Entertainment tourism: Pattaya for Europeans is over - 30% down this year, official

[SupermarineS6B]

Crikey the pennie's finally dropped........... I 've got news for you boys, it's not just Pattaya that's over it's Thailand in general.......... In just under a few years the Pratt that's in charge has destroyed one of the best money makers in the world, and he doesn't have the savvy to give any replacement for the drop in cash that is now affecting most of the country........ I just can't see " Big brother' giving all those Isaan families all the money farangs used to do....... Great way to start a civil war....  What a crying shame........

[brewsterbudgen]

I disagree. Just look around at the moment and see how many single Western male tourists there are in Pattaya compared to Chinese, Indian and Russian package tourists mostly travelling as families.
My own observations would put the more traditional Pattaya sex tourists in a very small minority currently.

I was referring to the western tourists. Mind you, I think a lot of the Indians come for the girls too, as do the high-spending Japanese and Koreans. The Chinese less so. I think the Russians have all left.

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[geisha]

Holiday money for many Europeans has shrunk in the last few  years , and noticeably this year. The cheaper countries are the best off as far as tourist numbers are concerned, Spain, Portugal, Greece, all easy to get to with super cheap flights,  legal  Airbnb’s , and a choice of hotels and B n B s to suit everyone’s pocket. We have the euro , and no expensive currency exchange. Also, lots of people are staying at home , or with family , camping ,and enjoying the hot summers. Thailand was a fashion, the early visitors gave it all the praise they needed’ to make it a success. Prices were cheap, beaches were clean and the sea water a blue dream. Bangkok was an exotic city, Chiang mMai, everyone went to on the way to their trek through the mountains. The Thais were kind and helpful and the girls of the night weren’t screeching obscenities on the streets and walking around half naked. No, I’m not a prude at all, but the videos and pictures on the internet and tv documentaries have gone all around the world many times, turning thailand into a very unsavoury place to holiday for most people, especially those with families . So what’s left, single men come for the not so cheap anymore sex, and certain people who can easily get what they want in Thailand and cannot back home, the beaches’ are ruined, the islands are over run with stinking speed  boats and’ the sea water is polluted and filthy, bordering on dangerous to health in a few places. The poor Thais are just as poor as before, still have less than basic education and a government who doesn’t care. Risk your  life taking  a mini bus or a day trip to the islands or run over by speeding cars and buses.Honestly, do the authorities not know that all this is broad cast to the’ world of potential tourists ? Anyhow, doom and gloom I know, but a lot of truths.

[marcusarelus]

31 minutes ago, Kim J said:

As I said. Visibly many less than there are of other tourists. If you want specific numbers do an internet search yourself instead of constantly being so lazy and pompous and telling others to do it for you.

You wrote, "My own observations would put the more traditional Pattaya sex tourists in a very small minority currently."  If your observations were realistic you would know how approximately there are.  

 

I'd imagine you not hanging about on soi 6 or Soi Buakhow and Soi Honey and so on...

[kevin612]

Immigration rules are too strict to us.

[Expat Tom]

So, someone is a position of authority finally realizes the truth. To the list of other reasons that Western tourists are not coming, we can add violence toward farang, harassment by immigrations, and money grabbing at all levels. When my lease is finished, I'm out of here too!

[newnative]

   Send in the casinos.

[sambum]

8 hours ago, BestB said:

Look on the bright side , Thailand is finally on the right tracks to salvation.

 

TAT admits tourist numbers are down

 

BOT admits economy is in bad shape 

 

Pattaya admits all local businesses are suffering which mind you must be total shock to our local Thai visa experts who always claim how busy it really is 

 

TOT cuts phone lines and taking a month to fix it .

 

So perhaps not all that bad, something positive is coming out from all of it????????

 

"TAT admits tourist numbers are down"

 

Think I'll have that framed and put on the wall!

[CNXexpat]

If there are 30% less western tourists/customers, the prices rise 30%?

[brewsterbudgen]

Immigration rules are too strict to us.

Why? Immigration rules are much tougher for the Chinese and Indians who don't get free visa-exempt entry and can only stay for 15 days.

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[elliss]

1 hour ago, raccos21 said:

So Thailand needs to rethink about their entertainment tourism missing parts.

 

 We can expect a statement from thai goverment soon . 

  reduction on bar fines , and longer short times.

  Every little bit helps...

   

 

[losworld]

And don't forget to add 24 hour police checks everywhere.

[sambum]

32 minutes ago, SupermarineS6B said:

Crikey the pennie's finally dropped........... I 've got news for you boys, it's not just Pattaya that's over it's Thailand in general.......... In just under a few years the Pratt that's in charge has destroyed one of the best money makers in the world, and he doesn't have the savvy to give any replacement for the drop in cash that is now affecting most of the country........ I just can't see " Big brother' giving all those Isaan families all the money farangs used to do....... Great way to start a civil war....  What a crying shame........

Agree with your post except that "the drop in cash" won't be affecting him or his cronies - if anything their bank accounts will be healthier than ever!

 

And do you not think that it is a way to keep the "peasants" in check? Somebody should start a business making "begging bowls" because the way that it is going, an awful lot of the poorer Thai people are going to need them. Just as an aside, and slightly off topic, how can they justify making it so difficult for ex pats to stay here when they each contribute (on average) half a million baht  into the economy every year? 

[mindfulness]

the Show is Over Folks, welcome to Vietnam where your $ £ & € will go further. 

They also have ‘entertainment’. 

