News Forum - Thai tourism levels to recover drastically? | GMT

[Thaiger]

Thailand’s PM has pushed back the introduction of a 300 baht ‘entry fee’ for tourists. Thai PM expects tourism to recover to half of pre-pandemic levels by next year. Phuket is counting down to declaring Covid-19 an endemic disease. Thailand’s press freedom ranking improves this year. All this and more on todays Good Morning Thailand

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[Pompies]

The 300 baht charge is an irrelevance. The EU is imposing a similar charge and no one is getting their knickers in a twist about it. As for a drastic increase in the next calendar year, we all know that Prayuth consults an oracle with very distorted crystal balls. Thailand has effectively taken itself out of the major league by acts such as Anutin blaming dirty farangs, ludicrously complex and draconian entry requirements, constant changing of regulations, and the destruction of a large part of the lodging and entertainment infrastructure. There is no way that this country can regain its regional preminence until a great deal of time has elapsed and the jackboot of the regime is taken off the neck of the industry.

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, Pompies said:

The 300 baht charge is an irrelevance. The EU is imposing a similar charge and no one is getting their knickers in a twist about it. As for a drastic increase in the next calendar year, we all know that Prayuth consults an oracle with very distorted crystal balls. Thailand has effectively taken itself out of the major league by acts such as Anutin blaming dirty farangs, ludicrously complex and draconian entry requirements, constant changing of regulations, and the destruction of a large part of the lodging and entertainment infrastructure. There is no way that this country can regain its regional preminence until a great deal of time has elapsed and the jackboot of the regime is taken off the neck of the industry.

Most of what you wrote is not reality 

 

I'm here, in Thailand, I have absolutely no idea what you mean about "the destruction of a large part of the lodging and entertainment infrastructure "

 

It's exactly the same as it has been for the 20 years I've been coming here 

 

Pretty much every hotel open, and all I've been to relatively busy 

 

And outside the whining on this forum

People aren't going to cry about filling out some forms

 

I've done just about the same amout of forms to enter Cambodia and Vietnam prior to Covid when you need an E-Visa for entry

 

I think all the BM's on here need to stop whining and moaning on forums and repeating the same old crap and actually come to Thailand and see it in real life

 

As for a big increase in visitors

If Europe and North America are any indication, travel #'s have exploded way faster than expected

 

In North America they are now complaints the airports can't keep up with the #'s and long waits 

[Poolie]

47 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

Most of what you wrote is not reality 

 

Shall we just say 'any of it' for simplicity? It's just Thai bashing for the sake of it.

Oh, and bugger North America.

[Marc26]

3 hours ago, Poolie said:

Shall we just say 'any of it' for simplicity? It's just Thai bashing for the sake of it.

Oh, and bugger North America.

I've been in hotels now in Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, way up on a floating River Kwai hotel and now SuphanBuri 

 

All of them maybe just 10-15% off bookings of a normal May, I'd say 

[Poolie]

4 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

I've been in hotels now in Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, way up on a floating River Kwai hotel and now SuphanBuri 

All of them maybe just 10-15% off bookings of a normal May, I'd say 

Cool! Congratulations everybody.

[Disenfranchised]

5 hours ago, Poolie said:

Shall we just say 'any of it' for simplicity? It's just Thai bashing for the sake of it.

Oh, and bugger North America.

Not a nice thing to say about Canada!

[Poolie]

12 minutes ago, Disenfranchised said:

Not a nice thing to say about Canada!

True, true........

[Grumpish]

5 hours ago, Marc26 said:

I've been in hotels now in Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, way up on a floating River Kwai hotel and now SuphanBuri 

All of them maybe just 10-15% off bookings of a normal May, I'd say 

That wasn't my experience December through to March, I stayed in some very empty hotels and saw a lot of closed and mothballed shops and restaurants. The 300 baht charge is not really relevant (although it does need a sensible way of implementing it, I saw one very sensible suggestion that the Thailand Pass could be the "voucher") - one thing that could stop any recovery though are the airfares, which are currently at least 50% up on 2019 levels, and increasing.

[Marc26]

6 hours ago, Grumpish said:

That wasn't my experience December through to March, I stayed in some very empty hotels and saw a lot of closed and mothballed shops and restaurants. The 300 baht charge is not really relevant (although it does need a sensible way of implementing it, I saw one very sensible suggestion that the Thailand Pass could be the "voucher") - one thing that could stop any recovery though are the airfares, which are currently at least 50% up on 2019 levels, and increasing.

Kanchanaburi had a lot of closed shops near the bridge but it's a quiet town that closes early so that was hard to judge

 

But my hotel U-Inchatree, was fairly busy

The desk told me about 30 rooms booked 

 

Almost all Thais

 

By the way, that U-Inchatree is now one my wife and I favourite hotels in Thailand 

 

I'm headed to Samui tomorrow 

I know that got hit hard so will be interesting to see how it is now

[Soidog]

2 hours ago, Marc26 said:

Almost all Thais

This has been my experience in the many places I’ve visited. Although hotels have been reasonably busy (60%-75%), the vast majority have been Thai visitors. This is driven by subsides and the fact it’s currently school holiday period. 
 

