3 hours ago, smedly said:

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

You mean like the phoenix after being raised from the depths no one wanted to buy ???? 

49 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

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?   

Oh, trust me, worse case of food poisoning I ever had was from KFC in Bangkok I think - about 4 weeks worth of it. But, once in 56 years seems ok to me - though the mice in the KFC in Pattaya Central are a bit of a joke

 

That said, the wife has som tam poisoning occurs about once a fortnight, but she still goes back to the same people ! Think she thinks it an enema !

2 hours ago, fredob43 said:

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. 

I originally planned Koh Phanggan, but got roped into Pattaya by a famous American con man with a business plan/scam, that I didn’t do in the end, but ended up staying for ten years.

It was a lot of fun, the rubbish always really annoyed me but the air quality was the decider. It is putrid for 3-4 months every year.

I first went there in 1978. It was very nice then. It is badly mismanaged and with the EEC plans the air quality will only get worse.
 

I will go back to visit friends every now and then. No regrets about spending a decade there but no regrets leaving either.

 

I do miss the food in Pattaya, great choice and competitively priced. 
 

21 hours ago, rooster59 said:

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"

1G1-7 here I come?

22 hours 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. 

 

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. 

The unelected "PM" and his soldiers actually being correct at something?? That must be a first. 

Lots of vacancies for Thai workers in Myanmar to replace illegal Thai returnees.

17 hours ago, Natai Beach said:

I do miss the food in Pattaya, great choice and competitively priced. 

That's one thing I also missed. The choice. Where I moved to there was little or no choice food wise. It was Thai or Thai. Has changed in the last several years with so many new restaurants it's impossible to visit all in a year. 

 

I was in Pattaya some weeks ago and there were so many Restaurants/Bars/hotels that had closed down the choice had become very limited. How the turn over of food was Buddha only knows.  

 

 

46 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

That's one thing I also missed. The choice. Where I moved to there was little or no choice food wise. It was Thai or Thai. Has changed in the last several years with so many new restaurants it's impossible to visit all in a year. 

 

I was in Pattaya some weeks ago and there were so many Restaurants/Bars/hotels that had closed down the choice had become very limited. How the turn over of food was Buddha only knows.  

 

 

I wouldn't exactly say "very" limited but definitely considerably more limited than before the great unpleasantness. Before I felt that Pattaya was on the road to eventually becoming a sort of foodie destination but that progress has been set back. 

On 12/5/2020 at 9:56 AM, Pilotman said:

as the Thais are enterprising people for small business development. 

Do you have some examples?  

6 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I wouldn't exactly say "very" limited but definitely considerably more limited than before the great unpleasantness. Before I felt that Pattaya was on the road to eventually becoming a sort of foodie destination but that progress has been set back. 

I was there last Feb: Then there were thousands of foody places some very good. Back there a month ago and I was having to look a lot harder for any selection. Ok they were open in places like Central but I don't call those places, ideal for a nice relaxing evening meal. Nothing wrong with them. But only fit for a light snack. 

 

What really worried me was the lack of customers everywhere. Also how fresh was the food they were selling. No customers. No turnover. Old food = ???   

24 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

I was there last Feb: Then there were thousands of foody places some very good. Back there a month ago and I was having to look a lot harder for any selection.

If expats don't support their local, all expats will lose choice and variety here, then, we'll all be eating rice 7 days a week.

 

Support your local.  

24 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

I was there last Feb: Then there were thousands of foody places some very good. Back there a month ago and I was having to look a lot harder for any selection. Ok they were open in places like Central but I don't call those places, ideal for a nice relaxing evening meal. Nothing wrong with them. But only fit for a light snack. 

 

What really worried me was the lack of customers everywhere. Also how fresh was the food they were selling. No customers. No turnover. Old food = ???   

 

Try visiting the Darkside next time you're down this way, restaurants of every persuasion around Lake Mabprachan, or Khao Talo or Khao Noi the same again, you could eat food from just about every country in the world and some of the best Thai food ever, or that's what my Mrs tells me. ????????

Another one who can say: the CCP has ruined my life and taken my dreams. Thank you, comrade Xi.

13 hours ago, Leaver said:

Do you have some examples?  

look around every village, town and city, you see small business everywhere, the whole country runs on them. In my local small village alone there are gardeners, bike repairers, car shops, food stalls, small shops, even a dog grooming shop.  Almost everyone seems to be gainfully employed in their small activities that run the place. 

An off topic post trying to hijack the thread has been removed, please stay on topic:

 

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

On 12/7/2020 at 9:47 AM, Pilotman said:

you see small business everywhere

Define "small business."

 

On 12/7/2020 at 9:47 AM, Pilotman said:

In my local small village alone there are gardeners, bike repairers, car shops, food stalls, small shops, even a dog grooming shop. 

In general, these are one person operations.  I accept they are classified as small businesses, but not exactly what I would call entrepreneurial.