thaibeachlovers

I'd be far more worried about her getting "westernised" and making me do the dishes, clean the house and get my own beer out of the fridge.

So true! Gotta love Thai culture.

>>Now, if they can get back to having 50% ( real ) lady dancers, I might start going back there again.

<<

I thought the whole point of it was the LBs .They could do with better looking ones though .The Tina turner thing is very tired .

I disagree. The best thing about Malibu was that there was about 50/50.

All ladyboy shows were all over the place, though they seem to have vanished along with the crowds, and were always pretty lame.

I've been going to the Malibu since '94, and it was always a must see for me, till now, as they seem to have only ladyboys.

It is nuts, what I heard is that CP will sell a franchise for 7/11 and monitor it's performance. If it does well then they will open their own (non-franchised) 7/11 as close as possible as the franchise does not come with a territory.

Next time look how many 7/11's you see in double within a few hundred meters of each other, always seem to come in pairs - 1 franchisee, 1 franchisor.

Don't know who the owners of Familymart are but maybe they are playing the same game.

TOTALLY NUTS......I have figured out what goes on here....and it covers the whole of South East Asia. Thai / Oriental people do NOT like to walk anywhere.. when did you ever see one taking a long walk or strolling along the pavement. Unlike European familys on a day out. They walk along streets, parks and promenades.

Thais have no need to move, Everything comes to them.....Food, Clothes, shoes, deep fried insects, BBQ's, even Pizzas now.....The Seven ( they never say seven eleven) is for MAMA noodles, MANG FALLANG (crisps), condoms, and SARA (paracetamal) head ache pills...and is always less than 50 yards from where they "work", live, massage or squat down to sell goods.

Many Thai people are astonished when I tell them I have walked back from Beach Road Pattaya over the hill to Jomtien. Barely 2 miles.

I have even walked from CARREFOUR to Jomtien. To Thais, this is like talking about circumnavigating the globe...!!!

Fallangs think nothing of walking the length of Theprasit road to Tesco Lotus. But a Thai would rather not bother let alone contemplate such a hike.

My GF's home is a tiny Isaan village - but no one walks to the small shop, they take a bike or scooter to travel 150 yards.....max !!!

It all has to do with evolution and living in the tropics. It is easy to sit by a river in the shade of a Mango/papaya/coconut tree and wait for the fruit to fall. In Europe and North America we had to be hunter gatherers and crop growers just to survive...thats why we are bigger stronger and more industrious....but I will be chastised for racial profiling I guess.... but hey, are we smarter ???

It does seem to be an Asian thing. When I was living in Singapore in the 70s there was a large multi story building with seemingly hundreds of shops all selling cloth. It was near People's Park.

I tried counting all the Thai massage places along one of the sois off Second Rd the other day, but gave up after 10. And that's just one soi! How many tourists want a foot massage these days anyway, with the reduced value of their money- not many that I've seen.

Thanks for all the helpful advice.

As an aside, the Avenues Cinema have cheap Wednesday prices of 60 baht verus 80 at Central, which makes a real difference when paying for 2.

Yeah, you save $1.25 lol.

That quite ironic considering the title of this thread is "desperate Thais".

Well it was an aside to inform.

As I'm no longer working, and don't get a pension, every cent is valuable, and I bet there's more than a few in the same boat that like the movies.

It's not either/or, mate. Hard times all over. What's so funny about it?

I find it funny to blame Thais' "desperation" and issue silly apocalyptic prophecies of doom when the primary underlying reason for that viewpoint is not "Thai desperation" but the farangs' own gloom and discontentment over such factors as

1. their own money, cheapened by their own idiot governments;
2. their dislike of Pattaya's growth and development, which helps the local and national economy;
3. their dislike of the diverse tourist population that Pattaya is growing to serve;
4. some low-end boites moving to or opening in other areas such as Soi Buakeow as beach property has grown in value, so that
5. even if Pattaya has more tourists, they may appear be spread a bit more thinly, esp. in the low season.

