Pattaya's Dead

[Furbie]

I think a more accurate statement is that the single Western male night-life oriented tourist is going away – or declining in number. Though not a Pattaya resident, I travel down about once a month and have done so for three years. The scene seemed to be getting better and better, certainly more so than BKK, but around seven or eight months ago, the pendulum seemed to swing the other way. Is thi s good - depends on your point of view.

Asian and EEU and Russian numbers may be up, but the questions I have are: How much money do those Asia tourists (from my understanding on negative-cost tours), and Eastern European/Russian tourists (whom I am lead to believe are on a shoe string budget) actually spend? and, Where do they spend it? Is it worth putting up hotel after hotel, adding further stresses to the public services, destroying what's left of the beach, etc., to support this type of mass tourism? I never see the Asians going anywhere but to a few select places as they move around with the group. I never see the EEUs and Russians doing anything but walking around, or at best nursing a drink.

[Penkoprod]

I think all this can all be summed up in a "bread & butter" scenario

The bread (hotels, condos, houses, entertainment facilities, and all other tourist type things) is multiplying faster than the butter (tourists and residents) that are spread on this bread. Therefore the butter looks to be too thin, although there is more of it too

Its similar to expanding a motorway to relieve congestion. Lots of room for a while, but it will soon fill up with cars to gridlock it again

Penkoprod

[yabs]

Pattaya as a beach destination was dead long ago. Any beach destination that is too polluted to swim in

is DEAD, end of story. I find it utterly unbelievable that families come here. Why also do all these asian and russians come on holiday here as well. have they never been to a proper beach? flying halfway around the world to Pattayas beach just doesn't make sense. the two russion gilrs were shot as i suspect they were mistaken for whores, I mean what else are two girls

doing here. They can't possibley have paid to come to this sh*thole of a beach?

The only feasible market for Pattaya is the sex industry and a ralatively pollution free respite for bangkok expats and residents.

Clampdowns on the sex trade, and building Up Pattaya into a mini bangkok is destroying both of these trades

and unless it cleans up its beach so you can see more than a few meteres in the water and doesn't make you sick then it can

NEVER hope to attract quality tourists. This is too complicated for the thais to comprehend. They breathe therefore they build.

they can't help themselves, the've overdevoped every tourist place and their cities and it won't be long before

tourists get savvy and get more taste and move out of Thailand for good to cambodia and Malaysia which still have some nice scenery and beaches. I was stuck in Bangkok for about 10 months with a back injury and Pattaya was a logical escape from the pollution, and you can get a nice cheap hotel with swimming pool in the sun. however i've notice over the years how built up its gettinga nd the pollution is getting worse and worse, so thats already one market they've stuffed up. I believe mosty expats

are turning to hua hin now as a bangkok escape , but even here there is a development boom, so it will just become

Pattaya mark2 soon.

I don't believe they could make the beach clean in any time soon, thus trying to market it to families is a lost cause in the long run. If I was the thais i would concentrate on the bangkok expat and sex tourist crowd and start cutting down on the development

[moo9]

Well I still like Pattaya, plenty of choices for anybody, do what u like and be happy. It is funny to read how some judge other tastes. Mind your own biz.

The only thing which irritates me is the permanent struggle of Pattaya to become a quality tourist, family, retirement place. Keep it going, there are plenty of choices in Thailand for people who do not like the entertainment aspect of P'Town.

Moo9

[johnh101]

Pattaya beach is no where near as bad as it used to be. When was the last time you actually looked ?

[wilko]

Don't expect Pattaya to "bounce back next year".

It's on a slippery slope to a ghost town.

Too much crime, too much corruption, too much xenophobic nationalism.

Sure, the bar/restaurant owners will get on here and talk up the town to try and protect their investments, but the fact is everyone here(who is honest with themselves)can see it dying a painful death.

I just wonder what the BiB are going to do now to earn(yeah right) a crust this coming slow season when we start moving out. How are those 5000 baht salaries looking without tea money now boys? You shouldn't have bitten the hand that feeds. Sum num naa.

