Pattaya to become the next Miami and on a par with Singapore and Dubai, says mayor

[apophyss]

Every weeks thai news look life a first april,

but it's not joke.

 

 

 

Do they understand how they look stupid for all over the world ?

[Asking for a friend]

Please, Thailand, like the song goes, Don't go changing to try and please me, You never let me down before, Don't imagine you're too familiar, And I don't see you anymore, I would not leave you in times of trouble, We never could have come this far, I took the good times,, I'll take the bad times, I take you just the way you are

 

apologies to billy Joel 

[Hanuman2547]

It's obvious that this Mr Sonthaya has never been to Miami.  The place is a crime ridden <deleted> hole.

Edited February 10, 2021 by Hanuman2547

[captnhoy]

Transform it! Where's the loyalty? Turning their backs on the city that pu$$y built!

[rumak]

This was posted less than a day ago and already 15 pages of hoots and hollers.

 

Don't forget to read the ads plastered everywhere 

[quake]

Retards, at it again.

[shy coconut]

Deary me, really scraping the click bait barrel here, and without looking at the 15 pages 

of replies already know what sort "hilarious and original"  nonsense has been penned.

 

 

The mayor said nowhere in the article that Pattaya will be the next Miami or Dubai.

He has aspirations to improve the city in many aspects and hopes to attract a different 

kind of tourist. He mentions the 2 cities but only as an inspiration, not in any way a comparison.

 

Now, whether any of his aims are achievable is definitely open to debate, and even derision, but I 

have been to all 3 cities and enjoyed each one for different reasons, but none of them offer any 

real authentic feelings, they all exist to extract as much money from visitors as possible, as does 

every tourist trap on the planet.

Edited February 10, 2021 by shy coconut
Spelling

[Soikhaonoiken]

Hahaha, never heard so much garbage spoken by a Mayor, he must be dreaming. 

[Hanuman2547]

16 minutes ago, shy coconut said:

 

The mayor said nowhere in the article that Pattaya will be the next Miami or Dubai.

He has aspirations to improve the city in many aspects and hopes to attract a different 

kind of tourist. He mentions the 2 cities but only as an inspiration, not in any way a comparison.

 

 

That's true.  The problem is he chose the wrong city to aspire to be like.  You definitely do not want to aspire to be anything like Miami.

[Mywayboy]

You're dreamin sunshine

[goldenbrwn1]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

Pattaya to become the next Miami and on a par with Singapore and Dubai, says mayor

 

Miami. File photo for reference only

 

Pattaya Mayor Sonthaya Khunplume has revealed ambitious plans to transform the resort into a truly world class tourist destination, on a par with the likes of Dubai, Singapore and Miami.

 

Speaking to Sophon Cable TV on Tuesday, Mr Sonthaya said that the project to develop the resort (dubbed Neo Pattaya) will play an important role in the Eastern Economic Corridor, which aims to spur business, investment and development throughout the eastern seaboard.

 

When tourism finally resumes, more quality tourists, generating even more income will visit the resort, Mr Sonthaya predicted.

 

Eventually, Pattaya will become not only a better place for tourists, but will be much improved for people living and working in the city.

 

The mayor cited Singapore, Dubai and Miami as examples for Pattaya to follow in its bid to become a world class resort, which eventually would include an exciting nightlife, lots of activities for families and a diverse economy.

 

The mayor added that Old Town Naklua, Koh Larn, Bali Hai Pier, Khao Thap Phraya, Pattaya Beach Walk and Jomtien Beach have all been earmarked for redevelopment, in addition to the upgrades planned for Walking Street.

 

The news comes as local officials and business leaders, including the mayor himself, were told Pattaya must end its reliance on foreign tourism. 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-02-10

 

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I only checked this to count the lol’s 

[Colabamumbai]

Miami coke, Dubai Arabs, what's next. 

