Going Down: Businesses on Phuket’s famed Bangla Rd suffer as clientele dries up

[ableguy]

Well, many of these go-go bars can shutdown and die anyway, since they are prostitution venues and don't really attract anything positive. The best case scenario for Thailand is to transform its tourism industry to a more family oriented hub, instead of being a pedophile paradise for old western men. Nothing could be better than to send these former prostitutes back to their villages and start building up their future once and for all, and at the same time these low income lazy doers should return back to their home countries as well.

If Thailand is going to transform its economy for the better, it must do what is right and take the medical pill asap. Thais are basically one of the worst people to do business in terms of understanding economics and this transformation is indeed necessary.

Many of you guys are complaining that the Chinese aren't spending any money. They do in fact spend money and if you look in comparison how much they are making that makes them big buck spenders. They are also enjoying their vacations much better than an old westerner who much of the time only spends their holidays drinking cheap boos. No wonder why this place has become a stinking pig.

Never read such a pile f rubbish on this forum in six years.

[Oziex1]

Is it Thai greed or is it the global economic climate and the military state.

[exbikey]

Is it Thai greed or is it the global economic climate and the military state.

Yes

[thaibeachlovers]

Well, many of these go-go bars can shutdown and die anyway, since they are prostitution venues and don't really attract anything positive. The best case scenario for Thailand is to transform its tourism industry to a more family oriented hub, instead of being a pedophile paradise for old western men. Nothing could be better than to send these former prostitutes back to their villages and start building up their future once and for all, and at the same time these low income lazy doers should return back to their home countries as well.

If Thailand is going to transform its economy for the better, it must do what is right and take the medical pill asap. Thais are basically one of the worst people to do business in terms of understanding economics and this transformation is indeed necessary.

Many of you guys are complaining that the Chinese aren't spending any money. They do in fact spend money and if you look in comparison how much they are making that makes them big buck spenders. They are also enjoying their vacations much better than an old westerner who much of the time only spends their holidays drinking cheap boos. No wonder why this place has become a stinking pig.

Not surprised you only have 8 posts with your lack of knowledge about Thailand and why the women are selling themselves.

Many of them do it to support themselves and their children because they can't make enough in the village.

Chinese package tourist's money mostly goes back to China, not into the local economy.

There is nothing wrong with Thailand's economy. It is a very rich country. It's corruption that is the problem.

Thailand already has a huge family oriented tourist business, but you won't see them much as they hide away in the resorts, which are pretty much self contained.

Perhaps you need to get out of places like Patong and Pattaya to see other than prostitutes and old men, though with your attitude to LOS ( No wonder why this place has become a stinking pig. ) I'd be surprised if you even visit Thailand.

Thailand is beautiful, but not in the tourist areas.

[stevenl]

Well, many of these go-go bars can shutdown and die anyway, since they are prostitution venues and don't really attract anything positive. The best case scenario for Thailand is to transform its tourism industry to a more family oriented hub, instead of being a pedophile paradise for old western men. Nothing could be better than to send these former prostitutes back to their villages and start building up their future once and for all, and at the same time these low income lazy doers should return back to their home countries as well.

If Thailand is going to transform its economy for the better, it must do what is right and take the medical pill asap. Thais are basically one of the worst people to do business in terms of understanding economics and this transformation is indeed necessary.

Many of you guys are complaining that the Chinese aren't spending any money. They do in fact spend money and if you look in comparison how much they are making that makes them big buck spenders. They are also enjoying their vacations much better than an old westerner who much of the time only spends their holidays drinking cheap boos. No wonder why this place has become a stinking pig.

Not surprised you only have 8 posts with your lack of knowledge about Thailand and why the women are selling themselves.

Many of them do it to support themselves and their children because they can't make enough in the village.

Chinese package tourist's money mostly goes back to China, not into the local economy.

There is nothing wrong with Thailand's economy. It is a very rich country. It's corruption that is the problem.

Thailand already has a huge family oriented tourist business, but you won't see them much as they hide away in the resorts, which are pretty much self contained.

Perhaps you need to get out of places like Patong and Pattaya to see other than prostitutes and old men, though with your attitude to LOS ( No wonder why this place has become a stinking pig. ) I'd be surprised if you even visit Thailand.

Thailand is beautiful, but not in the tourist areas.

