Justifiable gloom an doom for some

[Brunolem]

5 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Pattaya is already a concrete jungle, Sihanoukville wasn't. 

 

I know what you are implying.  The Chinese will be everywhere here with bars and restaurants and will completely change the complexion of Pattaya.  That is possible, but I am thinking instead of bus loads of cheap Chinese package holiday makers, there will be bus loads of wealthy Chinese gamblers staying in big hotels that have gambling facilities.  

 

These wealthy Chinese would not be interested in going to see anything around Pattaya, because they have seen better elsewhere, they would be here only for the gambling. 

No need to worry about that because that would years away, at best... 

 

They are gonna need to find a quicker solution... 

[Leaver]

2 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

No need to worry about that because that would years away, at best... 

 

They are gonna need to find a quicker solution... 

You are correct, if casinos haven't been allowed to date, fair chance they will not be for some time.

[Traubert]

1 hour ago, balo said:

China will lose more economic power after the crisis, big companies in Japan and other countries already said they want to move their production out of China.

There are many alternatives, Vietnam, Taiwan, India to name a few.  I think the world have had enough of China.  All that cheap <deleted> plastic they try to sell , enough is enough. 

And all that high tech. gear, phones, computers et al. Rubbish! ????

[Brunolem]

33 minutes ago, Leaver said:

You are correct, if casinos haven't been allowed to date, fair chance they will not be for some time.

First they would have to pass legislation, at national level

 

Then they would have to make a deal with some big foreign casino operator (Wynn, MGM...) 

 

Then they would need to build the casinos

 

Then they would need to train very specialized professionals

 

And so on... 10 years minimum... 

 

Much easier to use what's already there, and clean, clean, clean... but they are not able to do it, the corruption runs so deep they are not even able to think straight anymore... 

 

The city could very well enter a very long economic depression... 

[brokenbone]

the reduction in traffic jam is welcome for me, ditto for available parking slots,

i hope for a big reduction of inhabitants.

[Leaver]

3 hours ago, Brunolem said:

First they would have to pass legislation, at national level

 

Then they would have to make a deal with some big foreign casino operator (Wynn, MGM...) 

 

Then they would need to build the casinos

 

Then they would need to train very specialized professionals

 

And so on... 10 years minimum... 

 

Much easier to use what's already there, and clean, clean, clean... but they are not able to do it, the corruption runs so deep they are not even able to think straight anymore... 

 

The city could very well enter a very long economic depression... 

I believe many hotels have been built with this in mind.  Some floors have na open floor plan, no rooms.  The elevator doesn't stop on these floors.  So, I doubt all casinos would need to be a new build.

 

Also, 10 years to be up and running, I doubt it would take that long.  It didn't in Sihanoukville.   

[champers]

There are huge swathes of land vacant and ready for development. The best example I see is on 2nd Road between Klang and Alcazar on both sides of the road. Grand Sole and Imperial hotels have been closed 2 years for refurb.

[swissie]

As the OP, of course I kept in touch with "my Pattaya-Folks" as things unfold. Worse than I expected.
What strikes me most is the fact that even "well to do" Thai's in Pattaya that I know, have very little financial "buffer" to bridge over hard times. They may have accumulated some assets over time, but they can not be turned into cash quickly (as I gather).
- Not to speak of some Thai-Friends that are left without any "assets" at all. Very depressing.
Maybe the concept of "Karma" and "tomorrow is far away and out of sight" has come to haunt my Thai friends.

[shy coconut]

On 4/10/2020 at 10:07 AM, Leaver said:

What would lure the wealthy to Pattaya?  It's certainly not the beach. 

The vast majority of condo owners and visitors to Pattaya are Thai.

They do not associate the place with vice and crime, to them it is

a resort with malls, water parks beachfront eating and many other

forms of entertainment that don't involve bars and bar girls.

 

The Chinese who visit are much the same, they may take a flag led 

amble along walking street to see the goings on, but they too are more

interested in shopping, eating and going on an island trip.

 

I admit that it was the seedy side of the town that initially attracted me

as a middle aged divorcee, and I still enjoy a few days in town every now

and then, but away from WS and the bar complexes there is so much more

to the place for non mongers.

 

The dynamic may well change, with modern technology you don't need to

go to a bar to find company for the night, perhaps the generation of old

guys propping up bars will fade away not to be replaced, but the town's 

location close to Bangkok and infrastructure plans mean that it will still

be a thriving destination.

