thaibeachlovers

No evidence of any work being done. I thought they had closed them as now 3 multiplexes in Pattaya.

Pity. I spent many a happy hour in them, and much cheaper than the alternatives.

1000 baht? i aint poor and certainly no cheap charlie but 1000 b for some meat on a stick? well each to his own.

Given how trendy Pattaya is trying to become, I'm not surprised that something like this would show up. The thing that surprises me is how many repondents on this post think that it's acceptable to pay more than my room costs a day for some food, no matter how trendy.

Choosing a Thai wife….

A very rich farang man wanted to get married. He was having trouble choosing among three lovely ladies, so he decides to give each woman a present of 100,000 Baht and watches to see what they would do with the money.

The first lady does a total makeover. She goes to a fancy beauty salon, gets her hair done, new makeup, nails; buys several new outfits and dresses up very nicely for the man. She tells him that she has done this to be more attractive for him because she loves him so much.

The man was impressed.

The second lady goes shopping to buy the man gifts. She gets him a new set of golf clubs, some new gizmos for his computer and mobile phone. As she presents these gifts, she tells him that she has spent all the money on him because she loves him so much.

Again, the man is impressed.

The third lady invests the money in Pattayas real estate market. She buys a condo, sells it and earns 200,000 Baht more than she paid. She gives him back all 300,000 Baht because she loves him so much.

Obviously, the man was very impressed.

The man thought for a long time about what each lady had done with the money he'd given her.

Finally he did what all men would do.... and married the one with the biggest tits!

Cause that's what us men do.

Today there is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra than on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2040, there should be a large elderly population in Pattaya, with perky boobs and huge erections - and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.

I never went after the big-titted ones.The following experience cured me forever of large breasted women.In grade 3 my pencil fell on the floor and I went to my knees to pick it up.The teacher was hovering over another student and I was right at her feet.I unfortunately looked up,and saw what gravity does.She had a loose dress on,and I unfortunately looked up and saw that her "breasts" were like 2 long tubes that reached down almost to her waist.I almost threw up as I looked up.Early on most guys learned that more than a mouthfull or handfull is a waste.Note that most delectible Thai females have smallish shapely breasts(like delicious mangos) and muscular legs,not huge breasts and skinny legs,which most men covet.Covet on.

cognos, you and me both. I only go for those with a BSM.

Seriously, if you guy are this old and still don't know how to choose your life partner or what to look for in a good partner in general,...thai or not

then it's quite pathetic....really

or you guys were born with totally zero degree of common sense gene, or with no chance whatsoever to develop into one

Don't mean to insult anyone, but seriously.....Grow up....GET REAL or stay on the sideline until you all have grown up!!!

Are you for real?

It's a joke!

Hi,

There is a shop inside Pattaya on 2nd Road near South Rd crossing.

You can see its exact position here : http://www.pattayaphotoguide.com/?9EuRUPmokcgF7CNA

They have small (toys) 3 channels helicopter at 850 baht and some serious ones at 6,000 baht or more.

Many planes, boats, cars and accessories too.

Co incidence! I passed that place last night and noticed the RC helicopter in the window. Stored the info for the next time someone asked that very question ( there's been a few queries on the Thorn Tree Thailand forum ).

In a recent trip back to Pattaya, I stayed in a friends room in Soi Skaew beach....I couldn`t believe how dead it is now...

I remember 2005 it was so busy Accomodating alot of European tourists, it has dropped to the point I hardly see any...it was song kran I expected it to be way busier......

Its sad theres no more business

What will happen.....

When you saw it busy that was the exception, If I ever had a mental picture of soi skaew beach then dead would fit it nicely.

I'd agree with that. Had a TGF in one of the bars opposite the hotel, and I always wondered how they got enough customers to survive.

Does anyone know what the goal of TAT at this point in time? Are they looking to preserve tourism numbers or looking to grow tourist numbers? Are they looking to gather return visitors or are they looking to target a new market? Are TAT looking to protect or "streamline"the industry to become more competitive on the international stage against its neighbors in the Phillipines, Malaysia and China?

These questions (and others too) would determine which would be a 'best course of action' for the Thai Tourism industry. Different types of visitors would respond to different offers (e.g. tour groups would not respond so much to the idea of cheaper accommodation, but would respond to a better exchange rate, whereas a mid range traveller may respond better to cheaper accommodation).