Sorry I can't join you in your "hard times everywhere" whinge. In fact, many aren't having a hard time. OMG. Successful businesses are TOTALLY ignored, however. Last weekend, went into bar so packed there was standing room only. Place is making money hand over fist even in the low season. Last weekend, Beach Road mobbed for a festival; traffic at a standstill on Beach & Second Rds. A number of new beer bar complexes are either being built or refurbished.

When a new business opens, a chorus here predicts its failure IF it's noticed at all. Soi near me, a branch of the gov't bank just opened w/ fanfare. It was ignored here. Actually, it was a smart move by the bank and that branch will do well. Anyway, since when do bank branches around Pattaya close up? Lemme see, Lamthong on Beach Rd. near Soi Yamato. Moved and the whole business merged with some other bank--years and years ago.

For a lot of Thais, though, times have always been hard, this being a relatively poor country; of course, a large percentage create their own hardship. Managing money is not a strength of the lower classes especially. That with lax and corrupt law enforcement means that scams have always abounded, and Pattaya tourists have always been obvious targets. Nothing's new here at all.

I'll agree that business is a bit down for obvious reasons. I'm just putting it into perspective. Overall, Pattaya's doing well & will continue to do well.

If you haven't seen any desperate Thais, it must be because you haven't been looking very hard. Most bars are full of them, as the bar you mention is an exception, not the rule Then there are all the people that used to make money from bar customers, though not working directly in the bars- how much do you think the flower sellers are making at present?

I was at the Beach Rd "festival". Lots of stalls selling clothes exactly like most of the shops in "tourist" Pattaya. Not much money changing hands except for food, as usual.

Diverse tourist population- a few Indians and Arabs, plus Russians sometimes, not many now. Some Chinese are back, as I reported before, but not in past numbers. Most Pattaya tourists continue to be from the usual countries.

New bars being built- yes, there have always been too many bars in Pattaya, and yet they still keep on building more! Doesn't matter how many bars there are if there aren't any more customers than before. And that's the point. There has been a real decrease in western tourist numbers, spending less, so there must be an increase in "desperate Thais".

And yes, I don't like the new developments. Pattaya was fine, but they had to go and try and make it Monaco or some such stupid thing, Not because they thought it was the "right" thing to do- just to make money. They've ruined all the best beaches, now they want to ruin Pattaya too.

Plastic bags In New Zealand last about 1- 2 months in the ground. We went through this no bags and 'save the planet

bags'. Eventually the speed of getting people through the checkouts won I guess.

There is an Australian company which has a plant, in Melbourne I think, that makes diesel fuel from plastic bags. 1 kilo of bags 1 kilo of fuel.

There was research done at Chulalongkorn University some years ago on the problem of getting plastic bags to degrade

Not sure of the outcome

Saw an article on tv about a company in India that is successfully making fuel from plasic bags. If they started same in LOS there'd be no more bag problem, as enough poor people fossiking in the rubbish for recyclable now.

Hmmm, rather like getting savaged by one of those toy dogs- all yap yap yap and no bite!

For the benefit of the wingers, next time I'll entitle it something like- "Pattaya economy booms again, as Chinese tour buses return to the city"!

Influx of Indian tourists will make sanity return unlike westerners who come here in search of young prostitutes.

You have obviously not observed the antics on Walking Street recently, where "Indian tourists', as you call them, negotiate group rates for supersized, OLD Uzbekistani prostitutes.

Plenty of Indian tourists negotiating with "them" along the Beach walkway at night.

Pattaya Thais are the same as they've always been. Really, they are.

Absolutely not the case. The place has gone way downhill as other posters have already pointed out. But, so has planet earth

We'll need to agree to disagree on this point. Scams, cheats, rudeness, corruption, and sleazy characters have always been extremely common in Pattaya--as well as in tourist areas of other Thai cities. Perhaps you need to read back issues of the Pattaya Mail. Don't neglect the Letters To The Editor section. Haven't you ever heard the traditional phrase, "Screwed, blued, and tattoed" in Pattaya? The "blued" refers to bruises in this case.

