"They must have gone to the temples instead!" - Pattaya as dead as a dodo in the holidays

[petemoss]

Just now, theonetrueaussie said:

Yeah I know when I go to the beach the one thing i wish there was more of was smokers giving me 2nd hand smoke.....said no one ever!!

Don't you ever have a barbie on the beach? How much smoke do you think those things give off. About a thousand cigarettes. Ban the barbie!

[wazzupnow]

no worries prayut will swing his (little) magic wond and all will be solved

[sambum]

22 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

Far more indeed don’t smoke than do and almost all non smokers find secondhand smoke unpleasant. If that’s 'extreme and irrational ' explain why most countries ban smoking in public places and that’s starting to extend even to outdoors,as here. 

Yeah,like beach vendors have a balanced view. They would be happier if they could spread their operation uncontrolled all over the beach.

I stopped smoking 6 years ago, and I smoked for more than 50 years, but "secondhand" smoke doesn't bother me in the slightest. Like many smokers, even before the ban, I never used to smoke in restaurants, and when in someone's house, I always asked if they minded me smoking. and I think I was representative of many smokers - prepared to "compromise".

 

But what annoys me are the "holier than thou" critics - many of them ex smokers that vilify smokers to the end of the earth, and wave their arms around like windmills at the sight of a lighted cigarette! e.g:-

 

"There are far more of us disgusted to get a nauseating blast of some selfish idiot's cigarette smoke. If your life is ruled by cigarettes you need to re-evaluate your priorities...not to mention your health regime."

 

Notice they don't make the same fuss about a burly truck driver whose vehicle is spewing out clouds of black poison?

[petemoss]

1 minute ago, sambum said:

I stopped smoking 6 years ago, and I smoked for more than 50 years, but "secondhand" smoke doesn't bother me in the slightest. Like many smokers, even before the ban, I never used to smoke in restaurants, and when in someone's house, I always asked if they minded me smoking. and I think I was representative of many smokers - prepared to "compromise". But what annoys me are the "holier than thou" critics - many of them ex smokers that vilify smokers to the end of the earth, and wave their arms around like windmills at the sight of a lighted cigarette! Notice they don't do the same to the burly truck drivers whose vehicles are spewing out clouds of black poison?

I'm the opposite. I stopped smoking for 10 years and only started again when I came to Thailand. I too don't smoke in restaurants, I never smoke in anyone's house, not even my own. In bars, I'm always careful not to blow my smoke towards anyone and ask if I'm close to someone, if they mind me smoking. However you can never please the anti smoking terrorists. Strange that I rarely encounter them in real life, they seem to exist on online forums behind their keyboards.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Speedboat operator Uthit Attasaengsee painted an even greater picture of gloom. No one was taking recreational trips on his boat and business was down 80% year on year he reckoned.

The real truth from the vendors is creeping out, however T.A.T still seem to be pedaling the same old tourism is up crap!

[marcusarelus]

56 minutes ago, aspenbkk said:

i Said for the Last Year That the Beach was Empty as i am down there Every Day When in Pattaya and they are now Just Saying it. Vendors Asking me and other white People Please Sit down And it Will Only Get Worse As White People Are Avoiding the Place and Going Else Where .

Maybe they could have a sign white people's chairs and drinking fountain and stuff and then they would come back?

[petemoss]

1 minute ago, hotchilli said:

The real truth from the vendors is creeping out, however T.A.T still seem to be pedaling the same old tourism is up crap!

The speedboat vendors primary demographic are the Chinese, which concurs with my observations in Pattaya. A lot less Chinese around than there was a year ago.

[StayinThailand2much]

34 minutes ago, howbri said:

Veterans of Pattaya tell me this is the worst business year in 25 years.

Last time I went to Pattaya was in 2016. But even then it was way more quiet than the same month 15 years earlier! - Yes, there were many more Chinese and Indian tourists, but they could not replace the large number of Westerners 'absent', not in numbers, and certainly not in buying power. (All I saw the Chinese tour groups do, was walking up and down Walking Street in the early evening, following 'the flag', but not buying anything, not even a bottle of water from 7-Eleven. Once they had left, around 7 p.m., Walking Street was deserted...)

 

 

[petemoss]

41 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

Far more indeed don’t smoke than do and almost all non smokers find secondhand smoke unpleasant. If that’s 'extreme and irrational ' explain why most countries ban smoking in public places and that’s starting to extend even to outdoors,as here. 

Because again you say "almost all non smokers". Name one western country that has completely banned smoking on the beach. In fact name one country anywhere.

 

 

[NormanW]

54 minutes ago, Wake Up said:

Restaurants and bars close for two days and nights because no alcohol means less people. I don’t care if you don’t drink but a lot of adults enjoy adult beverages with their meals and enjoy open pubs and clubs. 

Yep, what a farce when you can't have a beverage with your meal.

And I don't drink.

