One of many? Pattaya worker forced to leave city as economic downturn takes hold

 

Image: Daily News

 

Daily News reported on a Facebook post from someone who had spent their last seven years in Pattaya.

 

But the devastating impact of the pandemic with its economic downturn has turned everything on its head. 

 

What the media called a "sad post" summed up the situation perfectly. The poster was heading back home to Chaiyaphum leaving behind a city that they love and that has taught them much.

 

But they could no longer cope. It was time to leave. A pile of suitcases was a poignant final image.

 

The post read: "It's my last night in Pattaya tonight. Thanks for helping me grow up and understand the meaning of #life. The stuff is put away, the tears are flowing. I can't really explain my feelings. Seven years have passed of life in Pattaya. I love the place and I don't want to go. I wanted to work and set myself up here. I never thought it would come to this"

 

The post continued saying that the whole world had changed not just Pattaya. People who had helped were thanked and promises were made to come back one day as a tourist before they signed off:

 

""I love you Pattaya - city that never sleeps".

 

Source: Daily News

 

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bye bye.

Pattaya right now is the best it has ever been, a pleasure to visit, just not on a Thai long weekend .  Long may it continue  and I for one don't want to see it return to what it was fast becoming only a short 12 months ago. . 

Edited December 5, 20205 yr by Pilotman

By the looks of that snoopy luggage I think I can muster a guess at who the worker was....or occupation

Thai wife and myself have also lived in Pattaya for the last 7 years, and we are not leaving.

I could post a photo of no bags by the door as a poignant final image.

Edited December 5, 20205 yr by Peterw42

I used to think the same thing about Pattaya. But after 8 years of living there, it drove me out. Too many tourists, over priced, and to top it all dirty, fumes, lack of general cleaning drains??? My main bugbear was I used to get food poisoning every few weeks. 

 

I left and haven't looked back. There are thousands of places in Thailand where one can have a far better life. Most do have their drawbacks as you have to speak at least some Thai. But I can assure you once settled in you would never go back.

 

Saying all of the above I would still say that for a holiday (Not for me) but others it's fine.  

Edited December 5, 20205 yr by fredob43

It is in the nature of deep economic downturn and then subsequent recovery, that new businesses and enterprises replace old ones following a deep recession.  It will no doubt happen in Pattaya, as the Thais are enterprising people for small business development.  It will be all the better for it, I fervently hope. 

 

As an aside, that is the mistake the UK government is making, to support old businesses that will inevitably fail in this new world order ,  and doing it at a massive cost.  Leave it to the market to recovery all on its own instead of throwing billions at the problem. The Thai government don't seem to making that mistake.  In that, they are correct. 

Edited December 5, 20205 yr by Pilotman

9 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

poignant final image.

your AVATAR works fine for me

13 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

It is in the nature of deep economic downturn and then subsequent recovery, that new businesses and enterprises replace old ones following a deep recession.  It will no doubt happen in Pattaya, as the Thais are enterprising people for small business development.  It will be all the better for it, I fervently hope. 

I agree, I find fascinating watching 2-3 businesses close down, only to watch 2-3 new businesses opening up. It often doesn't make sense in an economic sense, a long standing cheap thai/western restaurant will close and right next door another identical one will open up.

Where I am in Jomtien there are more opening than closing at the moment

27 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

I used to think the same thing about Pattaya. But after 8 years of living there, it drove me out. Too many tourists, over priced, and to top it all dirty, fumes, lack of general cleaning drains??? My main bugbear was I used to get food poisoning every few weeks. 

 

I left and haven't looked back. There are thousands of places in Thailand where one can have a far better life. Most do have their drawbacks as you have to speak at least some Thai. But I can assure you once settled in you would never go back.

 

Saying all of the above I would still say that for a holiday (Not for me) but others it's fine.  

 So where in Thailand is far better. Pattaya is not that expensice if you shop/buy at the right places. No more than any thai city. Dirty, fumes well that again could apply to any Thai city. Try Chiang Mai during the burning season. Tourists were a problem but with that you get a wide variety of bars and restaurants to enjoy. Try Trat on a Monday evening. I have lived here for 14 years, got mild food poisoning twice.

7 hours ago, fredob43 said:

I used to think the same thing about Pattaya. But after 8 years of living there, it drove me out. Too many tourists, over priced, and to top it all dirty, fumes, lack of general cleaning drains??? My main bugbear was I used to get food poisoning every few weeks. 