You'll be happy with day-to-day Pattaya (if at all) only after gaining much experience & street smarts. When FOB, an easy mark, I also encountered lots of problems and bad characters. Now, it's smooth sailing all the time. BTW, one way that Thais can tell whether you're a target or not is whether you speak some Thai. Order in Thai and your change will usually be correct (barring the usual mistakes). Cf. the Philippines: much the same kind of thing. (Worse there, IMO.)

In the meantime, the positives (to those who like Pattaya) are all in place: beach, sea view, low prices (even if your own dam_n currency's in the pits 'cause of YOUR idiot gummint), bars, music, women, restaurants, hotels & condos to whatever spec you can afford, shopping (Central Festival and Tukcom, fantastic additions), fast motorbikes, exotic temples, and general Third World chaos & craziness.

Grannies should go elsewhere--as has always been the case. Sarasota, Florida, USA, strongly recommended: play checkers, drink sherry, waddle in the mall, go to bed at 9 PM. Very quiet.

Just what do people actually buy in Central... I've bought some housewares from the Dept store.. But all the other shops sell the same old stuff.. Little choice and hardly any stock. It just ain't all that.. okay it's better than Mike's but that ain't saying much..

I go to Central frequently to meet my GF on her break from one of the restaurants, so I've got a good idea of the businesses actually selling stuff, and it sure ain't the "boutique" clothes shops, which seem to make up the bulk of the store's small shops.

The only places doing consistently good business ( that I've seen ) are the food shops, of all kinds, Powerbuy and the cinema ( perhaps the bowling as well, though haven't been in there ). I was in there last Wednesday midday, and the place was full of empty shops and bored salespersons.

As an aside, the Avenues Cinema have cheap Wednesday prices of 60 baht verus 80 at Central, which makes a real difference when paying for 2.

Totally disagree (but we can agree to disagree).

The "new generations" are far worse now than in the recent past.

Believe it or not.

I might also note that the Pattaya farangs are actually better nowadays because more of the yobs and other low class dregs can no longer afford to holiday or stay here owing to the decline in their home currencies.

The Russians bring a lot of fine-looking girlfriends with them, too.

how do you spot a russian couple ? any obvious traits ?

I assume you're being facetious!

The Russian couples are the ordinary looking blokes with the drop dead gorgeous arm candy in sexy outfits. But you knew that, didn't you!

Unfortunately, they seem to be absent at present along Walking Street, though a few have been spotted in Central.

Try getting off the beaten path if you want to see normal Thai people. Pattaya is the armpit of the universe, Thai people are there only to make money, anyway possible. I was very disillusioned with the place on my last visit.

And whatever you do, don't rent a jet-ski under any circumstances! These jet-ski operators are the scum of the earth and it is unbelievable that they are still allowed. Pass it along......

Wrong! For real sleaze, you have to go to London's Soho. Compared to that dump, Pattaya is the bee's knees.

I'd love to have been in City Hall when they came up with this one! Why on earth do they think it's necessary to put up a lifesaver's chair on what must be one of the safest beaches in Thailand ( not mentioning the pollution, which just might kill you )?

I'm not holding out much optimism that they'll actually have someone in the chair, anyway.

Perhaps it came with the new arc lights, that, surprisingly, are up and working, though in 10 years they will no doubt be part of the decrepit and broken infrastructure that presently lines the beach. If the idea was to prevent certain persons from "loitering", they don't work, due to the trees blocking the lights, but they no doubt make it easier for the few fishermen trying to catch supper. Not exactly a cost effective scheme!

Once again Chinese tour buses are parked outside Mikes Department store, though only a fraction of the numbers that used to fill it every night.

Mike's owners are no doubt happy, as it must have been a very "dry" spell for them.

Conversely, there were definitely less Thais in Central last weekend, than during the Bangkok protests. Perhaps it was only because of the protests that they were coming to Pattaya, and will now be staying in Bangkok over the weekends.

Can anyone tell me where I can find a decent second hand book store selling English titles, please?

Most of the places I've found are mainly Thai books, and don't have much in the way of English titles.

I'm specifically after the Dune books, if anyone has seen them for sale.

If not in a second hand store, anyone seen them for sale, new, and where?

Thanks.

back to where it was originally. However, it is no longer a restaurant. They even have a bar where the original one was.

