Sabai Lodge being demolished

[champers]

On Beach Road Soi 2, bulldozers hard at work.

To compensate, perhaps, a new place, Shade Hotel, looks set to open and a big structure is going up between Sois 2 and 3.

[newnative]

    It's encouraging that new hotels are still being constructed and some older ones are using this down time to repaint and remodel.  Work continues on a new highrise hotel on Naklua Road and the big Centre Point 2 project in Wongamat is also progressing--I noticed 2 big cranes on site the other day.  Several condos in Jomtien are also still being constructed--Copacabana, Riviera Ocean Drive, Riviera Monaco, and a new showroom on the old Ocean One site for something going in there.  

[champers]

Was on 2nd Road this morning and the new hotel at Mike's Shopping Mall looks near to completion. Further along, The Edge condo block is moving along rapidly. Just need the people to fill them all now.

[Leaver]

2 hours ago, newnative said:

It's encouraging that new hotels are still being constructed

Maybe the new hotel is Chinese owned.   Interesting times ahead.  

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, newnative said:

    It's encouraging that new hotels are still being constructed and some older ones are using this down time to repaint and remodel.  Work continues on a new highrise hotel on Naklua Road and the big Centre Point 2 project in Wongamat is also progressing--I noticed 2 big cranes on site the other day.  Several condos in Jomtien are also still being constructed--Copacabana, Riviera Ocean Drive, Riviera Monaco, and a new showroom on the old Ocean One site for something going in there.  

Just posted elsewhere on this, there is still optimism despite the claims of 'massive gluts of unsold condos'..... construction still going on, what was opens space shrinking.

[Pattaya Spotter]

Sabai Lodge is the one next to Sabai Land Massage? They had some nice grounds there. The Sabai Group hotels nestled up around north Pattaya have always offered good value and service.

[Pattaya Spotter]

7 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Just posted elsewhere on this, there is still optimism despite the claims of 'massive gluts of unsold condos'..... construction still going on, what was opens space shrinking.

Good investment returns too...I'm seeing daily rental rates of $10-15 (monthly 10k) at many of the new condos in town.

[johng]

Not much progress on the ex site of  "Ocean One" since they built the brown building to the right

 

The  project sign has disappeared  maybe blew away in the strong winds ?

[Pattaya Spotter]

8 hours ago, johng said:

Not much progress on the ex site of  "Ocean One" since they built the brown building to the right

 

The  project sign has disappeared  maybe blew away in the strong winds ?

Cut them some slack...it's only been a decade since they promised to build a tower to rival the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. These things take time.

[Leaver]

9 hours ago, johng said:

The  project sign has disappeared  maybe blew away in the strong winds ?

Probably along with investor's money.   

[bkk6060]

10 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Just posted elsewhere on this, there is still optimism despite the claims of 'massive gluts of unsold condos'..... construction still going on, what was opens space shrinking.

Well, it is not claims it is the truth.  I guess you think the real estate market is healthy and things are selling big time?  

 

Phattarachai Taweewong, associate director of research for Colliers, said the impact from the virus on the condo market will be severe in Pattaya, where the market relies heavily on foreign buyers, particularly from China.

 

According to Colliers research on the Pattaya condo market, unsold supply exceeded 25,000 units at the end of 2019, up from 12,800 units in 2018.

 

And this was the end of 2019.  Probably 30,000 units by now. 

 

I have a friend who is an agent and has worked here for several years.  She said this by far is the worst time ever her agency which is rather large sold 2 properties last month. It is all a glut of dead money nothingness with no end in sight.

 

[poloshirt]

21 hours ago, Leaver said:

Maybe the new hotel is Chinese owned.   Interesting times ahead.  

Yes, very likely because who else have the money to invest at this point in time?

[Leaver]

13 minutes ago, poloshirt said:

Yes, very likely because who else have the money to invest at this point in time?

It is in times like this that the rich consolidate their position, however, being the hospitality industry, like a hotel, the investor would need to be guaranteed of future customers, and that can only be the Chinese. 

