The Baht

[Doodoo]

https://finance.yahoo.com/video/bank-th ... 07683.html

More news on things I certainly cant influence

[Kenr6583]

The baht depreciated 1.8% today. Hope that trend keeps going.

[pipoz4444]

So it should. There was an article in the Phuket news this morning, that indicated/stated, that many of the Hotels in Phuket were only 50% full and this is meant to be "Peak season" This should worry some.

Also a friend of mine was sitting in a Hotel in Pattaya last week in the run up to new year’s day and he said the same thing about that Hotel and that the streets of Pattaya were very quiet with tourist numbers.

This should at least tell the TG that the strength of the Baht is hurting is hurting two of their top Tourist destinations.

This impact on the Hotel industry will trickle down to the ordinary Thai worker and other Thai industries, at some point

pipoz4444

[Kenr6583]

It looks like Thailand may have another problem. The United States is considering labeling Thailand a currency manipulator.

[Stantheman]

It looks like Thailand may have another problem. The United States is considering labeling Thailand a currency manipulator.

Good reason the "TG" cannot do to much more to depreciate the Baht, unfortunately.

[johanthomsen]

Will be interesting to monitor the tourist situation because the tourist sectors will not be able to survive with the lack of tourists... I was in Pattaya and Samui last year this time of year which is suppose to be peak season, and it was a very far cry from 10 years ago where the streets were packed, and this year the streets of Pattaya are again relatively empty.. The lack of the spending tourists will hit very soon if it not already has hit hard.

[Asiaphile]

... I was in Pattaya and Samui last year this time of year which is suppose to be peak season, and it was a very far cry from 10 years ago where the streets were packed, and this year the streets of Pattaya are again relatively empty.. The lack of the spending tourists will hit very soon if it not already has hit hard.

Sorry to disagree. I wonder where you get your information from. I don' t know about last year, but 8returned from Patts last night after we spent a 5-days'-break there and the place is simply buzzing.
Firstly, you must be very lucky to find a centric hotel (can't vouch for 4/5 star, cause I didn't try to find those). I tried all the hotel booking sites but no dice. I had to put up with a rather isolated hotel on Sai 3.

SecondIy, I tried to rent a car. No way. All the places I tried (both online and by telephone) gave me the same answer: "No have."

Thirdly, I then tried to rent a motorbike. Same answer. It was not until 31 December that I was able to find an old bike at a shop at the beginning of Soi Buakhaw.

Fourthlky, getting from Pattaya Nua to Pattaya Thai in the evening was no easy task. Every time I tried it took me took me about half an hour to get there

How more "packed" do you want it?

[Kenr6583]

... I was in Pattaya and Samui last year this time of year which is suppose to be peak season, and it was a very far cry from 10 years ago where the streets were packed, and this year the streets of Pattaya are again relatively empty.. The lack of the spending tourists will hit very soon if it not already has hit hard.

Sorry to disagree. I wonder where you get your information from. I don' t know about last year, but 8returned from Patts last night after we spent a 5-days'-break there and the place is simply buzzing.
Firstly, you must be very lucky to find a centric hotel (can't vouch for 4/5 star, cause I didn't try to find those). I tried all the hotel booking sites but no dice. I had to put up with a rather isolated hotel on Sai 3.

SecondIy, I tried to rent a car. No way. All the places I tried (both online and by telephone) gave me the same answer: "No have."

Thirdly, I then tried to rent a motorbike. Same answer. It was not until 31 December that I was able to find an old bike at a shop at the beginning of Soi Buakhaw.

Fourthlky, getting from Pattaya Nua to Pattaya Thai in the evening was no easy task. Every time I tried it took me took me about half an hour to get there

How more "packed" do you want it?

Yes, I'll be back in Pattaya at the end of February and although I already had my accommodations booked several months ago, looking at them the last few days shows many of the 2-3.5 star hotels fully booked or running short on rooms.