Well, I finally stayed for a couple days  and  can't say I was overly surprised by some of what I observed. Some positives as well. In point form;

Positives:

Shopping - Some of the best prices and selection in Thailand on  decent quality clothes. Mike Shopping Center deserves special mention for its selection and  prices. Street vendors were reasonable. The standout was that one didn't have to go far to get what one wanted.

 Traffic- Yes, we all know  tourist towns have traffic issues and Pattaya is very busy, but honestly they do a better job of managing traffic than Patong, Chiang Mai and even Hua Hin. Much appreciated were the cross walk lights.

Sangthaws/Taxis - Frequent, decent and a  nice change from the  thugs and extortionate pricing of Patong.

Cleanliness- Not bad and much better than Phuket. On par with Chiang Mai.

Violent Crime - Although not  common in tourist zones,  it was a lot calmer in Pattaya than I expected. I am used to the Patong and Karon strip experience of Phuket, so the relative order of  Pattaya Walking Street was a surprise.

 

Negatives: 

-Demographics were grim. Older, obese people with so many smokers. I was expecting people to drop with heart attacks and strokes. 

I have never seen such a concentration of  large numbers of trashy low class people. The word douche would be appropriate. Rude, pushy and  obnoxious were major characteristics. As I walked about, I wondered if I was in Thailand as there were so many shops and restaurants  dedicated to Arabs, Chinese and Indians. Too many Indian restaurants. How many Turkish kebab shops can South Pattaya  handle?

The Chinese tossed their cigarette butts about. The Russians were very aggressive, to the point of shoving people aside. The Europeans were coarse and  trashy.  The Arabs were surprising as they tended to be  herds of 4-5 young  males, fashionably attired. Loud and boisterous but typical of over sexed  young males.

- Lots of males and few women. Aside from a few Russians I didn't see any families or kids.  An indicator of a quality destination in Thailand is when you see Scandinavian and Japanese families with their kids.  Didn't see any of these people.

Walking street- What a mad house. So many people wandering about gawking. Why anyone would spend more than 20 minutes there is beyond me.

Transport- Traffic wasn't as bad  getting to Pattaya from Bangkok, but I had to use a minivan from the bus station.  Never again. These minivan drivers are  dangerous idiots. I know I should have taken a car, but my scheduling didn't allow as I came from the airport because I was meeting someone and used the Pattaya Bus.  Bad mistake. The minibus transfer driver was a cocky smug fellow who laughed at one person who asked him to slow down. 

  

Pattaya has too many bars, and GoGo joints. Seriously, how many of these places can a town support? From the exterior, they really looked sketchy and depressing dank places to go. Soi after soi of these bars, some closed too.  The urban planning and  organization of the districts was lacking.

 

 

Funny Experiences:

- Sizzler- I hadn't been in a sizzler since my last negative experience  in Hua Hin a year ago. I was hungry and gave the Sizzler around the corner from the Avaya a try. Aside from a disappointing poor value low quality meal, the customer base was "special". A fat lady had literally pushed me aside at the salad bar. There was a Tom Yum  and mushroom soup, and a white pasta sauce. She assumed the pasta sauce was a soup and  loaded up a bowl. She went back for seconds  and thirds  also took pictures of her  plate.  

Sitting two tables over was a 70+ guy with no teeth. He had multiple bowls of soup and some soft foods from the  salad bar. He looked like his clothes could use a wash, and gawked at people, staring. He could have used  a lesson in table manners. The place was filled with people like this. 

- Walk about: As we walked past the Maritime we cut around Sunee Plaza, and had a good chuckle.It was 8 ish at night and still dead, but the close proximity of the boy bars to all the arab shops and restaurants was black humour at its finest. I suppose one should not laugh at people, but the  guys sitting outside the shish shops smoking while trying to look tough in the midst of  a scuzzy sex zone was surreal.

Beach- Awful. Just awful and far too many small boats. The water quality looked like a toilet bowl. 

 

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this place for a visit for more than a shopping excursion. I don't know why anyone other than a lonely sex tourist would want to visit.for more than a few days as the place has little to offer to active health conscious folks or families.

 

 

   From your description I would estimate you saw about 10% or less of greater Pattaya.   There's a lot more that you missed--and most of it much nicer than some of the places you mentioned.  It's not surprising you might not have seen too many families at the places you hit.  They tend to be elsewhere in Pattaya.  If you had gone to south Jomtien or the Wongamat beach area, plus other areas such as Cosy Beach,  you would have seen many families.  Many of the Scandinavian families you mentioned stay at a huge multi-building development called New Nordic in the Pratamnak area of Pattaya.  As a full-time resident, I find plenty to do and keep me busy--without ever hitting Walking Street, Sunee Plaza, bars, go-gos, etc.  Pity you missed what I would consider all the good stuff. 

