Pattaya now verses Pattaya before.

[Destiny1990]

They dug 2 underpasses at Sukhumvit road..

Pattaya beachroad reconstruction lost its natural charm.. Bali Hai transformed into a leisure green park.

[bkk6060]

20 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

I live in the "Now"...what does it matter today what life in Pattaya was like years ago?

    "Nothing stands still"..( thank God).

What's this obsession with what things were like in the.... past?

Maybe they have no future?

 

 

 

[soistalker]

6 hours ago, NanLaew said:

While I'm gathering my thoughts, does anyone who considers how the girls looked ~20 years ago compared to now have any mirrors handy?

 

OK, thoughts gathered. Why didn't the OP (and others lamenting the glacial slide of the nubile Thai beauty) grab themselves a "stunner" way back then when they were still two (or three)-a-penny and they were truly still hunsum men? 

In response to your questions: ever meet someone who looks better than they did 20 years ago? That's me. 

And two: I did grab a stunner or three back then. They got their 45 minutes and 500 baht. Thai women are meant to rent, not buy.

[connda]

20 hours ago, Leaver said:

Your Pattaya "before" description is the Vietnam "now" description. 

Yep.  Everything changes as any good Thai Buddhist will tell you.  Time to move on to greener pastures that are Same Same - but different.

[gmac]

1 hour ago, dotpoom said:

I live in the "Now"...what does it matter today what life in Pattaya was like years ago?

    "Nothing stands still"..( thank God).

What's this obsession with what things were like in the.... past?

So true, just accept that fat and ugly is the new DDG!

[soistalker]

What is DDG?

[chicowoodduck]

Pretty keen observation....been on the steady slippery slope downward for ages.....once in a full moon I will saunter down Soi Sex (6) and will see a few stunners just to remind me of the good ol' days......lol....????????

[theonetrueaussie]

Not just pattaya, Phuket is exactly the same. The hot girls all seem to have gone and been replaced with 1,2's. I think it is a myriad of things that have contributed to it but I definitely think the digital age has fast tracked things. The hot girls all make much more money on instagram and facebook live selling things these days so no need to work in the bars. In just the last 5 years things have changed so much even all my friends ask where are all the hot bargirls whenever they come back to phuket. Western tourists all replaced with bus loads of chinese that are all shuffled into chinese owned businesses, locals are struggling here these days.

[gmac]

31 minutes ago, soistalker said:

What is DDG?

I copied from earlier thread but I'm guessing Drop Dead Gorgeous.  

[kingstonkid]

Pattaya has in fact changed.  A great deal of that is that more farang tourist that just want to drink and screw (most just to drink)  It used to be that you could enjoy Pattaya but the more people that come to the further into the city the bars and bar girls go.  Looking t the girls on walking street there is a definite lowering in beauty.  

 

Why can be a few things but i agree that most that want to be in the lifestyle have found that you can make more and find a better sugar daddy online.  They also have found that they can find the guys in spa's.

 

Someone mentioned Vegas but if you have noticed that is more a family location now than it was.  Could this happen to Pattaya nope too much money paid.  People that own the bars on WS so not care they know the old adage that the "

 

[Rimmer]

A couple of posts have been removed:

 

17) You will not discuss the specifics of prostitution. Though Thailand has a visible sex industry, and acknowledgement of that fact is not forbidden, ThaiVisa is not the place to seek or give information on this topic, regardless of your sexual habits, preferences or orientation.

[Tony125]

2 hours ago, Lookard said:

The last time I checked the shielas all had the required  

equipment. Get on with life. 

Hey if  you are  satisfied with the shielas of today good for you, those of us who came years  ago know the quality of girls that were here then Girls were not pigging out at Burger King and Pizza Company, didn't like Farang food and didn't just shuffle at the dance poles.  All shy ,covered up before sex but under the covers a tornado. had one go back and tell her GF"s  "he asleep, I knock him out"  Didn't have cell phones stuck to their face all day and night.

[Henricus]

[spidermike007]

There are many reasons for the proliferation of fat, ugly, older, and at best average looking gals at the bars. The internet is the primary reason. The stunners that we used to see five, ten, or twenty years ago, now have too many options. They are being courted by super rich guys, who visit Bangkok a few times a year, and are happy to pay the standard worldwide rate of 60,000 baht ($2,000) that they pay in every large city of the world. That is for a few hours time! Some do it with agencies, some are freelance. Also, the Japanese are willing to pay real money, for a very short encounter. Add to that hostess jobs, and internet dating. The dating sites are so demographically unfavorable for the average Joe, these days. Unless you are young, and super handsome, it is all about the money. And the really hot gals can command monthly allowance of 30,000 to 50,000, plus gifts and prizes. There are alot of emotionally vulnerable, older guys with cash, that are happy to supply them with those kinds of stipends. 