I agree, Pattaya is slowly dying and anyone with half a brain can see that. All you have to do is look at the statistics from TAT and even just talk to local business people or simply look in the bars during so called high season. I lived there for a year in 03 and have been back a few times since and every time I have gone back it is quiter.

The fact tourism is way down in Pattaya over the past few years is simply because peolple have found other places to go. Crime is getting out of control and the Thais really have bit the hands that fed them and that can be seen through the attitude and the lack of respect they have for farang. To be fair I would have little respect for some of the farang in Pattaya.

Most peolple who are defending Pattaya on on the forum are either Advanced Members who are either ex pats who are there to long to want to face the truth, those with an invested interest in Pattaya or newbies who just dont know any better.

The chances of Pattaya making a comeback are slim and none, had great times there but between the farangs and the thais who have ruined the place it will never be the same again but I was glad I enjoyed the times when it was good there.

this post is great!

It's actually completely wrong in virtually every assertion....especially if you "look at the stats" = but it warms the heart to read complete and utter rubbish from time to time

[suiging]

Over the xmas period I was lucky enough to be in the lovely Patters. Now out of choice, I spend my time in the East of the city where my FAMILY[ and I, enjoy the food and recreational activities ( golf for me and the wife, horses etal for the kids ). Before my mum was taken ill, she and my father asked me to drive along Beach Road and down as far as Jomtien, just for a look. They were shocked. Not because of the deserted, polluted beaches...............oh no, they were shocked by the crowds of tourists swamping the tiny strip of sand like ants.

Pattaya is not the sort of beach resort I would choose to take my family to for a " Beach" holiday. But make no mistake, tens of thousands of people do, and in general, they all seemed to be having a good time slowly turnig lobster red, rather than Siberian/German/Yorkshire blue.

Edited March 13, 2007 by suiging

[think_too_mut]

This post is also great...can't tell which one is more in wrong:

Pattaya as a beach destination was dead long ago. Any beach destination that is too polluted to swim in

is DEAD, end of story. I find it utterly unbelievable that families come here. Why also do all these asian and russians come on holiday here as well. have they never been to a proper beach? flying halfway around the world to Pattayas beach just doesn't make sense. the two russion gilrs were shot as i suspect they were mistaken for whores, I mean what else are two girls

doing here. They can't possibley have paid to come to this sh*thole of a beach?

The only feasible market for Pattaya is the sex industry and a ralatively pollution free respite for bangkok expats and residents.

Clampdowns on the sex trade, and building Up Pattaya into a mini bangkok is destroying both of these trades

and unless it cleans up its beach so you can see more than a few meteres in the water and doesn't make you sick then it can

NEVER hope to attract quality tourists. This is too complicated for the thais to comprehend. They breathe therefore they build.

they can't help themselves, the've overdevoped every tourist place and their cities and it won't be long before

tourists get savvy and get more taste and move out of Thailand for good to cambodia and Malaysia which still have some nice scenery and beaches. I was stuck in Bangkok for about 10 months with a back injury and Pattaya was a logical escape from the pollution, and you can get a nice cheap hotel with swimming pool in the sun. however i've notice over the years how built up its gettinga nd the pollution is getting worse and worse, so thats already one market they've stuffed up. I believe mosty expats

are turning to hua hin now as a bangkok escape , but even here there is a development boom, so it will just become

Pattaya mark2 soon.

I don't believe they could make the beach clean in any time soon, thus trying to market it to families is a lost cause in the long run. If I was the thais i would concentrate on the bangkok expat and sex tourist crowd and start cutting down on the development

[Ungabunga]

With statements like some of these it makes me wonder why these folk came here in the first place. Although I do respect every man's right to their own opinion, I love to read comments from obvious buffoons.

What a well-informed statement : "NEVER hope to attract quality tourists" Did you know that over a third of visitors here during 2006 stayed in top hotels here (ie. Dusit, Marriott, Royal Cliff etc....) Out of 4,500,000 plus people that's a lot of 'quality' tourists, wouldn't you agree? Source TAT.

