Retired expats keep Thai beach resort ticking over

Resident seniors help to sustain local economy amid worsening pandemic

 

Robin Ingle, the Welsh proprietor of Hungry Hippo, is surviving off Pattaya's "old boys" in the time of COVID-19. (Photo by Peter Janssen)

 

PETER JANSSEN, Contributing writer

 

PATTAYA, Thailand -- Hungry Hippo is one of the few food and beverage outlets that remain busy in Pattaya, Thailand's oldest beach resort, which has seen its once-vibrant tourism-driven economy devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

More than 70% of Pattaya's bars and restaurants have closed since the first wave of infections hit Thailand in March 2020, forcing the country into lockdowns in April and May. More are likely to follow suit in the second wave, which started in December and has forced containment restrictions in 61 of Thailand's 77 provinces, including Chonburi, which includes Pattaya, 100 km southeast of Bangkok.  

 

This time around, restaurants have been allowed to stay open, even though the COVID-19 restrictions have shuttered the resort's bars and massage parlors and emptied the streets. "They realized that people have to eat," said Robin Ingle, the Welsh proprietor of the Hungry Hippo. "It's been good news for us because with the bars closed we've been busier than ever."

 

Full story: https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Life/Retired-expats-keep-Thai-beach-resort-ticking-over

 

-- © Copyright Nikkei Asian Review 2021-02-10

 

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12 minutes ago, webfact said:

Hungry Hippo is one of the few food and beverage outlets that remain busy in Pattaya,

Going to take a lot more than this 

Hungry Hippos was a great place long before Covid. That contributes a LOT to their ability to hang on.

 

Same with the Danmark's Hotel buffet breakfast, still open at this time 7 days a week. Just off Jomtien Beach Road, end of Soi Whitehouse, they serve bacon and eggs to order, fresh drip coffee, good selection, nice atmosphere and pleasant staff.

I'm doing my part.

30 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

I'm doing my part.

So where do we line up for your fare?

I am doing my bit in to help in Nana...exhausting work at times.

If people didn't know Thailand that well they would think everything seems to revolve around Pattaya and nowhere else !

4 hours ago, webfact said:

 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

It's been good news for us because with the bars closed we've been busier than ever.

Looking at the photo, and out of that make a fair judgement. Hmmm... must have been empty before, then. ????

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2 hours ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

 

Looking at the photo, and out of that make a fair judgement. Hmmm... must have been empty before, then. ????

There was just that 5 minute lull between peak customer turnouts, honest.

Trust he's got bi-lingual menu's for any hardcore Welshers in town .. 

My bird once asked me

" where is Wale " ..

I said " which one , the one in the sea or the one stuck on the left of England " .. 

Needless to say a look of confusion was returned .. 

Hoping to do 3 trips this year to help the lovely ladies out.

Before he was owner of the Chunky Monkey in Soi Buakhao. Then he sold it because of health reasons to an Indian guy ... to open a very similar restaurant  - the Hungry Hippo not far away. Then he tried to sell this because of health reasons... Corona changes many things. 

There's no lack of Pattaya articles recently. I'm almost feeling tempted to visit again!

 

1 hour ago, Caldera said:

There's no lack of Pattaya articles recently. I'm almost feeling tempted to visit again!

 

But many are not positive - or? 

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

There's no lack of Pattaya articles recently. I'm almost feeling tempted to visit again!

 

Do it cheap as chips especially Air B&B and 99 b Meals all over even IBar has Happy Hour  39 b a beer 

????

 

????

3 hours ago, Oldie said:

Before he was owner of the Chunky Monkey in Soi Buakhao. Then he sold it because of health reasons to an Indian guy ... to open a very similar restaurant  - the Hungry Hippo not far away. Then he tried to sell this because of health reasons... Corona changes many things. 

 Is this the same Welshman named Robin who ran Robin'sNestaurant -Soi Diana -just off Soi Bua Khao ?

11 minutes ago, Delight said:

 Is this the same Welshman named Robin who ran Robin'sNestaurant -Soi Diana -just off Soi Bua Khao ?

I heard a story like this. 

Well I've been very pleased to find that the places catering mainly to farangs - Friendship, Foodmart, Siamburi's, Villa and so on - have continued to prosper, and evidently can exist without foreign tourists. Even the likes of Big C and Big C Extra, which cater to farangs but to a  lesser extent, seem to have no problem with providng lots of farang-style bread, a fine selection of imported steaks, and the usual range of imported cheeses, cold cuts and other goodies. We've evidently reached a critical mass of expats in Pattaya, sufficient to sustain a number of places catering to our culinary whims. 

22 minutes ago, Guderian said:

Well I've been very pleased to find that the places catering mainly to farangs - Friendship, Foodmart, Siamburi's, Villa and so on - have continued to prosper, and evidently can exist without foreign tourists. Even the likes of Big C and Big C Extra, which cater to farangs but to a  lesser extent, seem to have no problem with providng lots of farang-style bread, a fine selection of imported steaks, and the usual range of imported cheeses, cold cuts and other goodies. We've evidently reached a critical mass of expats in Pattaya, sufficient to sustain a number of places catering to our culinary whims. 

Yes and no.

I'm really missing Arrowhead Mills cereals.

 

 

https://arrowheadmills.com/product_category/cold-hot-cereals/

 

14 hours ago, webfact said:

"It's been good news for us because with the bars closed we've been busier than ever."

yeah good things can come from bad. as we know, bad things can from good also. now, the question is how to know if something is good or bad?

1 hour ago, Guderian said:

Well I've been very pleased to find that the places catering mainly to farangs - Friendship, Foodmart, Siamburi's, Villa and so on - have continued to prosper, and evidently can exist without foreign tourists. Even the likes of Big C and Big C Extra, which cater to farangs but to a  lesser extent, seem to have no problem with providng lots of farang-style bread, a fine selection of imported steaks, and the usual range of imported cheeses, cold cuts and other goodies. We've evidently reached a critical mass of expats in Pattaya, sufficient to sustain a number of places catering to our culinary whims. 

Big C Extra on Klang has an Australian butcher manager and the bakery has a French manager.

 

14 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I'm doing my part.

What are you doing to it

11 hours ago, Oldie said:

Before he was owner of the Chunky Monkey in Soi Buakhao. Then he sold it because of health reasons to an Indian guy ... to open a very similar restaurant  - the Hungry Hippo not far away. Then he tried to sell this because of health reasons... Corona changes many things. 

 

Health reasons?

 

He was sick of the place!

The odd beer bar/cafe restaurant doing a few extra breakfasts is hardly going to be Pattaya's salvation.

 

However, A few pensioner-pats will be salivating as the GBP has gone up a couple of baht and happy hours are in abundance!

 

Get the balloons out.

16 hours ago, Delight said:

 Is this the same Welshman named Robin who ran Robin'sNestaurant -Soi Diana -just off Soi Bua Khao ?

Yes, but Robin's Nest.

On 2/10/2021 at 8:14 AM, webfact said:

Retired expats keep Thai beach resort ticking over

Get real.  We are told over and over and over again that expat's contributions to the Thai economy isn't on par with a pimple on a pig's rump.
It's only a couple thousand of "well-heeled" foreigners who are keeping the entirety of Thailand's tourist venues afloat. 

On 2/10/2021 at 10:09 AM, Surelynot said:

exhausting work at times.

look... somebody has to do it... 

Mean while, it's still for sale.   ????

 

https://www.bahtsold.com/view/pattaya-s-number-1-farang-restaurant-is-for-sale--387708