 

So, the top 20 or 30% has disappeared from the bar scene. Gone baby gone. 

[Joeinchaiyaphum]

I first visited Pattaya in 1971. It was just turning from a little fishing village to a nice relaxing resort for the American G.I.’s. If B.J. (Bobby Jones) is still around I’m sure he still has stories of those days

 

 

 

[AAArdvark]

OK, so what alternative places are there (in LOS).

[newnative]

   Three pages of posts, almost all bemoaning the weight of today's bar girls vs. those of the past.  I suppose if that is your only measurement criteria then Pattaya might not be as good as it was.  But, for some of us, other factors weigh in.  In my case, I arrived in 2010 and the Pattaya of 2019 is, in most cases, the same or better than it was 9 years ago. 

    I like living in a beach community, like sitting on my oceanfront balcony with a cold drink and a good book, watching the boat activity and listening to the waves.  Meals that I take at home are on the balcony with an ocean breeze.  Occasionally walk the beach.  Like a place big enough to have good health care and good hospitals.  Love the movies so need to be somewhere with movies in English.  Like to eat out so want plenty of restaurant choices of all kinds.  Want to be in a place with good shopping choices for food, clothing, housewares, furniture, art, books, etc. Someplace big enough to have interesting shops.  Not too far from a major airport.  Good weather year-round.  Good housing choices at a variety of prices let me live just about anywhere in Pattaya, whether I want close-in or a quieter, outer area.  And, I need a place with an interesting mix of residents to socialize with.  

    Pattaya fits the bill for all of the above, and more I didn't mention.  9 years has seen a hospital added plus a Bangkok Hospital health clinic in Jomtien.  Old Central Center transformed into Central Marina.  Terminal 21 with another movie theater, grocery, and lots of restaurant and shopping choices.  Big, new hotels like Mytt and others, like Amari, doing nice expansions. Two huge new water parks.  Some infrastructure improvements such as the tunnel and the new outer highway soon to be done.  The ocean is still dirty but Pattaya Beach is wider and cleaner than before--and, apparently, Jomtien Beach is next for widening.  

     Of course, it's not all good but you weigh the good and the bad with any city and then decide if you want to live there.  Some posts have mentioned all the new Chinese as a negative but they have been a plus for me.  The last 3 condos I sold were to Chinese buyers and likely the next one I sell will also be to a Chinese.  So, this resident prefers the now rather than the before.

[eddysmit]

On 5/6/2019 at 12:18 PM, Pilotman said:

I first visited Pattaya in 1988. Then it was a rocking place, quite undeveloped, lots of market stall shopping and the beach was clean (ish). The night life was brilliant, but it was clearly under the control of the local mafia.  Then it got above itself and decided to go 'up market'. Trouble is, nobody with any  vision and  talent was involved in the urban design of the place and it quickly went out of control.  The infrastructure couldn't keep up with its growth and there was unrestrained development everywhere. Now its a tip of a place. That's what the Thais call progress. 

About sums it up, back then,and before, it was a number of 'vibrating' large tin shack areas it was fun, large bar areas along the beachfront, second road,and soi 2, a few good clubs in what is now known as walking street and a big bar area by the 'Marine bar' (as long as you watched your back), same thing for Bangkok, then the clampdown came in, still some about if you know where to look,and obviously whatever it is you might be looking for,and what has happened to most of the 'better-looking' ones is, what with the clampdown in place, the Internet is taking over, a young guy I was speaking to and explaining how it has changed, for the worse in my opinion,and I'm not alone,said it was because I was getting old, and things have not changed, I said, maybe you are correct, but, I still have many happy memories of how things were, and still have good eyes and ears.

[Thingamabob]

On 5/6/2019 at 12:20 PM, petermik said:

"grab a granny" is the theme in many of Pattaya bars today.....the young pretty ones tout their wares in the tinternet

Nothing wrong with grannies.

[DrTuner]

Just now, Thingamabob said:

Nothing wrong with grannies.

Just have to be careful they don't pop a hip joint.

[VBF]

46 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Just have to be careful they don't pop a hip joint.

Especially one of yours! ????

[DrTuner]

3 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

OK, so what alternative places are there (in LOS).

None I think. Pattaya was a pretty unique place. 

[VBF]

2 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

None I think. Pattaya was a pretty unique place. 

And still is in its own way

[newnative]

3 minutes ago, Kim J said:

Prices multiply. Standards plummet.

Unfortunately that now seems to be the Thai way.

     Maybe for bar girls but not for the things I normally buy.  And, I'll take Thai prices over some other places.  Just back from a trip to Europe--Italy, France, and Switzerland--and everything was so expensive.  Chocolate chip cookie, 4.50 euros.  Muffin, 4.50 euros.  Cup of coffee, 4.50 euros.   Bag of nuts, 4.50 euros.  Chocolate bar, 4.50 euros. Use a public toilet (which often were few and far between), 4.50 euros.  Not sure why 4.50 euros came up so often but it seemed to.  

