Sabai Lodge being demolished

[Leaver]

On 8/8/2020 at 9:44 PM, newnative said:

How many years now have posters been predicting the failure of Central Festival?  Yet, it soldiers on. 

Take the banks and telecommunication shops out of Central and it would be devoid of most of the people walking through the front doors.

 

On 8/8/2020 at 9:44 PM, newnative said:

As a Pattaya year-round resident, I'm just glad they are here.  I appreciate the selection of stores, restaurants, housing stock in both home and condo projects, movie theaters, hospital choices, and so on. 

I also like the variety and choice Pattaya has to offer.  However, a declining western tourism market in recent years was bound to see the amount of variety and choice for westerners contract. 

 

The virus will only speed up what was already taking place.

 

On 8/8/2020 at 9:44 PM, newnative said:

hopefully, it's enough for the hotels that have opened to limp along with the current situation

Many are limping along in hope, but hope doesn't pay the bills, and in so many cases, hope gets in the way of a sound business decision.  

 

We all have a vested interest in seeing the Pattaya economy prosper.  It's what gives us variety and choice, and also competition in the market.  However, the reality is, for western businesses, prior to the virus, they were suffering, with many for sale or closing.         

[thaibeachlovers]

10 hours ago, Leaver said:

We all have a vested interest in seeing the Pattaya economy prosper.  It's what gives us variety and choice, and also competition in the market.  However, the reality is, for western businesses, prior to the virus, they were suffering, with many for sale or closing.         

Who has a "vested interest"? Property developers?

Pattaya was always a <deleted> with a polluted sea in my experience on the ground but it had a thriving "nightlife" that brought a steady income to thousands of Thais. Since Purachai put a stake through the nightlife's heart it's been on a decline. Now, IMO Pattaya is still a <deleted> with a polluted sea and nothing to bring farangs. Any western tourist wishing to have a beach holiday is not going to Pattaya. The horde filled the gap for a while, but with no tourists hard reality has arrived. Pattaya just doesn't have anything worth it, IMO.

Given the nightlife is never going to get back to where it was, Pattaya has to reinvent itself, and if the authorities could get the "Riviera of SEA" stars out of their eyes they could create a paradise for western expat retirees, but given the present <deleted> authorities that's not going to happen, IMO.

[Leaver]

9 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Who has a "vested interest"? Property developers?

I said, "We all have a vested interest in seeing the Pattaya economy prosper."  That's everyone from consumers, like myself, to employees, to business owners, to governments, and also to property developers.  "All" includes tourists also.  

 

Everyone in Pattaya gains from a prosperous local Pattaya economy.    

[thaibeachlovers]

21 hours ago, Leaver said:

I said, "We all have a vested interest in seeing the Pattaya economy prosper."  That's everyone from consumers, like myself, to employees, to business owners, to governments, and also to property developers.  "All" includes tourists also.  

 

Everyone in Pattaya gains from a prosperous local Pattaya economy.    

Speaking for myself I preferred Pattaya when it wasn't a real estate dealers goldmine. In fact I preferred it before the malls and other such fancies were built. It was fun then. it's not now ( before corona ). Prosperity has sucked all the sanuk out of Pattaya and left it just a <deleted> with a polluted bay.

Not everyone gains.

[petermik]

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Speaking for myself I preferred Pattaya when it wasn't a real estate dealers goldmine. In fact I preferred it before the malls and other such fancies were built. It was fun then. it's not now ( before corona ). Prosperity has sucked all the sanuk out of Pattaya and left it just a <deleted> with a polluted bay.

Not everyone gains.

Pattaya is still "fun" it,s all a matter of going to the places that suit yourself...Patts is better now than at any other time in the 13 years I have been coming....IMHO of course

[Chivas]

I totally give up. The OP is Sabai Lodge.

[Leaver]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Speaking for myself I preferred Pattaya when it wasn't a real estate dealers goldmine. In fact I preferred it before the malls and other such fancies were built. It was fun then. it's not now ( before corona ). Prosperity has sucked all the sanuk out of Pattaya and left it just a <deleted> with a polluted bay.

Not everyone gains.

They must of been great days, having more of a relaxed atmosphere, and less traffic etc etc.

 

I was referring to people in my post, but you are correct, the environment has not gained, it's been degraded.  

 

The almighty baht wins, every time.

