Double whammy hits tourism

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

South Korea halts more Thai flights

Holiday packages left hanging as coronavirus fears escalate

Thailand's outbound tours have been left in limbo as South Korean airlines suspend more flights to Thailand amid coronavirus fears, a huge hit given South Korea's status as the second favourite destination for Thais, after Japan.

The decrease in flights came after the South Korean government issued a travel advisory to its citizens on Thursday.

The country's Health and Welfare Ministry urged South Koreans to refrain from travelling to regions0 confirmed to have infectious cases.

South Korea has prioritised guarding against the entry of the virus from regions other than China, using screening measures for passengers who have travelled to Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Macau.

Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association, said more countries are expected to follow South Korea and Taiwan in putting Thailand on their warning lists.

The flight suspensions have dampened travel sentiment for tourists to Thailand who already booked tickets or those planning trips to South Korea in March and April.

Mr Thanapol said tour operators are 60-70% booked for Songkran in April, but the unfavourable conditions mean Thais are likely to defer travel dates to avoid the risks.

"Many Thais are not in the mood to travel, with some still pondering their destination choices," he said. "Tour operators must try harder to offer customers less problematic routes such as Japan, which is preferred by 30% of Thais, as well as European cities."

Chotechuang Soorangura, associate managing director of NS Travel & Tours, which also provides air ticket booking services, said South Korean airlines have reduced flights to Thailand to control their costs because of slowing demand, which may lead to a cabin load factor of less than 50%.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1857909/south-korea-halts-more-thai-flights

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

Japanese cancel tours en masse

Thai tourism has been dealt another massive blow after 80% of Japanese tour groups cancelled packages to Thailand, prompting tour operators to urge airlines to reduce flight frequencies as Thais travelling to Japan also dropped by 20%.

Anake Srishevachart, president of the Thai-Japan Tourism Association, said 80% of Japanese groups already cancelled packages to Thailand as concerns about the pandemic in Japan spike.

The Japanese market ranked third for revenue contribution to Thai tourism last year with 89.8 billion baht from 1.8 million tourists, following China and Malaysia.

 

Tour operators catering to this market expect to see more cancellations over the next few months as Japanese tourists are highly sensitive to health issues.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/travel/1861139/japanese-cancel-tours-en-masse#cxrecs_s

[Thispeas]

Thnkkkk youuuuu

[10tazione]

When I flu flew out of Suvarnabhumi in a night a few days ago, the taxi driver stopped in front of the departure area and said to me somewhat shocked: "There are no people. There are no people". First I thought "What does he mean", then I looked around, and really, I saw noone else arriving at the same time.

At the check in there where more counters open than people in the queue.

In the plane I had a row for myself.

[Guest]

When I flew out within the last week, the cabin was about 75~85% full (premium economy).  

The luggage screening queue was almost non existent, although flights to numerous destinations were cancelled.

[Travellerdave]

I returned to England last Thursday after 2.5 great weeks in Pattaya, on an Emirates flights via Dubai. For both flights the economy cabin was 100% full and I had to  tolerate the mild discomfort for a total of 14 hours all told. It’s just the price I have to pay for a holiday in Pats which is my favourite destination as it is for many other gays. A few passengers were wearing masks which of course they had to remove when the meals and drinks arrived. It would seem that the masks are not effective so why they are worn  I do not know. 

On arrival I found that advice from the UK government for travellers arriving back from Thailand was to self isolate if feeling unwell. I wasn’t so I resumed normal activities. Why Thailand along with a few other SE Asia Countries should be specified like that I don’t know. It seems that today the number of confirmed Thai Coronavirus cases is less than the number in the U.K. 

with the horrible weather here I feel like returning immediately but it will have to be mid June always assuming I haven’t succumbed to the virus in the meantime.

[ggobkk]

One of the boys I've known for several years sent me a message this morning confirming that business was suffering in his club and that the owner had told the boys he'd have to close if business didn't pick up.  

[spoon]

Too bad as i doubt itll pick up anytime soon. Sars outbreak lasted 2 years or so with much less infection. H1N1 on the other hand is still around and now named influenza A but flu shot (vaccine) is able to reduce the severity of the flu. Until a vaccine is found, or enough people been infected and develop antibody against them, the current measure is all we can do. 

