TotallyOz Posted May 24, 2009 Posted May 24, 2009 Are there fewer tourists? Bars empty or they are doing fine? Quote
Gaybutton Posted May 24, 2009 Posted May 24, 2009 Are there fewer tourists? Bars empty or they are doing fine? It's a very sparse low season. Several bars have closed, changed hands, or are up for sale. The most popular bars still get plenty of customers, but not nearly so many as before. Also, I think part of the problem is that Pattaya is not really lacking too much for tourists, but they're just not spending as much money as before. Quote
PattayaMale Posted May 24, 2009 Posted May 24, 2009 Driving around today after being gone for only 30 days, I thought it was mostly a ghost town compared to previous years. I ate at Continental as usual and they said business was way down. So don't stay away. We need you Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted May 24, 2009 Posted May 24, 2009 I ate at Continental as usual and they said business was way down. Thappraya Rd being torn up hasn't helped Continental's business either. Quote
Gaybutton Posted May 24, 2009 Posted May 24, 2009 Thappraya Rd being torn up hasn't helped Continental's business either. Regarding the roads being torn up, at least they're doing it during the lowest part of the low season, but it's anybody's guess how long it will be before they complete the road construction. It seems to be dragging on forever. Sometimes weeks go by without any work being done on the roads at all, despite the fact that they tore it all up. As for Continental Bakery, at least they have other locations where you can get the same breakfast, but it must be terribly difficult for all the businesses along the torn up areas. You can still get there easily enough on a baht bus or motorcycle taxi, but for local people who have their own transportation it is very difficult, let alone trying to find somewhere to park. So, their business is definitely going to suffer since there are so many other places to go for breakfast, including making your own if you're a resident here or if you're on a holiday and renting a room with kitchen. Since there are so few tourists right now, that makes it all the more difficult. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted May 24, 2009 Posted May 24, 2009 Regarding the roads being torn up, at least they're doing it during the lowest part of the low season, This is the third low season that they have been working on this road.They built View Talay 5D faster than this road. Quote
Guest Hedda Posted May 25, 2009 Posted May 25, 2009 This is the third low season that they have been working on this road.They built View Talay 5D faster than this road. Remember, they're not just building a road; they're building a retirement nest for all sorts of folks. That takes much longer. As for the lack of tourists, you ain't seen nuttin yet. More than usual rain in May has not helped, but the worst is yet to come, as the world recession, flu scare, local political unrest and the real rainy season settle in for the perfect storm for the next six months. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted May 25, 2009 Posted May 25, 2009 Settle in for the perfect storm for the next six months I fear Hedda is spot on. We've had the housing crisis, the banking crisis, the Thai political crisis, the swine 'flu crisis and goodness knows what others. Very soon we are going to be hit by the credit card crisis. Banks are already raising interest rates, millions will default, and even those who pay off every month will find that annual card fees will increase and repayment periods shortened. Plus, whilst airlines have recently been reducing fares to often ridiculous levels to get rid of spare capacity, flight schedules are already being trimmed drastically (British Airways has slashed 40% of its seat availability on flights between Hong Kong and London, for example, and Singapore Airlines has temporarily retired a whopping 17% of its fleet). As these cuts take effect, spare capacity will be substantially reduced and long-haul fares will rise again. Add to that, the US dollar is now losing a lot of the gains it made over the last few of months. Hunker down, guys. This is going to be rough! Quote
Guest xiandarkthorne Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 I know the usual practice in LOS is to increase prices when business is slow, but just as a matter of curiosity, are the bars charging more for offs and tips? Xian PS I am surprised. This is the first time that an updated avatar of mine has appeared immediately. I usually had to wait a couple of weeks before my new avatar appeared online - sometimes even a month or more. Quote
Gaybutton Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 are the bars charging more for offs and tips? Of course, tip amounts are an "up to you," but other than drink prices the off fees and other prices remain the same. Quote
Guest Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 PS I am surprised. This is the first time that an updated avatar of mine has appeared immediately. I usually had to wait a couple of weeks before my new avatar appeared online - sometimes even a month or more. I think this has to do with your cache and not actually having to wait. If I am wrong, tell me and I'll have a programmer check it. To others, I saw the fares for Thailand were the lowest I have seen in all my travels to LOS. The upgradeable fares on NWA are the cheapest I have ever seen. This week I am flying from Los Angeles to San Francisco to do a 7 day bike ride. My airfare for this? 49 UDS. I was shocked. And, then NWA upgraded me to Business within hours of the booking. Pretty amazing IMHO. Hotels. I am staying at my regular hotel in Los Angeles. It is reasonably prices for the hotel it is. A friend of mine uses Priceline and he got a great 4 star hotel for 3 weeks here for 50 bucks. Also pretty amazing. Another friend is doing a 20 something day cruise to South America for less than 300 dollars. There are many deals out there to be found guys. Just look around and look at all the sites and things will start popping up! Quote
Guest xiandarkthorne Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 Hi GT, No I don't think it has anything to do with my cache. I've tried all the usual tricks in the past like emptying my cache, stored links, cookies, and more - including uploading a matching profile pic of the same size, etc. and still I had to wait some time before my new avatar appeared. I didn't bother to post a query because it didn't seem like such a big deal. Thanks for the offer to have your programmer check. Xian PS I probably look a litle thicker in my new avatar because I've put on some muscle...at least I hope so! Quote
Guest Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 PS I probably look a litle thicker in my new avatar because I've put on some muscle...at least I hope so! Yes, very handsome. What have you been doing for putting on that muscle? Free weights? Hard core exercise? What? Quote
Guest xiandarkthorne Posted May 28, 2009 Posted May 28, 2009 Yes, very handsome. What have you been doing for putting on that muscle? Free weights? Hard core exercise? What? Thank you for the compliment, GT. I have been doing free weights, kneading 5kg of clay at a time for an hour each time cuz the teacher says I have to master that particular art or I won't qualify to go on to the intermediate course (I'm learning Japanese pottery) and playing tennis whenever I can. I was supposed to come to Pattaya this month but things have been unbelievably hectic for me. Apart from rushing to finish two book edits with tight deadlines, there've also been 2 deaths and a birth in my family and if you know anything about Chinese funerals, the same holds true when firstborn sons come along, too. I am going to see if I can clear my schedule to come next month - probably between the 20th and the 28th. I do hope things stay quiet...apart from not having to worry about riots and being stuck in LOS with limited $$$ (think eye candy and no money to buy more), I suspect I'll also get more options for my poor Malaysian Ringgit. I don't know how they're keeping the Baht so high against our money. Anyone else from here going to be around when (if) I come? Xian Quote
