coast.  

 

"I could argue against the title of the biggest single tourist attraction being that one street" - so, please do.  That's what online forums are about.  The exchange of information, views, and opinions.

 

I'm happy to hear what you think is Phuket's single biggest tourist attraction, if it's not Bangla Road.  Where else on the island do tourists visit, in the same numbers, as they do  Bangla Road?  Of course, you could say, "the beach."  However, in general, beaches are free, and whilst they attract a crowd, are not a commercial enterprise, and in any case, there are several beaches here, but only on Bangla Road.

 

Yes, many do come to "gawk" however, in the past, not only would many "gawk" but they would also "consume."  Now, the "gawkers" outnumber the "consumers" which is not great for businesses, and not good for the Phuket economy.  

 

"If you're wondering where all the tourists hang out now, look at the popularity of the shopping emporiums" - ok, but are they just "hanging out" or "consuming?" 

 

The majority of tourists coming to Phuket now are "gawkers" where, in the the past, they were "consumers" and the empty establishments, and all the for sale signs, tend to indicate this trend.  

 

For a "World Class Tourist Destination" Phuket certainly has world class "gawkers."  ????

 

[ChipButty]

Over supply of accommodation by 35% as I read the other day

[NamKangMan]

13 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Over supply of accommodation by 35% as I read the other day

 

And they keep building more.  Same with the housing market.

 

What do you think over supply does a market????

[Rocket Hawks]

Phuket dead? I think not. I live in Naithon Beach and the place in riddled with annoying tourists right now. And Naithon is an area that is supposed to be super quiet.

 

I was in Laguna Beach for dinner last night at a restaurant called Little Paris and it was slammed.

 

Could hardly move when shopping at Villa Market for groceries this morning. 

 

Heading to a yacht party today and then to a massive Christmas party at a super mansion in the Phuket hills with a guest list of 1000+ people. They literally will have cattle troughs filled with Cocaine for guests and naked models serving drinks throughout the mansion.

 

Anyone saying Phuket is dead has no idea what they’re talking about. I come from the wealthiest part of the United States and I’ve never seen wealth like I’ve seen in Phuket. I have friends that are tech billionaires in the US and they look poor compared to the people I’ve met in Phuket. We’re talking stupid rich. Donald Trump wouldn’t even make top 1000 richest people in Phuket.

 

All the rich people here are intentionally driving up the prices to push all the farang Khee Nok out of town. The Thais don’t need them when you have Barack Obama and Beyoncé as regular visitors and Russian and Italian mafia king pins that seem to have unlimited wealth. Like you’ve got German multi-billionaires like Klause Hebben that owns Thanyapura and Amanpuri Health & Sports Resorts living here. Dude owns like 8 mountains in Thailand just because he can. 

 

Phuket has become a rich man’s paradise. Exact same thing that happened to California. California used to be cheap as hell too. Now it will cost you $20 million USD to by a dumpy house in Manhattan Beach. 

 

 

[LomSak27]

19 minutes ago, Rocket Hawks said:

Phuket has become a rich man’s paradise. Exact same thing that happened to California. California used to be cheap as hell too. Now it will cost you $20 million USD to by a dumpy house in Manhattan Beach. 

 

It's a High Roller paradise!

 

New tactic by OUR resident T Team ..... Impressive   Wow! Hey maybe this will fly, better than the usual deflections & denials. Although Bull excrement quotient is very high.   Good Luck!  

 

 

[LomSak27]

20 minutes ago, Rocket Hawks said:

I come from the wealthiest part of the United States and I’ve never seen wealth like I’ve seen in Phuket. I have friends that are tech billionaires in the US and they look poor compared to the people I’ve met in Phuket. We’re talking stupid rich. Donald Trump wouldn’t even make top 1000 richest people in Phuket.

WooHoo!! 

 

"champagne wishes and caviar dreams."  leaving the dream dude