[Jasper]

1 hour ago, ggobkk said:

One of the boys I've known for several years sent me a message this morning confirming that business was suffering in his club and that the owner had told the boys he'd have to close if business didn't pick up.  

Is this a Bangkok gogo bar?

I was thinking a early night without going to gogo bars this evening but hearing this I think I might go out to support boys.

[ggobkk]

Yes, it’s a Bangkok go go bar.  PM for the name. 

[traveller123]

On 3/5/2020 at 6:24 AM, Travellerdave said:

 

On arrival I found that advice from the UK government for travellers arriving back from Thailand was to self isolate if feeling unwell. I wasn’t so I resumed normal activities. Why Thailand along with a few other SE Asia Countries should be specified like that I don’t know. It seems that today the number of confirmed Thai Coronavirus cases is less than the number in the U.K. 

 

I haven't meet anyone in Thailand who believes the Thai Government figures

[Jasper]

On 3/5/2020 at 11:36 AM, ggobkk said:

One of the boys I've known for several years sent me a message this morning confirming that business was suffering in his club and that the owner had told the boys he'd have to close if business didn't pick up.  

According to a Bangkok gogo boy friends in Pattaya are so desperate that they start dropping tip demands. 

[aymidios]

1 hour ago, Jasper said:

According to a Bangkok gogo boy friends in Pattaya are so desperate that they start dropping tip demands. 

Dang it, wishing I was retired so I can swoop in whenever and help the boys out. hopefully none of the bars will have to fold in light of this really unfortunate situation. 

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, Jasper said:

According to a Bangkok gogo boy friends in Pattaya are so desperate that they start dropping tip demands. 

market forces at work I guess, their admirers arriving despite virus scare deserve some premium for their  bravery

[Boy69]

I was  2 nights ago at Fresh Boys very limited number of customers mamasan was so desperate that he went down to the street at midnight to fill up the bar for the last show .

My hotel Le Siam was almost deserted so they cancelled their famous chef breakfast buffet to very limited one.

[macaroni21]

On 3/6/2020 at 9:27 PM, Boy69 said:

I was  2 nights ago at Fresh Boys very limited number of customers mamasan was so desperate that he went down to the street at midnight to fill up the bar for the last show .

My hotel Le Siam was almost deserted so they cancelled their famous chef breakfast buffet to very limited one.

More and more, this is looking like a long-drawn-out epidemic. Even as cases in China fall, new epicentres keep emerging in other countries and tourism globally will be greatly affected. The low numbers in Thai bars -- and I suppose, massage places too -- will be the norm for months, perhaps well into the middle of the year. 

Do these businesses have the financial reserves and working capital to last through such a prolonged period of losses? I doubt it. Will landlords help by reducing rent? Will those other "lords" help by waiving demands for tea money through this period? 

One extreme scenario is that most such businesses close after two or three months of struggle and never re-open even when the epidemic is over. Unless, post-recovery, new entrepreneurs open new businesses to cater to us punters, the scene as we know it may become history. It's a sad thought, and I hope it doesn't come to that... but I can picture that possibility.

[vinapu]

19 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

 

One extreme scenario is that most such businesses close after two or three months of struggle and never re-open even when the epidemic is over. Unless, post-recovery, new entrepreneurs open new businesses to cater to us punters, the scene as we know it may become history. It's a sad thought, and I hope it doesn't come to that... but I can picture that possibility.

whoring is considered world's oldest profession  so obviously while  some businesses  are dying , new ones are showing up to cater for ever present demand

[DivineMadman]

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

whoring is considered world's oldest profession  so obviously while  some businesses  are dying , new ones are showing up to cater for ever present demand

Yeah.  Agree.  

I think there are lots of scenarios possible, but, personally, I think the relative success of the move to Patpong has shown the basic soundness of the business model, so even if places close temporarily or one or even two don't survive, the scene will return to normal.   And some bars, of course, are still doing great business.  

