Phuk Hotel prices

[barfly]

Does anyone know if the reports are true that some surviving hotels instantly doubled their rates for accommodation, drinks etc and if so which ones?

[stevem]

Its called supply and demand, and unfortunately some take a greater advantage of situations then others. Its just doing business. If you find a place has increased their prices above what you consider acceptable, then DONT stay there, very simple.

[senor123]

Originally Posted by stevem

Its called supply and demand, and unfortunately some take a greater advantage of situations then others. Its just doing business. If you find a place has increased their prices above what you consider acceptable, then DONT stay there, very simple.

Sorry Stevem. Can't agree it's "Just doing business". I think it is profiteering of the worst kind.

[Baltic]

Originally Posted by barfly

Does anyone know if the reports are true that some surviving hotels instantly doubled their rates for accommodation, drinks etc and if so which ones?

Hi Barfly,
have you really any proof of this price doubling?
I'm really interested, as I will definitely be in Karon Beach on Feb.28.

Best regards,
Baltic

[Allybabba22]

I hope this is not the case because it might make some bars/hotels etc, A few extra baht for a while but it will backfire in the long run, And may eventually keep a lot of tourists away for good especially with all the bad press given out by the media, This could really finish things off

[Barathea]

I've been checking prices in Koh Samui in case change to there. Of 10
or so hotels short listed - only 2 (so far) have decided to profit from
this tragedy - namely Constanza Apartments ( up 20-25 %) and Seafan
Beach Resort ( up 70 % ).

Do you think staff at these places will get commensurate pay increases
or all go to owners ?

If I was in any way computer literate I would start a site listing these
profiteers where discerning travellers could boycott them out of business.

Btw if I sound like a tightwad I was more than happy to pay well over the odds in Bali for goods and services, but only to locals - not millionaire
resort owners. My record was 5 massages in a day !!

Gee was good to get that off my chest

[barfly]

It came from another forum, either soc.culture.thai or rec.travel.asia (can't remember which one) but sounded as though it came from first hand experience.
If I knew which hotels,bars etc did this then I would never give them any business again.

[del boy]

I have to agree with stevem on this one. It is simply a case of supply and demand which is the way of the world. To 'profiteer' is to take advantage of the desperate and vulnerable. I don't think foreign tourists who are free to come and go as they please fall into this catagory.

I am quite suprised to see this happen though in Phuket. I would have expected the opposite. Prices dropping really low to get people back in. Obviously there must be enough demand for this to happen.

[andy50]

i think its only fair that the remaining hotels increce their prices dramatically,due to the disaster, its the thai way! i for one would gladly pay at least three times more than the norm ,for a room-- as would i pay the b/gs much more than they ask, -- and the street vendors , i think that all tourists should go around handing out 1000bht notes to everyone(as a goodwill gesture)

[dawsey]

Originally Posted by andy50

i think its only fair that the remaining hotels increce their prices dramatically,due to the disaster, its the thai way! i for one would gladly pay at least three times more than the norm ,for a room-- as would i pay the b/gs much more than they ask, -- and the street vendors , i think that all tourists should go around handing out 1000bht notes to everyone(as a goodwill gesture)

What you are suggesting Andy,although very commendable,will not directly help the Thais who need it.It will just be money going into the hands of hotel owners not affected by the damage elsewhere.By all means give the girls extra money,they deserve it anyway,but your extra baht would be better used given to one of the many Phuket based charities when you get there.And don't forget,Thailand has not suffered anywhere near as much as Indonesia and Sri Lanka in terms of lost lives and homelessness. Although we all have a great affection with all things Thai,its easy to forget the other places much harder hit.

[andy50]

it was a tounge in cheek comment --

[chucky66]

Tourists start changing routes

Hotel operators report shortage of vacancies

NONDHANADA INTARAKOMALYASUT SUJINTANA HEMTASILPA BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA

The tsunami has created extra demand for hotels and travel services at Thai destinations other than the six affected southern provinces from which tourist traffic is being diverted.

Hotels in places such as Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Bangkok are seeing a shortage of rooms as many of their guests, who had planned to spend part of their holidays in the southern resorts, have decided to extend their stays. At the same time, many recent arrivals from abroad have been diverted from the South.

However, many properties are finding it difficult to accommodate more demand as they were already at or close to full capacity before the disaster occurred.

Meanwhile, traffic to the South has fallen markedly, with many travellers seeking northern destinations instead.

There have been complaints from travel agents that some unscrupulous hotel operators in non-affected areas, such as Koh Samui, had exploited the tragedy by raising their room rates, said Chatri Tangtienkul, managing director of World Planet International, a leading travel company.

``But not all the hotels on Koh Samui have increased the rates. Most have decent consciences and have maintained rates as usual,'' he cautioned.

