Pattaya: "City that never sleeps" set to be part of international flight hub

[webfact]

Pattaya: "City that never sleeps" set to be part of international flight hub

 

 

Thai media PPTV 36 has painted a rosy picture of the future of Pattaya.

 

They accepted that the post-pandemic situation in Pattaya was currently desperate but this will only be temporary. 

 

Referring to Pattaya as the "city that never sleeps", they said that formerly it was very popular with the Chinese, Indians and Russians bringing in 250 baht annually. 

 

They reckoned there were 10 million visitors each year. 

 

Admittedly Pattaya is on the back foot at present but the development of the Eastern Economic Corridor and the high speed train between Don Muang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao will change all that. 

 

There will be a capacity of 200 million passengers a year split between the three airports. 

 

And U-Tapao will become an international flight center with the knock on effect of making Pattaya itself an international hub even more so than before. 

 

The question now appears to be not if, but when. 

 

Source: PPTV 36

 

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[Oldie]

"Referring to Pattaya as the "city that never sleeps", "

 

This is correct. Even at Corona times I have insane bar noise every night and this long after the emergency degree closing time. ????

[johng]

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

very popular with the Chinese, Indians and Russians bringing in 250 baht annually. 

Ha Ha   yes those high spenders

[mikebell]

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

the Chinese, Indians and Russians bringing in 250 baht annually. 

Is that each or the group rate?

[Kerryd]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

bringing in 250 baht annually

Lol - maybe closer to the truth than they'd like to admit ?

Got to wonder how they missed the "billion" when they translated/copy/pasted from the original article (as it was there plain as day when I googlated it).

(Though one translation gives 250,000 million baht and the other says 250 billion. Either way, still better than "250 baht".)

Pattaya not having an International Airport on it's doorstep is a bit odd, considering that smaller places like Phuket do. 
U-Tapao is/was a military airport that's being upgraded primarily to lower the (air) traffic in Bangkok, as they figure a large percentage of the arrivals are destined for Pattaya and the SE region anyways. A little far from Pattaya though.

Which is one reason why they've spent so much effort on upgrading the highways (7/36/331) and the U-Tapao airport as well as the talks about a highspeed link between Bangkok and Pattaya. The new highway 7 extension is pretty much custom built to get people to/from Pattaya from U-Tapao.

The other highways are partially a part of the EEC (Eastern Economic Corridor - basically the manufacturing "hub") and to improve traffic to/from the area from Isaan.

Got to think that one day (20+ years from now), Pattaya will have it's own international airport as it maintains it's fame as a "world class family resort that is primarily populated by single White males and dusky Isaan bar girls".

Though if it goes the other way and most of the tourists are Chinese/Indian/Russian, spending a whopping "250 baht annually" then there probably won't be much left of Pattaya for anyone to want to travel to !
 

[Pilotman]

The tragedy is, this could all come about, with a long term, 20 year plan, some creative planning, lots of creative thinking and a will to succeed, Patttaya and the Eastern area could easily become the paradise it could be,  It has all the advantages, weather, 5 star hotels, up market malls, an intentional airport, great road infrastructure, power to spare, beaches that could be wonderful, but aren't, It could all be so so different, but I fear that it will be just more of the same, simply because of all the vested interests that want it to stay that way.  What a great pity if a major once in several generations chance goes to waste.  But good luck to them, I sincerely hope that they succeed. 

Edited August 17, 2020 by Pilotman

[sitanonchai]

sorry guys it seems now that I was the big spender with 300 baht a day. I feel embarrassed that I'm to blame for all those billions in tourist revenue.

Edited August 17, 2020 by sitanonchai

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

they said that formerly it was very popular with the Chinese, Indians and Russians bringing in 250 baht annually. 

 

Ya, that sounds about right... 250 baht annually....   

[worgeordie]

Ah ! the hubs are back, I have missed them.

regards Worgeordie

[mosan]

5 hours ago, Kerryd said:

Lol - maybe closer to the truth than they'd like to admit ?

Got to wonder how they missed the "billion" when they translated/copy/pasted from the original article (as it was there plain as day when I googlated it).

(Though one translation gives 250,000 million baht and the other says 250 billion. Either way, still better than "250 baht".)

Pattaya not having an International Airport on it's doorstep is a bit odd, considering that smaller places like Phuket do. 
U-Tapao is/was a military airport that's being upgraded primarily to lower the (air) traffic in Bangkok, as they figure a large percentage of the arrivals are destined for Pattaya and the SE region anyways. A little far from Pattaya though.

