Popular Thai Beaches Pricier Than European Resorts: It’s Not Just About the Higher Baht

[GalaxyMan]

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

You know nothing about Thai people, they don't care about noise, they are definitely not very scared people.

Nonsense. We have 'soi dogs' on our street that create problems, including noise, fighting, and chasing cats, but my Thai wife says we cannot complain because it will create other problems.

[ThomasThBKK]

2 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

I've been living here part time for 7 years, have an apt. in BKK. Got my retirement visa last year. It's sad to see the tunnel vision and economic blindness that has gone on since I first studied the country before I came here. There are viable and time tested remedies that could be effected, but for all of the good things about Thai culture, it seems economic common sense has been left out of their DNA in favor of short sighted greed. Hence the choice of Chinese tourists over those from other countries. Like many if not most developed countries (Thailand not quite being one) , it seems that politicians are out to "get theirs" and as soon as they do or are sure they will, the future of their own country matters little. If it ever did. I've seen a lot of small affordable bars and guest houses struggling and closing their doors, unable to make their rent. Since I first came here in 2013, I have been amazed and dismayed at all of the bars even in the red light districts which have seldom even been half full. What are the landlords thinking when no more rent is coming in from these properties when they close doors? I'm going to stay here, since I learned via my own poverty in the US how to live frugally, and Thailand still beats the US hands down for an affordable good quality of life for my income bracket. I can cook for myself and buy my beer at a local store, walk more than ride, take trains and buses, sit at a picnic table with a small group of expats or Thais, laugh, enjoy life. These stories just make me sad. But at least they don't have Trump. I'd go anywhere to escape that sick megalomaniac racist <deleted>. So I still count my blessings. The world will do what it will, I will endure

 

I just came back from Singapore's fintech festival.

One Slogan i read was: "in Singapore short term means the next 10 years, long term means the next 50 years, in the rest of asia short term means yesterday and longterm tomorrow"- oh does it fit well...

[GalaxyMan]

29 minutes ago, atyclb said:

has thailand reopened to saudi tourists ??

It would seem so. My wife works at a so-called 5* resort -- I give it 3* at best -- and she told me about one of their Saudi guests who bought 200 bottles of 'champagne' -- sparkling wine, actually -- and gave them out to everyone so that they could have a spray-champagne-on-everyone party. The tab for the champagne was 1m baht.

[madmen]

39 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Absolute rubbish.

Most 5* bookings are families and couples that work and save hard for their yearly holidays. And 5 star hotels aren't like a goddamn ferrari.

There are 150 5 STAR HOTELS on agoda.com listed right now for Phuket alone.

You get a proper 5 star hotel newly build this year for 1500 THB in high season there: https://www.agoda.com/kata-sea-view-resort/hotel/phuket-th.html?checkin=2019-11-30&los=7&adults=2&rooms=1&searchrequestid=ed31c423-b5ab-4901-871d-0c366496ab44&travellerType=1&tabbed=true

 

This is one of the best in Phuket and goes for 14k a night, you don't need to be utter rich to make a 1 week holiday there... and even wealthy people don't like pissing away money, you find equal good deals in the maldives and co all year round: https://www.agoda.com/sri-panwa-phuket-luxury-pool-villa-hotel/hotel/phuket-th.html?checkin=2019-11-30&los=7&adults=2&rooms=1&searchrequestid=9692f8cd-ba01-4a6f-9f48-27c950a24983&travellerType=1&tspTypes=7

 

150 * whatever the average room size is. It's nothing more than a comodity like an iphone these days...

5 star is just a classification where you have to meet certain criteria like having a pool and wifi to meet it. It doesn't say much about anything else at all.

 

 

LOL.

 

You can't even register a car on a tourist visa. You need a resident certificate to do so.

 

Nice totally made up story. 

I cant believe the BS you just wrote. True 5 star tourists tend to fly business class as well. Your out of your tree if you think the majority staying 5 star are not seriously wealthy. Note .."the majority"

Harry the hump and mrs hump will be staying 1k a night and fly cattle class

[FritsSikkink]

23 minutes ago, GalaxyMan said:

Nonsense. We have 'soi dogs' on our street that create problems, including noise, fighting, and chasing cats, but my Thai wife says we cannot complain because it will create other problems.

Why aren't you doing something about it if you have a problem. Are you very scared for your neighbors?