As far as I can see, the TAT exists in some parallel universe where all farangs are filthy rich, and just want to stay in 5* hotels, have spas and eat in very expensive restaurants. So all they have to do is put out press releases boasting of how wonderful all the posh places are ( never mind that the infrastructure is falling apart ), and soon the planes will be full of rich tourists just aching to spend massive amounts of cash in a less than 30 day visit.

When was the last time anyone saw a TAT press release giving details of how Thailand is going to make it easier for low end tourists?

Sitting on a Thai plane, reading Sawasdee, I sometimes wonder just what country they are writing about, as it sure ain't the Thailand I know!

Seems like everything they do is to stop farangs benefitting from cheap places and services. Even in the airport, you now can't go down to the foodcourt on the travellator, but have to spend ages waiting to use the lift. Absolute rubbish. Sometimes Thai officialdom is so stupid that I wish they would go down the tubes.

Yes let's forget the worldwide recession, the loss of jobs etc etc, let's all go to Thailand for a cheap holiday.

A lot of people cannot afford to come to Thailand however cheap, much as they would like to.

There are many of us will still come, regardless.

However, we are not going to be spending much here as long as the exchange rate is so high, and hotels and transport etc. remain high priced, regardless of what some govt. spokesman may say

This is good for a few big hotels (Thai-owned like the Royal Cliff, of course), but a small disaster for almost everyone else. Jomtien Beach is empty when it should be bursting with farang and Thai tourists spending money. More than half the shops on Thepprasit have pulled down the shutters and given up due to no-parking and one-way restrictions.

Two days ago I was talking to one of the local estate agents. He said that it had been extremely quiet so far this year, but that day one of his colleagues had an appointment with a farang who was very interested in buying a property. He took him to view it, and it took them 2 hours to get there (just a few km away) through the road blocks, one-way system, and crowds of cops on every corner. The farang decided before he even saw it that he probably wouldn't be happy in Pattaya, and thanks, but he was going to look at properties in Phuket instead.

Bang! That was the sound of Pattaya shooting itself in the foot.

You might want to adjust that statement about the Royal Cliff! I'd imagine it's become a disaster for them.

Well, I'm on 2nd Rd. No state of emergency here, not even a solitary plod.

Only reason I knew to come check it out was because news on TV in restaurant. I asked waiter where the trouble was and he said Royal Cliff, then said something like "tourists finished", but I don't know what he meant.

Certainly, no Thais seem perturbed about it.

Update. Spotted 5 plod hiding in Bodegas. Perhaps they're "undercover"!

Well, I'm on 2nd Rd. No state of emergency here, not even a solitary plod.

Only reason I knew to come check it out was because news on TV in restaurant. I asked waiter where the trouble was and he said Royal Cliff, then said something like "tourists finished", but I don't know what he meant.

Certainly, no Thais seem perturbed about it.

Read in the Bangkok Post that there are to be road closures for the big Pow wow.

Anyone know where they will be, and will they affect me escaping Songkran on Sunday, via the North Rd. bus station?

Seems like with all the trouble in Bangkok and possibly here, that I might be faced with the prospect of Songkran in Pattaya- oh no!

This afternoon, lots of plod on Second Rd. outside Avenues. Just standing around. Perhaps they are anticipating a red shirt attack on Macdonalds! LOL.

Think you should be all right in North Pattaya, It's already happening even before the pow wow starts but the main chaos seems to be centred around the area from Central Pattaya to Jomtien. From my own personal experience the last couple of days locals are apparently being blocked from any direct route between Jomtien and Pattaya and left to meander around the minor back roads until they can find a road that the BiB will let them turn out on. Not frustrating at all!

Thanks, hope you are right.

Read in the Bangkok Post that there are to be road closures for the big Pow wow.

Anyone know where they will be, and will they affect me escaping Songkran on Sunday, via the North Rd. bus station?

Seems like with all the trouble in Bangkok and possibly here, that I might be faced with the prospect of Songkran in Pattaya- oh no!

This afternoon, lots of plod on Second Rd. outside Avenues. Just standing around. Perhaps they are anticipating a red shirt attack on Macdonalds! LOL.

As the previous thread was closed....