 

 

Apologies if I'm wrong, but you seem to sound pretty prejudicial  at least to me.

Either the OP deliberately visited the worst parts of the city to justify his prejudices or he didn't try too hard to look for anything better. Choosing the very worst mode of transport to get here got things off to a bad start.

Come for at least a week next time to see the many more better parts of the area.

Wow, you opened our eyes with this report. What's next place on the list? North Korea?

*Aloha Mr. Hand

What is the world coming to? When an international "resort" town has people from all those different countries and cultures!

A friend who lived in Jomtien once told me that, if you live in Pattaya, you would not lilely visit Walking st or the beach road bars. can anyone comment, as newnative did, on the joys of living in Pattaya/Jomtien?

1 hour ago, champers said:

Either the OP deliberately visited the worst parts of the city to justify his prejudices or he didn't try too hard to look for anything better. Choosing the very worst mode of transport to get here got things off to a bad start.

Come for at least a week next time to see the many more better parts of the area.

Sounds like he used Bell Bus, which is far from "the worst". He just got an idiot van driver to the hotel.

Sounds to me like he stayed only in the bar strip along the beach and up to Buakhao.

He also knew before he even went to Pattaya it wasn't a high class resort town, but he seems surprised that it wasn't one.

Truth is it isn't hard to find bad behaviour there if one wants to find it. I'm just surprised that Patong is apparently so much worse for violence ( not that Pattaya is particularly violent ). Patong must have changed since I was there.

1 minute ago, pennine said:

A friend who lived in Jomtien once told me that, if you live in Pattaya, you would not lilely visit Walking st or the beach road bars. can anyone comment, as newnative did, on the joys of living in Pattaya/Jomtien?

Probably not. While I like W S I felt no need to visit it every night when I lived there.

Living there, I didn't do anything different that I do in any other place I've lived in LOS.

This is what happens if you go to all the tourist traps!

The Expats who live here tend to avoid all these places and pitfalls.

I was invited to a New Year Day party by the place where I get my haircut. So much fun and the Thais went out of their way to make sure I was having fun. The shop owner made all the food herself and was quite good as were the two barbecued pigs.

 

OP never visited Jomtien , Naklua or Pratumnak? I never see the go go bars you talk about and walking street is not something you want to see more than one time. Stay here longer next time and talk to expats who lives here.

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sounds like he used Bell Bus, which is far from "the worst". He just got an idiot van driver to the hotel.

He caught a minivan from the bus station (Ekami or Mo Chit?). Bell Bus only run busses from the airport.

1 minute ago, champers said:

He caught a bus from the bus station (Ekami or Mo Chit?). Bell Bus only runs from the airport.

From the OP

 

but my scheduling didn't allow as I came from the airport because I was meeting someone and used the Pattaya Bus.

How novel. Another in depth Pattaya bashing thread by someone who visited for a couple of days.


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6 hours ago, elgenon said:

I was invited to a New Year Day party by the place where I get my haircut. So much fun and the Thais went out of their way to make sure I was having fun. The shop owner made all the food herself and was quite good as were the two barbecued pigs.

 

Hmm, two, surely not from London....

 

12 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

How novel. Another in depth Pattaya bashing thread by someone who visited for a couple of days.


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I've lived here for 15 years on and off......he ain't far wrong.

3 minutes ago, punchjudy said:

 

I've lived here for 15 years on and off......he ain't far wrong.

Good to hear that is good enough for you to want to stay that long. 

At least you have the experience to form an analysis rather than a snap judgement on some parts of Pattaya. 

 

2 hours ago, champers said:

He caught a minivan from the bus station (Ekami or Mo Chit?). Bell Bus only run busses from the airport.

Bell also operates buses from Bangkok city hotels to Pattaya/Jomtien: 

 

- van from hotel in Bangkok to a bus terminal on BangNa-Trat, then

- big bus to Pattaya Nua bus terminal, and finally

- van from Pattaya Nua to hotel/condo in Pattaya/Jomtien

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Probably not. While I like W S I felt no need to visit it every night when I lived there.

Living there, I didn't do anything different that I do in any other place I've lived in LOS.

The nice thing about the nightlife to someone living there is that it is always an option. You may never exercise that option, but it was your choice, not because some blue nose had his foot on your neck. I'm sure the people living in Las Vegas feel the same way - hit the Strip for a roll of the dice or a roll in the hay once every year or so.

6 hours ago, pennine said:

A friend who lived in Jomtien once told me that, if you live in Pattaya, you would not lilely visit Walking st or the beach road bars. can anyone comment, as newnative did, on the joys of living in Pattaya/Jomtien?

 

Relevant threads: When boredom starts to rule the day, I Love Pattaya, and Why live in Pattaya?

