Before and after - artist's impression of the future of Walking Street!

[Grusa]

To be reasonable, could "they" not just fix the sewage, the hygeine, the security  and the cables, but leave the sleaze and overall experience as it is? I rarely go there, only to take visitors who want to see it, never ever spend any money there, but absolutely defend its right to exist, and the rights of others to be ripped off any way they like, except of course the terrorists.

[Megasin1]

Corporate blandness is everyone's destiny, there is no fighting it. It all began when they built the McDonalds on Walking Street and it ends with Designer Outlet shops that don't sell real rejects, but new down-quality items for the wannabe hisos. Welcome to the future now. I recall my excitement of a few years ago when my Thai wife said a new mall had opened and we bundled into the car with expectations of Thai boutique shops to be confronted by 'Bluewater' transferred to Thailand and the worse thing, cheaper in England too, now my Thai ex-wife prefers to shop in England for the massive savings she can make. Blandness is the new opiate of the masses. You can't fight it, move to a small village and keep chickens. The girls, like all girls everywhere will adapt to the new world order, its just that they will operate their social media constructs with well manicured hands whilst selling 1 handbag a day instead of bag handling once or twice a day and their lipstick will be a better brand (or so they think). They can change the name too, suggestions welcome, but I'm starting with 'Less Walking Street'

[helloagain]

9 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

" It has been transformed into a place of calm and order where families would be at home."

 

I guess there has to be one street that is calm and orderly in all of Thailand.

 

 

 

It will never happen

[yellowboat]

4 hours ago, heybuz said:

i counted 5 condoms floating down the klong in bang kapi on my daily stroll to the mall.there was a bloke fishing and i wonder how many he caught.

My point exactly, people are practicing safe sex, so the sex trade does not do nearly as much damage as its unfiltered acutramon and other vile waste.

[Krataiboy]

7 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

"Experts"?  Really? LOL

Blimey! Didn't take you long to read that book I recommended. Good to see you back in the saddle, Craig, and being as constructive as ever. LOL.

[holy cow cm]

6 hours ago, garvon said:

Why on earth did you come here then if you hate it so furiously? Your reply will be interesting.

Tend to agree in a certain way. As: As did he come here and then enjoyed the entertainment and oddness, grew a life, but now doesn't appreciate the scene now and then? I love the visit on a now then then. More then than now, but all the same. It is Thailand. You can't turn it into a Polynesia atmosphere. Like a lot trying to de-mask Denmark. Been here along time, but I say I like the oddity back in the day. Looks like it is being strangled hard a bit now though. Not only the walking, but many other similar things around the country. Yes, CM too. Let's see what is next. There will be a next. .

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Where are all the tourists the TOT expect?

Manila?

 

[Destiny1990]

No fake watch seller chasing tourists in the graphics?

[wakeupplease]

Best go to Bognor then

[kiwikeith]

19 hours ago, ezflip said:

Hmmm....seems to be missing something. Oh yes, it's missing the flag bearing tour leader with the 50 odd Chinese tourists follow behind, spiting on the road and gawking at everything.

 

Otherwise, it looks like any other street we come across everywhere in the world. Bland and boring.

Do not panic, Thais will get around this, if this goes ahead they will simply up tools and move to another street.

[HerbalEd]

21 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

" It has been transformed into a place of calm and order where families would be at home."

 

I guess there has to be one street that is calm and orderly in all of Thailand.

 

 

 

You obviously need to travel more around Thailand.

[steven100]

19 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Many on WS now spend no money.  Or very little.  Kinda like the red light district in Amsterdam.  Many walk by, few partake.

 

If they did it properly, it could be very successful.  I quit going to WS several years ago.  Just not my cup of tea.  I know many others who feel the same way.

 

Here's Bang Saray's walking street.  No go go bars.

https://www.mypattayacondo.com/bangsaray-walking-street/

 

And Chiang Mai's market.  Always busy with tourists.

http://www.embark.org/thailand/chiang-mai/culture/sunday-market

great  !  ......  but i'm not looking for tom yum.

[tryasimight]

19 hours ago, mark01 said:

Hate walking street, so the quicker the change, the better.

Knock it all down and start again.

If you don't like it....don't go there. Simple really.

[tryasimight]

18 hours ago, Docno said:

Not quite right. They simply turned that former red light district (Bugis Street of the 60s and 70s) into a shopping centre, much like what this artist is proposing. I lived next to it for several years. No 'rebuilding', just renovation and cleanup. And there have definitely been no working girls or 'girls' there since the place was converted.

And a lot of people now go to Gayling street for the atmosphere and buzz of the 'Asian experience'..

[mok199]

pattaya just cant get it...power lines hanging in your face,tour buses belching out smoke in you face ..the smell of sewer in your face,, herded like livestock by tour gides and beach vendors..etc etc......new moto  ''BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME''...