[kiwisr]

6 hours ago, Shocked farang said:

Maybe, if the right investments are made it could be rebranded as a digital nomad destination. That's a big maybe as there's a lot of global competitors... 

Chiang Mai and Bangkok have that sewn up, most people still associate Pattaya with sleaze and old men - whether true or not, that’s the perception and younger digital nomads aren’t attracted to that 

[Lambou69]

This is the early morning ????

[ChipButty]

Start off with a mega Casino. Then watch the investment dollars roll in. I think Macau would be a more accurate model for Pattaya than Dubai.

[DirtyFarang]

Yeah, I had the same reaction as many:  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!!

 

They will have to get rid of the corruption first.  Good luck with that!  Not in this lifetime.  Destinations so riddled with corruption may attract the sex tourists, but will NEVER be World Class.

[Henryford]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Start off with a mega Casino. Then watch the investment dollars roll in. I think Macau would be a more accurate model for Pattaya than Dubai.

I am surprised they have not done it yet. Will bring in billions. Every City official will have a Merc. Look what it did for Sihanokville.

[Kerryd]

Miami - sex, drugs and crime.
Dubai - concrete jungle where 90% of the population are foreign workers and being drunk in public (or kissing in public) can land you in jail for months before being deported and blacklisted.
Singapore - where failing to flush a toilet, improperly disposing of chewing gum or spitting on the sidewalk can get you caned (seriously).

Pattaya is close to Miami already, just with poorer roads and fewer hurricanes. Miami looks great in the movies but the reality is probably not something you'd want to aspire to.

If it ever started resembling Dubai, I'd leave. Quickly. I've spent a fair bit of time there during the 10 years I was working in Afghanistan. I started arranging my flights so as to spend as little time there as possible. 
(Note - Dubai is basically bankrupt. It has no oil, unlike the other Emirates. It survives off of massive cash infusions from those other Emirates. When oil prices drop, or the oil dries up, Dubai will collapse as it literally has nothing to offer except very high end shopping for the very rich. You see what has happened in Thailand when the tourism spout was turned off. Dubai wouldn't fare much better as there simply isn't enough uber-rich people who'd want to go there to see nothing but sand and closed businesses.)

Singapore ? There's a pipe dream. It'd take decades (generations even) to get rid of the corruption here and start getting competent control of the infrastructure (i.e. to fix the ****ing roads/sidewalks and drainage systems) and then educate the population (to stop throwing garbage everywhere and using every wall and bush as a toilet) and you certainly wouldn't get away with starting to cane people to force compliance.

Keep in mind as well the "demographic" that Thailand seems to think is going to be their saviour as far as tourism is concerned. 
Massive hordes of low end Chinese and Indians tourists.

Because that has worked so well so far. (Sarcasm intended.)

Massive hordes of Chinese and Indians also flock to places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
As workers, not as tourists.

Can't see them flocking to a "Dubai-like Pattaya" to stay in 5 star luxury hotels and shop at the finest (and most expensive) shops on the planet. (Also keep in mind the utter failure of all the schemes Thailand has been trying to use to attract the "uber rich" crowd here already, starting with the Elite Card all the way to the current "Special Tourist" and "Medical" visas aimed at the jet set crowd.)

They had their cash cow and were milking it for all it was worth, but decided that they didn't like the colour of the cow (too "white") and, despite the massive amount of corruption in the country, they decided they didn't like the flavour of the milk (too "sexy"). 

Got to love a place where they think money from the sex industry is "dirty" but apparently have no problem at all with drug money and bribes and kick-backs.

There are few cities in the world that one would want to emulate. London ? Paris ? New York ? Tokyo ? Rome ? Vancouver ?
 All of them have the "seedy underbelly" that Pattaya seems to think they can just snap their fingers and make disappear. 

Pattaya has to develop it's own identity and realize that no matter what they do, not matter how they visualize it and try to frame it, it is always going to have a "seedy side". Maybe if they actually incorporated that into their thinking, instead of trying to eliminate it, they could actually find a workable solution that would allow them to market the city as "family friendly (with a wild side)".