 

I left and haven't looked back. There are thousands of places in Thailand where one can have a far better life. Most do have their drawbacks as you have to speak at least some Thai. But I can assure you once settled in you would never go back.

 

Saying all of the above I would still say that for a holiday (Not for me) but others it's fine.  

I had a house built for the GF and myself down in Trang where her family are,I drive down each month and we spend 10 days there it,s beautiful and peaceful and the locals are very friendly absolutely no complaints, but I always look forward to the return trip back to Patts where there is life and never any boredom....me give up Patts to live there permanently....never

As Pilotman stated earlier Patts has never been better than it is at present.

Was in Pattaya yesterday on our 2 weeks stock up and loved it. Had a meal in central food court people very friendly and food cleanliness  better than before the virous ever came to Thailand. Not many people walking in the main shopping center.

 

Streets much less traffic then went to Foodland's

 

Not many eating there and the stock in the shop is running down on smart bare minimums. Happy days.

A couple of off topic posts have been removed

One of many? Pattaya worker forced to leave city as economic downturn takes hold

 

Please stop this obsession over the price of beer

Pattaya like a lot of cities will be reborn and rise like the Phoenix.  The problem now is that people have ro realize that what was working (?) is not going to work in the future.

Then they have to let the people close the businesses and start to sell the properties.

 

Pattaya has gone back to what it was Prior to the late 60's it is a place for Thais to go to on the weekend to get some sun and sand and out of BKK.

People will start redesigning what they sell or provide to those tourists and people that own property are going to have to either sell or readjust what they charge.  They can no longer charge the high rents.

3 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Pattaya right now is the best it has ever been, a pleasure to visit, just not on a Thai long weekend .  Long may it continue  and I for one don't want to see it return to what it was fast becoming only a short 12 months ago. . 

Not gonna lie. There are aspects now that are indeed much more pleasant than the busy boom times. That is for people that are well set up, money coming in, etc. But on the other hand it's hard to look at the blocks after blocks of closed and boarded up businesses and not feel that it looks like an A bomb was dropped. So realistically considering the greater good of course it needs to recover but does it really need to be the same as before? I hope not. 

 yellow case is saying to the others

 " don't worry wheel be back " ..

 

And yellow looks look a banana split chewbar .. admittedly quite a large one .. 

54 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

Pattaya like a lot of cities will be reborn and rise like the Phoenix.  The problem now is that people have ro realize that what was working (?) is not going to work in the future.

it is still working it has just shrunk to a small area (LK) and all other places have been shutting down and are now deserted, there just aren't enough tourists to sustain the whole city and 90% of it has been abandoned 

 

Will it rise from the ashes - yet to be determined, as tourists start to arrive in maybe 12 months time there might be a gradual recovery

 

At least Immigration finally decided it was probably a good idea to help what tourists are here to remain on extended permission  of stay instead of forcing them out - it took them long enough to realise the obvious

Like many others I am enjoying this new normal, I feel very sorry for those that have lost their jobs or livelihoods having to close their businesses, I'm fairly sure that they will bounce back as restrictions and regulations are eased and then lifted, the only unknown at this point in time is how long is that going to be?

 

The flip side of course is the shops & restaurants that at the moment cater for the Western palate, does anyone have a guesstimate for how many westerners currently reside permanently in the Pattaya area?

 

If those numbers drop too far shops like Big C, Foodland & Friendship could well reduce or stop stocking certain items that only we buy, I'm pretty sure that Thai only families use Big C's bakery and the butchery department, but I don't see many buying Lamb chops or expensive cuts of beef, I could be wrong of course, but everytime I go there I only usually see Thai/western families in those departments.

 

Then there are staples like Worcestershire sauce, brown sauce, OXO cubes and all the French, Italian, German, Swiss etc etc specialities.

 

I have a feeling that the likes of Siamburi's and Siam Expat foods will survive but sourcing your home made favourites could well become harder.

 

As to what Pattaya will look like in 18 months or 2 years is anyone's guess, a totally different place that's for sure, I wonder if the will cancel the monorail? 

 

Or just maybe they will be saved by the Chinese ? ????

7 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

 

I have a feeling that the likes of Siamburi's and Siam Expat foods will survive

 

 

 

 

 

Was up  Khao Noi last night visiting friends.... dayum is that a busy soi and the open beer bars I drove past looked to be rammed with custom.

 

I think the target market of both those business has the clientele to keep operating.

