Where is everybody? Patong businesses suffering worst high season in 10 years

[LivinginKata]

4 minutes ago, NamKangMan said:

<snip>

Do you think Thailand is heading in the right direction????  They haven't even had an elected Government here for years. 

 

 

It amazes me that the Baht is so strong with an unelected Junta Gov. Maybe this is the 'right' direction ?

[Oziex1]

29 minutes ago, NamKangMan said:

 

Where's the negativity?  I said, "I read good reports about the Moto GP on this website."

 

I did not criticize the event at all.  I did direct some criticism towards the country, in general. 

 

Do you think Thailand is heading in the right direction????  They haven't even had an elected Government here for years. 

 

"Excelling" in hosting one sporting event does not prop up a whole country's tourism industry.   

Following these posts between you and Soupdragon, I think the point here is, the Thais a very capable of providing a great service unfortunately greed and stupidity get in the way too often.

[Joe Mcseismic]

2 hours ago, Soupdragon said:

I know, I am on pole position ????

 

Isn't that for girls?

[hansgruber]

1 hour ago, LivinginKata said:

 

It amazes me that the Baht is so strong with an unelected Junta Gov. Maybe this is the 'right' direction ?

Make baht strong, rich send money out. 

Crash the baht, send money back to Thailand for huge profits. 

 

It's a old trick. 

 

[LivinginKata]

1 minute ago, hansgruber said:

Make baht strong, rich send money out. 

Crash the baht, send money back to Thailand for huge profits. 

 

It's a old trick. 

 

 

That's a very interesting angle.  Never thought about that.  I might catch that train.

[NamKangMan]

2 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

It amazes me that the Baht is so strong with an unelected Junta Gov. Maybe this is the 'right' direction ?

 

I believe the baht is artificially strong because they withhold the amount that can be traded each day.

 

They restrict supply, to create stronger demand, therefore a higher price.  

[NamKangMan]

2 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

Following these posts between you and Soupdragon, I think the point here is, the Thais a very capable of providing a great service unfortunately greed and stupidity get in the way too often.

 

And my point is, yes, they are capable, when they are made to be.  Eg. aircraft maintenance and MotoGP.  

 

However, they do control their own tourism industry, and yes, greed and incompetence does impact the industry.   

[NamKangMan]

1 hour ago, hansgruber said:

Make baht strong, rich send money out. 

Crash the baht, send money back to Thailand for huge profits. 

 

It's a old trick. 

 

 

I seemed to remember Thaksin moving a lot of money offshore, then he had a say in devaluing the baht, then he moved it all back to Thailand and made a nice profit?

[Nemises]

Having just returned from a week trip I can understand why. Phuket is extremely expensive to other (holiday) areas of Thailand. I spent a fortune and did not have a pleasant time. Weather was rubbish (OK I know that can't be helped) drinks expensive. As is food. 200 baht minimum fee for a tuktuk. Traffic horrendous. Lot's of grumpy That's. Too many of our Russki visitors. 
Never again

Nah, I don’t buy it. I say that you live elsewhere in Thailand because you cannot afford to live in Phuket.
IMHO your criticism of Phuket is motivated by jealousy.
If money was no object, (& if applicable, family relocation was possible) I dare say that you and the vast majority of western farang would live near to one of Phuket’s better, cleaner, non-tourist area beaches far from the “grumpy thais” and “russki visitors”...than they would ANYWHERE ELSE in Thailand.

[dreaming]

18 minutes ago, Nemises said:

Nah, I don’t buy it. I say that you live elsewhere in Thailand because you cannot afford to live in Phuket.
IMHO your criticism of Phuket is motivated by jealousy.
If money was no object, (& if applicable, family relocation was possible) I dare say that you and the vast majority of western farang would live near to one of Phuket’s better, cleaner, non-tourist area beaches far from the “grumpy thais” and “russki visitors”...than they would ANYWHERE ELSE in Thailand.

If money was no object ( and you lived in a warm climate) I dare say no farang would live in thailand period

[Nemises]

^ yeah, possibly... but I was sticking to topic by comparing Phuket to elsewhere in Thailand, as opposed to elsewhere in the world.

[metisdead]

Some off topic posts and the replies have been removed. 

[dreaming]

On 12/25/2018 at 3:27 PM, Nemises said:

^ yeah, possibly... but I was sticking to topic by comparing Phuket to elsewhere in Thailand, as opposed to elsewhere in the world.

Oh ok. I thought you were having a dig at other farangs residing in other parts of thailand (isaan springs to mind). When the actual topic is about tourist numbers.

 

Back on topic. I live in australia. Our Television used to be flooded with package tours to phuket. They seem to have dried up. This might be having an effect on tourism to phuket. 

[Spidey]

On ‎12‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 5:08 AM, dreaming said:

If money was no object ( and you lived in a warm climate) I dare say no farang would live in thailand period

Speak for yourself. I'm not going to hijack this thread by listing all the reasons that I moved to Thailand but cost of living wasn't one of them.

 

It costs me more to live in Thailand than it previously did in the UK. For a number of reasons, I have a better life here. I could easily have moved to Southern Spain more cheaply but Thailand was a no brainer.

[dreaming]

3 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Speak for yourself. I'm not going to hijack this thread by listing all the reasons that I moved to Thailand but cost of living wasn't one of them.

 

It costs me more to live in Thailand than it previously did in the UK. For a number of reasons, I have a better life here. I could easily have moved to Southern Spain more cheaply but Thailand was a no brainer.

