August got time?

[abidismaili]

August is of course low season. But I have been in low season before and it wasn't too bad when it comes to availability of boys. However August is (I think) very very low season. I have never have been in Pattaya/Bangkok in the month of August.

 

Any of you experience with August (in Pattaya or Bangkok)? I will go where it is most promising.

I planned November but the urge is becoming unbearable. I need to go before November.

 

edit: title must of course be 'August good time?'

[paulsf]

I think people spend to much time worrying about high vs low season. There are plenty of boys around in any season. I've been there in every month and have never had an issue finding what I need. If you go into a bar with 50 boys in November, but go to the same place with 40 in September, is that really going to make or break your trip?

Go in August, you'll have a good time. Maybe bring an umbrella though.

[abidismaili]

Forget it, I am not going. Just checked ticket prizes. August about 150-200 EUR more expensive than November with KLM (I travel always with KLM for the miles and because they have a direct flight Amsterdam-Bangkok). 

 

I guess the term 'low season' is for gay sex holidays, for normal holidays August appears to be high season. Else why so much more expensive?

[paulsf]

It's high season in the US and Europe. Fares go down big time In the beginning of Sept. I have the same problem you just ran into.

I bought tickets for Sept and Nov. They are 1/2 what I see from now till August.

[abidismaili]

It's high season in the US and Europe. 

 

True, but the ticket prizes are so much higher in August because apparently people in Europe travel more to Thailand in August than they do in November. Yet we call August 'low season' for Thailand. Does this mean despite the influx in August from Europe that in other months Thailand even gets many more and that is why we call August in Thailand 'low season' ? In December they get far less tourists from Europe but is it that Chinese travel in bulk in December and that is why December is there high season?

[Guest anonone]

Pretty sure the high season designation is due to the best weather available in most of Thailand.  That is why many of the tourists elect to come during that time.  

 

I actually have come to enjoy low season visits more than high season.  Less traffic and chaos.  More laid back.  Never had any difficulty with the number of Thai guys around.  

 

And I kind of like the torrential downpours that can occur, assuming there is a nearby bar to duck into.  Pretty cool to watch.

 

If you are at all flexible with delaying ticket purchase, you might keep checking as air fare may come back down again for your tentative August trip.

[abidismaili]

Pretty sure the high season designation is due to the best weather available in most of Thailand.  That is why many of the tourists elect to come during that time.  

 

 

Yes but what I can not explain is that ticket prizes are higher in 'low season' than in 'high season'. I had expected cheap tickets in August, but they are more expensive than the ones in what you call 'high season'.  Just a weird observation. 

 

We have the mathematical equations:

1) rainy season = low season = high ticket prize

2) Northern hemisphere winter = high season = low ticket prize

 

Seems odd. But it is true. We need a mathematician who can explain this equation, because I can't.

[paulsf]

High season and low season is in the destination, not where you are leaving from. People from US and Europe want to go to Spain and Greek Islands in the summer months. They don't want to sit on a Thai beach in the pouring rain. Nov thru Feb are beautiful weather in Thailand . Many Northern Europeans and Russians come to Thailand because it is very cold at home.

The summer months in Europe and US is traditionally June thru August. Planes are packed with people paying the highest prices.

September is the end of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Less people flying so prices come down trying to get people to fly.

[abidismaili]

High season and low season is in the destination, not where you are leaving from. People from US and Europe want to go to Spain and Greek Islands in the summer months. They don't want to sit on a Thai beach in the pouring rain. Nov thru Feb are beautiful weather in Thailand . Many Northern Europeans and Russians come to Thailand because it is very cold at home.

I agree. But you fail to answer the question. You say many Europeans go to Thailand Nov-Feb. Not in August, because of rain. Then why is August more expensive for going to Thailand? If many people want to fly to Thailand Nov-Feb shouldn't the prizes in these months be more expensive, because there is more demand? But they are cheaper! That is the mystery. August should be cheaper, so airlines can attract more customers.

[paulsf]

Your like the 4 year old that keeps saying, but why, but why. But I'm bored today, so I'll play. Much has to do with airline capacity.

In the summer months, airlines pull big planes and seat capacity from SE Asia. They increase capacity to big summer destinations in the US and Europe. So in summer flights to Thailand may have 1000 seats a day with 1000 people a day wanting to go. They can charge high prices because they are at capacity.

 

Starting in Sept thru the winter months, airlines add back more flights and larger planes to Thailand because there are less people flying in Europe and US . Now you have 2000 seats and 1200 people, so they lower prices to try to fill those extra seats.

 

Supply and demand. Sometimes during the summer months a day or two may be booked very light, so the airlines may offer a fare sale. You just have to look every day. Also prices start high when first offered, but as you get closer to the dates of departure, prices can come down. Come late June or July your prices could come way down for August...or maybe not. Depends on bookings.

Last weekend I was looking at flights from Boston-Bangkok in Sept. They were running $1500 US. Then on Tuesday, I played with the same dates and got a $750. fare. I booked it. You say you fly KLM because of miles and status, I do the same with American Airlines. I usually fly alone because AA fares are higher than what my friends pay to fly Chinese Airlines. So by only flying one airline you don't usually get the best fare.