Even Patong is family oriented.

[thaibeachlovers]

@NKM

I see you playing devils advocate but I don't see you really disagreeing. You were careful to say that my numbers were a total contradiction to what the OP claimed - (not you) . So For the record TAT released numbers saying tourist arrivals in 2015 were 29,8 million versus 24.8 million in 2014. Direct revenues from international tourism were THB 1.44 trillion in 2015 versus THB 1.15 trillion in 2014. ( note those are direct revenues , so money in the bank - not zero baht tourists)

We can all speculate that TAT is lying yada yada yada but those are probably the best numbers that anyone can get. They say tourism is up and the money generated by tourism is up. When you look at those numbers in % terms international tourist arrivals grew 20% and the the direct revenues grew 25% .

So with those kind of numbers it looks as if thai tourism is kicking butt. That goose is dropping golden eggs faster than the Thais can scoop them up. Unfortunately they're not dropping them in Bangla road or Patong from what we read in this thread. Nevertheless from those numbers tourism is probably the biggest growth industry in Thailand. ( next to growth of debt collection from golden eggless patong businessmen that is)

I'm not directing this at you NKM as I know you're an intelligent guy and you didn't make the claims in the first place. You just like to stir the pot - cause it's there and you can ? But I did want to reinforce my original post in that tourism as a business isn't dead in Phuket, it's just that the client demographic is changing fast and the new demographic is demanding a different type of holiday experience in terms of goods and services than the old western orientated service providers.

Businesses have to adapt meaning that businesses servicing western tourism must contract to a point where supply meets demand and new business must grow to meet the demand of the growing demographic.

As far as the quality tourist goes, they are SOL, the government wants money, they'll say anything to make you happy, but in the end they want the cash and they don't care whether it comes from a factory worker or a billionaire. Just give us the money.

"it's just that the client demographic is changing fast" - so, what has caused a huge segment of the western tourist market to abandon Phuket? What's stopping the Chinese to eventually abandon Phuket as well? Then, who is there to be the next market?

"the government wants money, they'll say anything to make you happy" - including falsifying tourist arrival figures and revenues. I know I definitely get counted 4 times a: year and possibly 8 times a year because they have been know to count outgoing "tourists" as well.

"Unfortunately they're not dropping them in Bangla road or Patong from what we read in this thread" - the money is now going into the hands of fewer people, which means it doesn't get spread around a lot, which isn't great for the local economy.

"I know you're an intelligent guy" - I completely agree.

IMO the main reason is bad publicity, the transport mafia and it's just WAY TOO EXPENSIVE.

It's always been too expensive, even 20 years ago, but back then I'd go there to pick up a takeaway for the Islands. Patong beach was always rubbish. Bangla used to be fun, but then the prices went up and the katoeys started demanding money if you took a photo of them in public.

After the tsunami, they had the opportunity to build something great, but they just rebuilt the same s***h**e.

If ever a place deserved to go down, it's Patong.

[NamKangMan]

Well, many of these go-go bars can shutdown and die anyway, since they are prostitution venues and don't really attract anything positive. The best case scenario for Thailand is to transform its tourism industry to a more family oriented hub, instead of being a pedophile paradise for old western men. Nothing could be better than to send these former prostitutes back to their villages and start building up their future once and for all, and at the same time these low income lazy doers should return back to their home countries as well.

If Thailand is going to transform its economy for the better, it must do what is right and take the medical pill asap. Thais are basically one of the worst people to do business in terms of understanding economics and this transformation is indeed necessary.

Many of you guys are complaining that the Chinese aren't spending any money. They do in fact spend money and if you look in comparison how much they are making that makes them big buck spenders. They are also enjoying their vacations much better than an old westerner who much of the time only spends their holidays drinking cheap boos. No wonder why this place has become a stinking pig.

Not surprised you only have 8 posts with your lack of knowledge about Thailand and why the women are selling themselves.

Many of them do it to support themselves and their children because they can't make enough in the village.

Chinese package tourist's money mostly goes back to China, not into the local economy.

There is nothing wrong with Thailand's economy. It is a very rich country. It's corruption that is the problem.

Thailand already has a huge family oriented tourist business, but you won't see them much as they hide away in the resorts, which are pretty much self contained.