I always thought it was a bad move, and they never seemed to have the numbers that used to watch the shows in Soi Post Office.

I also didn't think the "new" Bamboo was very successful, and I guess it had to close for lack of customers, which, I suppose, was the Malibu's good fortune, as the venue was becoming pretty run down by the time they relocated.

Now, if they can get back to having 50% ( real ) lady dancers, I might start going back there again.

Places like that are why I stopped going to Samui years ago. To look at it now, remembering what it used to be like is just too sad.

Thanks for all those helpful suggestions. I'll go over with the TGF on her next day off and check them out..

Did not think the OP would have a car .He is currently looking for a Condo for not more than B5k a month in Jomtien ,and gets a little steamed up about being charged 5 baht for a photo copy

I think the copy shop is a ripoff, I can't see how someone paying 5 k a month for a condo is relevant.

Thanks for that.

No, I don't have a car

I do only pay 5000 for a ROOM- not a CONDO

It's not the cost- it's the principle. If others want to avoid being PO too, they should get their copies elsewhere.

I seem to recall it was illegal to have standing water around your place in Singapore,good advice to all this.

I looked for a thermal fogger in Bangkok to control these but couldnt locate one,any ideas from anybody?

In singapore the government runs big public awareness campaigns and started a "war" on all the tiny breeding places of the mosquitoes, including groups of school kids partolling trough the neighborhood and eleminating all these standing water spots, a palm leave or the half of a coconut shell filled with rainwater could be such a breeding spot.

They have done this since at least the early 1970s when I lived there. Compared to Singapore, the Thai authorities do nothing ( that I can see ), stagnant water all over.

You're quite easy to please. You pay 1900 baht for the visa but they can't make the photo copy themselves - instead you have to walk out and pay 250% the going rate because the copy shop happens to be next to Immigration. You were ripped off on the parking on the street (no, it's free). You waited an hour just to complete some bureaucratic form that effectively makes no difference to anyone except those bureaucrats having a job processing it. You paid 5 baht to use the toilet in a government building. I don't know where you come from but it's very different from how things are where I come from (Europe).

WOAH HOSS, try reading what I actually wrote before jumping on that high horse.

I did say "almost a pleasant experience", as I too feel paying 1900 baht to spend money in LOS is a bit steep, but my post wasn't about the rights or wrongs of Thai visas, but about the office itself, which was a pretty good experience compared to my expectations, and it could have been awful.

Yes, the photocopy was a rip off, hence my warning about it for future visitors.

I didn't park, but I noticed someone handing paper to a man hanging about the cars- I didn't say that you definitely had to pay, or do you not understand "apparently"?

The toilet isn't in the building and is obviously run by the shop next door. Again, it could have been awful, like most public toilets in LOS, but wasn't.

My post was to commend the staff of the Immigration office for providing a decent environment, for an unfortunately necessary service, and I stand by that.

I forgot to mention that it's not essential to wear "proper" dress. ie shoes, long trousers, and button up shirt. Most farangs were in t shirts, shorts and sandals, but none were scruffy. The staff dress quite casually themselves.

While at the Jomptien Immigration recently, I took the opportunity to check out the quiet end of Jomptien beach, and liked what I saw.

Does anyone know where I can find a room there that fills the following conditions?

Must:

be 5000 bht or less a month ( not including water, electric )

have fan, AC, cable tv, hotwater shower

have windows

in a quiet area

balcony big enough for the gas stove and drying laundry

ensuite bathroom

have off road parking area for the motorcycle ( preferably covered )

not more than 5 minute walk to the beach

within the baht bus circuit, but as far down Beach Rd as possible.

Other than being in Pattaya, and not having windows, my present room is pretty good, and wouldn't settle for less elsewhere, but Jomptien would be worth the move as long as get an equally good room.

However, most of the places that I saw along Beach Rd were either hotels/ resorts ( too expensive ) or on noisy sois.

Thanks for any helpful suggestions.

