Video: Pattaya ghost town...Coronavirus decimates tourism as staff go home for high season

[Guderian]

3 hours ago, JomtienRay said:

There are plenty of farang tourists in Jomtien.. 

...and the usual Thai weekend crowd! With the beach football championships ongoing it was as busy as it ever gets down there on Sunday afternoon.

[LALes]

3 hours ago, JomtienRay said:

There are plenty of farang tourists in Jomtien.. 

Jomtien, for better or worse, is a land unto its own.  Rules of tourism do not apply here.

[legend49]

A few days ago there was 6 photos of Phuket beach showing millions of tourists, lol

[Emdog]

Thailand put all it's eggs in one basket (Chinese tourists) but then failed to watch that basket closely.

Lots of Russians here in Jomtien, for what that's worth...

BTW how do you tell a "lonely speedboat" from run of the mill speedboat? Other examples of this silly sort of creative writing reject style in article

[Somtamnication]

I feel sorry for the pigeon!

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, legend49 said:

A few days ago there was 6 photos of Phuket beach showing millions of tourists, lol

Took me ages to get down soi Buakhao early afternoon yesterday, it was packed! All the fuss about soi 7 and 8 is misplaced, it has been desolate long before any yellow peril. 

[Ventenio]

Many farangs love to pronounce, THE END!!  I don't know why, since they live there; however, their misery must have company.  The baht is still relatively strong, no panic yet.  I just want to be with these farangs during their last few weeks....I'm sure they will regret all their negativism.  

 

For me, i'm not that old so I don't care if 1 billion or 0 people come here.  I'm not on a retirement visa.  We need new threads, "Pattaya end of days."  Probably posts dating back to 1700 BC.  Then we need the "Thailand Apocalypse coming".  1 zillion pages.  

 

This virus is certainly a BLACK SWAN, no question.  But this swan isn't changing our life habits.  not yet.   Gold at 10,000....20,000....let's first wait for 2,000.  

[Leaver]

3 minutes ago, Ventenio said:

Many farangs love to pronounce, THE END!!  I don't know why, since they live there; however, their misery must have company.  The baht is still relatively strong, no panic yet.  I just want to be with these farangs during their last few weeks....I'm sure they will regret all their negativism.  

 

For me, i'm not that old so I don't care if 1 billion or 0 people come here.  I'm not on a retirement visa.  We need new threads, "Pattaya end of days."  Probably posts dating back to 1700 BC.  Then we need the "Thailand Apocalypse coming".  1 zillion pages.  

 

This virus is certainly a BLACK SWAN, no question.  But this swan isn't changing our life habits.  not yet.   Gold at 10,000....20,000....let's first wait for 2,000.  

Have you noticed a difference in the western tourist numbers in recent times, particularly before the virus outbreak? 

 

Would you say western tourist numbers were up, down, or equal, to last season, and would yo then say they are up, down, or equal, to 3 years ago?   

[phantomfiddler]

Fake news, this pic must have been taken early morning. All I see are hordes of Indians spending (I,m told) 10,000 Bht per day ????

[thequietman]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Guide Kritthisak Kanlomsumaso, 45, said it was terrible for him and other guides. Many had just gone home as there was nothing to do. 

 

Businesses like restaurants that cater to Chinese tour groups were paying staff half wages. 

 

Some had sent their staff home for a month as well. 

 

Hotels that cater to the Chinese were all but empty. 

I am sorry to say, but Som Nom Na Thai people.

 

One gets what ones sows, and all that. ????

[Cricky]

OK now I understand why there are so many negative, suicidal, glass half empty guys here...... Its articles like this. 

 

I'm out and about many times every day here in Pattaya at the moment and I don't see a ghost town, far from it.

Lots of people going about doing their thing. 

[FarFlungFalang]

4 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

Fake news, this pic must have been taken early morning. All I see are hordes of Indians spending (I,m told) 10,000 Bht per day ????

Looks like about 11:00 am.

[Lacrimas]

This is what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket

[Gweiloman]

4 minutes ago, thequietman said:

I am sorry to say, but Som Nom Na Thai people.

 

One gets what ones sows, and all that. ????

I don’t think any Thai person cares about what you think or say. 

[Ian Nagle]

5 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

i hope all my girlfriends are OK on Soi 6.

 

 

You believed them when they said they were female !??!