Perhaps you need to get out of places like Patong and Pattaya to see other than prostitutes and old men, though with your attitude to LOS ( No wonder why this place has become a stinking pig. ) I'd be surprised if you even visit Thailand.

Thailand is beautiful, but not in the tourist areas.

"Thailand is beautiful, but not in the tourist areas." - so, what does that say for luring repeat tourists, and what will tourists tell their friends about the tourist areas of Thailand, by word of mouth, and tell the world, by internet?

[NamKangMan]

@NKM

I see you playing devils advocate but I don't see you really disagreeing. You were careful to say that my numbers were a total contradiction to what the OP claimed - (not you) . So For the record TAT released numbers saying tourist arrivals in 2015 were 29,8 million versus 24.8 million in 2014. Direct revenues from international tourism were THB 1.44 trillion in 2015 versus THB 1.15 trillion in 2014. ( note those are direct revenues , so money in the bank - not zero baht tourists)

We can all speculate that TAT is lying yada yada yada but those are probably the best numbers that anyone can get. They say tourism is up and the money generated by tourism is up. When you look at those numbers in % terms international tourist arrivals grew 20% and the the direct revenues grew 25% .

So with those kind of numbers it looks as if thai tourism is kicking butt. That goose is dropping golden eggs faster than the Thais can scoop them up. Unfortunately they're not dropping them in Bangla road or Patong from what we read in this thread. Nevertheless from those numbers tourism is probably the biggest growth industry in Thailand. ( next to growth of debt collection from golden eggless patong businessmen that is)

I'm not directing this at you NKM as I know you're an intelligent guy and you didn't make the claims in the first place. You just like to stir the pot - cause it's there and you can ? But I did want to reinforce my original post in that tourism as a business isn't dead in Phuket, it's just that the client demographic is changing fast and the new demographic is demanding a different type of holiday experience in terms of goods and services than the old western orientated service providers.

Businesses have to adapt meaning that businesses servicing western tourism must contract to a point where supply meets demand and new business must grow to meet the demand of the growing demographic.

As far as the quality tourist goes, they are SOL, the government wants money, they'll say anything to make you happy, but in the end they want the cash and they don't care whether it comes from a factory worker or a billionaire. Just give us the money.

"it's just that the client demographic is changing fast" - so, what has caused a huge segment of the western tourist market to abandon Phuket? What's stopping the Chinese to eventually abandon Phuket as well? Then, who is there to be the next market?

"the government wants money, they'll say anything to make you happy" - including falsifying tourist arrival figures and revenues. I know I definitely get counted 4 times a: year and possibly 8 times a year because they have been know to count outgoing "tourists" as well.

"Unfortunately they're not dropping them in Bangla road or Patong from what we read in this thread" - the money is now going into the hands of fewer people, which means it doesn't get spread around a lot, which isn't great for the local economy.

"I know you're an intelligent guy" - I completely agree.

IMO the main reason is bad publicity, the transport mafia and it's just WAY TOO EXPENSIVE.

It's always been too expensive, even 20 years ago, but back then I'd go there to pick up a takeaway for the Islands. Patong beach was always rubbish. Bangla used to be fun, but then the prices went up and the katoeys started demanding money if you took a photo of them in public.

After the tsunami, they had the opportunity to build something great, but they just rebuilt the same s***h**e.

If ever a place deserved to go down, it's Patong.

In my opinion, it was the greedy Thai landlords that put the rent up across Phuket to unrealistic prices. The high rents were then passed onto the consumer, so now their food and beverage were considerably more expensive than elsewhere in Thailand, and certainly significantly more than in neighboring countries.

They pushed the tourist market here for every baht they could, possibly under the belief the higher prices would attract "high end" tourists, however, it failed, and the majority of tourists to Phuket now are cheap package holiday makers, mostly from China.

"If ever a place deserved to go down, it's Patong." - if Patong was to collapse, it would be devastating to the Phuket economy as a whole, not just in Patong, you could call it a "financial tsunami."

[hawker9000]

Perhaps the PM has to rethink his attitude towards tourism and relax the regulations as in other tourist destinations.

That would only be one aspect of it... Xenophobic attitudes where "farangs" are concerned are now so well embedded, so baked in, so ubiquitous, it'd take at least as long to UNdo it all as it did to DO it in the first place. Thailand is becoming China's newest province whether the average Thai likes the idea or not. Most are probably still pretty far from any comprehension of it.