Over a decade ago, when Walking Street was still in it's glory days, we had a thread where we listed all the things people could do in the city without ever stepping into a go-go bar (or even going to Walking Street at all). I think we had 80+ places/things to do where you wouldn't even see a beer bar (except maybe in passing). I'm sure the list would be even larger now (assuming everything is open and running).

Pattaya can easily accommodate both the "family" and the "single guy" tourist demographics. Not all "families" are as stuck up about the "sin" side of the city as some would have you believe. More than a few of them like to take a peek at the "naughty" side of the nightlife and yes, that includes the "single female" crowd as well.
But the reality is, if they don't want to, they don't have to. NOTHING forces them to go there or do anything (though some would have you believe otherwise as that suits their agenda).

(Like Paris in the old days. No one was forced to buy the "naughty" post cards but lots of people did any ways. Or Amsterdam. No one is forced to smoke pot in a coffee shop or have an intimate encounter with one of the women in the Red Light district, but plenty of people go there any ways just to have a "peek" at what all the fuss is about.)

Especially when you consider that the "family" tourists would (mostly) be looking at daytime activities and tourist attractions while the "other" tourists are (mostly) looking at late night venues.
And the few people who get outraged at seeing some young honey strolling through a mall on the arm of some geriatric are usually a) "few" and b) jealous (that they don't have some young stud pampering them).

One of the great problems of today is that anyone can be offended by anything and it instantly becomes a national (or international) headline. Like when you see an article about some celebrity in tears because someone tweeted that she looked fat in her muumuu. Never mind that it was one tweet out of 10,000, it becomes a headline.
Just like how if a couple dozen people are upset with the "sinful" side of Pattaya, it's a headline.

Ignoring the millions of people that apparently have no problem at all with what the city has to offer.

They should make headlines like that, but that would require them to be honest.

"10 people don't like the sin in Pattaya but millions don't care what they think."

[Iron Tongue]

16 hours ago, ttrd said:

RE - Pattaya to become the next Dubai, says mayor

 

*  That one should be easy to achieve - transform all former pubs, beer bars and go-go bars into Halal shops and Halal restaurants topped with alcohol bans and hijab injunctions - mission completed - next ... 

 

You'd also have to expel all the Thais and bring in Phlippinos to run the place.

[Bkktodd]

I live in Miami and pattaya.  Id love to give the mayor a tour of Miami and the surrounding areas. I perfer the cost of living in Thailand and its nicer people.  Please dont let pattaya become Miami....just fix these damn roads

[Bkktodd]

25 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

Miami - sex, drugs and crime.
Dubai - concrete jungle where 90% of the population are foreign workers and being drunk in public (or kissing in public) can land you in jail for months before being deported and blacklisted.
Singapore - where failing to flush a toilet, improperly disposing of chewing gum or spitting on the sidewalk can get you caned (seriously).

Pattaya is close to Miami already, just with poorer roads and fewer hurricanes. Miami looks great in the movies but the reality is probably not something you'd want to aspire to.

If it ever started resembling Dubai, I'd leave. Quickly. I've spent a fair bit of time there during the 10 years I was working in Afghanistan. I started arranging my flights so as to spend as little time there as possible. 
(Note - Dubai is basically bankrupt. It has no oil, unlike the other Emirates. It survives off of massive cash infusions from those other Emirates. When oil prices drop, or the oil dries up, Dubai will collapse as it literally has nothing to offer except very high end shopping for the very rich. You see what has happened in Thailand when the tourism spout was turned off. Dubai wouldn't fare much better as there simply isn't enough uber-rich people who'd want to go there to see nothing but sand and closed businesses.)

Singapore ? There's a pipe dream. It'd take decades (generations even) to get rid of the corruption here and start getting competent control of the infrastructure (i.e. to fix the ****ing roads/sidewalks and drainage systems) and then educate the population (to stop throwing garbage everywhere and using every wall and bush as a toilet) and you certainly wouldn't get away with starting to cane people to force compliance.