While the Soi 10 area of 2nd rd. was flooded due to extremely heavy rain this morning, no flooding of Central.

Guess they fixed the pump then.

Mr depressing or what!!!! and what utter rubish Central is great and whenever i have been there is no shorttage of customers Pattaya needs more shopping centers like Central its a growing city and a great place to be. stop being so negative, I sometimes wonder why some posters on this forum bothered to move to Thailand at all!!

I call it as I see it.

You may do the same.

But don't tell what to do please - or maybe you aspire to be a moderator?

I'm not negative, nor depressed, and I warrrant I have spent more time in Thailand than you probably have on this Earth.

I have seen Pattaya grow from a sleepy, pretty little fishing village to the monster - yes monster - that it is today. That doesn't mean there aren't good parts of pattaya, and I do enjoy those parts and am happy living here, but Pattaya is a far, far call from the pleasant Thai village that it used to be.

Of course everything has to progress, and time cannot stand still, but it certainly unfortunate that some of the developments of the past 25 years have turned this resort into one of the most infamous sex cities in the world.

In my opinion you are dreaming if you really believe this place will go up market. This city was built on sex, and if it is to survive it will continue to survive largely on sex tourists. If the powers to be really try to take it up market and close down all the red light areas, Pattaya will die a painfiull death.

Places like Central are not suited to Pattaya, and I reiterate my personal observation that it is an awful , uninspiring failure and that on the day I went, it had very few visitors, and even less people actually buying anything. As opposed to Mikes, and Royal, which were teaming with happy shoppers. Doesn't that tell you something??

If you love places like Central so much, why don't you move to Bangkok, or better still, go back to your home country where I am sure you have an abundance of up market Malls and Department stores, to satisfy your addiction

And why are yoiu so upset? Surely you don't think that even the all powerful Mobi can singlehandedly persuade Central to close it's doors? Don't worry, I'm sure it will be open for many years to come,and will just be a red "blimp" in Central's balance sheet.

The only reason Pattaya won't move forward is because of people with views like yours. I still think you are talking utter tosh many people come to Pattaya for holidays and may never get involved in the sex side its like judging London on soho you clearly do no much about what makes a modern tourist destination.

Many people come to Pattaya and never get involved with the sex side, because they have no idea when they go to the travel agent what it's like, and the travel brochures certainly don't show the reality. Then after they go home they tell all their friends not to go there.

Soho is a small and ridiculous pimple on London's backside, full of clip joints, and rip off artists. It would be possible to completely avoid a visit to Soho. Pattaya is the opposite. It's all red light area, and unavoidable.

While I would never go to a modern tourist destination ( Dubai anyone? ), as I think they are boring and expensive, I love Pattaya the way it is. Take away the bar scene, and what's left? A cra*** beach, a cra*** promenade, cra*** infrastructure, terrible traffic.

It could happen, but it would be like Hua Hin, a completely revolting pit, full of rich people lying around, and paying far too much for everything. Not my scene at all.

As one who is openly against any and all of this up marketisation of Pattaya, this has made my day!

Best news I've heard in a long time.

Perhaps they can convert it to a nice indoor bar beer complex.

Had a trip down memory lane to find this thread from way back!

As the £ continues to languish at almost mid 90s exchange rates, and nothing I have read indicates a lowering of prices, I have had to accept hard reality, and continue working over here to fund a shorter ( and split ) holiday. Bummer.

Anyway, in a couple of weeks I'll be back there, and able to answer my own question! Hope there's still something left to enjoy, nudge nudge.

Even if someone is a sex tourist, do they really need to feel proud about exploiting impoverished women, and having to travel halfway around the world just so that they can pay money every time they get laid? That's more than a bit sad.

I am proud to travel halfway around the world so I can pay much less each time I get laid

Well said. I could pay a Thai lady to get laid every day for the rest of my life, and it would still be cheaper than the amount I ended up losing to my western ( thankfully ex ) partner. Compared to the wimmin that I meet in the UK, Thai women are angels!

As for being exploited, that could only be written by someone who has little or no experience as to the realities of the WESTERN bar scene ( and not going to get deeper into it here due to rules ). However, I make no such claim as to the THAI scene.

I never yet met a bar girl that couldn't leave and go work in the rice fields or on a building site ( for 50 baht a day ), if she chose to do so.