Which is one reason why they've spent so much effort on upgrading the highways (7/36/331) and the U-Tapao airport as well as the talks about a highspeed link between Bangkok and Pattaya. The new highway 7 extension is pretty much custom built to get people to/from Pattaya from U-Tapao.

The other highways are partially a part of the EEC (Eastern Economic Corridor - basically the manufacturing "hub") and to improve traffic to/from the area from Isaan.

Got to think that one day (20+ years from now), Pattaya will have it's own international airport as it maintains it's fame as a "world class family resort that is primarily populated by single White males and dusky Isaan bar girls".

Though if it goes the other way and most of the tourists are Chinese/Indian/Russian, spending a whopping "250 baht annually" then there probably won't be much left of Pattaya for anyone to want to travel to !
 

[mike787]

Direct train from Pattaya airport to walking street will help support all the sick water buffaloes and bars. Can't wait, love that town.  Best thing that ever happened.  

[Rimmer]

Wasn't one of the reasons for the A380 demise is that airlines no longer need hubs now that twin engine fuel efficient aircraft fly direct from destination to destination?

[bodga]

London, Paris, New  York,  Milan .......................pattaya,  yeah sounds so good!

[champers]

2 hours ago, Rimmer said:

Wasn't one of the reasons for the A380 demise is that airlines no longer need hubs now that twin engine fuel efficient aircraft fly direct from destination to destination?

There seems to be 2 distinct business models:

1. Fly direct with BA, KLM/Air France, Swiss Air, Lufthansa, etc.

2. Fly via the Gulf - Qatar, Etihad, Emirates.

For me, from Manchester with no direct option, other than to Phuket, it was always option 2, on cost. 

I think Qatar now do flights to U Tapao from Doha.

[Scott Tracy]

Bangkok U-Tapao, like London Luton. Miles from the capital. Not as far from Pattaya though...

 

Should be a major international airport by now.

[Pattaya Spotter]

A whole 250 baht!

[1duckyboy]

Amazing Thailand, The Hub of Hubs.

[Flying Saucage]

Pattaya: "City that never sleeps"

 

...sleeping since mid of March already. Will it ever wake up again? 

[CanadaSam]

I have flown into UTP from KUL, so it is apparently already an "international" airport.

 

But as I have mentioned earlier, an IMMEDIATE end to the ban on international flights for foreign tourists is necessary, with testing before, during and after their vacation, with the stipulation that they stay where they are booked! 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/17/2020 at 3:13 PM, webfact said:

Referring to Pattaya as the "city that never sleeps", they said that formerly it was very popular with the Chinese, Indians and Russians bringing in 250 baht annually. 

Two jokes in one sentence. Life is good.

[thaibeachlovers]

Pattaya: ...................................... set to be part of international flight hub.

 

Thailand, land of hubs.

 

Amazing Hubland.

 

Thailand has a better selection of hubs than anywhere else in the world.

 

Come to Thailand for a hub of a time.

 

Our hubs can't be bettered.

 

You haven't had a hub till you've tried a Thai hub.

 

Don't forget to take your hub with you as you depart.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/18/2020 at 8:23 PM, CanadaSam said:

I have flown into UTP from KUL, so it is apparently already an "international" airport.

 

But as I have mentioned earlier, an IMMEDIATE end to the ban on international flights for foreign tourists is necessary, with testing before, during and after their vacation, with the stipulation that they stay where they are booked! 

Oh, they'll be queuing around the block for that holiday, 55555555555555.

Come to Pattaya and get trapped in some dump that looked good in the travel agent's brochure.

[Leaver]

On 8/20/2020 at 4:15 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

Come to Pattaya and get trapped in some dump that looked good in the travel agent's brochure.

Isn't that what happens to the Russians?  

[shdmn]

Yea ok that's nice whatever this is supposed to mean.  So when will I be able to fly into Thailand without having to sit in quaranatine for 2 weeks?  That's all I need to know.  Without actually letting tourists into the country these announcements of Pattaya being made a super awesome hub of super awesomeness are meaningless.

Edited August 22, 2020 by shdmn

[Leaver]

18 minutes ago, shdmn said:

So when will I be able to fly into Thailand without having to sit in quaranatine for 2 weeks?  That's all I need to know. 

You can worry about the 2 week quarantine later.  First question is, when will you be able to fly?