Keep in mind as well the "demographic" that Thailand seems to think is going to be their saviour as far as tourism is concerned. 
Massive hordes of low end Chinese and Indians tourists.

Because that has worked so well so far. (Sarcasm intended.)

Massive hordes of Chinese and Indians also flock to places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
As workers, not as tourists.

Can't see them flocking to a "Dubai-like Pattaya" to stay in 5 star luxury hotels and shop at the finest (and most expensive) shops on the planet. (Also keep in mind the utter failure of all the schemes Thailand has been trying to use to attract the "uber rich" crowd here already, starting with the Elite Card all the way to the current "Special Tourist" and "Medical" visas aimed at the jet set crowd.)

They had their cash cow and were milking it for all it was worth, but decided that they didn't like the colour of the cow (too "white") and, despite the massive amount of corruption in the country, they decided they didn't like the flavour of the milk (too "sexy"). 

Got to love a place where they think money from the sex industry is "dirty" but apparently have no problem at all with drug money and bribes and kick-backs.

There are few cities in the world that one would want to emulate. London ? Paris ? New York ? Tokyo ? Rome ? Vancouver ?
 All of them have the "seedy underbelly" that Pattaya seems to think they can just snap their fingers and make disappear. 

Pattaya has to develop it's own identity and realize that no matter what they do, not matter how they visualize it and try to frame it, it is always going to have a "seedy side". Maybe if they actually incorporated that into their thinking, instead of trying to eliminate it, they could actually find a workable solution that would allow them to market the city as "family friendly (with a wild side)".

Over a decade ago, when Walking Street was still in it's glory days, we had a thread where we listed all the things people could do in the city without ever stepping into a go-go bar (or even going to Walking Street at all). I think we had 80+ places/things to do where you wouldn't even see a beer bar (except maybe in passing). I'm sure the list would be even larger now (assuming everything is open and running).

Pattaya can easily accommodate both the "family" and the "single guy" tourist demographics. Not all "families" are as stuck up about the "sin" side of the city as some would have you believe. More than a few of them like to take a peek at the "naughty" side of the nightlife and yes, that includes the "single female" crowd as well.
But the reality is, if they don't want to, they don't have to. NOTHING forces them to go there or do anything (though some would have you believe otherwise as that suits their agenda).

(Like Paris in the old days. No one was forced to buy the "naughty" post cards but lots of people did any ways. Or Amsterdam. No one is forced to smoke pot in a coffee shop or have an intimate encounter with one of the women in the Red Light district, but plenty of people go there any ways just to have a "peek" at what all the fuss is about.)

Especially when you consider that the "family" tourists would (mostly) be looking at daytime activities and tourist attractions while the "other" tourists are (mostly) looking at late night venues.
And the few people who get outraged at seeing some young honey strolling through a mall on the arm of some geriatric are usually a) "few" and b) jealous (that they don't have some young stud pampering them).

One of the great problems of today is that anyone can be offended by anything and it instantly becomes a national (or international) headline. Like when you see an article about some celebrity in tears because someone tweeted that she looked fat in her muumuu. Never mind that it was one tweet out of 10,000, it becomes a headline.
Just like how if a couple dozen people are upset with the "sinful" side of Pattaya, it's a headline.

Ignoring the millions of people that apparently have no problem at all with what the city has to offer.

They should make headlines like that, but that would require them to be honest.

"10 people don't like the sin in Pattaya but millions don't care what they think."

Absolutely spot on.  !!!!

[overherebc]

39 minutes ago, Bkktodd said:

I live in Miami and pattaya.  Id love to give the mayor a tour of Miami and the surrounding areas. I perfer the cost of living in Thailand and its nicer people.  Please dont let pattaya become Miami....just fix these damn roads

Especially the roads for the new look 'enforcers'.