 

You would not be banking on the western tourism market here in the future.   

[newnative]

27 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Well, it is not claims it is the truth.  I guess you think the real estate market is healthy and things are selling big time?  

 

Phattarachai Taweewong, associate director of research for Colliers, said the impact from the virus on the condo market will be severe in Pattaya, where the market relies heavily on foreign buyers, particularly from China.

 

According to Colliers research on the Pattaya condo market, unsold supply exceeded 25,000 units at the end of 2019, up from 12,800 units in 2018.

 

And this was the end of 2019.  Probably 30,000 units by now. 

 

I have a friend who is an agent and has worked here for several years.  She said this by far is the worst time ever her agency which is rather large sold 2 properties last month. It is all a glut of dead money nothingness with no end in sight.

 

        I just sold a condo last month so that brings it down to 29,999.  There are still buyers wanting to buy.  I'm waiting for all these property bargains T-V posters are saying should be happening but so far I haven't seen any.  

[BigStar]

22 minutes ago, newnative said:

        I just sold a condo last month so that brings it down to 29,999.  There are still buyers wanting to buy.  I'm waiting for all these property bargains T-V posters are saying should be happening but so far I haven't seen any.  

Yeah, just Any Day Now. I'd love to invest in one of these bargains but where are they? When is Pattays gon' be Sihanoukville, exactly, or the Tunnel finally gon' flood or Central fall down? We just never get any dates from our authoritative doomsters and Condo Glutters. Predictions are always open-ended, so could be, oh, 40 years from now. Just keep yourself on edge until then. You've been warned!????

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, BigStar said:

I'd love to invest in one of these bargains

Can you define, "bargain?"

[BigStar]

4 hours ago, Leaver said:

Can you define, "bargain?"

Can, as I'm happily living in one awaiting Pattaya's transformation into Sihanoukville. When's that happening, exactly?????

[torturedsole]

8 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Can, as I'm happily living in awaiting Pattaya's transformation into Sihanoukville. When's that happening, exactly?????

There will be bargains as there will be those that suddenly and desperately need to sell, but one does need to be in the right place at the right time.  

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Well, it is not claims it is the truth.  I guess you think the real estate market is healthy and things are selling big time?

Where did you get that from? I was talking of the construction... I live in a small group of houses that have nearly all been on the market for years and years, and some bad history there. I regret buying my house now.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/6/2020 at 11:15 PM, newnative said:

It's encouraging that new hotels are still being constructed and some older ones are using this down time to repaint and remodel. 

No doubt the older, remodeled places will put a trendy sign up saying .......................Boutique Hotel, and charge way more than the decrepit old dump is worth just because they put lipstick on a pig.

 

The destruction of Pattaya as it was- cheap and cheerful proceeds, and it will become ever more horrible and expensive. That procedure started when a certain person had a vision of Pattaya becoming the Riviera of SEA and the megabaht to come his way. All they have managed to do so far is make it into an even bigger dump that it was before.

The previous dump was fun though and sanuk has now left the building, never to return.

[thaibeachlovers]

10 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I regret buying my house now.

Not the first and won't be the last. Should have read all the archive threads about it on TVF before buying.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Not the first and won't be the last. Should have read all the archive threads about it on TVF before buying.

Long time ago now.... and situations change.

[thaibeachlovers]

13 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Well, it is not claims it is the truth.  I guess you think the real estate market is healthy and things are selling big time?  

 

Phattarachai Taweewong, associate director of research for Colliers, said the impact from the virus on the condo market will be severe in Pattaya, where the market relies heavily on foreign buyers, particularly from China.

 

According to Colliers research on the Pattaya condo market, unsold supply exceeded 25,000 units at the end of 2019, up from 12,800 units in 2018.

 

And this was the end of 2019.  Probably 30,000 units by now. 

 

I have a friend who is an agent and has worked here for several years.  She said this by far is the worst time ever her agency which is rather large sold 2 properties last month. It is all a glut of dead money nothingness with no end in sight.

