Pattaya and the virus: Tourism down 60% compared to last year and no end in sight

[Beggar]

3 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

"Hi girls! How are things here on Soi Six?"

 

Great. Protects against viruses and against the sticky fingers of the ladyboys. 

[RotBenz8888]

6 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

"Hi girls! How are things here on Soi Six?"

 

Did he borrow that condom on his head from some of the African fellows?

[spinner2020]

3 hours ago, URMySunshine said:

I have done 2 coups , one tsunami , SARS and now this when do I get my purple heart ?

So I guess you missed bird flu? That was fun too........

[Golden Triangle]

Lordy lordy !! Whatever next, they'll be petitioning the government for a hand out next, same as the Rubber, Rice, Sugar Cane farmers & Fishermen et al  (sarcasm mode off) ???? 

[smedly]

3 hours ago, shackleton said:

No doubt all will resolved with arrival of the 4000 American Navy guys next month will save the day

I'd be willing to wager shore leave will be cancelled 

[smedly]

 

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I like the Chinese people, but do not want to be anywhere near them right now

Chinese don't want be near Chinese

[bkk6060]

3 hours ago, shackleton said:

You get the feeling the bar tourists are getting to be a thing of the past

No doubt all will resolved with arrival of the 4000 American Navy guys next month will save the day

At least for their duration .?

 

They won' t be coming I bet.

[bkk6060]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

"Hi girls! How are things here on Soi Six?"

 

If there is a zipper on the front of those pants I am good to go.

[ratcatcher]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Damrongkiat said that to make matters worse what people there are in Pattaya are avoiding places with poor ventilation like discos and pubs.

Sounds like Damrong is damright.

[ratcatcher]

Ground control to Major Tom "Did you take your protein pills first"?

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, morrobay said:

Maybe the authorities do get that low class quantity is all they can get. How are quality/wealthy tourists going to be attracted  here. Pattaya/Jomtien are third string seaside resorts , never are going to be Monte Carlos. With improvements to infrastructure could attract middle classes. But alot of these "infrastructure  improvements' are just allocations for contracts/kickbacks from contractors to city hall 

individuals. Talk about lowering quality of experience: Endless roadworks and beach drainage projects. Have you taken a ride down Beach Rd in the last 6 months ? Well no hurry most likely another 6 months for this latest project following all the latest failed projects making a total mess of the beach. Then have you walked  around the sidewalks and  especially the corners ?  No ,quantity oblivious low class  cigarette smoking slobs / tourists are their only card.  

 

So, what happened? The Western tourists started to decline in number, and the genius minds at the TAT decided it was time to "lure" the Chinese. They came. They came in droves. But, they did not spend much money. Hotels, restaurants, gift shops, jewelers, galleries, spas, massage shops, bars, and countless other businesses suffered, and will continue to suffer from this extreme myopia, on the part of the officials in charge of tourism. Oh well. Can't say they were not warned. Low baht tourists are perhaps the majority who visit Thailand now. Sure, they spend some money in restaurants, and in 7/11. But, that is about it, for some of the super low budget Chinese tours. Not many rich Chinese are not visiting Thailand, for a dozen good reasons. They have too many other options.

 

 

They will continue to get more Indian and Chinese tourists over time. But, as with the vast majority of Chinese, it will be lower income, and lower middle income tourists. Thailand just cannot attract higher end tourists anymore. The focus on quantity over quality will continue to erode the nation on countless levels. More is rarely better. It just lowers the quality of life for nearly everyone, creates more congestion, more smog, more traffic, longer lines at immigration, and makes life difficult, especially in the big cities. There are countless things the government could be doing, if they wanted to attract the high quality tourists, and go for quality over quantity. Rich tourists like to spend money when they travel. And they cannot do that here, as they do not like getting taken for a ride. Most wealthy people are smart with their money. Thailand could be making a fortune on a 25% luxury tax. Instead of the 100% of more, which discourages most people from buying. How many people do you see in the luxury stores here? They are almost always completely empty. Inane. Beyond inane. 

 

Quantity over quality is never a good thing, unless you are selling one dollar items at a swap meet. It just lowers the quality of the experience for all.

[soalbundy]

5 hours ago, sucit said:

You mean people don't want to visit a place where residents are exchanging bodily fluids with multiple people each evening when there is a potential virus outbreak? Strange. 

Oh I don't know, if HIV and STD's didn't stop them from coming a bit of pneumonia won't do much harm, anyway they have the Russians and Indians to fall back on....lovely jubbly, this time next year everyone will be rich. ????

[Jimbo2014]

Pollution Apocalypse, High Baht and Deadly infection.  Three strikes and your out!

[spidermike007]

6 hours ago, sucit said:

You mean people don't want to visit a place where residents are exchanging bodily fluids with multiple people each evening when there is a potential virus outbreak? Strange. 

Hey. Not nice to discriminate against the evening crowd. I always say, mornings have a lovely quality to them, and there are many advantages! The air is often better, it is a new day, and there is far less fluid to be found! Fresh!