Had to go to the Immigration department in Jomptien recently to extend my tourist visa ( first time there ). I was expecting an inneficient chaos, and a long wait, but to my surprise, everything was very well organised. Kudos especially to the helpful lady that greeted me as I walked in, and answered all my queries concerning filling in the form. It's a pity though, that they can't give her a chair, as those heels must be painful, standing all the time!

As the different visa types were handled by different desks, the wait to see the officer was only 10 minutes. They use a ticket system like the banks for the queue, so it's all very organised.

I was impressed by the surroundings, and that there was AC. They have a nice fish tank to admire, and newspapers to read. Even the toilets are pleasant to use and very clean. Worth paying 5 baht for.

My only complaint re the extension procedure was having to wait an hour ( not the 30 minutes the officer told me ), but apparently the supervisor had been to a meeting, and once back cleared the pile quite quickly.

I do have a beef that the photocopy place made 2 copies when I only needed one and charged 5 baht a page compared to the "normal" price of 2 baht, YES, I know it's only 11 baht more, but it's the "rip off" that annoyed me, not the money.

As I found it rather difficult to find out information, this will hopefully come up in a future search.

The office is down Soi 5, Jomptien. The Soi sign post is visible, even from a speeding baht bus on Beach Rd.

It's almost at the end ( a slow 5 minute walk ), past a big hotel, and is pretty obvious when you see it.

The office opens at 8.30 am.

They have the forms needed available ( free ).

You need a passport photo and a photo copy of your passport picture page and existing visa stamp and departure card. NB only ONE photocopy of each. There is a photocopy shop next door, but costs 5 baht a page. 2 baht most photo shops.

There are demonstration forms filled in to follow, when you fill in yours.

The staff that greet you at the door will help with any problems, and speak English.

You pay 1900 baht when you see the officer, and there's no hanky panky with change.

The toilets are outside the office, and cost 5 baht to use.

I observed that car parking was available on the street ( apparently for a fee ).

There are lots of restaurants serving European breakfast along the soi, if you want to get there early.

Hope this is helpful for any other "newbies".

<br />

<br />First of all, you cannot cure high blood pressure. Once you are on medication, you are on it for the rest of your life. I have been on maintenance medication of about eight years now. The best medicine for me has been cozaar (25 mg/day) which I take along with a diuretic called dyazide (50 mg/day). You should confer with a doctor to find out what dosage you should take. It is also important to disclose whether there is a history of cardio-vascular problems in your family.<br /><br />Doctors often prescribe 'beta-blockers' like atenolol which controls heart rate. This was the very first drug I took and I found that it made me extremely lethargic. If you start taking cozaar, you should not take viagra or cialis. This could cause a sudden drop in blood pressure and even death -- but you might have a smile on your face!<br />

<br /><br /><br />Very good advice, I too was on Cozaar, it is one of the best out there for most people, it has few side effects and is well tolerated, it would be interesting to know what your BP readings are and how you have concluded that you do indeed have Hypertention (HB), blood pressure is actually difficult to diagnose especially if it's marginal, simply going to a doctors and having it measured can actually make it go up therefore giving a false reading, my advice (without hearing your reply) would be to buy one of those monitors to enable you to measure your own, then use it at home when you are relaxed and at various other times during the day/night, this will give you a better picture of your condition, most peoples BP will rise with age, normal is 120/80 the important part of that measure is the lower reading (Diastolic) it should be ideally below 90, if it is consistantly above 90 then you would be considered to have mild Hypertention, above 100 and you have moderate etc, if you measure it yourself and find it to be around 90 then taking 1 25mg Cozaar would be a good idea, above 100 then you usually need a combination of drugs like above, you don't need a doctor for mild below 100, medication is readily available and if you can measure your own BP then you could monitor it yourself, if your lower BP is over 100 then you prob need to see a doctor as treatment choice becomes more difficult. <br /><br />My BP was so bad I had symptoms, it was like 180/120, and stayed high even on meds for a number of years, I stopped work came to live inThailand and after 6 months ran out of meds so stopped taking them for about 4 weeks, was walking through a shopping mall one day and they where doing free checks so I had it done 120/80 and it has been the same ever since, lifestyle and work pressures can influence BP dramatically, the cure for me was getting rid of stress and replacing it with a very relaxed environment.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Assuming you are asking me, I was told by my Dr I had high BP on my last visit, so on arriving in LOS bought a pressure cuff, and my diastolic was under 100, but recently became high over a few days, perhaps brought on by Cialis ( stopped taking that now ).