Edited November 15, 2019 by FritsSikkink

[GalaxyMan]

Just now, FritsSikkink said:

Why aren't you doing something about it if you have a problem. Are you very scared for your neighbors?

Anybody with a brain living in Thailand knows not to antagonize a Thai.

[FritsSikkink]

1 minute ago, GalaxyMan said:

Anybody with a brain living in Thailand knows not to antagonize a Thai.

Why aren't they very scared than? 

Done it multiple times, still here.

[gerritkaew]

Would you go to thailand with your wife and kids for a holiday ?

No, only lonely man and women do this, who are single and have no chance to get some action.

Yes 10 yeas ago it was nice, cheap, friendly and safe.

Now 65% ar criminal and sick crazy people come here..

And the thai, a litle more money not make them more happy.

I remember the time family from my wife have nothing but they where happy.

 

[Scot123]

9 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Why aren't you doing something about it if you have a problem. Are you very scared for your neighbors?

Very cheap shot. He most likely knows that as a non Thai or even a Thai and you touch a soi dog or any other dog your in big trouble with the police. He/she may also know of non Thais ending up in prison when someone took a dislike to them who had some relitive in the police or military. 

[ThomasThBKK]

Just now, madmen said:

I cant believe the BS you just wrote. True 5 star tourists tend to fly business class as well. Your out of your tree if you think the majority staying 5 star are not seriously wealthy. Note .."the majority"

Harry the hump and mrs hump will be staying 1k a night and fly cattle class

 

As always absolute <deleted>. No such thing as true five star tourist exists...

Hotel star ratings mean absolutely nothing these days especially in Thailand. A 5 star Thai hotel cannot be universally compared with other countries.  

There are 100 and more different Hotel rating agencies and all of them have different rules. You can literally just name your hotel 5 star here, there's NO official standard. 

The requirement for one of these are here: http://www.thaihotels.org/attachments/view/?attach_id=190051 

It even says 12.840 4-5 hotels are Thai Hotel association member, the other 14k 4 and 5 star hotels just made <deleted> up... get a grip

 

Here Sri Panwa says they are 6 star hotel: https://www.thailandtatler.com/dining/at-exclusive-omakase-experience-at-sri-panwa-phuket-this-month

On there website they said: 

Quote

Sri panwa is an award winning 5 star luxury resort in Thailand. Escape to one of the best hotels in Phuket with 6 unique restaurant experiences.

 

No such thing as a 6 star rating from the THAI HOTEL ASSOCIATION, oh right they just made that <deleted> up because it's Thailand. But no worries everywhere in the world they just make this <deleted> up: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_rating#More_than_five_stars

 

And so no, the majority of people staying in one of the 150-200 "5 star hotels " in phuket isn't seriously wealthy. There's only a bunch of truly good hotels in Thailand which a mere 100 or so of rooms: Soneva Kiri, Trisara, Sri Panwa , Six Senses Yao Noi, 4 Seasons Samui, Anantara Samui... other expensive but illegal places get run over regularly and cannot even be considered a hotel as they have no hotel license: https://thethaiger.com/news/samui/raid-on-18-foreign-owned-koh-samui-hotels-owners-arrested

 

 

 

[zhorik]

the prices will also drive the Chinese away, One thing that the Chinese love is value for money. Thailand offers nothing that Cambodia, Vietnam, South Korea and other SE asians do not also have to offer but cheaper.

[Mac98]

If a vacation in Thailand is as pricey as in Europe, why would that be blamed for keeping farang away when Chinese and Indians are flocking to Thailand rather than enjoying far cheaper offerings in their home countries? 

   If there is a housing bust the Westerners will return. If you save two million baht on a condo you might not argue about that bar fine. 

 

[ChipButty]

2 hours ago, peter14 said:

Philippines is great and much cheaper too and much friendly.. as much as Malaysia.. forget Thailand...

Have you ever seen a Filipino take away? I couldn't believe how easy they could ruin good food

[Scot123]

10 minutes ago, gerritkaew said:

Would you go to thailand with your wife and kids for a holiday ?

No, only lonely man and women do this, who are single and have no chance to get some action.

Yes 10 yeas ago it was nice, cheap, friendly and safe.

Now 65% ar criminal and sick crazy people come here..

And the thai, a litle more money not make them more happy.

I remember the time family from my wife have nothing but they where happy.