[Leaver]

5 minutes ago, shy coconut said:

The vast majority of condo owners and visitors to Pattaya are Thai.

Not according to TAt's figures, and also not what I was seeing prior to the virus.  It was bus loads of Chinese. 

7 minutes ago, shy coconut said:

They do not associate the place with vice and crime, to them it is

a resort with malls, water parks beachfront eating and many other

Never seen them buying up big in the malls here, why would they, they have malls in Bangkok. 

 

Water Parks, ok, a little, but then again, they get in for cheap.  Beachfront eating was more like eating on the beach. 

10 minutes ago, shy coconut said:

The Chinese who visit are much the same, they may take a flag led 

amble along walking street to see the goings on, but they too are more

interested in shopping, eating and going on an island trip.

Eating paid for in China.  island trip paid for in China.  Didn't see them in brand name shops in malls.  Zero baht tourists.

 

11 minutes ago, shy coconut said:

I admit that it was the seedy side of the town that initially attracted me

as a middle aged divorcee, and I still enjoy a few days in town every now

and then,

And you spent some good money, and had a great time.  Right?

12 minutes ago, shy coconut said:

The dynamic may well change, with modern technology you don't need to

go to a bar to find company for the night,

Correct.  As I have said before, the days of paying a "bar fine" are coming to an end.

13 minutes ago, shy coconut said:

but the town's 

location close to Bangkok and infrastructure plans mean that it will still

be a thriving destination.

It's got the location near Bangkok, not sure about decent "infrastructure" and as for a "thriving destination" I can't see any thriving for a least 18 months. 

[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, Leaver said:

They could swap cheap package holiday Chinese for wealthy Chinese who want to gamble. 

Why the hell don't they open them in China and stay over there!

[BritManToo]

7 hours ago, Leaver said:

Correct.  As I have said before, the days of paying a "bar fine" are coming to an end.

I enjoy the flirting, teasing and touching in the bar more than banging them.

It's the 'romance' that I like. No need to pay a bar fine, couple of lady drinks and a tip.

 

The 'straight down to it sex', which is essentially what you buy online I can get from my gf.

[BritManToo]

16 hours ago, Leaver said:

You are correct, if casinos haven't been allowed to date, fair chance they will not be for some time.

The current puritan military government don't want any alcohol, drugs or sex ...........

You think they'll suddenly change course and let gambling start?

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

The 'straight down to it sex', which is essentially what you buy online I can get from my gf.

Yes me too..........

[BritManToo]

23 hours ago, Dexlowe said:

You must be kidding. There's nothing wrong with sensible precautions, especially when you're a young female. Do you lock your front door when you go to sleep at night?

Sometimes, but all the windows are open.

[Yahooka]

On 4/10/2020 at 5:09 PM, Ron jeremy said:

Improved? How? Tell us! Prices doubled.

And the rip-offs and general unfriendliness quadropled in the following years,unfortunately.

[DrTuner]

Ah, a gloom and doom thread. What happened to JSixPack? The obligatory FAQ is missing.

[johng]

4 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

What happened to JSixPack?

 Maybe last spotted in Centun festival du Beach.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 4/1/2020 at 8:44 AM, AlexRich said:

This will take six months to get through but I’d be surprised if Pattaya wasn’t up and running again in 2021.
 

I’ve never witnessed a situation were people around the world were largely in the same boat. Many people will lose their jobs and businesses everywhere.

Depends on which "Pattaya" you refer to. If it's the Chinese destination, possibly, but if you mean the farang bar scene I doubt it, and even possible it vanishes, or becomes as pathetic as Chiang Mai or Hua Hin.

The reason for that is two fold, IMO.

1/ western economies are going to be devastated, and I doubt mongers will have the funds to be visiting Pattaya in the required numbers.

2/ something that was already underway- bargirls are transferring to the internet to seek customers. No need to hang out in bars getting bored and pretending to like fat old men.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 4/4/2020 at 3:02 PM, Brunolem said:

Thailand could target quality, instead of quantity...and look at countries such as the Maldives

Thailand already has some resorts that equal the Maldives, but I very much doubt the entire country could upgrade sufficiently to attract many more. The infrastructure is just too bad to do so and it isn't possible to rebuild the entire country. The rich will probably never consider LOS as a desired destination. No doubt they can get high class call girls wherever they choose to visit.

So, even if they did reposition more resorts to high end spenders, the vast majority of Thais that live off tourism will not benefit, IMO.

