Looks like the lack of visitors is starting to bite. Decided to stay at Ruysuk, seems a good choice, similar to Top Mansion but free internet in cafe and softer beds are a bonus! (thanks to LA for those hints). They have just dropped prices if paying in advance, down to 2100 baht a week. Can also get annual rate at 200 baht a day!

Definitely a must consider for the budgetary challenged traveller in these times. I wonder if a price war will now start?

Usually if business slows down,the Thais raise their price to make up for their losses and then when the business comes back,they maintain the price hike!

So,I wouldn't be looking for any bargains except from falang owned businesses,their standard of living has a higher cost,so they have a harder time riding out the slow times.

If you have not noticed before,Thais do not compete with each other pricewise!

A little off subject because not Udon but also choose the company you book with carefully , i,ve used asiarooms.com every time i,ve booked in thailand , and never a problem . but for my next trip to hua hin . they gave me price for hotel ( 15,700bt ) for a week i was quite happy to pay it . then they say hotel full so choose another ....
i did,nt want another i always try to stop same hotel .
i was told to try THAI VISA,s hotel service got the hotel i wanted and same dates . for 9,890 .
big saving . .. ms.

yea for sure let the mouse do the clicking, found this on another board

And another one from the Pattaya Mail
http://www.pattayamail.com/current/travel.shtml

Note the forecast of baht 38 to the dollar...

Thai tourism feeling the strain

Andrew Wood
Up to August 2008, eight months into the year the Chaophya Park Hotel, a four hundred room 4 star deluxe hotel in Bangkok was exactly on budget and on target to achieve its Gross Operating Profit (GOP) for the year 2008. The YTD occupancy was 79% and total hotel revenue from all revenue streams was 8% ahead of last year. And then came September 2008.

A scenic view at Koh Samui.
During this month political demonstrations broke out into the street and Government House came under siege (as it is today, some 2 months later). Bloody clashes with the police led to 2 deaths and 400 demonstrators were injured. Newspapers and the TV carried headlines and pictures for the entire world to see. Calls for the PM to step down by the opposition parties and the demonstrating People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) were reinforced by the four highest ranking generals of the army, air force, navy and police appearing together on TV asking the PM to step down.
The newspapers called it a ‘coup by TV’. The PM refused to step down.
There is daily talk in Bangkok that the generals will do something, but most people are uncertain what they can do to resolve the political deadlock. How they will run the country is also unclear, after an earlier coup in 2006 to oust then PM Thaksin Shinawatra showed that the military were inept at successfully running the country and the armed forces are frankly VERY reluctant to take that course of action once again so soon.
The likely outcome is the PM will eventually step down and either the house will be dissolved followed by a general election, or more simply that a new PM will be put in place that might be more politically acceptable.
The Thai tourism industry has taken great pains to stress that the political activities in a small area of Bangkok has little effect on the day to day lives of ordinary Thai’s and tourists are still safe to travel freely in Thailand.
All of the above coupled with the global economic meltdown and plunging stock markets provides what one travel publication called ‘the perfect storm’ for Thailand’s hospitality sector. Occupancy at the Chaophya Park Hotel in September 08 was 56%, LY 73% and October 08 will close with 55%, LY this figure was 80%. Revenue in Sept and Oct will be behind LY by 11% and 18% off from the budget.
The forecast for Nov 08 room occupancy is 60% with LY 81%, although functions and weddings will be strong until the end of the year.
Currency exchange rates have also shown a weakening baht against the dollar with some analysts predicting Bt38 to the dollar next year from its present Bt34, a further 12% decline. The Yen is very strong and at a 13-year high at the time of writing. Recently the baht against the pound and the Euro is strong as these currencies weaken globally, the baht gaining close to 20%.
However with exports and tourism receipts set to fall, the baht is also likely to follow.
During 12-19 November 2008, there will be 7 days of mourning and the final Buddhist preparations that will lead to the Royal cremation of the late Princess Galyani, the King’s sister. People have been asked to show respect and to wear black and white. All parties and functions have been cancelled or postponed to avoid a period when the whole country will mourn her passing.
The outcome for the next 4 months, taking us into 2009, is looking ‘soft’. I believe however that the decline in tourism receipts will slow as we move into our traditional high season. From mid January onwards it will be a testing time and may well set the stage for much of 2009.
I am cautiously optimistic that despite the growing economic turmoil, people will still travel; they will continue to visit our restaurants and they will continue to have meetings and celebrations. The change, I believe, will happen with a growing dependence on the domestic traveller and local MICE market. It will be a difficult year for Thailand’s traditional long haul markets and many will be reflecting this in their company’s marketing plans for 2009.
Note: Andrew J Wood is the General Manager, Chaophya Park Hotel & Resorts, President-Skål Int’l Bangkok, Skål Int’l Councillor-Thailand and Skål Asian Area-Director of Development.[/b]

BKKSTAN wrote:Usually if business slows down,the Thais raise their price to make up for their losses and then when the business comes back,they maintain the price hike!

So,I wouldn't be looking for any bargains except from falang owned businesses,their standard of living has a higher cost,so they have a harder time riding out the slow times.

If you have not noticed before,Thais do not compete with each other pricewise!

The Ruysuk is owned and run by a Thai national.

But I have to admit that he ( Joe ) was educated at a Melbourne University in Australia.

And the Ruysuk is my hotel of choice when staying in Udon.

Gozzo wrote:

BKKSTAN wrote:Usually if business slows down,the Thais raise their price to make up for their losses and then when the business comes back,they maintain the price hike!

So,I wouldn't be looking for any bargains except from falang owned businesses,their standard of living has a higher cost,so they have a harder time riding out the slow times.

If you have not noticed before,Thais do not compete with each other pricewise!

The Ruysuk is owned and run by a Thai national.

But I have to admit that he ( Joe ) was educated at a Melbourne University in Australia.

And the Ruysuk is my hotel of choice when staying in Udon.

Nice to know!The foreign education seems to help in many cases!I have few Thai friends,most of those that I do have, had extensive time outside of Thailand,therefore they have acquired some education in supply and demand!

Yep the luncheon buffet at Charoensri Grand Royal Hotel is case in point. When they went from 160 bht to 180 bht they lost customers so Manager told me they had to raise prices again. Now it is some 220 baht plus 10% service charge and vat charge. Still a good bargain but proves the Thai mentality if you are losing money you can lose it faster by raising prices.

hotel prices falling , what a refreshing change from hotel guests falling !!!!