 

You really quite bitter and twisted. I first went to Thailand back in 2002, the reason Scuba diving. Back then Kow Tow was a paradise with sand Street and pubs/restaurants with character. Diving instructor with nearly 300 dives in and around Kow tow. The island was full of young people enjoying life (I was living/working there for years before I new there was a karaoke bar. 2010 ~ 19 lived in Thailand. Going to the mall we would see lots of non Thai pushing prams and family units same as Krabi our favorite holiday destination. I can assure you many non thais can find women in their own countries and if they are looking to pay for companionship just the same price. Lsorry to break this to you but Thailand is not the centre of vice in the world and sex is not why people come to Thailand. Note: The expat, a now very abused asset would bring many friends and family into Thailand for holidays, sadly not so much now. 

[madmen]

35 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Hotel star ratings mean absolutely nothing these days especially in Thailand.

Yeah right the sofitel , the Hyatt the sheraton , the hilton?

 

I thought smoking pot was illegal here? go have a nice sleep and come back alert

[fruitman]

1 hour ago, GalaxyMan said:

Nonsense. We have 'soi dogs' on our street that create problems, including noise, fighting, and chasing cats, but my Thai wife says we cannot complain because it will create other problems.

My neighbour bought 10 parakeets who are fighting all day long...5 in a tiny cage which is even too small for 1...and then 2 cages...

 

My wife told me to not complain so i started making the same noise as them all day....neighbour wouldn't budge...today i made very loud sssshhhhhhhhtt noises in front of their cage (i did that every day) and when he saw me he sad i should wear my headphone again (which was around my neck because i need that all day long to not hear them)....i told him in thai that it's not relaxed and finally today he moved them....they are still there but don't fight all day now...selfish idiot he is and all other neighbours just closed their windows for many months in row...

 

If he won't stop that noise i'll buy a huge speakerset and aim it at his open door which is very close from ours. Then he can hear some bird noises.

[meshborg]

Year upon year it gets worse.Ive now given up visiting.Between the pollution,prices,Chinese tourists,dangerous roads and lack of hygene its just not worth it anymore.

[seasia]

4 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

so why are you here?

Gradually reducing my time here after 20 yrs. experience.

 

Have some ties here still.

 

Back to Europe next year.

Edited November 15, 2019 by seasia

[VBF]

8 hours ago, justin case said:

 

leave your common sense at the airport, you might eventually get it back on your way home

Well no one's going to take and use it, are they?  ????

[ThomasThBKK]

37 minutes ago, madmen said:

Yeah right the sofitel , the Hyatt the sheraton , the hilton?

 

I thought smoking pot was illegal here? go have a nice sleep and come back alert

Absolute middle class, as i said.

 

https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/sofitel-bangkok-sukhumvit-bangkok.html

 

160 USD a night, every tourist couple can spend that, no need to be wealthy. 

 

And Hyatt lol, business hotels with hooker bars that's what they are famous for all over the world. In Seoul they have the JJ Mahoney hooker bar, in Singapore it's the Brix hooker club... that's hyatt - business hotel.

 

Hilton lol, mass business hotel, their better line is called Waldorf Astoria but even those are 9k baht a night here, not much expensive...

 

Real luxury costs a bit more and there's only a handful of those hotels in Thailand: https://www.soneva.com/soneva-kiri/

Starting at 900 USD a night for the most basic type of villa. Add another 900 USD for their private plane from Swampy to the Island for 2 people. 

Or Trisara: https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/trisara.en-us.html?aid=1178807&sid=d27152d3802012b09cd773afce881dab&all_sr_blocks=29542401_110112626_0_41_0&checkin=2019-11-20&checkout=2019-11-21&dest_id=-3398232&dest_type=city&from_beach_key_ufi_sr=1&group_adults=1&group_children=0&hapos=1&highlighted_blocks=29542401_110112626_0_41_0&hpos=1&no_rooms=1&origin=hp&req_adults=1&req_children=0&room1=A&sr_order=popularity&srepoch=1573811566&srpvid=e5624576f87200d5&ucfs=1&from=searchresults;hptv=do

 

starting at 30k a night..

Edited November 15, 2019 by ThomasThBKK

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, Scot123 said:

Very cheap shot. He most likely knows that as a non Thai or even a Thai and you touch a soi dog or any other dog your in big trouble with the police. He/she may also know of non Thais ending up in prison when someone took a dislike to them who had some relitive in the police or military. 