Total Plonker.

[Zardoz]

The good side is no McyDees or Starbucks

How can lack of choice be a GOOD thing? If you don't like either place, you don't go inside and you don't buy their products.

I'm sorry, but, people who think they are clever because they don't go to McDonalds are a real laugh!

I do believe that the "choice" here will affect CAMBODIANS health in a negative way...(as well as

foreigners, but they have a choice)

Processed, crap food is not good no matter what your taste buds say.

Starbucks could force out the delicious home-grown bakerys and coffee-shop.

Globalization can result in lack of choice. Or is that too clever for you?

Are you kidding me? How is an expensive Starbucks going to force much cheaper "delicious home-grown bakerys and coffee-shop" out of business? Most people are not going to waste their money at Starbucks. If the bakeries are good, they will continue to thrive.

As far as processed food goes, most of us eat some everyday at home or in restaurants. Fast food restaurants are not the only place to buy it, and as long as one eats it in moderation - at home or at McDonalds - it won't hurt one's health and it goes down good sometimes.

Globalization should increase our choices as barriers come down. Imported wines and cheeses at a reasonable price. Fresh fruits and vegetables to countries that are too cold to grow them.

Is that too clever for you?

Well the usual "eats in moderation" crap...unscientific....,what does that REALLY mean?

once a day , once a week, whatever I call "moderation"?.I would say eats rarely or not at all,

or didn't you see "supersize me"?

I'm not going to argue the competive thing because I think you are right...to an extent...I would just

rather not see 3 starbucks on the main drag like in Pattaya..

(blows the smoke off his gun)

[Ulysses G.]

The good side is no McyDees or Starbucks

How can lack of choice be a GOOD thing? If you don't like either place, you don't go inside and you don't buy their products.

I'm sorry, but, people who think they are clever because they don't go to McDonalds are a real laugh!

I do believe that the "choice" here will affect CAMBODIANS health in a negative way...(as well as

foreigners, but they have a choice)

Processed, crap food is not good no matter what your taste buds say.

Starbucks could force out the delicious home-grown bakerys and coffee-shop.

Globalization can result in lack of choice. Or is that too clever for you?

Are you kidding me? How is an expensive Starbucks going to force much cheaper "delicious home-grown bakerys and coffee-shop" out of business? Most people are not going to waste their money at Starbucks. If the bakeries are good, they will continue to thrive.

As far as processed food goes, most of us eat some everyday at home or in restaurants. Fast food restaurants are not the only place to buy it, and as long as one eats it in moderation - at home or at McDonalds - it won't hurt one's health and it goes down good sometimes.

Globalization should increase our choices as barriers come down. Imported wines and cheeses at a reasonable price. Fresh fruits and vegetables to countries that are too cold to grow them.

Is that too clever for you?

Well the usual "eats in moderation" crap...unscientific....,what does that REALLY mean?

once a day , once a week, whatever I call "moderation"?.I would say eats rarely or not at all,

or didn't you see "supersize me"?

Thank you. Supersize me is a PERFECT example.

The guy had exercised regularly and he stopped completely during the experiment - most people would gain weight by doing that even if they didn't change their diet - and he didn't eat burgers until he was full, he purposely STUFFED himself past the point of feeling uncomfortable.

If had continued exercising and had eaten normal size meals at McDonalds, he wouldn't have gained weight and his tests would have been normal and there wouldn't have been any movie. In fact, other people duplicated the experiment using those criteria and the test subject actually LOST some weight!

[cdnvic]

Last year I ate at Mc Donalds daily and was twenty pounds lighter than this winter when I may eat there once every two months.

The difference is that it's rained alot and I've given up my 200+ kms of cycling every week.

So, lazyiness has more to do with it than the big macs.

[Jai Dee]

I think that this thread has had it's day... we've had the ususal Pattaya bashers as well as the defenders launching personal attacks and flames against each other... it's now time for the "plonkers" and "buffoons" to settle down and find something else to moan about.

/Closed.