????????????????

[bri1guy]

4 hours ago, Beggar said:

Just sit down somewhere and relax with some cool Corona Extra beer. Just look for signs where you can get Corona. 

corona is selling like hotcakes 

[thequietman]

2 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

I don’t think any Thai person cares about what you think or say. 

So, you're speaking on their behalf then, yes?

 

Can I presume that you are Thai, or just another foreigner with nothing to add. ????

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

I don’t think any Thai person cares about what you think or say. 

And therein, a nail is hit upon the head!

[mike787]

5 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

i hope all my girlfriends are OK on Soi 6.

 

 

I'll be there to take care of your ladies, keep them fed, busy, and hot.  You have great taste.

[PEE TEE]

5 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

i hope all my girlfriends are OK on Soi 6.

 

 

its ok now they won't be unfaithful.  

[Leaver]

43 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Although would you say 26x 2week tourists, spend more than one Expat? Or it is simply easier to get many more tourists?

 

When the whole "zero baht tourist" issue was made public, and TAT realized the Chinese and Indians do not spend like westerns did, TAT's answer was to go for more of these type of tourist to make up the short fall.

 

So, if it took 20 Chinese package holiday makers to spend the same as one free spending western sex tourists, they targeted 20 to 1, so to speak. 

 

It still wasn't working, because 0 baht + 0 baht = 0 baht, not to mention the pressure it put on infrastructure here, particularly roads and water.

 

When the western 2 week millionaire sex tourists were coming here in big numbers. yes, they spent more than an expat.  Transport, accommodation, food, alcohol, sex.  Out every day and every night enjoying their holiday, and spending. 

 

Expats are a constant.  They are not prone to military coups, virus, tsunamis etc.  They remain here, contributing to the economy, particularly the housing sector, small appliance sector, and motor vehicle sector.  All considered large purchases. 

 

However, expats are prone to visa law changes and currency fluctuations, and that has caused many to leave in recent times.    

[Gweiloman]

Just now, Lacrimas said:

This is what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket

I have heard some of you on TVF making this claim, about putting all the eggs in one basket. I don’t understand how you all came to this decision. 
All nationalities are welcome to Thailand. In fact, many Western tourists are able to come in, visa exempt, unlike mainland Chinese and Indians. Yes, there are certain rules for longer staying tourists (90day reporting, TM30 etc)but these apply to all foreigners, regardless of nationality. 
Free visa on arrival is merely a marketing promotion, undertaken by many countries around the world at various times, in order to generate more revenue for the economy. If I’m not mistaken, the free VOA for Chinese is only for a 14 day stay - not exactly a world changing measure. 
The Chinese are arguably the the largest group of tourists in the world today. It makes perfect economic sense for any country that relies on tourism to try to attract them. Try opening a bar or restaurant and having a sign that says for eg ‘only Americans are allowed’ or ‘only Brits allowed’ and see how long you can survive. 

[Leaver]

8 minutes ago, thequietman said:

So, you're speaking on their behalf then, yes?

 

Can I presume that you are Thai, or just another foreigner with nothing to add. ????

Perhaps the member meant, a Thai politician doesn't care about what another Thai person thinks or says.  ????

[malt25]

"Despite it being a beautiful, breezy day of clear skies down on the Eastern Seaboard"  Eastern Seaboard ?  I must have been looking at the map upside down all this time.

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, spiekerjozef said:

So this means the low season has officially started?

You can call it the "no season."  ????

[Rimmer]

Off topic removed

[Kaopad999]

Okay, I know the Coronavirus has not helped, but let's face it, tourism was already on a steady decline before this outbreak. 

[smew]

Great news.. I was getting tired of seeing Chinese spitting and hacking phlegm everywhere …..  

[saminoz]

1 hour ago, Genericnic said:

This is what happens when a large part of your economy is tied to a one trick pony and the pony comes up lame. 

 

David

I think it's worth mentioning that the reason the the pony comes up lame is largely due to the fact that they have been beating and beating it with a stick for so long!!!

[30la]

It is very convenient for you, for all that has happened in the past, decrease of tourists, poor economy, recession (all things you didn't want to hear anything about) blame the Corona Virus.
Realize that Pattaya has always been a destination for sex tourism, you have decided to raise it to 1. Class family resort, this is one of the main reasons for the loss of tourists!