If the £ drops below 40 Baht, will you still come?

[Irish boy 67]

Not just for UK travellers, as in general the Baht is quite strong, though with the Brexit shenanigans, the £ is still dropping, and could quite easily go to 40 or under.

 

If it did, would you still consider Thailand good value for money, would it impact you in how many times or length of trip?

 

When I started coming it was 70, so relative to me, It costs me quite a bit more.

 

I also somehow have this mental block where I always equate it to 50, or hope for 50, some chance at present.

 

Accommodation is still really cheap, ladies too I suppose ( I don't indulge now, except with my own, mine being different )

 

Flights are also cheaper now than when I first stated coming, last few times under £500 direct.

 

Or is it that there is nowhere else quite like Pattaya, so you'd come anyway?

 

It's changing, absolutely. When I first started coming, it was a man's town. Now I see loads of families (mine included) but more so lots of middle aged females in groups waddling across 2nd road etc. Years ago they just wouldn't have been there.

 

What say you?

[Bazle 1,500]

I own a condo there so am pretty committed to visiting, no matter what the exchange rate is.

 

Flights and accommodation are two major expenses. As you say, flight prices are still reasonable. My accommodation costs are not that much more in terms of GBP.

 

The other major cost is "entertainment". As the years go by, I have found my inclination to partake has waned, so my expenditure on that has probably fallen rather than risen.

 

The things that will possibly deter me from visiting are not related to the exchange rate. One of those is what you allude to - the nature of Patts changing. The change I particularly dislike is the Indian/Chinese takeover, and I see that as getting worse not better.

[too_mutt 10]

I would say that Pats is very slowly becoming less desirable/attractive for many of the reasons you stated.

BUT, there is no place that is better. Just have to pony up more cash.

[firth1974 2,659]

Doubt i will visit anytime soon if t reaches that low!

 

Off to Turkey next week, where the exchange rate has shot throught the roof in the past 12 months!!! August last year i got 4.7-5.0 lira to the £££, right now i can get 8 Lira to the £££££!!! BOOM!!!!

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

Doubt i will visit anytime soon if t reaches that low!

 

Off to Turkey next week, where the exchange rate has shot throught the roof in the past 12 months!!! August last year i got 4.7-5.0 lira to the £££, right now i can get 8 Lira to the £££££!!! BOOM!!!!

 

Hi. Currency rate is certainly to your advantage but how is inflation there?

[helloitsme 251]

BOOM!!!!

Don't you start!

 

Apart from the obvious, er, entertainment options, I visit as I feel "safe" there. In this case, "safe" means the infastructure is there for expat....healthcare, transport systems, food, etc all easily available. That, and over the years I have met some good people (from loads of different parts of the world) there, who I enjoy spending time with, means that I can still have a good time relatively cheaply, even for prolonged stays. Like someone above, I don't feel the need to barfine, or even go out, every night.

Edited September 2, 2018 by helloitsme

[firth1974 2,659]

Don't you start!

 

Apart from the obvious, er, entertainment options, I visit as I feel "safe" there. In this case, "safe" means the infastructure is there for expat....healthcare, transport systems, food, etc all easily available. That, and over the years I have met some good people (from loads of different parts of the world) there, who I enjoy spending time with, means that I can still have a good time relatively cheaply, even for prolonged stays. Like someone above, I don't feel the need to barfine, or even go out, every night.

 

Hahahaha, sorry! Promise not to do that again. We can leave that there on that other insidious board.

[firth1974 2,659]

 

Hi. Currency rate is certainly to your advantage but how is inflation there?

 

I'll let you know when I get there on the 11th.

[lounge_lizard 108]

I tell everybody that I come to visit friends, so it would look a bit odd if I stopped suddenly

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

 

I'll let you know when I get there on the 11th.

 

Looking forward to learning.

[Irish boy 67]

Doubt i will visit anytime soon if t reaches that low!

 

Off to Turkey next week, where the exchange rate has shot throught the roof in the past 12 months!!! August last year i got 4.7-5.0 lira to the £££, right now i can get 8 Lira to the £££££!!! BOOM!!!!

Really Chris, whereabouts?

 

I've booked us for 2 weeks in Ichmeler next year, and yes, I went and bought £600 worth of Lira from Tesco last week, got 8.2

 

 

Hi. Currency rate is certainly to your advantage but how is inflation there?

 

I joined a couple of Ichmeler Facebook groups to get some general info about the place, although it was recommended by a few people I've never been in Turkey before.

 

Inflation is very high, like 15%, has been for a while, though the general consensus was prices has not went up due to the Lira tanking.

[Irish boy 67]

I tell everybody that I come to visit friends, so it would look a bit odd if I stopped suddenly

 

[Irish boy 67]

I own a condo there so am pretty committed to visiting, no matter what the exchange rate is.

 

Flights and accommodation are two major expenses. As you say, flight prices are still reasonable. My accommodation costs are not that much more in terms of GBP.

 

The other major cost is "entertainment". As the years go by, I have found my inclination to partake has waned, so my expenditure on that has probably fallen rather than risen.

 

The things that will possibly deter me from visiting are not related to the exchange rate. One of those is what you allude to - the nature of Patts changing. The change I particularly dislike is the Indian/Chinese takeover, and I see that as getting worse not better.

Yea, noticed that as well, and no doubt the intention of the Thai's in charge.

[firth1974 2,659]

Really Chris, whereabouts?

