Thailand tourism situation

[Big Boy]

I've noticed the last couple of evenings driving up and down Soi 94 that the number of Farangs have reduced dramatically.

Also walking the beach each evening, until the last couple of days the seating area outside the Sailom Hotel has been packed. Much reduced for the last couple of days.

[adammike]

just spent 7 nights in hua hin it seemed busy to me, the restaurants on poolsuk were crammed every night but the bars not so busy,did not really look like a slump not so
many single guys but lots of family groups.

[oakdale160]

Feb is not the test, just like judging restaurants on Friday and Sat occupancy is not the test.
Hi season should last until early april--lets see how things are in 3 weeks time.

[Big Boy]

Feb may not be the test, but 3 places in very close proximity on Soi 94 have closed down in the last week.

[usual suspect]

Airport bus coming into HH ~ lunchtime only had about 10 passengers on-board.

[Bristolian]

Wife relaxing in HH, me, I'm back to the daily grind of work in BKK... Ok my chance to visit some of the old haunts... Very Very quiet. There are few European tourists around, mostly families, couples and very few snowbirds. Don't believe the propaganda of the TAT and other tourist organizations. The numbers are down!

Last week I booked 300 room nights in a central 4/5* hotel For the first week in Match (an unplanned strategy meeting)..... No problem sir ...

Why? Less than 50% occupancy in full high season

[Big Boy]

Feb may not be the test, but 3 places in very close proximity on Soi 94 have closed down in the last week.

One of the bars that hadn't opened for a few nights was open again tonight

[richard]

BB

There's always a sucker in the bar or round the corner with a fat wad to come to the rescue. I've seen in it so many times

[Big Boy]

Very true richard. It just surprised me, 2 bars opened very recently, just weeks ago had closed in the middle of high season. If they couldn't make it when people are here spending their money, what hope is there in periods of lesser activity?

[richard]

AND it seems doomed to slump further with this sort of confusion going on

If the punters (tourists) hadn't paid a lot of well earned money for their hols they'd be laughing at this shenanigan

http://www2.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... -in-phuket

[HHTel]

It's gone even further, Richard. Apart from banning chairs on Phuket beaches, it's been announced today at a press conference that you are now not allowed to smoke or eat on Phuket's beaches!!

This is getting really silly and shows the world just what numbskulls are in charge here.

[caller]

It's the small things that add up that make a difference, along with the clip of the Police harassing beach goers in my last post, another guy interviewed said he's been coming to Phuket for 20 years, but never again.

How many stories have there been like that since the coup? It was obvious people were disgruntled back in October - as I was - when I was on Patong Beach. Think about how many tourists have been and gone in the last few months and talked about what's happening in Thailand.

It all adds up.

[Ropes]

It's gone even further, Richard. Apart from banning chairs on Phuket beaches, it's been announced today at a press conference that you are now not allowed to smoke or eat on Phuket's beaches!!

This is getting really silly and shows the world just what numbskulls are in charge here.

So right what ever are they thinking of. No deck chairs on the beach FFS. You couldn't make it up.

[dtaai-maai]

My guess is that the original intention, both in Phuket and elsewhere (including HH), was to regulate the absurd number of beach chairs and umbrellas monopolising virtually every inch of so many beaches, and possibly to restrict the more abusive practices of some beach-related activities.

If (and that may be a big 'if', but I'm trying hard to attribute some positive motive to all this) that was the case, how it managed to escalate to the ridiculous interpretation by the Phuket police defies any explanation. The facebook video clip posted by caller of police ushering elderly tourists off a beach because they've brought their own chairs is incomprehensible in a country that, we are constantly being told by the experts, puts so much emphasis on 'face'.

One can only hope that at least an element of common sense will be re-established (have a look at this article from a local Phuket paper: http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phukets-cr ... ure-21883/) before what's left of this country's tattered reputation disappears down the drain.

[usual suspect]

Was talking to a couple last night.."What are you both doing 2mrw?" I asked them.
They said they were going to have a relaxing day on H.H. beach under an umberella on a lounger with cold beers & their chosen books for their last day here...They simply refused to accept what I told them..being as today would be a Wednesday.
(Just another husband & wife who will be telling everyone in the pub when they get back to Europe this week).