Out with the backpackers in with the Chinese - Khao San Road makeover continues

[KhunKenAP]

Enough is enough. I am changing my name to one-hung-low.

[jonclark]

22 minutes ago, drbeach said:

Maybe some of these apparent "anti-farang" attitudes are simply "anti-stingy" remarks. I mean, 5 people sharing a 10 Baht bottle of water? Seriously...if that doesn't get people peed off then I don't know what does.

10 baht was quite a lot back in 1992 ???? 

[Traubert]

46 minutes ago, pokerface1 said:

If your been to China you would know what a shit hole looks like. To them Thailand looks like paradise on a stick. They will do even more damage to the environment and their reputation  while the Thais stick their heads in the sand and there hands in their pockets holding o to their roll of cash. 

Quite clearly you never have. You can barely move without falling over a street sweeper. I don't think I've ever seen one in Thailand, although I'm sure they are there somewhere.

[FritsSikkink]

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

Way to go Thailand, this country tourism was built on backpackers, you owe your reputation to those carefree guys and girls over that the years have spread the good words about visiting Thailand and now being shunt and discarded lie a used tissue in favor of the chinese... 

"this country tourism was built on backpackers"

Any proof for that?  

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

The continuation of the decline of Western tourism. Thailand made a decision long ago, to avoid pursuing the highest quality of tourist around. They are now courting low baht, low quality, for the sake of the annual total numbers of arrivals. Really, really dumb policy. Brain dead planning, by total incompetents. Nearly everyone I speak with, anywhere in the country, who is in the tourism industry says the same thing. They are suffering, this new group of tourists just does not spend much (unless you are 7/11, a fruit vendor, or sell baseball caps), and contribute very little to the local economy.

 

This lack of Western tourists, is a major disaster for the nation, and only a matter of time before this manifests itself on alot of levels. In addition, with so many ex-pets leaving, who contribute enormously to the local economy, one can only hope (with such mindless policy), that the baht eventually drops significantly. One would presume that will eventually happen. 

What a load of nonsense:

Since when are backpackers or people who come here to visit the prostitutes the highest quality tourists?

There are high quality tourists from all nations.

Chinese spend more per day than any other nationality.

[holy cow cm]

Let's wait and see. The article does state a promotion is in place to bring them there. Now if it is successful and the Chinese replace the back packers then not sure if the change is good or not. For me, I will not touch the area.. But what is for sure is the powers that be do not care about the old stuff for what is Thai-Foreign historical places of events that helped put them on the map what so ever. These old farts should go away as the younger generation still appreciates places like the famous KSR. I personally find staying in places with hordes of Chinese is a huge turnoff. 

[Mavideol]

should we understand colonization just started

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, tlandtday said:

another brilliant chess move by tat lol... the chinese are coming to see a farang landmark so hey let's make it chinese... now with the chinese currency manipulation they will not be coming in droves...

yeah.... TAT bad bet as the Remnibi/Yuan is down to 1 Rmb = 4.36 Baht, before was almost 5 bath, Chinese not be able to afford, TAT lose again

[varun]

Those iconic streets of Khaosan and Rambutri will soon be lined with cigarette butts, urine, excreta and phelgm - som nam na.

Thai logic at it's best - and then they wonder why the tourists aren't coming.

 

[Vacuum]

43 minutes ago, Traubert said:

street sweeper. I don't think I've ever seen one in Thailand

You should get out more, especially early in the morning....

[Lucius verus]

Rubbish. I was in Khao San last month.  The Chinese are not there in droves. Its still mostly farangs of all ages but they don't seem to be shopping because its now basically the same as any district in Bangkok albeit more expensive of course.

Most backpackers are gone incl Korean and Japs.

[hansnl]

3 hours ago, JimmyTheMook said:

 

Vietnan, Laos and few other places are the new wanderlust destinations - TH is just so old hat.

Thailand lost it.

Good luck with the fickle Chinese.

Maybe may I remember those who decide that those backpackersight come back when elder, might influence others to visit Thailand?

The Chinese tend to come once and can not be lured back.

Poor Thai people.

[hansnl]

56 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

What a load of nonsense:

Since when are backpackers or people who come here to visit the prostitutes the highest quality tourists?

There are high quality tourists from all nations.

Chinese spend more per day than any other nationality.

Really?

But what about the length of stay?

What about coming again?

