Coronavirus is worse than the tsunami - and the state is downplaying the impact, claim tourism operators

[Orton Rd]

seems to have a mortality rate of about 3%, not 2%, the 1918 pandemics death rate was about 2.5% and that killed at least 50 million when travel was almost non existent

[The Deerhunter]

21 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

 

Ola! You ask them to do the twelve labors of Hercules ..
and without brown envelopes I bet!
You will push them to collective suicide .. 

Only hoping.  Start with the top heavy admin in the various government departments where promotions are bought, not earned or even needed.

[bristolgeoff]

what has happened better be a wake up call for all in the tourist trade.if it doesn,t next year high season will be worse than now

[canuckamuck]

They have to raise the prices really high to make ends meet this year.

[Isaan sailor]

When you scape the bottom of the tourist barrel—you get Wuhan virus.

[Sametboy2019]

It's all about tour operators who businesses were set up solely to accommodate Chinese tourists.

It's not like they have been slaving away for 20 years building a business.

Those who have are doing just fine now and Thailand is a much more enjoyable experience at the moment.

[ChipButty]

1 hour ago, canuckamuck said:

They have to raise the prices really high to make ends meet this year.

You can raise your prices all you want but if people are not coming they will be running at a loss when you see on the likes of Booking.com cancellation rate is almost 70% then 50% less people are looking with almost 20% more properties available this year things are looking very bleak 

[JimmyTheMook]

56 minutes ago, Isaan sailor said:

When you scape the bottom of the tourist barrel—you get Wuhan virus.

Bruh?

[liddelljohn]

wandered down walking Street and it was dead ,, very few tourists mostly Indian , Turks , Ruskies , and a few Farangs ,, many with families in tow ,, All the agogos were dead,, so were the big seafood restaurants ,, im not suprised at the prices they are gouging ..
some Agogos had cheap beer deals at 80b insteadof usual 135bt + but not many takers ,,the beer bar complexes and side sois were all dead no visible trade ,, BUT there were busy venues ,,, they were the live music bars like rock bar, lucifers ,heavy metal venue all rammed the night clubs were dead especially Tonies ARAB disco,, NO Arabs about ,,,

there are now 4 venues with white 'Russian' birds and they were out in big numbers on the street touting for business at least 50 women ,, some were lookers many are not but lots of white flesh for sale ..... lots of cops about and something big kicked off at one of the agogos as we saw a big rush of cops and security run up the street?????

what was most apparent is Walking Street has a Problem and its not the CORONA VIRUS as we counted 8 closed Agogos and 23 empty retail units and 2 closed clubs units all with for sale or for rent signs ,, and Last time Timm and I went all the way along walking street in December ,, this was not the case ,,, Lots of gaps and in the side sois even more empty units and dead Agogos ,, Timm spoke with a few mamasans she knows and they are very worried about the future ,, Its clear to me now that some major dynamic has changed for walking street ,, maybe it will become more gentrified ,,

By 11pm the place was emptying and by 1pm it was only hundreds desperate girls hustling for the few customers so they can pay rent and eat ,, im betting bargains to be had lads ...

we got a baht bus back to soi 7 via soi bua kao it was also dead so we were home in Bang Saray by 1:30am

__________________

[saengd]

Beer bars and gogo's are no longer relevant to tourism, they went out of fashion a long time ago. Everything has moved on, people need to keep up with the times and stop living in the past. The Pattaya mongering model is passe.

[Fore Man]

29 minutes ago, liddelljohn said:

wandered down walking Street and it was dead ,, very few tourists mostly Indian , Turks , Ruskies , and a few Farangs ,, many with families in tow ,, All the agogos were dead,, so were the big seafood restaurants ,, im not suprised at the prices they are gouging ..
some Agogos had cheap beer deals at 80b insteadof usual 135bt + but not many takers ,,the beer bar complexes and side sois were all dead no visible trade ,, BUT there were busy venues ,,, they were the live music bars like rock bar, lucifers ,heavy metal venue all rammed the night clubs were dead especially Tonies ARAB disco,, NO Arabs about ,,,

there are now 4 venues with white 'Russian' birds and they were out in big numbers on the street touting for business at least 50 women ,, some were lookers many are not but lots of white flesh for sale ..... lots of cops about and something big kicked off at one of the agogos as we saw a big rush of cops and security run up the street?????