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Depends on which "Pattaya" you refer to. If it's the Chinese destination, possibly, but if you mean the farang bar scene I doubt it, and even possible it vanishes, or becomes as pathetic as Chiang Mai or Hua Hin.

The reason for that is two fold, IMO.

1/ western economies are going to be devastated, and I doubt mongers will have the funds to be visiting Pattaya in the required numbers.

2/ something that was already underway- bargirls are transferring to the internet to seek customers. No need to hang out in bars getting bored and pretending to like fat old men.

Maybe the best bars, gogos and restaurants will survive and the turd ones close, so a good thing and well overdue

[Brunolem]

27 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Maybe the best bars, gogos and restaurants will survive and the turd ones close, so a good thing and well overdue

Probably most if not all of the actual ones will not survive, but others will open...in due time...

[Brunolem]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Thailand already has some resorts that equal the Maldives, but I very much doubt the entire country could upgrade sufficiently to attract many more. The infrastructure is just too bad to do so and it isn't possible to rebuild the entire country. The rich will probably never consider LOS as a desired destination. No doubt they can get high class call girls wherever they choose to visit.

So, even if they did reposition more resorts to high end spenders, the vast majority of Thais that live off tourism will not benefit, IMO.

It seems that many jobs related to tourism will be lost for good.

 

The question is: will Thailand learn its lesson and move toward an economy less dependent on foreign visitors?

 

And the answer is: probably not...

 

[scubascuba3]

11 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

Probably most if not all of the actual ones will not survive, but others will open...in due time...

I'd expect more to be throwing in the towel now and save the money on rent, I can't see tourism picking up properly for 6-12 months minimum. I have a theory that the money laundering places will continue as if nothing has happened

[Brunolem]

51 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I'd expect more to be throwing in the towel now and save the money on rent, I can't see tourism picking up properly for 6-12 months minimum. I have a theory that the money laundering places will continue as if nothing has happened

They probably have already thrown the towel because landlords in Pattaya are not the forgiving type (especially the one with a four letter name, well versed into money laundering).

 

Their modus operandi is to change tenants as often as possible, while keeping their deposits and whatever guarantee they had provided.

 

Now is a great time for them.

 

But the future is probably not going to be that great because I don't see tourism picking up within 6 months or one year, and I don't see anyone willing to start a business (or buy a house or a condo) anytime soon.

[Leaver]

On 4/12/2020 at 11:52 AM, jacko45k said:

Why the hell don't they open them in China and stay over there!

They have Macau, but I think the Chinese like to gamble away from the eyes of Big Brother.  

[WillyPlatt]

China is not as reliant on exports as it once was. They have a growing middle class that will support domestic spending.

Asia in general have and will weather this crisis far better than a politically correct West and that includes the US.

My asian investments have held up far better than UK, Europe and US.

China will just become more important to Thailand and they will be the condo buyers will farang visitors stay at home.

[Leaver]

On 4/12/2020 at 12:04 PM, BritManToo said:

The current puritan military government don't want any alcohol, drugs or sex ...........

You think they'll suddenly change course and let gambling start?

I believe a certain revered man in Thailand has to sign off on it, but since casinos raise billions of dollars for countries, I can't see how Thailand can hold out forever. Especially when next door in Vietnam they are building things like this.

 

https://thegrandhotram.com/

 

Then, you also have Sihanoukville in Cambodia.  

[thaibeachlovers]

On 4/14/2020 at 2:14 PM, scubascuba3 said:

Maybe the best bars, gogos and restaurants will survive and the turd ones close, so a good thing and well overdue

LOL. "Best gogos" and Pattaya do not belong in the same sentence. Some of the places in Nana or Cowboy were pretty good, but the best ones in Pattaya didn't come up to their standards, and the few that were quite good closed long ago. Super Baby was the last, IMO.

Last time I visited Pattaya there were fat girls dancing ( if one can call what they were doing dancing )- the horror the horror.

When the best looking girls are on the streets in front of the gogos, it's a sign of the end.

 

What people seem to forget is that the best looking are on the internet now. They ain't going to save the Pattaya scene.

 

Sad to say, IMO it's the end of the glory days and the wowsers won.

[thaibeachlovers]

16 hours ago, WillyPlatt said:

Asia in general have and will weather this crisis far better than a politically correct West and that includes the US.

IMO the west has rotted from the center and the only thing holding it together was cheap money and cheap stuff from Asia. The circus, IMO, is over.

Hard times ahead for Thais that depended on the monger demographic in Pattaya and Bkk. Chiang Mai's nite scene was always too pathetic to matter so not much change there.