 

I've been waiting years to say this, and never thought it would be a virus to cause it, but "I told you so".

5555555555555555555555555555

[newnative]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

No doubt the older, remodeled places will put a trendy sign up saying .......................Boutique Hotel, and charge way more than the decrepit old dump is worth just because they put lipstick on a pig.

 

The destruction of Pattaya as it was- cheap and cheerful proceeds, and it will become ever more horrible and expensive. That procedure started when a certain person had a vision of Pattaya becoming the Riviera of SEA and the megabaht to come his way. All they have managed to do so far is make it into an even bigger dump that it was before.

The previous dump was fun though and sanuk has now left the building, never to return.

     

    The hotels I mentioned that are making improvements?  None would be considered a 'dump'.  They are all nice hotels already--they're just making themselves nicer.  I'm in north Pattaya--this part of town has truly transformed from the days when you were here.  North Pattaya and Wongamat/Naklua, with lots of nice, new development, are quite popular now with families and that is likely to continue and grow.  

    You're right--the old, small, shabby, honky-tonky Pattaya of flimsy tin roof shacks is no longer with us that much except in pockets here and there.  Pattaya is now a large, modern city.  You can lament what it once was--and join other old voices in places like Myrtle Beach and just about any Florida beach town that once was also small and honky tonky but no longer is.  "Well, you're too young, sunny, but I remember when ___________ (fill in the blank) was just a small, fun little beach town with only one traffic light but a dozen girlie bars!  Those were the days, I tell you!'

     You can blame a 'certain person' but all this development didn't happen because of one man.  The city has and is still doing major road work all over town.  The city has vastly improved Pattaya Beach and is improving Jomtien Beach next.  The development, however, has all been private industry.  Private industry, not a 'certain person', decides to risk money and build a new hotel, a new condo project, a new shopping mall.  A new hospital, a new golf course, a new water park.  With Pattaya's prime beach location not far from a major city and a major airport, it was bound to happen--just as it has happened in other places around the World.  You may wish for the old days but, as a full-time resident, I am happy with the Pattaya of today. 

   

   

[BigStar]

1 hour ago, newnative said:

North Pattaya and Wongamat/Naklua, with lots of nice, new development, are quite popular now with families and that is likely to continue and grow.  

Exactly. Pattaya's center of gravity started to shift northwards a few years ago. Our anachronistic members are either unaware of the fact or refuse to accept it, staying in denial. Pattaya had a fine high season this year--there.

 

1 hour ago, newnative said:

You can blame a 'certain person' but all this development didn't happen because of one man.  The city has and is still doing major road work all over town.  The city has vastly improved Pattaya Beach and is improving Jomtien Beach next.  The development, however, has all been private industry.  Private industry, not a 'certain person', decides to risk money and build a new hotel, a new condo project, a new shopping mall.  A new hospital, a new golf course, a new water park.  With Pattaya's prime beach location not far from a major city and a major airport, it was bound to happen--just as it has happened in other places around the World. 

Again, so true. Private industry, starting w/ Tukcom in 2004. Then things took off w/ CentralFestival & Hilton in 2009, quickly followed by Holiday Inn. Central followed suit w/ acquisition of Carrefour in 2011. To help make all this happen, Central had to upgrade at its own expense the primitive electric grid.

 

However, in the catechism of ace TVF Economics, the Chirathivat clan were too stupid to perceive there could not be any ripe business opportunity in Pattaya to serve domestic and international markets and make a pile. Our Economists knew that no such opportunity could possibly exist and never would, 'cause mongers would never pay them Bangkok prices. Fools!

 

So what happened was, not CPN but The Authorities constructed the "unneeded, doomed to fail" CentralFestival and the Hilton as part of the imaginary "war on beer bars."???? That fantasy has been corrected numerous times over the years to no avail, and as you see it's still repeated today--even by the same ignorant posters. I love this forum!