I was at Lucky Boys the other night and it had a good crowd.  People kept coming in during the show and by the end of the show they were smushing customers together to try to make more room to find places for people.  A good very mixed crowd - including some locals.  Good fun show as always.  18 guys in the "big cock" show - perhaps a sign of the times, with more guys opting for the extra money to participate.  One or two of the guys might not have technically qualified for a big cock show, but kudos to them for participating - average, travel-size cocks and all.  

I do think the way the whole staff of Lucky Boys starts the show by singing and dancing along to YMCA is absolutely brilliant and so joyful.  (Maybe they did one verse more than I would have liked.). Sort of like a Club Med or cruise when all the staff sing.  And I will hand it to her, the dreaded mammasan Miss Lucy did a great job for the song.  

Oh, almost forgot.  My friend and I couldn't get an exact count, but more than 40, possibly 50 guys in the regular rotation.  So that's nice.

 

[spoon]

As people, regardless if their are local, expats, tourist, men or women, are always horny, the scene will never die. In hard times, it will be survival of the fittest. The popular boys, the popular bars will survive, the not so popular one might not. But silver lining is, the virus scare hit a lot of businesses, not just the sex industry. That would also means some more guys from other industry who got hit by this virus might turn to sex industry as a refuge. Its not like im hoping for this to happen but that is the reality, in hard times, more people will be desperate enough to try things they previously wouldnt even consider. Who knows we can suddenly see some of the gorgeous "guests model" from the many gay events suddenly appear in jupiter or moonlight.

[Travellerdave]

You have a point there Spoon. Poverty was one of the reasons for the development of sex tourism in Thailand. For some years we have been bemoaning the decreasing availability of gorgeous boys for gay sex tourists and the decline in bars and gogos catering for us. Str tourists also complain about the lack of available attractive  girls. This is substantially a result of increased prosperity and the availability of other employment opportunities, so a slump in the Thai general economy would have a positive side in this regard.
I agree that the demand for sex encounters will always be there - I like most gays find Asian boys insanely attractive in bed and out and I’m sure that there will always be business’ in Bkk, Pattaya and other resorts to meet my demand and to take my money, for as long as I survive.

[10tazione]

3 hours ago, Travellerdave said:

I like most gays find Asian boys insanely attractive in bed

Not sure if the underlined statement is correct ... I feel I am more the exception amongst my friends and that actually the asian lovers are a minority?

[jason1975]

On 3/9/2020 at 11:22 AM, DivineMadman said:

Yeah.  Agree.  

I think there are lots of scenarios possible, but, personally, I think the relative success of the move to Patpong has shown the basic soundness of the business model, so even if places close temporarily or one or even two don't survive, the scene will return to normal.   And some bars, of course, are still doing great business.  

I was at Lucky Boys the other night and it had a good crowd.  People kept coming in during the show and by the end of the show they were smushing customers together to try to make more room to find places for people.  A good very mixed crowd - including some locals.  Good fun show as always.  18 guys in the "big cock" show - perhaps a sign of the times, with more guys opting for the extra money to participate.  One or two of the guys might not have technically qualified for a big cock show, but kudos to them for participating - average, travel-size cocks and all.  

I do think the way the whole staff of Lucky Boys starts the show by singing and dancing along to YMCA is absolutely brilliant and so joyful.  (Maybe they did one verse more than I would have liked.). Sort of like a Club Med or cruise when all the staff sing.  And I will hand it to her, the dreaded mammasan Miss Lucy did a great job for the song.  

Oh, almost forgot.  My friend and I couldn't get an exact count, but more than 40, possibly 50 guys in the regular rotation.  So that's nice.

 

YMCA by all the staff? They copied it from Moonlight! I can’t wait to be back in Bangkok on Saturday and Lucky Boys is definitely the bar I’m going (after dropping by at Red Dragon to say hi to @paulsf !)

 

[DivineMadman]

5 hours ago, jason1975 said:

YMCA by all the staff? They copied it from Moonlight! I can’t wait to be back in Bangkok on Saturday and Lucky Boys is definitely the bar I’m going (after dropping by at Red Dragon to say hi to @paulsf !)

 

He's most likely holding court at Hot Male, not Red Dragon.  

[paulsf]

Yes I’ll be up at Hot Male waiting for you, but if you stop by Red Dragon first those guys will let you know for sure where I am as they track me all night.  

[vinapu]

hope you guys have fun