Michael Holehouse, chairman of the Thai Hotel Association's Koh Samui chapter, told the Bangkok Post yesterday that there was ``some'' extra demand for hotels on the island. ``There is unlikely to be any enormous increase. Most of us here looked very busy through April, well before the disaster happened,'' he said.

There are about 9,000 hotels rooms on Koh Samui, with about 2,000 to 3,000 of international standard.

Mr Chatri noted that most tour programmes for January and February had already been cancelled and the tourism industry in Thailand, particularly on the Andaman coast, was expected to be sluggish for a long time.

Many of the foreign tourists who had booked holidays in Phuket and Phangnga were upmarket travellers or families who have switched to Hua Hin, rather than going to Pattaya which they regard as too crowded and frenetic.

Montri Teedee, vice-chairman of the Korean Guides Association, said the number of Korean tourists to Thailand could fall to between 200,000 and 300,000 next year from the projection of 400,000.

Over the next six months, he said, the number of arrivals from around the world would continue to drop and some 70% of the guides in Thailand were at risk of losing their jobs.

He said that 30-40% of tour groups from Korea had cancelled while the rest had shifted to Pattaya and Hua Hin but still faced difficulty finding rooms.

At the same time, some holiday-makers, especially locals, are not keen to travel anymore, as cheaper train and bus seats have not been taken up.

According to the ticketing division of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), up to 20% of southbound passengers have cancelled their tickets for the New Year holiday. Many have sought northbound tickets instead but demand exceeds supply. First- and second-class train tickets to the North were fully booked, with no cancellations, said a ticketing official.

With the exception of southbound tickets, first- and second-class seats from Bangkok to every region in Thailand were fully booked from Wednesday through today, and all such seats on inbound trains are fully booked from Jan 2-5. Typically, the official said, such seats are booked up two months in advance of the New Year.

Third-class tickets that do not require advance reservations were still available for all destinations, he said. But such seats tend not to appeal to leisure travellers.

A similar situation prevails for bus services operated by the government's Transport Company.

Prayot Sangkhasawas, director of the company's Southern Region Bus Division, said almost half of the passengers who had booked tickets for the company's first-class air-conditioned buses to Phangnga and Phuket had cancelled their reservations and received full refunds. Only about 2% have decided to postpone.

Mr Prayot said that normally his division had to increase the number of southbound buses for the New Year season by 30% to serve overwhelming demand. But this season, the increase was less than 20%.

Tickets for second-class air-con buses and non-air-con buses were still available.

[gregor200]

Sunset Beach Resort
Hotel Information


SUNSET BEACH RESORT located on the quiet place on north Patong. We are operating normally, except business centre, tour counters, conference room. The flooding destroyed the lobby, reception, business centre, conference room and tour counters. There is no staff and guest is injured. We are cleaning swimming pool. We will open the swimming pool on 3rd January 2005.

in www.latestays.com you get a room for 2 inclusive breakfast for 1300 bath. Very good price for money.

[crazyswede]

I cant say i like what i read here actually ... and i´m use to Pattaya price´s
Shall i re-think my Phuket trip even this year??

cs//

[kelli]

check out the following link

cheap hotels

don't cancel your trip, go to Phuket NOW!

[LivinLOS]

Sorry.. Counterpoint..

Tuk tuks charging 3k to take desperate people to the airport in NOT fair game.. Hotels using supply and demand is fair IMHO but you reap what you sow..

Taking advantage of a short term (the first couple of nights) gain will cost far more in preception over the long term (and as long termers who does not know of a nanai guesthouse that wanted 2k plus instead of 800 ??) which will be felt from here to Song Gran (IMHO !!) I advise anyone to remember (long term) companies that tried to take advantage (more than a 20 - 30 % rise) of the situation !! Without being too grim I see a very rough high season and to ask people to return after asking for multi thousands for an airport journey smacks of hipocracy to me !!1

Sorry to sound negative but while so many fora have stated how wonderful individuals were, I watched too much looting, disinterested official control, and hear the first hand reports of police running 5 mins in front of the wave warning...Theres much I dont want to say in public but good was balanced with bad and I am not sure how equally.

I know this is an unsung voice.. but I have seen the best in people (helping withut looking for anything) and some shocking sights (which have been brushed under the carpet)...

[onlocation62]

Originally Posted by barfly

Does anyone know if the reports are true that some surviving hotels instantly doubled their rates for accommodation, drinks etc and if so which ones?

the indication that I got was that prices have fallen in Phuket hotels....

[Allybabba22]

Originally Posted by onlocation62

the indication that I got was that prices have fallen in Phuket hotels....

Its been reported that SOME hotels have put up there prices but not all, Also some hotels have put them down.