You must be a short time thinker.

Tourism is not a one off thing, it is a returning thing that bring in the most money.

[Katipo]

Khao San was still a hub for backpackers coming to SEA. A place from which they could launch their adventures, create fond memories, and create a bond with Thailand which might result in them returning later in life with their families. Severing this tie will also mean that these people may never leave Suvaranabhumi, and instead fly straight on to their destination, which might very well not even be in Thailand.

What I am seeing is a panic reaction by officials who don't understand why Western tourist numbers are declining, don't understand what the broader ramifications of this decline could mean, and certainly have no idea how create a plan that might turn things around.

The Chinese are already showing signs of Thailand fatigue, Asia is a region where trends come and go as quickly as the Instagram posts that start them.

I cannot see a positive result for the Kingdom unless the short term reactionary is replaced with more long term visionary.

[PingRoundTheWorld]

They'll be in for quite a shock when Chinese tourist number plummet further due to the Yuan devaluing even more. Chinese numbers are already significantly down - it's just going to get worse. Hopefully they won't completely ruin the place before realizing they bet on the wrong horse. (nothing wrong with vendors learning Chinese, but all the cleanups are just hurting tourism, not helping it)

[legend49]

 

The Chinese are there in droves and the government has started to teach traders to speak Chinese instead of concentrating on English. 

 

LOL they couldnt master English good luck with Mandarin. The tourist police get a 1 day training course in Mandarin, OMG!

[car720]

Ma bi!!

How do you say, "me love you long time $2" in Chinese?

[ThomasThBKK]

3 hours ago, MartinKal said:

Some analysis would be useful. Context (tourist numbers and trends), explanations, conclusions.

 

The analysis is easy.

 

Government destroyed Khao san road with various crackdowns.

Government wonders why Khao San is no longer well visited.

Government thinks because they don't advertise enough to the declining number of chinese.

Everyone else: SHAKES HEAD

[pieeyed]

Well at least it is close to China Town.

 

[Docno]

Spent 20 minutes walking through the area some years ago. Like Kuta without the nearby beaches. Certainly didn't feel like Thailand. I say let the Chinese have it... 

[Guderian]

I'm sure there's a committee busy this very moment trying to work out how to get rid of all the pesky farangs cluttering up Walking Street in Pattaya so as to give the noble, fraternal Chinese tour parties and their flag-waving guides more space. We've already got Panda a-Gogo, I expect Mao Zedong a-Gogo won't be too far behind, lol.

[whitemouse]

3 hours ago, Vacuum said:

I wonder if this was their plan from the beginning?

 

There probably never was a plan, just raging incompetence. 

 

Thailand reacts , it does not plan, and when it seems there is a  plan, inevitably everything gets worse, for everyone. Like this idiotic Khao San Rd makeover, why change something that has worked beautifully for decades? Why not just not keeps things as they are, and promote the area to Chinese? But no, they need to destroy the area by 'cleaning' it, and then they wonder why the area simply dies. 

[banagan]

Bars will be hit hard. McDonalds will do well. It's pretty small, they'll need to expand it.

[lust]

Tourism Authority of Thailand combined with the Ministry of SPORTS (lol) and Tourism is run by the most incompetent people of Thailand. 

[Emdog]

TAT hasn't got the brains they weren't born with....

[Deli]

TAT and Immi did everything they could to prevent farangs from coming and spending. Now they have to deal with that what nobody really wants.

[Deli]

43 minutes ago, Guderian said:

I'm sure there's a committee busy this very moment trying to work out how to get rid of all the pesky farangs cluttering up Walking Street in Pattaya so as to give the noble, fraternal Chinese tour parties and their flag-waving guides more space. We've already got Panda a-Gogo, I expect Mao Zedong a-Gogo won't be too far behind, lol.

Not to forget bobblehead city at the end of WS

[MartiniMan]

The reason is all the farang backpackers are in vietnam and cambodia now because they got herb and cheap beer 

This is the true reason and they will see in their earnings that they will make pennies now compared to khao san before because they focus on only one group instead of the entire world and the world is a big place and statistically more wealthy people speak English then Chinese from more diverse countries as it is often a second language also - so they are literally shooting theirselves in the foot and limiting potential by being selective 

[harrycallahan]

The Western backpackers will be tourist attractions themselves.

[easydoesit]

The (Thailand)Thrill.

It's Gone. ????