 

A troll post quoting posts made by members from more than 8 years ago has been removed. 

OK looks like for some unknown reason I can't actually quote the evidence from the forum for you but if you happen to search for yourself in the old Pattaya Death threads I assure you that you'll see that the same criticisms about the appearance of Pattaya tourists were made at least 10 years ago and have been rather common and stereotypical.

 

The reality is that today far more younger tourists are roaming around Pattaya than ever before. I don't see how you can possibly miss them except owing to selective perception.

 

Furthermore the claim has been made for at least a decade that the only reason to visit Pattaya would be for the sex trade--and then that reason has also been abolished as the girls are so unattractive. So Pattaya bashers have just never understood the attraction of Pattaya, or claim they don't.

 

Yet in that time Pattaya tourism and economic development have grown exponentially and that looks to continue.as we cesspoolians continue to enjoy living here in Pattaya. Most the points I'd make in response to the OP have already been made.

What i noticed about these Indian and arab boys is that they are not stingy with their  eau de toilette spray u can smell  them from 6 meters away.

seems they make a serious effort  for their night out in the city.?

8 hours ago, pennine said:

A friend who lived in Jomtien once told me that, if you live in Pattaya, you would not lilely visit Walking st or the beach road bars. can anyone comment, as newnative did, on the joys of living in Pattaya/Jomtien?

I live in Jom Tien, in a quiet soi Condominium Complex - I want crazy, I go to Pattaya, cost me 10 no more than 20 baht on a Song Taew Baht Bus.  But haven;t been to Walking Street in at least three years, nothing to see for me, I enjoy the Beer bars, they can keep the Go-Go's.

 

In hindsight, I should have bought on the Dark Side, would have gotten more for my money, I have seen some very nice properties there and good value.  Close enough to everything good about Pattaya and the crazy parts as well.    Maybe in another year or so.

7 hours ago, punchjudy said:

I've lived here for 15 years on and off......he ain't far wrong

Did you ever leave your barstool to explore the world outside  ? 

 

15 hours ago, newnative said:

   From your description I would estimate you saw about 10% or less of greater Pattaya.   There's a lot more that you missed--and most of it much nicer than some of the places you mentioned.  It's not surprising you might not have seen too many families at the places you hit.  They tend to be elsewhere in Pattaya.  If you had gone to south Jomtien or the Wongamat beach area, plus other areas such as Cosy Beach,  you would have seen many families.  Many of the Scandinavian families you mentioned stay at a huge multi-building development called New Nordic in the Pratamnak area of Pattaya.  As a full-time resident, I find plenty to do and keep me busy--without ever hitting Walking Street, Sunee Plaza, bars, go-gos, etc.  Pity you missed what I would consider all the good stuff. 

 

No, he saw 1% and is the kind of people who knows everything when he actually still doesn't know more than when he is born...

 

 

 

Thanks to the OP for sharing his fresh impressions. It is always interesting to look through the eyes of a first-time visitor. I think we would all agree that there is much to like about Pattaya and also much to find revolting as well. As the French say "chacun a son goût" each to his own taste. I'm glad the OP spent the time to write a relatively elaborate review as he sees things. Sharing our frank views should be what TV is all about, don't you think? It's the value of participating here.

6 hours ago, dpdp said:

No, he saw 1% and is the kind of people who knows everything when he actually still doesn't know more than when he is born...

I know enough to  have a well paying job that allows me to have a decent standard of living,

 

2 hours ago, Marc K said:

Thanks to the OP for sharing his fresh impressions. It is always interesting to look through the eyes of a first-time visitor. I think we would all agree that there is much to like about Pattaya and also much to find revolting as well. As the French say "chacun a son goût" each to his own taste. I'm glad the OP spent the time to write a relatively elaborate review as he sees things. Sharing our frank views should be what TV is all about, don't you think? It's the value of participating here.

Much obliged. To those who have focused on the negatives, I direct your attention to the first section, the positives. It is unfortunate that some missed that. Pattaya does do some things right. However, I left Pattaya  firmly onside with the central government's view that it must change the tourism model of Pattaya as it will not deliver the type of tourist and resulting economy that drives profitable tourism markets. How they do it, will most likely take some time, but at least they are trying.

 

In respect to the comments about my missing the sustainability and general quality of the tourist demographic, I disagree. I was there to get a feel for the place to determine if it would be good for a conference that I could recommend. The answer was a firm no. We circulated in the key tourist and conference district, a radius of 10 km from the Hilton, and I remain firm as to the demographics I observed. That observation, is one of many that is in agreement with the government's own basis for  undertaking a change in its tourism model. This isn't an insult to those who settled in Pattaya long ago. Pattaya wasn't always like this and I know it. Places change, and when there is an absence of planning  and vision, things  will go amiss.