To get the lowest fares, you need to be very open to other airlines.

[captainmick]

Abi, I suggest you look at flying with one of the ME3 (Qatar, Emitates or Eihad) carriers and book into business class from AMS to BKK when they offer a seat sale. Infinitely preferable to KLM who offer a very inferior product in all cabins. The stopover, if short, helps avoid jet lag and DVT. My next visit to Thailand is in November from London and I am taking a positioning flight to AMS and then fly on from there with Qatar in the business cabin for circa £1,000 return. Excellent value.

[forky123]

In the UK schools, colleges, etc finish late July until September so August is mid school holidays. Families tend to holiday in that period so flights, etc are more expensive.

[paulsf]

He said he always travels with KLM because he wants the miles. He can get flights on the ME3 for 700 euro in August. I'd jump all over that fare. KLM is about 1300 euro.

[Jasper]

In the UK schools, colleges, etc finish late July until September so August is mid school holidays. Families tend to holiday in that period so flights, etc are more expensive.

Best answer to Abidismaili 's question.

[abidismaili]

In the UK schools, colleges, etc finish late July until September so August is mid school holidays. Families tend to holiday in that period so flights, etc are more expensive.

 

Yes seems logical, yet we call August low season in Thailand. But if what you say is true than August should be called high season.  This thread confuses me so much.

 

(Someone else by the way says in this thread Europeans in August travel not to rainy Thailand, you say the opposite),

[Londoner]

In my experience, May and June are the lowest of the low season; business picks up a little in August.

Twenty years ago, there was a significant difference between high and low. That difference is more likely nowadays to be reflected  at restaurants ....some popular  places in Central have queues during the high season.  

Any difference in the gay areas seems to me to be in terms of the clientele....in the high season there are  some younger guys. The number of people in my age -group remains much the same. After all, most of us are happily (or very happily, as in my case) retired.

[abidismaili]

After all, most of us are happily (or very happily, as in my case) retired.

I am happy for you. Sadly I am of a generation which can only retire approaching age 70. Expectation is legal retirement age for my generation to be 69 in the Netherlands. The reason is that the generation of my parents has taken such good care of themselves (many could retire before 60, quitting work at 55 was normal) that the money is gone. Sadly no paid for 30 years vacation time is waiting for me.

 

And don't say you paid for it. Fact is pensions are paid for by the current generation (in Western Europe at least, don't know about USA).

 

No one can save during his working live of say 30 years, 30 yearly salaries (assuming you retire at 55, die at 85, then you need 30 yearly salaries) That is of course impossible to save that from only working 30-35 years. So the current generation of 70 year olds who retired at 55 do live not from money they have saved. They live from my taxes. That would all be fine with me if I could enjoy the same benefits. But I am paying for things I can not profit from myself. Feels a bit unfair.

[firecat69]

No matter what country you are in if you bought your house , then by the time you retire you actually own it and your biggest expense disappears. In addition if you are Gay and have no kids you had to pay for , there should have been opportunities to save more then someone who had to send his kids to college.

[kokopelli]

Here is a handy tool to find and compare airfares:

 

https://matrix.itasoftware.com/

[abidismaili]

Thanks

[Guest finally]

I always take EVA airlines...just checked the rates. Vienna-BKK, take off in August, return in September: 550 EU...Amsterdam-Bangkok (same time) around 640 EU. Both DIRECT flights.

[abidismaili]

I always take EVA airlines...just checked the rates. Vienna-BKK, take off in August, return in September: 550 EU...Amsterdam-Bangkok (same time) around 640 EU. Both DIRECT flights.

 

Thank you. The fact it is a direct flight is very important for me. Travel time is a few hours less when going direct and the risk of crashing is reduced by 50% (in stead of 2 flights you only need 1 when flying direct, so 50% less chance something goes wrong).

[abidismaili]

How to post an image here. When I use the 'Image' button and copy the link to the file into it and try to post I receive the error message 'this image extension is not allowed'. It is a jpg file. The link I use is the shared link to the file in my google drive.

[steveboy]

How to post an image here. When I use the 'Image' button and copy the link to the file into it and try to post I receive the error message 'this image extension is not allowed'. It is a jpg file. The link I use is the shared link to the file in my google drive.

 

I usually click on "More Reply Options" on the bottom right, and then when the edit page reappears with more features, under "Attach files" on the very bottom I click "Choose Files...", which gives the explorer window menu to select the jpg files of the pictures, and it continues from there. 

[LAguy]

Thank you. The fact it is a direct flight is very important for me. Travel time is a few hours less when going direct and the risk of crashing is reduced by 50% (in stead of 2 flights you only need 1 when flying direct, so 50% less chance something goes wrong).

 

I'm not sure if you realize it, but your chance of being killed in a plane crash is 1 in 29 MILLION....  I wouldn't worry too much about two flights versus one...