[newnative]

1 hour ago, denby45 said:

I didn't know it was illegal. Where is this written? I have the same problem where I live.

 

Den

Thai Hotel Act.

[johnny49r]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Europeans are no longer coming due to the strength of the baht and other factors like competition elsewhere.

What the article didn't mention was the efforts of the Thai government to rid the land of low quality tourists. In their haste to filter out undesirables many quality tourists are also affected and word gets around. The only possible outcome is a huge fall in tourism. 

 

[sambum]

37 minutes ago, Kim J said:

Yes, and from the Westerners you see take away the ones and for sure it will be a significant proportion that are expats. I would say the numbers of them that are actually tourists will really be quite low.

I appreciate it is low season and this is traditionally the most quiet time of the year but I don't think I can recall ever seeing the place as quiet as it currently is.

For years now TAT have been bragging about the increases in tourism in a monthly basis, and maybe people are finally realising that the "proof of the pudding" is there for all to see  - empty streets, empty bars, empty restaurants  - all tell the same story, and maybe the information coming down from Esan is that the tourists aren't all up there discovering the proper Thailand after all! 

[marcusarelus]

30 minutes ago, Kim J said:

Have you counted them yourself? Personally I have better things to do with my time. What proportion of the westerners currently around Pattaya are Expats? Can you tell us that?

No I do not "hang about on soi 6 or Soi Buakhow and Soi Honey and so on". But I regularly drive through and around Pattaya past those places and others including a beach which is daily almost devoid of Western tourists, I also visit shops and other places. So yes I stand by what I say and there is visibly less of them currently than there are normally, which is backed up by the information this article is based upon, and also owners of businesses that we know who's footfall and takings are currently greatly reduced.

If you have some useful fact or observations of your own that can prove otherwise maybe you could consider throwing it into the discussion in a civil manner, rather than your constant tirade of inane posts?

I don't comment on the business being down in Pattaya as those were the first posts I read when I started reading Thai Visa a decade ago.  Pattaya has always been dying and a den of sin.  And they keep building mega hotels.  Ho hum.

[marcusarelus]

4 minutes ago, johnny49r said:

What the article didn't mention was the efforts of the Thai government to rid the land of low quality tourists. In their haste to filter out undesirables many quality tourists are also affected and word gets around. The only possible outcome is a huge fall in tourism. 

Seems to me the fault lies with the declining Western currencies rather than anything happening in Thailand.  As I think any economist will affirm.

[balo]

9 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Sex tourism is not something the new generation is so keen on anywhere.

Yes , when they hit 50 and their wives looks outdated, then Pattaya will be there to welcome them.

[balo]

Maybe turn this into something positive, when you are the last farang in the village , you will be the hansum one for the rest of your life. 

 

[ThomasThBKK]

14 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Seems to me the fault lies with the declining Western currencies rather than anything happening in Thailand.  As I think any economist will affirm.

That's why the biggest drop was Chinese tourists right... You make a whole lotta sense 

 

Quote

Probably more worrying for the tourism operators was the continuing softening of the Chinese market, Thailand’s largest source of tourists, which declined 8.55% in May 2019 compared to May 2018. This follows a drop of 8.9% last month.

 

[ukrules]

I have noticed a lot more Chinese independent travellers, people who book their own flights and hotels.

 

This is in Hua Hin, things are changing. The Chinese appear to go on holiday all year round instead of just the winter high season months.

 

They seem to be keeping the place afloat. These Chinese are nothing like those who came before them on the package tours.

[Call]

The new planned electric tram running on second and beachroad towards the Bali Hai pier, will save the city. Millions and millions will come to see it working in the floods.  But to be honest, Pattaya peaked many years ago!

[roadrunner32]

Are we surprised about that? This is the result of many year of policy and repression against the sex industries. Let's talk clear: in Pattaya we came for just a single reason and we well know what it is. 

All the rest of the entertainment, shopping centers amusement sites and so on.... are just a side dish. Obviously it also has something to do with the strong Baht, the high food pricing in supermarket specially the imported food (despite the strong Baht) etc.. 

[marcusarelus]

9 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

That's why the biggest drop was Chinese tourists right... You make a whole lotta sense 

Sorry didn't think you were interested in Chinese.  12 months drop from 5.00 to 4.46

[marcusarelus]

56 minutes ago, losworld said:

And don't forget to add 24 hour police checks everywhere.

Checks on what?  Weeks go by without me seeing a policeman.  

[BestB]

6 minutes ago, Kim J said:

Then maybe you could clarify exactly what you are saying? You are becoming ever more confusing! That is what this thread is all about!!

just to remind you:

 

Pattaya for Europeans is over - 30% down this year, official

 

Or maybe you know better than the leading Thai tourism official that made that statement?

What kind of silly question is that? Of course he knows more . He does not live in Pattaya but comes over once a month to do some shopping so he is an expert on how many Chinese there are and how busy Pattaya really is.

 

Beats other experts who are in UK telling us how busy Pattaya really is ????????

[BestB]

1 minute ago, marcusarelus said:

Checks on what?  Weeks go by without me seeing a policeman.  

Yes police usually keep away from

the jungle and rice fields 

[marcusarelus]

8 minutes ago, Kim J said:

Then maybe you could clarify exactly what you are saying? You are becoming ever more confusing! That is what this thread is all about!!

just to remind you:

 

Pattaya for Europeans is over - 30% down this year, official

 

Or maybe you know better than the leading Thai tourism official that made that statement?

The biggest drop in Brits was a couple of years ago coinciding with the drop in currency value.