 

[Pattaya Spotter]

On 8/8/2020 at 9:51 PM, Pilotman said:

I understand that view.  I just wonder as a matter of curiosity, as like you, I don't mind benefiting from extra amenities. I don't fret about profitability for the owners, I am just interested from the viewpoint of a one time business person and as an intellectual exercise.  I do however see some quite sinister things going on, when the Chinese are clearly grabbing assets worldwide, with no interest in their financial return, but only in their ownership and the leverage it gives them in other countries.  I do think that may well be going on in Thailand and so in Pattaya. Then again, I too would rather see bright lights in a City than darkness. 

Owning hotels and shopping centers in Pattaya (assuming its even true) gives the "Chinese" (who/what) leverage (again over who/what)...how so?

[Pilotman]

1 minute ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Owning hotels and shopping centers in Pattaya (assuming its even true) gives the "Chinese" (who/what) leverage (again over who/what)...how so?

if you can't work that out mate, I can't help you. A little google research on macro economics in a  modern changing world order would be interesting for you. Movement of money from Sovereign Funds to buy assets in some else's country is classic strategic thinking.  The paper below is a good read. 

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223864678_Why_do_Chinese_Firms_Tend_to_Acquire_Strategic_Assets_in_International_Expansion

[Pattaya Spotter]

On 8/10/2020 at 11:38 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

I couldn't care less as to the state of the hotels etc, but it's a shame the cheap places all went overpriced. My regret of Pattaya is that it's just not sanuk any more. It sold it's soul and is a fun devoid zone now. Rather than by playing up the difference to places like <deleted> Hua Hin, it tried to become just another boring concrete dump with nothing to recommend staying there. IMO it has succeeded. The rot started with the destruction of the nice beach promenade and replacing it with a bland and boring brick horror.

 

Pattaya will never succeed as a better city as long as the roads are as bad as they were 30 years ago. Impossible to put 10 times more vehicles down roads that can't carry them. Without good roads it doesn't matter how many flash new hotels get built if people can't get to them.

The incompetence of the city authorities means that they can't even provide enough water for all the intended visitors. Be grateful there are less people there at the moment.

 

Don't think I don't know much about Pattaya. I visited/ lived there long time, and the incompetence of the authorities goes back decades. When they built 3rd road through fields they could easily have reserved a much wider area than the road they built, but the morons incompetents did not think about the future and it is far too narrow now. The story of Pattaya is of incompetence and stupidity. I don't think a single public project has been done properly, and every one has made the place worse, which is a sort of record. Even little Phayao has a better waterfront promenade than the horrid thing that has despoiled the Pattaya beachfront.

Do you have any tourism numbers for Phayao vs. Pattaya?

[Pattaya Spotter]

7 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

if you can't work that out mate, I can't help you. A little google research on macro economics in a  modern changing world order would be interesting for you. Movement of money from Sovereign Funds to buy assets in some else's country is classic strategic thinking.  The paper below is a good read. 

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223864678_Why_do_Chinese_Firms_Tend_to_Acquire_Strategic_Assets_in_International_Expansion

Hotels and shopping centers are strategic assets...ports, rails, mines, tech. companies, phone networks, pharma companies, aerospace companies, defense contractors yes...but hotels?

[Pilotman]

7 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Hotels and shopping centers are strategic assets...ports, rails, mines, tech. companies, phone networks, pharma companies, aerospace companies, defense contractors yes...but hotels?

oh dear. 

[sscc]

On 8/14/2020 at 2:07 AM, Chivas said:

I totally give up. The OP is Sabai Lodge.

 

I stayed in Sabai Lodge once 8-9 years.   It was rated 2.5*  then.    

Room was so-so,  interior and furniture were very old, but the swimming pool was quite fine. 

 

Appeal of all the "Sabai name"  hotel was the common area, including the swimming pools and lobby,  all quite spacious as per old day standard.  

 

BTW all these Sabai hotels and Sabai massage place have been around for few decades  

 

[operator]

Surely they are not demolishing the whole of Sabi Lodge.  From the pic posted looks like they have

demolished the smaller pool area and the rooms around the pool which border Soi 2.  Sad day if the

whole lot is going. Stayed there a few times. Nothing special, comfortable enough and enjoyed my stays there.

[johng]

On 8/13/2020 at 4:26 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

"Riviera of SEA" stars out of their eyes they could create a paradise

And here it is  from only 2.9 million baht.