Edited December 5, 20205 yr by Techno Viking

4 hours ago, Henryford said:

 So where in Thailand is far better. Pattaya is not that expensice if you shop/buy at the right places. No more than any thai city. Dirty, fumes well that again could apply to any Thai city. 

I left also Pattaya because of the filthy air. Can’t even see a blue sky between December and February. You don’t know if it is pollution or cloudy until you look sideways and can’t see a hill. 
 

Moved to west coast of Phangnga, dirty and fumes don’t apply here. Clean air, no piles of trash, clear water in the sea. Paradise down here. 

 

Not all Thai areas are equal. 

 

 

 

 

5 hours ago, fredob43 said:

I used to think the same thing about Pattaya. But after 8 years of living there, it drove me out. Too many tourists, over priced, and to top it all dirty, fumes, lack of general cleaning drains??? My main bugbear was I used to get food poisoning every few weeks. 

 

If you sit at a dirty roadside bar, drinking expensive beer, near a drain you get what you pay for !

 

Seems to me living in Pattaya is fine. We don't go into town much - just once a week for the cinema and kfc for our daughter - and the wife cooks all the family food - we suffer no fumes and no food poisoning.

1 hour ago, Justgrazing said:

 yellow case is saying to the others

 " don't worry wheel be back " ..

 

And yellow looks look a banana split chewbar .. admittedly quite a large one .. 

Just how much did you have to drink last night? ????

5 hours ago, petermik said:

I had a house built for the GF and myself down in Trang where her family are,I drive down each month and we spend 10 days there it,s beautiful and peaceful and the locals are very friendly absolutely no complaints, but I always look forward to the return trip back to Patts where there is life and never any boredom....me give up Patts to live there permanently....never

As Pilotman stated earlier Patts has never been better than it is at present.

I went to Korat for 3 years miserable Mistake , Never Again Isaan 

5 hours ago, ChakaKhan said:

By the looks of that snoopy luggage I think I can muster a guess at who the worker was....or occupation

Think to make that assumption you'd have to assume there was no phone app to make them attractive enough for online business.

30 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Just how much did you have to drink last night? ????

 

Hahahahah .. yea I don't do the alcohol now ( 22 yrs ) but it has been known for me to partake in some herbal saviour that enables me to offer my alternative view of things and stuff .. 

13 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

 

Hahahahah .. yea I don't do the alcohol now ( 22 yrs ) but it has been known for me to partake in some herbal saviour that enables me to offer my alternative view of things and stuff .. 

'herbal saviour' is that a green jesus?

15 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

'herbal saviour' is that a green jesus?

 

I suppose it would be .. the Son of the Lord was known for many good things and being green and ecological was one also I'm pretty sure .. 

Edited December 5, 20205 yr by Justgrazing
Sp

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

 

If you sit at a dirty roadside bar, drinking expensive beer, near a drain you get what you pay for !

 

Seems to me living in Pattaya is fine. We don't go into town much - just once a week for the cinema and kfc for our daughter - and the wife cooks all the family food - we suffer no fumes and no food poisoning.

KFC and no food poisoning?  You have been very lucky. quit while you're ahead. Or do you just feed it to your poor daughter?   

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

 

If you sit at a dirty roadside bar, drinking expensive beer, near a drain you get what you pay for !

 

Seems to me living in Pattaya is fine. We don't go into town much - just once a week for the cinema and kfc for our daughter - and the wife cooks all the family food - we suffer no fumes and no food poisoning.

For your information I never sat in Bars drinking expensive beers. 

 

I used the smell from the drains as an example of cleanliness. When I was living there I had a M/C that's because you couldn't park a car anywhere. Try driving along any street and if you don't get a pong from the drains your lucky. 

 

Reason you don't get food poisoning like I used to get is, may I suggest your wife cooks all your food. 

Then again you answered your own post you don't got into town much. 

2 hours ago, Natai Beach said:

I left also Pattaya because of the filthy air. Can’t even see a blue sky between December and February. You don’t know if it is pollution or cloudy until you look sideways and can’t see a hill. 
 

Moved to west coast of Phangnga, dirty and fumes don’t apply here. Clean air, no piles of trash, clear water in the sea. Paradise down here. 

 

Not all Thai areas are equal. 

 

 

 

 

You did the correct thing. Got out. Like I and others have done you came to the conclusion that there are nice places in Thailand. They might not be on your doorstep, but if you look hard they are there.

In my case I moved 500km away.  Hope your enjoying yourself. I know we, the wife and I are. As you say no fumes and clean. What else do you want.