 

[MartiniMan]

They will realise when the tax revenue is down down down

High exchange rate doesnt help either

7/11s closing / down sizing is leading indicator - the condo projects already slow and cannot sell - another huge indication of recession

They are not ready for recession and when it hits it will easily send many people bankrupt as they are credited up to the eyeballs and never planned for a rainy day - all these reasons here are just speculation hard truth is the place has changed due to fundamental factors - all of which could be easily fixed with a good management in place.

The man mentioned talking to someone who could do something 'who ever that might be' that man is the mayor or president. Very obvious - we need thai trump more then ever.

[observer90210]

The female barstoolers need to crash their prices perhaps ?

[terryofcrete]

8 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Not really following the logic, there are no thais at the beach on a thai holiday so therefore tourist numbers are down.

I think the clue is in the vague comment by the boat jetski guy ... somebody somewhere do something about ... something ? not sure what they mean either .. you really couldn’t have sympathy for theses chancers and rip off merchants . same with the girls .. they are crying  l. no no customers and still looking for go go prices and as for the go go,girls ... they can go go anywhere as far as I’m concerned .. but not into my pocket ! 

[Chongalulu]

21 minutes ago, petemoss said:

Because again you say "almost all non smokers". Name one western country that has completely banned smoking on the beach. In fact name one country anywhere.

 

 

Here’s more than one. When do I get my prize?

15.5.1.1 Beaches

A mixture of local government and state action has led to restrictions on smoking at a number of Australian beaches. States that have legislated to make smoking illegal on beaches include Queensland (in 2005) and Western Australia (in 2010). The Queensland ban prohibits smoking between the flags on patrolled beaches and anywhere on an artificial beach between sunrise and sunset. The West Australian ban applies between the flags in patrolled swimming areas.

In May 2004 Sydney's Manly Council became the first jurisdiction in Australia, and only the second in the world following Los Angeles, to legislate a smoking ban on a public beach. The primary reason the council voted for the ban was to reduce cigarette butt litter so as to prevent the environmental damage caused by butts and improve the amenity of beaches.¹⁰ Sydney's Waverley Council immediately followed Manly's example, implementing a ban on smoking on its beaches including Sydney's famous tourist beach Bondi in December 2004. As at 31 July 2010, 
14 New South Wales councils had adopted beach smoking bans.

Victoria's Surf Coast Shire enacted a local law banning smoking on beaches along the Great Ocean Road in 2008. Reasons given for the ban included to provide leadership on community health and wellbeing, minimise cigarette butt pollution, improve amenity, improve the health of members of the community and raise awareness of smoking issues. Port Phillip Council implemented Victoria's second beach smoking ban in 2010 covering the popular beaches of St Kilda, Elwood and Port Melbourne.

The City of Joondalup and City of Cockburn in Western Australia have also implemented beach smoking bans.

In the US as of 1 April 2011, smoking was banned on beaches in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the State of Maine prohibits smoking on beaches in its state parks.¹¹ Smoking is banned on all areas of beaches in 105 municipalities throughout the country and many more ban smoking in particular areas of beaches.¹¹

[kohmakmaxx]

That comes right 80%down and not 20 to 30, I'm running a resort and business compare with last year is about 70 to 80% down and bookings for the next months nearly zero. 

[Cranky]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

He called on someone, somewhere to do something about it. 

Reminds me of my four mates.  Somebody, Anybody, Everybody & Nobody.

 

Somebody should have done it, Anybody could have done it, Everybody ignored it so Nobody did it.

 

Take your pick and apply to any Thai topic that takes your fancy

[CGW]

7 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Every time I go it's packed with Thai people and cars with Bangkok plates.  

As it has been for the past 40 years, strange how nobody notices them ????

Pattaya has been through a lot of changes and will go through more but the "bread and butter" crowd has long been Bangkok folks escaping for a few days or a weekend.

[ChrisY1]

Prayuth did say 4 years ago that he wanted the countries image to get away from the sex image.....whether he actually had a hand in doing anything, it sure seems as though the sex business for tourists may be on the wane

[marcusarelus]

1 minute ago, CGW said:

As it has been for the past 40 years, strange how nobody notices them ????

Pattaya has been through a lot of changes and will go through more but the "bread and butter" crowd has long been Bangkok folks escaping for a few days or a weekend.

I would imagine it's because most commenting on Pattaya have never actually been there of if they have only for a short period of time.  

[Jen65]

The crash is coming !!  now too expensive,too polluted and poor service !!  Hopefully that will see the Thai baht tumble ! If I could sell one property I would repatriate the funds and make on the exchange rate then look for another more economically and friendly country to reside .

[petemoss]

27 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

The female barstoolers need to crash their prices perhaps ?

It has been said but prices are going up due to the lack of customers. They now need to make a month's salary from one customer. I don't think that many bar girls have a degree in economics.

[Chongalulu]

1 hour ago, sambum said:

I stopped smoking 6 years ago, and I smoked for more than 50 years, but "secondhand" smoke doesn't bother me in the slightest. Like many smokers, even before the ban, I never used to smoke in restaurants, and when in someone's house, I always asked if they minded me smoking. and I think I was representative of many smokers - prepared to "compromise".