Common fess up. You met a girl? The weather in UK is <deleted> so I really wasnt talking about you

[Spidey]

2 minutes ago, dreaming said:

Common fess up. You met a girl? The weather in UK is <deleted> so I really wasnt talking about you

Had already decided to move to Thailand before I met someone. Weather in Southern Spain?

[dreaming]

3 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Had already decided to move to Thailand before I met someone. Weather in Southern Spain?

Ok I am glad it has worked out for you. I did say "if money was no object" so I am assuming you are an internet billionaire.  I hope it works out for me too in a few years when I retire, but I will be struggling with a normal retirement fund

[NamKangMan]

On 12/25/2018 at 4:08 PM, dreaming said:

If money was no object ( and you lived in a warm climate) I dare say no farang would live in thailand period

 

Interesting point.

 

So, with no positive change on the ground here, eg, infrastructure, but prices increasing significantly in recent times, is Phuket a value for money retirement destination? 

 

We are living in the most expensive place in South East Asia for a holiday, Singapore aside, with most cities in Issan having better infrastructure than Phuket, where the cost of living is considerably cheaper.

 

If only some of the huge money Phuket generates could actually go into the island's upkeep.   

 

 

[Spidey]

4 minutes ago, dreaming said:

Ok I am glad it has worked out for you. I did say "if money was no object" so I am assuming you are an internet billionaire.  I hope it works out for me too in a few years when I retire, but I will be struggling with a normal retirement fund

Posted this 30 minutes ago.

 

Certainly not an internet billionaire.

 

Don't assume that everyone moves here because it's cheap - it isn't.

 

Don't assume that everyone moves here for a woman. I was happily married in the UK but must admit that I had realised that, as partners, S.E. Asian women are far superior to Western women.

[dreaming]

3 minutes ago, NamKangMan said:

 

Interesting point.

 

So, with no positive change on the ground here, eg, infrastructure, but prices increasing significantly in recent times, is Phuket a value for money retirement destination? 

 

We are living in the most expensive place in South East Asia for a holiday, Singapore aside, with most cities in Issan having better infrastructure than Phuket, where the cost of living is considerably cheaper.

 

If only some of the huge money Phuket generates could actually go into the island's upkeep.   

 

 

I love phuket. It was the first place in thailand I holidayed with my kids. Nothing beats renting a motorbike and riding along the coastline. But I rarely go there now. 

 

I get the feeling in phuket that the local thais just dont like farangs.  Everyone is aggressive, from the taxi touts when you first get off the plane, to the street vendors, tuk tuks, everyone. It was funny the first few times but after a while it just gets annoying.

 

I took my kids to bali last christmas, and to be fair it is just as bad.

[Nemises]

 

Back on topic. I live in australia. Our Television used to be flooded with package tours to phuket. They seem to have dried up. This might be having an effect on tourism to phuket. 

 

 

There’s still heaps of Phuket package tours being advertised in all Australian capital cities major newspapers.

I found 25 x Phuket advertisements (most full page) already this month in the Sydney Daily Telegraph alone - see photo below showing some of the search results. Note the scroll bar on the right of the photo confirming that there are many more adverts in addition to those showing in the photo.

A search of the Sydney Morning Herald over the same period would most likely return a similar number.

 

 

[balo]

They are all here in Pattaya, unless you like to waste your money.  Final destination for any tourists who want some fun will be Pattaya.   

[yannee4u]

Yes, i am fully agree with you.Everybody facing financial problems and looking for more and more money specially from all tourist.

[Psimbo]

I just spent over an hour trying to get down the hill and through town to Kamala via the top of bangla. Quiet my erse (and I missed happy Hour!!)

[stevenl]

Yes, right now at the busiest time of year it is busy. However a lot quieter than in previous years, it is far from heaving busy. And yes, looking at the advanced bookings this will only last for 1 more week.

[xylophone]

15 hours ago, Psimbo said:

I just spent over an hour trying to get down the hill and through town to Kamala via the top of bangla. Quiet my erse (and I missed happy Hour!!)

Agree that the traffic is bad now but that can also happen at other times, as the "new middle road" can often be at a standstill at any time!! 

 

And more Thai workers coming to the place for "high season" increases the m/c traffic, as well as more minivans with just a couple or so people in them clogging up the roads..........town planners, well I've left better in the toilet.

 

PS. As an addition to the above, one friend has closed his bar and another his restaurant due to lack of business, with others surely on the cusp from what I have seen.

[schlog]

A lot of this traffic is related to the cruisers at Patong bay. 

On days without Cruisers, like yesterday Patong feels quiet like a typical day in march/april years ago.

[grego49]

On 12/24/2018 at 4:14 PM, NamKangMan said:

 

I believe the baht is artificially strong because they withhold the amount that can be traded each day.

 

They restrict supply, to create stronger demand, therefore a higher price.  

And thats why my Aussie friends are going to Bali and Vietnam and not comming to Thailand any more.

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, schlog said:

A lot of this traffic is related to the cruisers at Patong bay. 

On days without Cruisers, like yesterday Patong feels quiet like a typical day in march/april years ago.

It's busy all over the island. It is simply the annual busy time.

[Psimbo]

18 hours ago, grego49 said:

And thats why my Aussie friends are going to Bali and Vietnam and not comming to Thailand any more.

Aussies only started coming here en masse after the Bali Bombing its just the wheel turning full circle as the world moves on. It makes more sense to travel there than all the way up here.

 

Parts of Vietnam are becoming little Australias- not for me.