[newnative]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I've been waiting years to say this, and never thought it would be a virus to cause it, but "I told you so".

5555555555555555555555555555

     Maybe don't be too quick to give yourself a big, congratulatory pat on the back.  Or, too quick to declare "I told you so."   My takeaway from the poster's realtor story was that, in this worst of covid times, the realtor still managed to sell 2 properties last month.  And, I sold one.  My partner met today to do paperwork for someone who has found a buyer for his condo.  Things are tough the World over right now--not just in Pattaya--but life does go on.  

[BigStar]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I've been waiting years to say this

A broken clock's right twice a day. Doomster prophecies are actually just comforting little security blankets for the doomster himself, offering superior, self-righteous hope of revenge for disappointments and imagined injustices. So they have no expiration date, ever. And this is what happens, if the doomster just lives long enough. Ah! Our Tunnelers are still waitin' for the Flood and one has confidently predicted it'll happen "when there's a tsunami." Oooh. Any Day Now.

 

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I've been waiting years to say this, and never thought it would be a virus to cause it, but "I told you so".

5555555555555555555555555555

Alas, your cry of doom was based on the imagined Thai misdeeds you had long identified and sounded the alarm about. But here you see we have an outside cause for which Thais weren't remotely responsible, though they've done a good job of mitigating the effects despite the nonsense said here.

 

Hence you're merely trying to steal credit for something you not only never said but "never thought." That just spoils everything, when you think about it.???? But we can't expect too much honesty here, after all.

[Leaver]

14 hours ago, BigStar said:

Can, as I'm happily living in one awaiting Pattaya's transformation into Sihanoukville. When's that happening, exactly?????

Given that the Chinese were the majority of tourists to Pattaya / Thailand, by a long way, in recent years, I'd say in 3 to 5 years their majority will increase, mainly due to simply more of them coming here, but also partly because less westerners will be coming here, which we saw this past high season.

 

You, in your condo, will have front row seats to Pattaya turning into China Town.  ????  

[BigStar]

1 hour ago, Leaver said:

Given that the Chinese were the majority of tourists to Pattaya / Thailand, by a long way, in recent years, I'd say in 3 to 5 years their majority will increase, mainly due to simply more of them coming here, but also partly because less westerners will be coming here, which we saw this past high season.

 

You, in your condo, will have front row seats to Pattaya turning into China Town.  ????  

One of the great services that TVF facilitates, for which we may all be grateful, is the ability to rely upon doomster predictions as excellent inverse indicators. The rule has held true since at least 2003 and still does today. Many amusing examples might be given, but just recently we were confronted with an imminent RIOT on July 31.

 

 

Which meant, as I said in the thread, that we needn't worry about any riot. ????

 

Hence we needn't look forward to Pattaya Sihanoukville at any time for at least the next 5 years and can plan accordingly. That means that exchange rates, gov't policies, EEC, East Europeans, and who knows what else (except TVF Economists, of course) will have an effect of some sort. Previously we were told that all the international tourists are all going to "better places" anyway with 27-baht Tiger beer.???? As noted, I myself lack the impressive credentials, or barstool, to make all these authoritative global predictions, so this is most helpful for knowing what isn't going to happen.

 

 

 

[Leaver]

11 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Previously we were told that all the international tourists are all going to "better places" anyway with 27-baht Tiger beer.

January 2020 statistics. (pre virus)

 

http://www.vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/index.php/statistic/international?txtkey=&year=2020&period=t1

 

"International visitors to Viet Nam in 1/2020 estimated 1.994.125 arrivals, increase 16,6% over 12/2019 and up 32,8% over the same period last year. 2019. Total international arrivals in 1 months reached 1.994.125 arrivals, increasing 32,8% over the same period last year."

 

Thailand still gets more tourists than Vietnam, which are mostly zero baht Chinese and Indians, but for how much longer?  Increase of 32% on the same period the year before.  Quite impressive.    

 

And what of the Golden Egg Layers, looks like many have found new nest.  ????