I’ve also stayed at the hotel you mention in Kanchanaburi. Very nice hotel

[Marc26]

19 minutes ago, Soidog said:

This has been my experience in the many places I’ve visited. Although hotels have been reasonably busy (60%-75%), the vast majority have been Thai visitors. This is driven by subsides and the fact it’s currently school holiday period. 
 

I’ve also stayed at the hotel you mention in Kanchanaburi. Very nice hotel

As I mentioned before

 

We are using the subsidy for 20 nights 

 

Saved me a ton!

[Saltire]

3 hours ago, Marc26 said:

Kanchanaburi had a lot of closed shops near the bridge but it's a quiet town that closes early so that was hard to judge

But my hotel U-Inchatree, was fairly busy

The desk told me about 30 rooms booked 

Almost all Thais

By the way, that U-Inchatree is now one my wife and I favourite hotels in Thailand 

I'm headed to Samui tomorrow 

I know that got hit hard so will be interesting to see how it is now

I live in Kanchanaburi but am some 2 hours plus from the Kwai bridge. I have stayed in the U-Inchantree, it's easily the most popular hotel in that area as pre-covid it was actually hard to book a room.

Just got back from a 3 night hotel stay (not U Inchantree) and when I asked if they were busy they just laughed. I'd estimate there were another 10 rooms occupied, or about 25%.

Having said that the Natee 4 star hotel was fully booked.

Many restaurants have only recently re-opened, on bar street there is still about 50% establishments shut down.

We also went to check out a new condo with 40 rooms. We looked at 4 or 5 and the owner said business was slow, looking for long term clients.

It's getting slowly back to normal but still a long way off a full recovery, in my opinion.

 

[Pinetree]

For the reported drastic increase to happen , there has to be as drastic increase in aircraft seat availability to Thailand  and that isn't happening at all quickly. 

[Soidog]

17 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

For the reported drastic increase to happen , there has to be as drastic increase in aircraft seat availability to Thailand  and that isn't happening at all quickly. 

Exactly, and prices also need to be more realistic. I looked at EVA Premium from London in September. Normally you would expect to pay £850-£1,000 return. Currently prices are £1,500-£1,700. Even economy tickets are some 20% higher. In addition, EVA are only flying 4 days a week until November. Some of this may be due to restrictions or demand in Taiwan, as this route is a stop over on the Taiwan-London route. 

[Marc26]

I am waiting for my flight to Samui

 

They have 5 or 6 flights today and this is probably 70% full 

And mostly farang......which is different than I experienced so far this trip 

[Marc26]

Well Samui overall looked quite busy 

 

But Lamai was absolutely dead, decimated I'd call it 

 

Maybe 10 places open, combined bar/restaurant/massage, out of 100 on the main street 

 

I do think the places like Chaweng that cater to younger tourists are busier

 

We will hit there one night 

[KaptainRob]

34 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

I do think the places like Chaweng that cater to younger tourists are busier

We will hit there one night 

If you haven't been before, go and have sundowner drinks at Poppies.  

[HiuMak]

Just flew back to Aus. 80% full on flight via Singapore

[Marc26]

43 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

If you haven't been before, go and have sundowner drinks at Poppies.  

We are going to try for today if not raining 

 

Pretty rainy here at moment but not too bad this morning 

[Ivo_Shandor]

1 hour ago, Marc26 said:

Well Samui overall looked quite busy 

But Lamai was absolutely dead, decimated I'd call it 

Maybe 10 places open, combined bar/restaurant/massage, out of 100 on the main street 

I do think the places like Chaweng that cater to younger tourists are busier

We will hit there one night 

I been to Chaweng during Songkran, and it was very sad to see that most of shops facing the road south of Central Mall were left closed and in derelict state, even the supermarket next to Nora Lake Hotel was closed, Even the Hooters (but probably was just put in standby waiting for the high season). I remember pre-covid that road was bustling right down to the Mercure Hotel, but now it seems most of Chaweng fun is only around Ark Bar area. I can confirm that Lamai was pretty much dead, even in broad daylight (the did close the McD there too), aside from the area near the beach (The Bamboo and around).

[Marc26]

3 hours ago, KaptainRob said:

If you haven't been before, go and have sundowner drinks at Poppies.  

[Marc26]

3 hours ago, KaptainRob said:

If you haven't been before, go and have sundowner drinks at Poppies.  

Looks like Poppies is permanently closed

 

We will hit Jungle Club for sundown today if weather stays how it is

[Marc26]

2 hours ago, Ivo_Shandor said:

I been to Chaweng during Songkran, and it was very sad to see that most of shops facing the road south of Central Mall were left closed and in derelict state, even the supermarket next to Nora Lake Hotel was closed, Even the Hooters (but probably was just put in standby waiting for the high season). I remember pre-covid that road was bustling right down to the Mercure Hotel, but now it seems most of Chaweng fun is only around Ark Bar area. I can confirm that Lamai was pretty much dead, even in broad daylight (the did close the McD there too), aside from the area near the beach (The Bamboo and around).

This was the main street in Lamai at 11:45am

 

We got a massage in one of only places open

 

 

[Ivo_Shandor]

that looks even emptier than during songkran. ghost town.