[Deli]

Bring back Patty to the year 2000 and keep the Chinese away. All good.

 

[KKr]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

Pattaya Mayor Sonthaya Khunplume has revealed ambitious plans to transform the resort into a truly world class tourist destination, on a par with the likes of Dubai, Singapore and Miami

and how many decades did it take those States and City to gain that recognition ?
how much investment in Education, Safe Society, creating Competitive Advantage were made, especially in Singapore?

unless this were a Countrywide supported effort, aimed at establishing Thailand as a front-runner in ASEAN on Education, Industrialisation,  and Agriculture, it will be nothing but:
 

 

[Sydebolle]

What kind of excellent weed do these clowns smoke? Keep on dreaming but yeah, try it, why not. And if you are at it, dont forget to introduce triple pricing as the sheiks have even more cash and hence can be ripped off even better than the dirty farangs who are, meanwhile, in complete absence ........

[Marco100]

Shure , I have a magic ball and I can see Pattaya become like Singapore and Miami , same & same but different as my Taylor would say ....

[Road Warrior]

think mayor should visit Singapore and Dubai,

I don't think so !!!!!!  

[wasabi]

10 hours ago, MayPutThai said:

Singapore is not that expensive as it look like on first place if you have a job.

Still can work here and feel welcome and safe, earn very good money in an English speaking environment. Tax is as three times lower for me as in Germany. The little higher cost for a good way of life has to see as an additional tax you pay free of your own decision.

I save 30% Tax against Germany, take 5% from that saving for my entertainment here and be happy. Still have 25% plus.

At home near Pattaya, I go seldom there. Just for shopping. Spend my life with my Thai friends at their or my home.

The Thai People want the quality tourists and get the Chinese troupes.

They will learn the next years that Thailand lose the game in tourism.

But is ok, if they want this like that. But the rich people, they look for, can find many better places in the world. The normal people who build up that town are not welcome anymore.

The old Farang with less money also want not come back due to that attitude of only money sucking without service. Dear Thai People, you need to try working with your hands again.

The Golden Cow stay away.

 

Your post makes me think. Why wait for Pattaya to become Singapore (a day that will never come) When you could just live in Singapore? I have considered this a few times, but didn't see many opportunities to get a long term visa as a young retired person. I'll research it. I still love Thailand but would not mind just coming here for frequent vacations.

 

There's many reasons Pattaya is profoundly unlikely to become like those targeted aspirational cities, but if I had to say one it's the air pollution. None of the aforementioned cities have nasty smoke taking days off your life with every breath.

[Oztruckie]

I reckon the Johnny Burnette song "Dreamin" might apply to this bloke.

[Andrew65]

11 hours ago, MayPutThai said:

Singapore is not that expensive as it look like on first place if you have a job.

Still can work here and feel welcome and safe, earn very good money in an English speaking environment. Tax is as three times lower for me as in Germany. The little higher cost for a good way of life has to see as an additional tax you pay free of your own decision.

I save 30% Tax against Germany, take 5% from that saving for my entertainment here and be happy. Still have 25% plus.

At home near Pattaya, I go seldom there. Just for shopping. Spend my life with my Thai friends at their or my home.

The Thai People want the quality tourists and get the Chinese troupes.

They will learn the next years that Thailand lose the game in tourism.

But is ok, if they want this like that. But the rich people, they look for, can find many better places in the world. The normal people who build up that town are not welcome anymore.

The old Farang with less money also want not come back due to that attitude of only money sucking without service. Dear Thai People, you need to try working with your hands again.

The Golden Cow stay away.

Ah OK.

I've been to S/pore many times, spent 3 weeks there on courses, but never lived there.

Like Hong Kong, what I found in S'pore is that going out to eat or drink is expensive (what tourists tend to do).

 

As you say, I wonder if the tourism will come back as it was before in Thailand, and if it does, it will take years. It's already looking like this year is ruined for it, like most of last year.