[craigt3365]

38 minutes ago, steven100 said:

great  !  ......  but i'm not looking for tom yum.

Agreed!  My point is that's prime seaside property that could be turned into something really nice.  Walking Street could be moved elsewhere.  Something similar to what they've got in Tokyo?

[elgenon]

I despair at the loss of funkyness in Thailand. I just read the area of music bars in Chiang Mai on Ratwitchi will be demolished. I like all the neon. There are plenty of sterile shopping malls.

[SamuiLoner]

18 hours ago, whitemouse said:

 

Because once in Bang Saray, or in Chang Mai,  people are forced to go to these dreadful markets,  they have to go somewhere. No one wakes up on a freezing morning  in Sweden in December, and thinks "Oi, I'm gonna buy a ticket to Bang Saray and visit the market there!".  

 

But many, many more people visit Pattaya, and it isn't because our markets. Pattaya is 'extreme' city, because of its unique attractions, and it draws millions. Take that away, and Pattaya will become Bang Saray, a place no one has heard of

 

I think you guys are trying to say; "It's Horses for Courses"

 

I wouldn't be going to HomePro to buy my Sunday dinner.... Get my drift.

[JayBird]

How dull. What will waking street look like one year after this when all the shops close because no one goes there?

 

There's cleaning up, and there's removing. This is a case of throwing the baby out with the bath water.

[JayBird]

2 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Agreed!  My point is that's prime seaside property that could be turned into something really nice.  Walking Street could be moved elsewhere.  Something similar to what they've got in Tokyo?

There a half built condo on that prime seaside property. At their present rate walking street could be turned into a collection of condo skeletons for years, populated only by soi dogs and parked buses.

[Rimmer]

Of topic post removed

[tryasimight]

2 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Agreed!  My point is that's prime seaside property that could be turned into something really nice.  Walking Street could be moved elsewhere.  Something similar to what they've got in Tokyo?

Turned into what though?

More hotels pumping sewerage into the sea?

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, tryasimight said:

And a lot of people now go to Gayling street for the atmosphere and buzz of the 'Asian experience'..

No "working girls" on the streets back when Bugis was great. Brothels were legal and hidden away. All the taxi drivers tried to get single males to visit them "want a nice girl?".

The only "girls" on Bugis were kyties. Great place to hang out at night.

[tryasimight]

There have been documentaries made and shown around the world about walking street Pattaya - don't recall seeing any about Bang Saray.

[tryasimight]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

No "working girls" on the streets back when Bugis was great. Brothels were legal and hidden away. All the taxi drivers tried to get single males to visit them "want a nice girl?".

The only "girls" on Bugis were kyties. Great place to hang out at night.

Before my time I'm afraid.

I made oa point of going to Bugis street in 2012 based on what my work colleagues who were based at Butterworth told me.....boy was I disappointed.

Fortunately a taxi driver took me to Gayling street, which I had never heard of, and I had a great night.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Agreed!  My point is that's prime seaside property that could be turned into something really nice.  Walking Street could be moved elsewhere.  Something similar to what they've got in Tokyo?

It's only prime because people want to go to Pattaya. Turn Pattaya into just another Bkk clone beside the polluted sea and why would anyone want to go there?

Given that Pattaya will never be sorted infrastructure wise, for all the usual reasons, the only reason people, other than Chinese tour groups, go there is NOT for the shopping. They can do that in Bkk.

[craigt3365]

5 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

Turned into what though?

More hotels pumping sewerage into the sea?

Most hotels built now have treatment plants onsite.  Not 100% perfect, but better than the beer bars on WS that don't have this.

[craigt3365]

Just now, thaibeachlovers said:

It's only prime because people want to go to Pattaya. Turn Pattaya into just another Bkk clone beside the polluted sea and why would anyone want to go there?

Given that Pattaya will never be sorted infrastructure wise, for all the usual reasons, the only reason people, other than Chinese tour groups, go there is NOT for the shopping. They can do that in Bkk.

Don't forget the UK use to have massive air pollution years ago.  They solved it.  Thailand can do the same.  Won't happen overnight though.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

Before my time I'm afraid.

I made oa point of going to Bugis street in 2012 based on what my work colleagues who were based at Butterworth told me.....boy was I disappointed.

Fortunately a taxi driver took me to Gayling street, which I had never heard of, and I had a great night.

The hi point of Bugis was in 1973. Then the tour groups started bussing tourists in for guided tours. Beginning of the end. The Singapore government could tolerate one chaotic place on the island as long as it wasn't a tourist attraction. All to do with "face" of course.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Don't forget the UK use to have massive air pollution years ago.  They solved it.  Thailand can do the same.  Won't happen overnight though.

Won't happen. Not enough money in public infrastructure to bother. The only reason they installed the sewage system way back in the 80s was because the stench was keeping the mongers away.