[CGW]

3 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

OK, so what alternative places are there (in LOS).

Pattaya's "bread N butter" has always been the weekend Bangkok crowd, they have sustained the economy in the direst of times - they still do but not to the extent they did in the past, now they have a lot more "alternatives" for their weekends away from the madhouse that Bangkok is.

Bangkok always had better night-life than Pattaya, you just had to know where to find it, when the girls went to work in Pattaya they were taking a step down as everything was cheaper there, including their rates.

Bangkok & to a lesser extent Pattaya took over from Manilla when the night-life there was shut-down in the early eighties - good old Mayor Lim.

What has truly ruined night-life and bars is off course technology, the internet and originally the mobile phone!

Having rambled on about facts you are probably more than aware, the answer to your question is there are no alternative places! 

Time moves on - not always for the better ????

[soistalker]

3 hours ago, newnative said:

   Three pages of posts, almost all bemoaning the weight of today's bar girls vs. those of the past.  I suppose if that is your only measurement criteria then Pattaya might not be as good as it was.  But, for some of us, other factors weigh in.  In my case, I arrived in 2010 and the Pattaya of 2019 is, in most cases, the same or better than it was 9 years ago. 

    I like living in a beach community, like sitting on my oceanfront balcony with a cold drink and a good book, watching the boat activity and listening to the waves.  Meals that I take at home are on the balcony with an ocean breeze.  Occasionally walk the beach.  Like a place big enough to have good health care and good hospitals.  Love the movies so need to be somewhere with movies in English.  Like to eat out so want plenty of restaurant choices of all kinds.  Want to be in a place with good shopping choices for food, clothing, housewares, furniture, art, books, etc. Someplace big enough to have interesting shops.  Not too far from a major airport.  Good weather year-round.  Good housing choices at a variety of prices let me live just about anywhere in Pattaya, whether I want close-in or a quieter, outer area.  And, I need a place with an interesting mix of residents to socialize with.  

    Pattaya fits the bill for all of the above, and more I didn't mention.  9 years has seen a hospital added plus a Bangkok Hospital health clinic in Jomtien.  Old Central Center transformed into Central Marina.  Terminal 21 with another movie theater, grocery, and lots of restaurant and shopping choices.  Big, new hotels like Mytt and others, like Amari, doing nice expansions. Two huge new water parks.  Some infrastructure improvements such as the tunnel and the new outer highway soon to be done.  The ocean is still dirty but Pattaya Beach is wider and cleaner than before--and, apparently, Jomtien Beach is next for widening.  

     Of course, it's not all good but you weigh the good and the bad with any city and then decide if you want to live there.  Some posts have mentioned all the new Chinese as a negative but they have been a plus for me.  The last 3 condos I sold were to Chinese buyers and likely the next one I sell will also be to a Chinese.  So, this resident prefers the now rather than the before.

Great. You sell your condos to the Chinese. Your neighbors probably love you for that.

[VBF]

24 minutes ago, Kim J said:

<snip>

Everything the World over gradually increases in price, but generally in the civilised world, with progression standards also improve over time. But I feel here in Thailand that has not been the case.

I agree with your comment to a point, however, Pattaya does have some very good VFM Western restaurants that it didn't have until a few years ago. Obviously they vary regarding quality, service, cleanliness etc but the fact remains that "seek and you will find"

[beautifulthailand99]

17 minutes ago, soistalker said:

Great. You sell your condos to the Chinese. Your neighbors probably love you for that.

If you had a condo you would sell it to the highest bidder as well no doubt. 

 

[thaikahuna]

My first trip to Pattaya was in 1971. There were 2 hotels, a handful of bungalows, a bar or 3 and Beach Road was a dirt path as far as you could throw a ball. Walking street did not exist and also the same with international food. If you didn't like Thai food or the local attempts at Western fare, you were out of luck. Everything East of 2nd Road to Sukhumvit was jungle and the dark side was much darker. I made my next trip back here 30 years after that and could not believe the changes. Sukhumvit was one lane each way from the Cambodian border to downtown Bangkok. 

 

Pattaya has made several incarnations over the decades since my first trip here. Some of those were for the better, many were/are not and yet the Thais flock there in  a stream every weekend and long holiday. Its reputation as one of the world's largest bordellos still stands. That will not go away overnight. It will also continue to have issues as long as the city fathers fail to improve and upgrade infrastructure. You cannot put a band-aid on a sucking chest wound and expect to stop the bleeding. 

 

Pattaya before was much better than now in my opinion but as with anything, there is good and bad with all change. It's how we deal with it.

[tifino]

I just like to see the old comparison photos that people drag out of their drawers!

 

the more modern (recent by the calendar) versions could well end up in the '...decaying places...' threads