 

But what annoys me are the "holier than thou" critics - many of them ex smokers that vilify smokers to the end of the earth, and wave their arms around like windmills at the sight of a lighted cigarette! e.g:-

 

"There are far more of us disgusted to get a nauseating blast of some selfish idiot's cigarette smoke. If your life is ruled by cigarettes you need to re-evaluate your priorities...not to mention your health regime."

 

Notice they don't make the same fuss about a burly truck driver whose vehicle is spewing out clouds of black poison?

Your anecdotal evidence based on a single person (you) doesn’t chime with non smokers. Most really dislike it. People might in the past have been embarrassed or too polite to say no when asked if they would allow smoking in their house . Thankfully now most smokers don’t put people in that position ask and go straight outside...although they still stink when coming back in.

Silly analogy about truck drivers. In developed countries if your vehicle is on the road and breaching limits by belching out smoke your vehicle will be taken off the road. There are laws. 

[petemoss]

1 minute ago, nchuckle said:

Your anecdotal evidence based on a single person (you) doesn’t chime with non smokers. Most really dislike it. People might in the past have been embarrassed or too polite to say no when asked if they would allow smoking in their house . Thankfully now most smokers don’t put people in that position ask and go straight outside...although they still stink when coming back in.

Silly analogy about truck drivers. In developed countries if your vehicle is on the road and breaching limits by belching out smoke your vehicle will be taken off the road. There are laws. 

Your anecdotal evidence is based on a sample of 1 - you. @sambums evidence is based on a sample of 2 - mine and his, which makes our evidence twice as likely to be correct as yours.

 

Not a silly analogy about trucks, we're in Thailand, faulty exhausts on trucks is a big problem, far less healthy for far more people than someone having a quiet tab on a beach a few yards from you.

 

BTW. Have you come up with another country yet that has imposed a total ban on smoking on it's beaches? Proving a little difficult for you?

 

[Isaan sailor]

Why tourism down?

Why exports down?

Why do expats complain?

The Baht....the Baht...the Baht.

Do you think Bank of Thailand gets this message?

[cyril sneer]

@petemoss could you change that photo of yours? you look like a muslim terrorist and it's making me feel uncomfortable 

[petemoss]

7 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

@petemoss could you change that photo of yours? you look like a muslim terrorist and it's making me feel uncomfortable 

It's my namesake. The guy's 2000 years old, no wonder he's looking a bit rough. Just giving him his 15 minutes of fame.

[CygnusX1]

1 hour ago, petemoss said:

Name one western country that has completely banned smoking on the beach. In fact name one country anywhere.

 

 

Instantly thought of the world’s worst Nanny State, turns out I was right!

53 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

restrictions on smoking at a number of Australian beaches

 

[emptypockets]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I was recently with a group of friends, and we wanted to order a bottle of wine, at of one of those high end restaurants in the EmQuartier complex. It was Bella Rocca Restaurant. I asked about a 2011 Chianti they had on the list. I was told they were out of stock. No have. I asked about a Barbaresco, at 2,600 baht. Again, out of stock. No have. How about this Nebbiolo? Do you have the 2010, as stated on the list? No have. We only have the 2016. OK, what is that wine like? Is it drinking well now? I do not know. Is there anyone here that is familiar with this wine list? No. Sorry sir. Wait a minute. You have 100 bottles on this list, ranging from 1200 baht to 10,000 baht per bottle, and NOBODY who works here knows anything about the wine? Are you serious? We all just looked at each other, and got up and walked out. We realized the restaurant was a pretender. And more than likely the food was marginal at best. It was all dressed up to look like a very nice Italian restaurant. But, it appeared to be only window dressing. High end tourists have little patience for that lack of quality and lack of service. 

 

But again, the lack of vision, combined with a naive, surly, silly, churlish, and ignorant sense of nationalism, bites the country in the butt. And again, who is the loser? The Thai people. 

 

The entire country is suffering from a declining tourism industry. And that will not change. It is a permanent declining trend. For a hundred valid reasons. The TAT and the army are at the top of the list. 

How many times are you going to post this? 

At least tell us how that bottle of whine you usually mention is drinking .

[petemoss]

1 minute ago, CygnusX1 said:

Instantly thought of the world’s worst Nanny State, turns out I was right!

 

Close but no cigar. Thailand has a total ban on smoking on all it's beaches. I believe that there are several countries that have banned smoking in designated areas of certain beaches.

[Suradit69]

9 hours ago, mikebell said:

It's not just the property owning laws which are racist and medieval.

 

9 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

 

Not really following the logic, there are no thais at the beach on a thai holiday so therefore tourist numbers are down.

Yes much of the logic in this thread is missing in action. Apparently some people erroneously think "tourist"  and "farang"  are synonyms since I haven't heard anything about Thais refusing to sit on the beach because of property owning laws or, for that matter, property laws being a major concern for foreign tourists.