We here might just as well deal with it and plan accordingly.

[Oziex1]

I have a feeling the worlds current economic problems have more to do with it than the reasons given here.

Unfortunately people get ript off, harassed, scammed and assaulted in all countries tourist areas.

[Oziex1]

Thailands tourist industry is not over yet.

[NamKangMan]

Thailands tourist industry is not over yet.

And what of Phuket's tourism industry? Where to next, if the Chinese stop coming here?

[laolover88]

Arrived in Phuket 30 years ago. Charming. Left 15 years ago. Never saw so much greed. Now Patong is just a dirty beach, a brothel, busloads of disoriented package travellers; oh yes and a "family resort" Lucky to have been there in its prime; lucky to have left.

[johnatong]

Arrived in Phuket 30 years ago. Charming. Left 15 years ago. Never saw so much greed. Now Patong is just a dirty beach, a brothel, busloads of disoriented package travellers; oh yes and a "family resort" Lucky to have been there in its prime; lucky to have left.

If you left 15 years ago what has your assessment of Patong today got to do with reality ?

[thaibeachlovers]

Well, many of these go-go bars can shutdown and die anyway, since they are prostitution venues and don't really attract anything positive. The best case scenario for Thailand is to transform its tourism industry to a more family oriented hub, instead of being a pedophile paradise for old western men. Nothing could be better than to send these former prostitutes back to their villages and start building up their future once and for all, and at the same time these low income lazy doers should return back to their home countries as well.

If Thailand is going to transform its economy for the better, it must do what is right and take the medical pill asap. Thais are basically one of the worst people to do business in terms of understanding economics and this transformation is indeed necessary.

Many of you guys are complaining that the Chinese aren't spending any money. They do in fact spend money and if you look in comparison how much they are making that makes them big buck spenders. They are also enjoying their vacations much better than an old westerner who much of the time only spends their holidays drinking cheap boos. No wonder why this place has become a stinking pig.

Not surprised you only have 8 posts with your lack of knowledge about Thailand and why the women are selling themselves.

Many of them do it to support themselves and their children because they can't make enough in the village.

Chinese package tourist's money mostly goes back to China, not into the local economy.

There is nothing wrong with Thailand's economy. It is a very rich country. It's corruption that is the problem.

Thailand already has a huge family oriented tourist business, but you won't see them much as they hide away in the resorts, which are pretty much self contained.

Perhaps you need to get out of places like Patong and Pattaya to see other than prostitutes and old men, though with your attitude to LOS ( No wonder why this place has become a stinking pig. ) I'd be surprised if you even visit Thailand.

Thailand is beautiful, but not in the tourist areas.

"Thailand is beautiful, but not in the tourist areas." - so, what does that say for luring repeat tourists, and what will tourists tell their friends about the tourist areas of Thailand, by word of mouth, and tell the world, by internet?

Erm, methinks that you forget that tourists don't stay in the tourist areas- they buy tours and go to the non touristed areas, plus some touristy areas like James Bond island. Whatever, unless they just go to lie around the swimming pool and get skin cancer, they will be seeing more of Thailand than a collection of unattractive concrete boxes and a parade of ladyboys on Bangla.

Were Pattaya and Patong the be all and end all of tourist sights in LOS, there would be few tourists indeed. Even Bangkok is becoming unpopular, judging by what people I know say about it.

[thaibeachlovers]

@NKM

I see you playing devils advocate but I don't see you really disagreeing. You were careful to say that my numbers were a total contradiction to what the OP claimed - (not you) . So For the record TAT released numbers saying tourist arrivals in 2015 were 29,8 million versus 24.8 million in 2014. Direct revenues from international tourism were THB 1.44 trillion in 2015 versus THB 1.15 trillion in 2014. ( note those are direct revenues , so money in the bank - not zero baht tourists)

We can all speculate that TAT is lying yada yada yada but those are probably the best numbers that anyone can get. They say tourism is up and the money generated by tourism is up. When you look at those numbers in % terms international tourist arrivals grew 20% and the the direct revenues grew 25% .

