Thailand- Totally Destroyed by the Crisis

Thailand's tourist industry must be totally destroyed by the western economies and the red shirt protests.

The Euro to the Bht has hit a "low", as has the UK pound again, etc etc.

Your thoughts on where this will end.

Although my bet is people will try to go elsewhere now, somewhere where it is cheaper, or nearer home (wherever home may be). Going to a go go in Thailand used to be cheap, it's now verging on the ┬г100 / US$150 quite easily spent in a night and that's only a couple of hours there, i.e. a couple of drinks for you a couple of drinks for him, "fees". I bet they are really suffering now, which is a shame.

[Beachlover]

Not totally destroyed... but a major battering, yes, definitely.

Tourism will take a hit but the bigger loss will be business decisions and investments favouring other locations over Thailand. It will give Thailand's surrounding neighbours a big leg up... every time a company chooses to open an office in KL instead of Bangkok... base regional headquarters in Singapore instead of Bangkok... a factory in Vietnam instead of Thailand... hold a major conference in Bali instead of Phuket... invest in Malaysian ports instead of Thai infrastructure.

Now I see why so many Asians aspire to move to Western countries... they marvel at the stability... almost crave it. It's a complete change of dynamics (for the better) to them when they make this move.... just like when older guys go to Asia there's a change in dynamics for them (they can get laid now).

[Beachlover]

Although my bet is people will try to go elsewhere now, somewhere where it is cheaper, or nearer home (wherever home may be). Going to a go go in Thailand used to be cheap, it's now verging on the ┬г100 / US$150 quite easily spent in a night and that's only a couple of hours there, i.e. a couple of drinks for you a couple of drinks for him, "fees". I bet they are really suffering now, which is a shame.

I budget about $200-$250/night in Thailand... but that includes everything... hotel, transport, food, nightlife, drinks, maybe a massage etc. But some days I spend next to nothing... aside from $100-$150 for the hotel with food maybe 500 baht on drinks and that's it.

[anakot]

Thailand's tourist industry must be totally destroyed by the western economies and the red shirt protests.

The Euro to the Bht has hit a "low", as has the UK pound again, etc etc.

Your thoughts on where this will end.

Although my bet is people will try to go elsewhere now, somewhere where it is cheaper, or nearer home (wherever home may be). Going to a go go in Thailand used to be cheap, it's now verging on the ┬г100 / US$150 quite easily spent in a night and that's only a couple of hours there, i.e. a couple of drinks for you a couple of drinks for him, "fees". I bet they are really suffering now, which is a shame.

Apparently hotel occupancy is below 30%. Usually at this time of the year it is 60%

Tourism accounts for about 7% of the economy...

[Beachlover]

WooooO! Cheap rooms!

[paperboy]

i must be 1 of the below 30%
great i happy ive made sombodys satitics

I think the current events have more serious ramifications for Thailand than just the impact on tourism, despite some posters opinion that the economy would collapse without them.

[Beachlover]

Tourism only accounts for 7% of the Thai economy (not that this is insignificant) but 20% of employment is directly or indirectly linked to the tourism industry.

Implications of this unrest for business and investment in Thailand as a whole are much more serious.

I was thinking more about the impact on Thai society than the financial impact

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

take it from an expert..in a year's time this will all be a dim memory.

And I guess this is me changing destination for summer trip... just to make sure I will cancel hotel bookings.. I will keep my flight as I can connect from Bangkok to anywhere else - granted the Airport will still be there.

While I do know that things could be back to normal by then, I do doubt in less than 3 months they will have sorted all the damage that's being caused...

take it from an expert..in a year's time this will all be a dim memory.

Indeed.

Remember how much hair renting and self-flagellation and cries of "it's all over for Thailand" occurred during the yellow shirt closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Yes...a dim memory now.

[fedssocr]

This seems way different from the airport shutdown. There was no violence or bloodshed then. Now we have images of the army moving in and protesters burning down BKK. People being killed. Random grenade attacks. Banks being burned down... etc.

All of those people aren't going home to their air conditioned condos like the PAD protesters. These people are burning down the town halls in their own towns. A guerrilla army is a real threat I would think. Desperate people with nothing to lose are very different from middle class people with a cushy life. And you have Thaksin the ringleader openly talking about guerrilla fighters.

As much as I don't like to say it, Abhisit is likely done now. But the deep divide will continue on for quite some time.

I feel bad for my Thai friends. They are just regular middle-class folks trying to get by. But the damage from this episode is going to lead to a lot more people being poor. And even when the reds get back in power the lives of the poor aren't likely to improve much. And then what will they do?

[Beachlover]

This seems way different from the airport shutdown.

True... The airport shut down is similar in that it's a short, sharp period of turmoil.

But this appears to be much bloodier and more violent than the airport blockades... and worse still... it has greater potential to turn into more widespread violence (already has) and possible guerrilla warfare.

Well, TIT... so let's play it by ear.