BAHT vs VALUE

[drogon]

Thanks TH

[simie]

I think the value has now gone. The sort of holidays I did say 10 years ago when I was single would cost a fortune now given the price rises and current exchange rate. Living there now compared to when I did so before the difference would not be so great but certainly more expensive than before. I think any thoughts I had of a Bangkok retirement are now dead and I'd have to be content with a rural retirement if I where to move back to Thaiand.

I'm sure some of the addicts will still come at all costs but those that think they all will are sadly mistaken. I know many old mongers who have now either drasticly cut down on their trips to Thailand or stopped them completely.

Paying 2010 prices at a mid 90's type exchange rate has been the last straw for many.

Simie.

[Fatboy]

To be really simplistic, Thailand is basically an exporting nation. The redshirts have had minimal effects on Thai exports. Had they chosen to blockade the ports etc, I am sure that we would have seen far less media interest worldwide, but the Thai baht would then have come under pressure. I would venture to guess that the tourist sector can be rebuilt rather more quickly than if exports collapse.

[cavanami]

I tried to phone my favorite money xchg place and they never answered! closed!!! They are very close to MBK, so looks like the Red Shirts have them shutdown!!!

[LizardKing]

Cav are you really so clueless as to what is happening in the city you live in?

[cavanami]

Most likely clueless, but would expect that some businesses would be open.

Will try again on Monday.

Siam Exchg does a mega business! so they should be open?

I am in the 'burbs, so not sure of the exact situation "in the city".

[LizardKing]

See the map I posted. Be safe.

 

Try Superrich in Phrom Phong station, but they may not be open either.

 

There's always the old Chinaman near the Square, on the first sub soi on the left on 22 coming from Suk (past the Square driveway).

 

Both would be the best rates in the city within a few satang.

[cavanami]

Roger that.

I have used both in the past but Siam had the best rate.

Not an emergency, it can wait until better (safer) times.

Thanks!

[gene1944]

Tonight, I overheard a middle eastern guy complain on Soi 5 that he wanted to exchange money but no exchange booths were opened. He was asking other middle eastern looking people to help out but he had not found any takers for the cash he had in his hand. I saw on the internet that all financial business were on holiday for the next two days so hope you can wait until Wednesday.

[gobbledonk]

Getting back on topic (!), I agree that its easy enough to blaze through 10,000 baht and more in a night - my personal record is 30,000 in a 24-hour period with nothing to show for it than a massive hangover and glares from Ms CP. Insane, but its gone now and thats that.

 

The issue, as I see it, is almost identical to what I would see if I went down to the Gold Coast next weekend - thousands of weekend warriors out spending up while the thousands of retirees and families who live there go about their business. Most would still consider a thousand dollars over the course of a weekend to be excessive, but I'm sure many blow that and more - the key is that they are unlikely to be doing that every weekend.

 

When I get to Pattaya, I havent paid a whole lot for accommodation, food is cheap and I have been waiting for this for at least 6 months - of course I'm going to spend money when I hit the bars. I have never been in a nightclub, either in Oz or anywhere else, where I thought 'wow, great prices on the drinks !'. I dont know what they charge in a place like Ibiza, but Im sure its exorbitant compared to what the locals pay at the bottle shop.

 

What does surprise me about this thread isnt that Pattaya and Bangers are expensive - I knew that - its that BMs are complaining that nightlife is expensive in the rest of Thailand. So much for the 'I went to Isaan and it was so cheap !' days of yore (yore being last year, from memory) ...

 

All I can suggest is the PI, but after SDs 'I just dont get it' post from 6 months or so, I'm not in any hurry to get on a plane. Boracay might be nice with a GFE, but AC sounds worse than Cambo.