what was most apparent is Walking Street has a Problem and its not the CORONA VIRUS as we counted 8 closed Agogos and 23 empty retail units and 2 closed clubs units all with for sale or for rent signs ,, and Last time Timm and I went all the way along walking street in December ,, this was not the case ,,, Lots of gaps and in the side sois even more empty units and dead Agogos ,, Timm spoke with a few mamasans she knows and they are very worried about the future ,, Its clear to me now that some major dynamic has changed for walking street ,, maybe it will become more gentrified ,,

By 11pm the place was emptying and by 1pm it was only hundreds desperate girls hustling for the few customers so they can pay rent and eat ,, im betting bargains to be had lads ...

we got a baht bus back to soi 7 via soi bua kao it was also dead so we were home in Bang Saray by 1:30am

__________________

The same dynamic happened to Patpong venues starting a decade ago.  I took my bachelor son there so he could experience it for himself...having never been to Thailand before.  In my younger years, I enjoyed many a wild night there visiting Bangkok on business in the mid-to-late 1990s.  Around 10:30 PM, I took the lad to my once-favorite 'executive style' bar (Cosmos) and it was totally dead....a small group of bargirls clustered around gossiping with only a few customers.  May have been too early?  Totally unlike its heyday of the 1990s.  The rest of Patpong was very much the same experience.  Sad in a way.  I have no idea what happened....maybe all the lady-seeking tourists had headed for Cowboy or Nana.  Perhaps what you experienced is the beginning of the end for Walking Street as well.  

[saengd]

There are still shops in Pattaya selling Fuji 35mm film and others where you can send a fax, it'll be years before some of the owners of those businesses get the message.

[Isaan sailor]

Wuhan virus will close Walking Street.  Sad.

[raccos21]

The government made billions from the previous tourists so why don’t they loan part of their profit to those who lost their jobs and those who suffer from no income, until the things get better, rather than complaining about the decrease in tourists. At least the Thai people will appreciate that their government is taking care of them.

[BobinBKK]

On 2/20/2020 at 2:44 PM, smutcakes said:

I feel sorry for the people who lose their jobs when their are situations like this, but i struggle to have much sympathy for the big businesses involved in tourism. In every sector there are good or bad events which affect business, but none of those get support from the Government when times are bad. Its not as if when the tourism operators are raking it in with the ever increasing records of tourist arrivals are paying extra to the Government as a thank you. Why when its a bad turn do the public have to lend their support to them? Do private businesses in other sectors get help when their business is struggling? The tour operators have had years of growth, surely many of them have made enough money to absorb shutting up shop for a few months...

They can't absorb any loss because Thais don't think about or plan for the future, they live in the moment of today. This economic model doesn't work and never will work yet they still refuse to accept how us white folk do things. They think they know more than we do. I guess I'm stupid is why I was able to retire early and will never have to worry about money for today or tomorrow. 

[Farma]

This wont help as a lot of EU tourists transit through Bahrain.

[kevin612]

earning those tourism money all These years, those businesses immediately ask for help? Have a vacation for 3 months.

[spidermike007]

22 hours ago, tifino said:

... and even their eggs are fake 

And now we see the Future Forward party was dissolved. This is tantamount to a declaration of war on the people, by the army. What can one even say? How did they allow these heathens to take over control of the nation? 

[ChipButty]

13 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

New virus cases soar in S.Korea and Chinese prisons, more die in Iran

Laurent Thomet with Kang Jin-kyu in Daegu, South Korea

,https://uk.news.yahoo.com/virus-outbreaks-china-abroad-rekindle-concerns-032543104.html

AFP•21 February 2020

Seven guards and 200 inmates tested positive for the virus at Rencheng prison in eastern Shandong province. Eight officials were fired over the issue

[Kalasin Jo]

Just returned from Kata/ Karon on Phuket. The beaches seemed busy enough with Europeans but not overcrowded. The Russians are back big time, to cadge cigarettes was my experience!???? Hotels are being reported as 60% booked on booking sites, which I would have thought low for this season. Ours was not full by any means, easily obtained an extra night for same room at significantly less than than the booking site price. The lovely owner was bemoaning the lack of bookings. The only people wearing masks seemed to be Asian. Flight BKK to Phuket was not full by any means. Direct return flight to Khon Kaen was packed....with Thais. Going home to Isaan for the weekend perhaps?

