I remember 60 years back reading a sign on an Italian train window, roughly translated, "it is extremely dangerous to put any part of your body outside the train while it is moving".
They were right!
Not really,
One guy I used to drink with (Swiss or German) was formerly merchant marine, he said he'd visited hookers in nearly every port, but retired to Thailand for the most easily available and cheapest women in the world.
I agree, most people across he globe are despicable, so by narrowing my meeting to only other Brits I bypass all the communication and cultural differences that could arise.
As far as I can tell Pattaya is a realistic view of Thailand as a whole.
Just a little more obvious and out in the open.
Those who live elsewhere try to pretend where they live is different and how their woman is different, but in reality it's all the same.