So with those kind of numbers it looks as if thai tourism is kicking butt. That goose is dropping golden eggs faster than the Thais can scoop them up. Unfortunately they're not dropping them in Bangla road or Patong from what we read in this thread. Nevertheless from those numbers tourism is probably the biggest growth industry in Thailand. ( next to growth of debt collection from golden eggless patong businessmen that is)

I'm not directing this at you NKM as I know you're an intelligent guy and you didn't make the claims in the first place. You just like to stir the pot - cause it's there and you can ? But I did want to reinforce my original post in that tourism as a business isn't dead in Phuket, it's just that the client demographic is changing fast and the new demographic is demanding a different type of holiday experience in terms of goods and services than the old western orientated service providers.

Businesses have to adapt meaning that businesses servicing western tourism must contract to a point where supply meets demand and new business must grow to meet the demand of the growing demographic.

As far as the quality tourist goes, they are SOL, the government wants money, they'll say anything to make you happy, but in the end they want the cash and they don't care whether it comes from a factory worker or a billionaire. Just give us the money.

"it's just that the client demographic is changing fast" - so, what has caused a huge segment of the western tourist market to abandon Phuket? What's stopping the Chinese to eventually abandon Phuket as well? Then, who is there to be the next market?

"the government wants money, they'll say anything to make you happy" - including falsifying tourist arrival figures and revenues. I know I definitely get counted 4 times a: year and possibly 8 times a year because they have been know to count outgoing "tourists" as well.

"Unfortunately they're not dropping them in Bangla road or Patong from what we read in this thread" - the money is now going into the hands of fewer people, which means it doesn't get spread around a lot, which isn't great for the local economy.

"I know you're an intelligent guy" - I completely agree.

IMO the main reason is bad publicity, the transport mafia and it's just WAY TOO EXPENSIVE.

It's always been too expensive, even 20 years ago, but back then I'd go there to pick up a takeaway for the Islands. Patong beach was always rubbish. Bangla used to be fun, but then the prices went up and the katoeys started demanding money if you took a photo of them in public.

After the tsunami, they had the opportunity to build something great, but they just rebuilt the same s***h**e.

If ever a place deserved to go down, it's Patong.

In my opinion, it was the greedy Thai landlords that put the rent up across Phuket to unrealistic prices. The high rents were then passed onto the consumer, so now their food and beverage were considerably more expensive than elsewhere in Thailand, and certainly significantly more than in neighboring countries.

They pushed the tourist market here for every baht they could, possibly under the belief the higher prices would attract "high end" tourists, however, it failed, and the majority of tourists to Phuket now are cheap package holiday makers, mostly from China.

"If ever a place deserved to go down, it's Patong." - if Patong was to collapse, it would be devastating to the Phuket economy as a whole, not just in Patong, you could call it a "financial tsunami."

To be brutal, a collapse of the entire tourist industry in LOS would in the end be beneficial, though obviously not for the workers in the short term. If tourists stopped coming, perhaps because Burma gets its act together ( if they do they'll destroy the Thai beach tourist business- all those undeveloped beaches, just like LOS 30 years ago ), the Thais will have to get their act together, stop treating farangs as walking ATMs and start giving them a value added experience.

30 years ago, people came to LOS because it really was the land of SMILES. Now, the only smiles are in the tourist brochures and the workers are jaded.

[Honky69]

Some people are just so much against the Bar Scene and GOGO Bars, in the next breath think they should all go home to the village and cut Rubber Trees or plant rice etc etc. Thats really going to work heh as there is no where near the work available and many of those Thai families are going to suffer big time as they do not have a pension system here to take care of their elders so basically the Farang expats or holiday makers are the ones supporting many of these families one way or another. The saddest thing re supporting your partner or girl friend here is many of the locals are so bloody greedy and expect big bucks to support the rest of the family and in some cases the extended family along with the Sick Buffalo. When you consider how much the average monthly wage is here and in many cases how much they try to extort from you is quite disgusting. Time they woke up and smelt the Roses thinking about tomorrow and the days to follow rather than ripping you off today.

[bubblegum]

ThaiVisa group of negatives are always on the fist responds.

Chinese people actually have more money than most of us.

They come with their family so don't do bars.

The bar girls from Isaan all still believe in "the dream" and many still find a nice farang husband.

I do agree with, as mentioned before" adapt your business.

Not ALL of us westerners are pedophiles !