However, it has dropped, so panic over for now, though will keep checking, and if it goes up again for a significant time will consider all the excellent suggestions for somewhere to go.

As above, I hope a more relaxed lifestyle ( and I'm so relaxed now I could be a shop manniquin ) will reduce the pressure without need for drugs.

Thanks for the helpful posts.

Now, if someone can tell me how to make money without working ( not gambling on the stockmarket either ) I'll be really happy!

diastolic over 100 is high, if you look at the origins of Viagra and the like they started off a medication for HBP the errectile effect was noticed during development as a side effect so taking these medications should actually reduce BP not increase it.

Hmmmm. Well, after I took the Cialis I thought I was going to die for the chest pain, and my diastolic was way high. Perhaps that's not what should have happened, but it did, and I won't be risking it again.

Anyway, I'm sure you aren't supposed to take it if your BP is high.

Thanks for the info about the water, bunta. I'll give it a try

<br />

<br />First of all, you cannot cure high blood pressure.  Once you are on medication, you are on it for the rest of your life.  I have been on maintenance medication of about eight years now.  The best medicine for me has been cozaar (25 mg/day) which I take along with a diuretic called dyazide (50 mg/day).  You should confer with a doctor to find out what dosage you should take.  It is also important to disclose whether there is a history of cardio-vascular problems in your family.<br /><br />Doctors often prescribe 'beta-blockers' like atenolol which controls heart rate.  This was the very first drug I took and I found that it made me extremely lethargic.  If you start taking cozaar, you should not take viagra or cialis.  This could cause a sudden drop in blood pressure and even death -- but you might have a smile on your face!<br />

<br /><br /><br />Very good advice, I too was on Cozaar, it is one of the best out there for most people, it has few side effects and is well tolerated, it would be interesting to know what your BP readings are and how you have concluded that you do indeed have Hypertention (HB), blood pressure is actually difficult to diagnose especially if it's marginal, simply going to a doctors and having it measured can actually make it go up therefore giving a false reading, my advice (without hearing your reply) would be to buy one of those monitors to enable you to measure your own, then use it at home when you are relaxed and at various other times during the day/night, this will give you a better picture of your condition, most peoples BP will rise with age, normal is 120/80  the important part of that measure is the lower reading (Diastolic) it should be ideally below 90, if it is consistantly above 90 then you would be considered to have mild Hypertention, above 100 and you have moderate etc, if you measure it yourself and find it to be around 90 then taking 1 25mg Cozaar would be a good idea, above 100 then you usually need a combination of drugs like above, you don't need a doctor for mild below 100, medication is readily available and if you can measure your own BP then you could monitor it yourself, if your lower BP is over 100 then you prob need to see a doctor as treatment choice becomes more difficult. <br /><br />My BP was so bad I had symptoms, it was like 180/120, and stayed high even on meds for a number of years, I stopped work came to live inThailand and after 6 months ran out of meds so stopped taking them for about 4 weeks, was walking through a shopping mall one day and they where doing free checks so I had it done  120/80 and it has been the same ever since, lifestyle and work pressures can influence BP dramatically, the cure for me was getting rid of stress and replacing it with a very relaxed environment.<br />

Assuming you are asking me, I was told by my Dr I had high BP on my last visit, so on arriving in LOS bought a pressure cuff, and my diastolic was under 100, but recently became high over a few days, perhaps brought on by Cialis ( stopped taking that now ).

However, it has dropped, so panic over for now, though will keep checking, and if it goes up again for a significant time will consider all the excellent suggestions for somewhere to go.

As above, I hope a more relaxed lifestyle ( and I'm so relaxed now I could be a shop manniquin ) will reduce the pressure without need for drugs.

Thanks for the helpful posts.

Now, if someone can tell me how to make money without working ( not gambling on the stockmarket either ) I'll be really happy!