Long weekend, busy roads and price gouging

[webfact 78,276]

Long weekend, busy roads and price gouging
By The Thaiger

 

Airfare and accommodation costs have skyrocketed over this long weekend, an artificially added 2 days of holiday by the Thai government to stimulate the local travel economy. Airfares, if you didn’t get the earlier ‘cheapies’, have risen to 2 – 3 times their ‘normal’ discount prices. And accommodation costs have followed suit (although the OTAs are still advertising plenty of cheap rooms around the country if you have time to search).

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is predicting 3 million Thais will travel during between November 19 – 22 with an expected 1.3 billion baht in revenue being generated for the industry.

 

The TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn is hoping the 4 day holiday will provide the same sort of revenue for the battered local tourism industry as the annual Songkran holiday (which was postponed last April amidst the ‘lockdowns’ in Thailand).

He noted that the revelation of a solitary case of Covid-19 in Krabi last week, an Indian expat, caused panicked hotel cancellations in the southern province. Similar responses have happened before, notably cancelations in Rayong province after an Egyptian military officer tested positive whilst staying there. The much-hyped “Phuket Model” was also shelved after local fears were expressed to Thai officials about the possibility of a second wave of cases.

 

A Phuket hotelier, who asked to remain un-named, said that they were hopeful of a surge in bookings but the response has been “mediocre”. Some Pattaya hotels are reporting high bookings but are still well under 50% occupancy. Bangkok rooms are still mostly 50% or lower than their advertised rack rate.

 

But it hasn’t been a long weekend for everyone. Many Thai companies, including The Thaiger, haven’t given employees the Thursday and Friday off, denting the expected revenue for hotels and transport businesses.

Typical discount fares from Phuket to Bangkok, usually less than 1,000 baht each way, are now selling for 3,000 – 5,000 per seat for the long weekend.

 

Source: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/tourism/long-weekend-busy-roads-and-price-gouging

 

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2020-11-20

 

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[keith101 12,541]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

Typical discount fares from Phuket to Bangkok, usually less than 1,000 baht each way, are now selling for 3,000 – 5,000 per seat for the long weekend.

How unlike Thais to take advantage .

 

[kotsak 10,122]

A reason why it is best to go on a holiday when it's not a public holiday 

[madmitch 11,401]

17 minutes ago, keith101 said:

How unlike Thais to take advantage .

 

Airline prices fluctuate according to supply and demand. Every airline and hotel business in the world tries to take advantage of holiday periods!

[GeorgeCross 6,619]

..and next time there is a long weekend many will say "<deleted> it" and stay at home

 

they never learn.. once bitten twice shy.

 

 

[phetphet 1,530]

1 hour ago, GeorgeCross said:

..and next time there is a long weekend many will say "<deleted> it" and stay at home

 

they never learn.. once bitten twice shy.

 

 

Next one is only a few weeks away. Early or mid December I believe.

[Jack Mountain 1,779]

That's why I totally have no pity with the tourist business.   

When you give them the change they suck you dry. LOL

[Artben 63]

4 hours ago, Jack Mountain said:

That's why I totally have no pity with the tourist business.   

When you give them the change they suck you dry. LOL

No difference from any other business in any Country.  High demand equals high prices.  

[GreasyFingers 1,487]

Can always remember back in the 60-70's long weekends getting out of Sydney to drive up the North Coast. Horrific traffic congestion, before and after the expressways were built. But we were young then and did not care.

With all of the traffic around here at the moment I will not even go into the local village as it might take 20 minutes to get through the u-turn. Difference between being young and old.

[connda 17,386]

That's the way to make money baby.  When you can't scam and price gouge foreigners, turn that greed machine and focus it on your own countrymen.  Kudos Thailand.  The Land of Status and Greed.

[KhunBENQ 15,438]

6 hours ago, phetphet said:

Next one is only a few weeks away. Early or mid December I believe.

10 to 13 Dec.

Substitute holiday on Mon 7 cancelled, moved to 11, 10 being holiday anyway.

So at least not just a present from uncle P.

Edited November 20, 2020 by KhunBENQ

[Lancelot01 113]

On 11/20/2020 at 6:59 AM, Jack Mountain said:

That's why I totally have no pity with the tourist business.   

When you give them the change they suck you dry. LOL

They couldn't wait could they.

[samsensam 8,152]

On 11/20/2020 at 5:42 AM, keith101 said:

How unlike Thais to take advantage .

 

 

oh come on, nothing 'thai' about this, prices for hotels, flights, etc. increase in school and other holidays e.g. christmas,  the world over

[talahtnut 3,162]

National holidays in any country is a good time to do some gardening..

[eezergood 1,556]

On 11/20/2020 at 1:01 PM, madmitch said:

Airline prices fluctuate according to supply and demand. Every airline and hotel business in the world tries to take advantage of holiday periods!

At the moment you wont find many (if any) hotels increasing rates over these weekends, we certainly didn't