Thanks again, Richard.

Thanks for all the replies, especially Shane and Richard.

However, we all know what I was really asking ( but cannot be answered directly ), so can someone please tell me if there is there an equivalent of the Pattaya beach walk ( you know what I mean ), but without getting the thread closed.

Is there a forum where I can discuss things as cannot be discussed here?

Thanks.

I'm also sure that the bar owners in Angeles are hoping for yet more shopping malls/ condos etc to be built in Pattaya, as they know that they will be booming with all the guys heading there instead, especially now there are direct flights to Clark.

Attitudes like yours really crack me up...like do you really have trouble finding companionship in Pattaya now that there are a few new malls in town As you are an Angeles virgin, let me tell you that it too has changed immensely over the past decade...with lots of new upscale hotels, restos, and malls. The world is changing everywhere but the good stuff is still there too...as well as a decent place to shop and have a bite.

Can anyone even remember what was there on that site before Central? I thought not!

Absolutely I remember what was there; one of my favourite bar complexes!

It's nothing to do with the mall per se. I expect that to become yet another Avenue white elephant ( why would anyone pay high prices in the mall when there's a town full of cheap shops? ), it's the trend towards the Hua Hinisation of Pattaya; too expensive, lots of high rise accomodation and a few overpriced trendy bars.

Not all of us can pay high prices for fun!

Thanks for the replies.

Pattaya is getting expensive, Sihanoukville seems cheap, but is it as sanuk as Pattaya?

Appreciate comments concerning general similarities and differences, and is it really cheaper?

Most important though, how does the "nightlife" compare? Not interested in just sitting on a beach during daytime, and getting boozed at night. Any equivalent of Pattaya Walking Street, GoGos, outside bar complexes etc?

Thanks for comments from those that know.

how does anyone have the energy to *hate* a shopping mall? <deleted> is wrong with you people???

Haters, thats what they are. They hate everything.

We don't "hate" everything. We love Pattaya the way it used to be, should be. We just hate crappy big malls that get built over nice bar complexes. Why don't all you people who like to buy expensive shirts move to expensive horrible places like Hua Hin. They have a big new mall there. You'll feel right at home.

I'm sure there are Thai fishermen who wish the bars never came to town.

It's called development and progress. You were happy when the place progressed from fishing village to whore town, now it's progressing from whore town to tourist town. Move over, your time here is done. Find an undeveloped town somewhere else and relive your past again. Try Sihanoukville, you'll feel right at home.

Re Sihanoukville, just spent the last while on Google Earth and some helpful sites. $5 for a room as nice as what I pay £15 for in Pattaya! The beach looks as good, if not better than Pattaya. Seems like I'll be changing my range for a while. Definitely going to check it out later this year, and hope it's as good as it looks.

how does anyone have the energy to *hate* a shopping mall? <deleted> is wrong with you people???

Haters, thats what they are. They hate everything.

We don't "hate" everything. We love Pattaya the way it used to be, should be. We just hate crappy big malls that get built over nice bar complexes. Why don't all you people who like to buy expensive shirts move to expensive horrible places like Hua Hin. They have a big new mall there. You'll feel right at home.

I'm sure there are Thai fishermen who wish the bars never came to town.

It's called development and progress. You were happy when the place progressed from fishing village to whore town, now it's progressing from whore town to tourist town. Move over, your time here is done. Find an undeveloped town somewhere else and relive your past again. Try Sihanoukville, you'll feel right at home.

I'm sure you're right, as if Pattaya keeps going the way it is, it'll be just a shopping mall strip with traffic jams, a cr** beach and a broken down walkway.

I'm pickin' that most of the bar owners/ girls /boys/ customers will be heading off that way, and then we'll get to see just how much Pattaya does depend on the nightlife to survive, or not, as the case may be.

I'm also sure that the bar owners in Angeles are hoping for yet more shopping malls/ condos etc to be built in Pattaya, as they know that they will be booming with all the guys heading there instead, especially now there are direct flights to Clark. I reckon there will be a big increase in flight connections straight to Clark in the coming years. Who knows, in 10 years there may be the same complaints about how Angeles is going up market and pushing out the bars.

I hope to be visiting Angeles later this year, for the first time, and possibly Sihanoukville, so will have an idea if there is a better place than Pattaya, for my future holidays.