 

I've booked us for 2 weeks in Ichmeler next year, and yes, I went and bought £600 worth of Lira from Tesco last week, got 8.2

 

 

I joined a couple of Ichmeler Facebook groups to get some general info about the place, although it was recommended by a few people I've never been in Turkey before.

 

Inflation is very high, like 15%, has been for a while, though the general consensus was prices has not went up due to the Lira tanking.

 

I' only going to be in Istanbul for 4 nights in the middle of "The Grand Tour".

[yselmike 397]

If mongering was the main reason I couldn't afford it now I am on a pension thank God for the lack of libido,a guest house in jomtien 8-10,000 a month,I hardly drink.I have to eat wherever I am only buying bottled water is different.

500+- for accommodation max, 660 for flight and visa.there are plenty off opportunitys to get laid in jomtien 4-500 baht in massage parlors to 1500 for a bar girl for the night.Walking street may as well be on Mars.

My trip will cost me about 1000-1200 i dont count food and the odd beer and night out in Pattaya as I have to eat and go out wherever I am,The only extra is any girls I take and I don't do that much I prefer the massage places and I have early nights,as I come in January February I am not heating my house etc,it's still reasonable if you are not a longer and you want to get away from the winter back home.

[yselmike 397]

For some reason the euro sign is not appearing so it's 500 accommodation 660 flight+visa the basic trip is 1000-1200 all in Euros.

[bigbadbaz 69]

I've been to Icmeler twice, it's a great place. At the time we were advised not to change money in Uk as rip off, I took cash and changed mine in a shop near hotel and got 10/15% more cash.

 

The locals shops and didn't really like their own cash but can't remember if it was euro or dollars, any change you got was in local currency.

 

1st time there I met a woman on her own like me staying in same hotel, she was a posh bird who usually stayed in the 5* Aqua hotel 3 or 4 times per year and this time was trying the adults only hotel only a 4 star but kid free so a bit quieter

 

We hooked up for the week and obviously in talking mentioned LOS and pretty much told me I'm a sex tourist, told her I came for the Hooters wings, nice beach, meditation and temples but it seems I'm still a sex tourist. When I tried to tell her that she's a sex tourist as well coming to Turkey and shagging locals, lending them some cash to help them through and as she mentioned buying a couple of them phones she went loopy insisting they were boyfriends and what us middle aged blokes do in Thailand is totally different to what middle aged women do in Turkey.

 

The local beer is Efes and it is a wonderful drink, def recommend you drink that.

 

Would recommend looking at leather jackets, not the shit ones in the market but if you get the bus from icmeler into Marmaris as you drop down the hill and reach the shops there is a place on the right has some quality stuff, it hasn't got all the tourist crap outside just a normal better end shop, go early in the week so if they don't have your size can get it in and be prepared to barter they will drop loads as they mark it up quite a lot

[bigbadbaz 69]

At night walking around it was really funny to see Pattaya but in 180 degrees.

 

I walked past one restaurant about 10.30 they had stopped serving meals and families all gone, there were about 8 women all on their own on 8 different tables with a bottle of wine each watching a young waiter doing his shirtless dance on the dance floor in the middle him deciding which would take him back and them doing the same, in other bars full of 40/50 something divorced/single women coming out with the same bollocks we do.

 

In a bar I got talking to a waiter and he came out with the where are you from ( he didn't want to shag me just talking) I'm from Barnsley and anyone from outside Uk or below Watford gap has no idea where it is so normally I say between Sheffield and Leeds as they may know them, told him Barnsley about to say the rest when he came out with oh you just up the road from Rotherham and Doncaster below Wakefield, he asked if I went to Barnsley as they were in the Championship (now we league 1 cos demoted last yr) he told me one his girlfriends was from Rotherham and came out a couple of times per year so he did his homework on places nearby so looks like he cares

[pattysteve 34]

 

When I started coming it was 70, so relative to me, It costs me quite a bit more.

 

On my first visit i got 38 to the Pound.I guess on that i am quids in,but it sure doesn't feel that way.

[keyman 1,413]

On my first visit i got 38 to the Pound.I guess on that i am quids in,but it sure doesn't feel that way.

 

38?

 

Are you sure? I've never known it drop that low before. when was this?

[Siam Sam 964]

I can't see the pound becoming that weak but if it does I will still go. I, like you, started going to Thailand when it was 70 baht to a pound. It was fucking brilliant back then - pretty much all bar girls were good to go for 1k baht long time which including the bar fine worked out less than £20. Such fun and so many amazing memories. You're right, there's no place quite like Pattaya and I'm sure I'll always be addicted so I will always go no matter what the exchange rate is but I am in a very good position financially these days so that's easy for me to say, if I wasn't then I probably wouldn't see it that way.

[pattysteve 34]

 

38?

 

Are you sure? I've never known it drop that low before. when was this?

I'm sure,was in 1988 lol

[keyman 1,413]

I'm sure,was in 1988 lol

 

 

Ah, ok - my apologies. Didn't realise you meant that long ago!

 

KM

[accyboy 78]

Im still coming - as mentioned my shortest ever trip yet

Suppose the money I used to spend in 15 days holidays will not cover that 7 day trip ....Chok dee

[Bazle 1,500]

I've been to Icmeler twice, it's a great place. At the time we were advised not to change money in Uk as rip off, I took cash and changed mine in a shop near hotel and got 10/15% more cash.

 

The locals shops and didn't really like their own cash but can't remember if it was euro or dollars, any change you got was in local currency.

 

 

My hairdresser is Turkish by origin. He has just come back from Turkey and said that, even though the exchange rate is good, the locals want to be paid in Dollars, Pounds, Euros, or any solid currency.