 

 

Also in Jomtien from  2.8 million Baht

 

 

Obviously buy now before they all sell out ????

[johng]

7 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Do you have any tourism numbers for Phayao vs. Pattaya?

I think its safe to say Pattaya got more tourists than Phayao did

the lake there is nice.

 

 

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, johng said:

And here it is  from only 2.9 million baht.

 

 

Also in Jomtien from  2.8 million Baht

 

 

Obviously buy now before they all sell out ????

Looks like more daily hotel rooms being sold in the guise of condo's.  ????

[Chivas]

2 hours ago, operator said:

Surely they are not demolishing the whole of Sabi Lodge.  From the pic posted looks like they have

demolished the smaller pool area and the rooms around the pool which border Soi 2.  Sad day if the

whole lot is going. Stayed there a few times. Nothing special, comfortable enough and enjoyed my stays there.

Yes there is doubt. Have spoken again to receptionist and it "appears" the existing main swimming pool area (photo I put up earlier in thread) will become a parking area and the existing car park will be utilised by Sabai Lodge for other purposes. Of course you do have access (or did) to 4 pools anyway.

If I get any more will whack it up. Of course this is TIT so doubtless tomorrow the whole lot will have been flattened ????

[champers]

I know someone at Riviera Wongamat whose unit can be bought for 8.5 million Baht.

[Leaver]

7 minutes ago, champers said:

I know someone at Riviera Wongamat whose unit can be bought for 8.5 million Baht.

I know someone in Nirun who will sell for 8.5 million baht.  ???? 

 

[champers]

6 minutes ago, Chivas said:

Yes there is doubt. Have spoken again to receptionist and it "appears" the existing main swimming pool area (photo I put up earlier in thread) will become a parking area and the existing car park will be utilised by Sabai Lodge for other purposes. Of course you do have access (or did) to 4 pools anyway.

If I get any more will whack it up. Of course this is TIT so doubtless tomorrow the whole lot will have been flattened ????

I go past from time to time and will update on any developments I see.

[Pattaya Spotter]

16 hours ago, Leaver said:

I know someone in Nirun who will sell for 8.5 million baht.  ???? 

 

But think of all the money one can save on barfines living there.

[operator]

21 hours ago, champers said:

I go past from time to time and will update on any developments I see.

Thanks Champers, would certainly be interested with what they are doing at Sabi Lodge.

[Leaver]

6 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

But think of all the money one can save on barfines living there.

Even before the virus, anyone paying a bar fine is a fool.  

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, Leaver said:

Even before the virus, anyone paying a bar fine is a fool.  

If it takes your fancy, and you have the money, I don't see that.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/14/2020 at 4:57 PM, petermik said:

Pattaya is still "fun" it,s all a matter of going to the places that suit yourself...Patts is better now than at any other time in the 13 years I have been coming....IMHO of course

Sorry, but need to go back a lot more than 13 years. Back to last century, actually.

It was a completely different place back then.

However, my opinion is formed by my experience, and had I only been going for past 13 years my opinion would obviously be different.

I'm happy that you still like it.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/15/2020 at 10:31 PM, johng said:

I think its safe to say Pattaya got more tourists than Phayao did

the lake there is nice.

 

 

The lower photos is erroneous. There were always a lot of people when I visited.

Not many boats on the lake, except the boat to the little island with a temple on it.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/15/2020 at 10:31 PM, johng said:

I think its safe to say Pattaya got more tourists than Phayao did

the lake there is nice.

 

 

Phayao is very popular with Thai tourists. It's also a convenient base to explore the hill area and the Mekong river. Excellent main roads north and south.

Restaurants along the lakeside are very popular.

Pattaya could learn a lot from Phayao to it's benefit.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/15/2020 at 2:37 PM, Pattaya Spotter said:

Do you have any tourism numbers for Phayao vs. Pattaya?

I don't have numbers, but it's very popular with Thai tourists. There are a number of very pleasant temples around the lake, and the lakeside restaurants are very popular.

For any wanting to visit, rent a m'bike and drive around the lake. A great day out exploring and not too many cars on the back roads. Definitely one of my favourite places in LOS.

[Pattaya Spotter]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

If it takes your fancy, and you have the money, I don't see that.

He's one of those 20-somethings who likes to brag to everyone he's never paid a barfine...NOT!