[Felt 35]

Hmm...maybe its only me and perhaps a few other grumpy longtimers but it seems this tour operators and general big business operators have forgotten their past and what attracted tourist to Thailand first time around! It was for sure not mass tourism, touts and high rise shopping centers????

[pookondee]

On 2/20/2020 at 7:34 PM, RotBenz8888 said:

The slowdown began well before the Corona. Thailand is simply not that interesting anymore, with the high Bath and increasingly hostile immigration, the spiral will continue down even after the Corona issue is gone.

It doesnt necessarily have to be a high bath, people have reportedly drowned in a couple of inches of water.

[CGW]

11 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

How did they allow these heathens to take over control of the nation? 

"They" didn't have guns or tanks, nor were they given a choice, 

Trust that answers your question?

[trainman34014]

2 hours ago, Felt 35 said:

Hmm...maybe its only me and perhaps a few other grumpy longtimers but it seems this tour operators and general big business operators have forgotten their past and what attracted tourist to Thailand first time around! It was for sure not mass tourism, touts and high rise shopping centers????

MONEY clouds every other issue here !

[ParkerN]

On 2/21/2020 at 8:44 AM, peter14 said:

It's only karma for all the hardship Thailand gave to people during visa runs and visa application  hell and reporting...for those that try to remain and participate in the economy....

You wanted Chinese .. you stop smiling .. you become xenophobic....   pay the price   

 

And stop bitching about it. You made your bed, now you must lie in it so stop complaining.

[URMySunshine]

12 hours ago, Felt 35 said:

Hmm...maybe its only me and perhaps a few other grumpy longtimers but it seems this tour operators and general big business operators have forgotten their past and what attracted tourist to Thailand first time around! It was for sure not mass tourism, touts and high rise shopping centers????

The rich of Thailand are supremely so. They seemingly don't mind getting a little bit less or a little more richer. The coup of 2014 and the succession combined with the 'election' have assured them for the time being they are firmly in power, and seemingly impregnable. What happens to poor old Somchai or Nok scratching for a living is neither here or there is in their thinking. Nor are farang concerns, indeed there is probably a large element who would actively like them out and are useful scapegoats to use when the general Thai populace gets unrestful. 

 

Short summary : Those that could affect change just don't care.

[morrobay]

26 minutes ago, ParkerN said:

 

And stop bitching about it. You made your bed, now you must lie in it so stop complaining.

Whos bitching. Thats just an observation. But of course just about 95% of the  objective observations/calling spades spades around here are called bitching by some with an agenda.  

[Boomer6969]

Some truth here.. But.. it reads like a "Schadenfreude thread"

[URMySunshine]

37 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Some truth here.. But.. it reads like a "Schadenfreude thread"

Most are these days. Maybe time to start a reasons to be cheerful thread in the Farang Pub but fear it would peter out after a couple of pages as the negative creeped in. Maybe have two threads and you can decide whether your glass is half full or half empty. That said can't be arrised. 

 

Reasons to be Cheerful 

Reasons to Despair 

Edited February 23, 2020 by URMySunshine

[Is this real]

On 2/20/2020 at 2:35 PM, madmitch said:

Some people have short memories.

 

I can only refer to Phuket and the south but tourism was decimated after the tsunami and the beaches were empty.

 

In 2020, despite coronavirus, Phuket's beaches are still packed.

 

A minor blip in comparison!

I don't know where you are, Mitch, but, tourism has been declining in Phuket every year for the past 5 years.  Western tourism is off by at leat 50% from 2013 levels.  It wasn't talked about.  The big dropped was less obvious due to the Chinese increase.

Last year, the drop was blamed on the Baht and the tour ship sinking.  These really didn't impact things all that much.

This year, the virus actually is eliminating the tourism industry.

 

The real problem is how to resolve things if you don't admit there's a problem.