Do you have any proof of your "most likely" and "may also know"

I only see foreigners who are scared to have a conflict with Thai people and rather live in an unpleasant surrounding or run away. Then they say that Thais are very scared, what a joke.

[harleyclarkey]

On 11/14/2019 at 10:52 AM, BritManToo said:

Do people who use 5* resorts worry about the price?

I would have though the weather, service and beach/sea quality would be all that mattered.

For what you describe.......go to Mauritius. True 5* resorts...superb beaches with the resorts and with service to match. 

The $500 per night in Europe is not correct. Sure, there are such resorts but it is not difficult to get superb 5* for much less. 

[peter harrison]

everthing is more expensive even shoping the thai bht is high but import goods have still got more expensive visas have become a joke i think they dont want us see how they go with the chinees and india when they say pang to much

[Perhaps2more]

You do not have to use five star hotels or eat in those expensive places all the time. You can eat very cheaply at local restaurants or any food court which offers street food but cleaner. If you rent an apartment, you can cook yourself whatever you want cheaply.

Clear blue sea, nice and warm all year round, and so long as you use trains and planes for your long distance travelling you should be fine. 

In Asia you have plenty of choices in how much you want to pay but not in Europe.

[geisha]

Yes, Thailand’ has definitely lost it’s cheap and cheerful reputation.

I would say the most obvious reason is the dangerous drivers. We all need them, tourists coming from the airport, day trips, boat trips, taxis after a night out. THe most important element for choosing a holiday, is the safety. The drivers manage to spoil / stress my stay, even when I pay top bucks. I now try to travel by the big private bus companies when possible, even when it’s so easy to jump in a taxi at a very reasonable price ! Secondly, people who can afford expensive holidays have a huge choice, Polynesia, the Caribbean, South America, but especially the Caribbean. There they have a 4/5 star, Palace, quality of holiday with sunshine thrown in. I live in Cannes and we have a lot of high spending tourists with all the world class hotels on the Cap D Antibes , Cannes, Nice, Monte-Carlo, St Tropez , where they don’t have to worry about bad infrastructure, food quality and kamikaze drivers. 

When my friends , colleagues etc ask me why I still spend my winters in Thailand, I don’t really know anymore or what to answer. ! I think it’s  just habit. Though looking at some of the nicer Caribbean islands, I think a change is in the air. .

.( ps, widely travelled but over 20 odd winters in Thailand)

 

 

[Bournville]

On 11/14/2019 at 2:59 PM, dcnx said:

I stopped recommending Thailand a few years ago. There are so many better places to go for a holiday. Between the locals and the hordes of Chinese, I’m not sure who ruined things more but it’s incredibly difficult to actually relax here now unless you go somewhere during the off season or luck out. I can’t even grab a coffee at a cafe anymore without contemplating snapping the neck of at least one Chinese tourist who is either yelling across the room, trying to cut in line, or allowing their kids to use every chair as a their own personal jungle gym.

 

I didn’t think I’d ever despise a group of people as much as I’ve come to despise Chinese tourists. They are a plague upon the earth.

So. Your not a fan of Chinese people. OK. 555 

[Isaan sailor]

China is the real culprit in Baht appreciation.  Look at the continued hot money inflows. Look at how the Chinese Yuan rises as western currencies fall. And the high Baht kills tourism.  So it looks like a multi-year conscious effort to bring the Baht up.

[Alexandra818]

Thai has terrible infrastructure to boot.  How about a bleamin' sidewalk for crying out loud.  Phuket, a tourist mecca and they force the tourists to walk in the street.  Yeah, Thailand can no longer compete. 

[Elreeco]

On 11/14/2019 at 7:52 AM, seasia said:

Yes of course.

 

Thailand with it s terrible driving standards, excessive noise and pollution, short changing and overpricing is not attractive compared to many parts of Europe.

 

Some friends of mine went to Cannes in France at a lower cost then a Thailand trip would have cost.

 

I had advised them to avoid Thailand.

and you're still here ?????

Edited November 15, 2019 by Elreeco

[Fairynuff]

On 11/14/2019 at 4:05 PM, Pattaya46 said:

Uh?? Didn't TAT announce recently that they would break again the record of visitor this year ?  For sure tourists are still coming !

TAT are always like a broken record ????????