[crabbie2020]

Send the Chinese back!

Edited January 30, 2020 by crabbie2020

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that operators need to seek out new markets like the Indians and Koreans to take up some of the slack.

Yeah like they're going to come to a place to catch a virus.... or stay well away?

My monies on the latter!

[Leaver]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Damrongkiat said that to make matters worse what people there are in Pattaya are avoiding places with poor ventilation like discos and pubs.

I don't think it's the poor ventilation they are avoiding in the discos and pubs, it's the drinks menu prices they are avoiding, but yes, yes, blame it on the virus.  ????

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by Leaver

[Cake Monster]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

This is really going to hurt tourism. What the authorities do not seem to get is that quantity over quality is never a good thing, unless you are selling one dollar items at a swap meet. It just lowers the quality of the experience for all. The tourism industry is teetering on the edge of a tragic drop, and has already been devastated by this highly destructive administration. All it needs now is a spread of this virus. It could crush millions of families dependent on tourism. I already know one family that has cancelled their trip over here. Why take a chance? Who can trust the Thai authorities, and what they say? Why trust them? What have they done to earn that trust? And how many flights from China, are still coming into Thailand daily? That is a scary thought. I like the Chinese people, but do not want to be anywhere near them right now! My guess is that the majority of the world feels that way, and tourists have alot of choices. The last thing in the world a tourist wants out of their trip is a potentially deadly disease, or being quarantined. 

 

 

The Thai Authorities have made the classic first Year working for your self in your own Business mistake.

Its a mistake that only the really naive, and greedy make when in Business.

The mistake is this >>>>>

Never, repeat never, do work or Contract for only one Customer that pays well.

The reason is that if that Customer suddenly has a problem, they will take your business down with them.

Its better to do work for 100 small Customers, that way if 1 or 2 have a problem, it does not take you down.

A fundamental School Boy mistake from a Nations Leaders. 

Time for them to pay for their Faux Pas now

[Leaver]

6 hours ago, Chivas said:

A myth that somehow still passes by. Hotel that you knocked earlier in the thread reduced prices by 40% to get customers in. It worked

A 2nd hotel that I use has also dropped prices by 20% for the same reason

As said before, it's a race to the bottom here now. 

[Jim1000]

As a resident of Pattaya who remembers the good old days I think I could get used to this !

[atyclb]

now would be the logical time to suspend TM30 reporting as to stimulate national tourism

[Parsve]

Thailand Department of Disease Control, https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/eng/index.php. In the figure below says clearly that you only can get the Corona-virus by visiting China, so what is the problem?

 

 

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, Parsve said:

In the figure below says clearly that you only can get the Corona-virus by visiting China, so what is the problem?

The problem is, when China visits you.  ????

[Leaver]

4 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

The Thai Authorities have made the classic first Year working for your self in your own Business mistake.

Its a mistake that only the really naive, and greedy make when in Business.

The mistake is this >>>>>

Never, repeat never, do work or Contract for only one Customer that pays well.

The reason is that if that Customer suddenly has a problem, they will take your business down with them.

Its better to do work for 100 small Customers, that way if 1 or 2 have a problem, it does not take you down.

A fundamental School Boy mistake from a Nations Leaders. 

Time for them to pay for their Faux Pas now

As I have said before, the Chinese tourism market is a fickle one, and Thailand placed all their eggs in the Chinese basket. 

 

Tough times ahead for those in the Thai tourism industry.

[Mac98]

It seems to me that the traditional farang visitor would be lured back to Thailand easily by removing the government's foot from the neck of the nightlife industry, whereas luring families to return during a health scare is a much more difficult goal.

[Isaan sailor]

I believe in inverse currency patterns. When the Chinese hordes return--the USD will get pounded again. And the Chinese Yuan shall rise to glorious new highs.

So happy days again.

Waiter, I'll have the bat soup with another Corona beer, please.

[gimo]

  Many people report having SEEN Chinese in tourist areas . How do you know they're Chinese , just by 'seeing' . I need to hear Mandarin or Cantonese spoken ,  before identifying them as Chinese .

[observer90210]

What will be the excuse next year when the numbers will continue to drop ? The tourist market is not stupid anymore.

 

Tourists come, then go back home and report how strong the Thai Bhat is, how the cheating goes all over against foreigners, discrimination against some nationalities, cheating taxi drivers refusing the meter, overpriced malls where goods sell more then back home in Europe...... c'mon guys wake up before it's touristic bankruptcy.

[gk10002000]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

scurry to find new tourists to replace their number one source of income

Exactly what places are they referring to?  When I was there in July and August all I saw was groups of chinese walking up and down walking street looking looing around but not going in anywhere.   What hotels/condos are they staying in with what I assume are these pre arranged tours?  What restaurant places do they go to?  I can imagine that big place up on Third road. 

[gk10002000]

And meanwhile the quiet and un assuming ex pats continue paying and spending into the local economy, supporting their wives, children and other relatives.  Maybe not high high volume but low steady volume that pays the rent for many places.