Pattaya presses ahead with plan to reopen to foreign tourists from September - targeting large numbers

[ding]

On 7/18/2021 at 9:51 AM, DBath said:

I was being sarcastic. 

Sarcasm's funnier when someone doesn't get that it's sarcasm. Maybe his sarcasm circled back around your sarcasm and he's in an absolute sarspasm right now.

[ding]

On 7/18/2021 at 6:28 AM, kingstonkid said:

What ever happened with the beautification of Pattaya and changing Walking street.

 

Also If I remember the late 2019 numbers they so gladly want to get back to had a lot of bars complaining of no customers and WS a ghost town

"THEY need to open the bars back up! Why aren't people marching in the streets!"

-ahhh the good old days.

 

[impulse]

17 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Do they actually understand reality, or are they just desperate to get the economy going?

Yeah, they understand reality.  That's why they're desperate to get the economy going.
 

[DBath]

1 hour ago, ding said:

Sarcasm's funnier when someone doesn't get that it's sarcasm. Maybe his sarcasm circled back around your sarcasm and he's in an absolute sarspasm right now.

Believe it or not, that thought did occur to me. Do I get points for that?

[ding]

14 minutes ago, DBath said:

Believe it or not, that thought did occur to me. Do I get points for that?

I tried to give you rep but can't even figure out how. Do I lose points for that?

[mikosan]

I just can't be bothered to read 5 pages of responses to these latest dream world pronunciations.  Are these people living in cloud cuckoo land? Get a grip, please.  There is NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER of this happening. 

[impulse]

2 hours ago, mikosan said:

I just can't be bothered to read 5 pages of responses to these latest dream world pronunciations.  Are these people living in cloud cuckoo land? Get a grip, please.  There is NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER of this happening. 

That's what they said about the Phuket Sandbox opening on July 1.

 

[shdmn]

2 hours ago, mikosan said:

I just can't be bothered to read 5 pages of responses to these latest dream world pronunciations.  Are these people living in cloud cuckoo land? Get a grip, please.  There is NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER of this happening. 

Another perpetually wrong doom monger who will be wrong yet again just like you all were with Phuket.  I'll be too busy enjoying myself in Pattaya to care at that point.

[sezze]

12 minutes ago, shdmn said:

Another perpetually wrong doom monger who will be wrong yet again just like you all were with Phuket.  I'll be too busy enjoying myself in Pattaya to care at that point.

 

17 minutes ago, impulse said:

That's what they said about the Phuket Sandbox opening on July 1.

 

Oh come on , be realist , neither optimist or pessimist . I still hope to come to Thailand in October but i highly doubt it being possible . Phuket and Samui are Islands and can be completely closed off ( except small boats ) from the rest of Thailand . This can create a sort of safe spot , in a high covid country . Do you actually believe , with the numbers right now , with the vaccination numbers right now , that they can open Pattaya in 40 days (!!!)from now ? IMHO this can't be done , and all the loopholes you have to go through to get there , nahh not possible . Even if they open , it will only be for show , i do not believe anything more then restaurants will be open , and it will be with a lot of rules . Like i said before , if you take the fun out of Thailand , there's far better and safer places to go .

They thinking about opening the country in October , and i do not believe they will do that without a lot of rules and regulations , which is not something for most tourists . For people who do have some kind of relationship/business/family in Thailand , yes sure , can be done , but not for the everyday tourist .

[thaibeachlovers]

8 hours ago, impulse said:

Yeah, they understand reality.  That's why they're desperate to get the economy going.
 

IMO at the same time as doing everything they can to destroy it.

[Lucky Bones]

On 7/17/2021 at 11:38 AM, tingtong said:

Get real!!

Correct the date, to Sept 2023...and that may just be realistic.

Sounds fair to me.

[thaibeachlovers]

It just occurred to me that the last place I'd want to be will be Pattaya just after it opens to tourists. The hawkers were bad enough before, and IMO they'll be making every tourist's life a misery with a hawker ever 5 meters or so.

Not forgetting the other lot that'll be making up for lost earning opportunities, IMO by targeting every farang on a m'bike for every infraction they can dream up.

Then there will be the fake cops accusing tourists of dropping litter or smoking in restricted areas etc etc etc.

Will the ladyboys be out in force, looking to pickpocket the unwary?

Will the jet ski scammers be back en mass?

IMO the malls will be full of condo sales people trying to sell all those empty condos.

 

 

Might be better to wait a while before visiting.

[Lucky Bones]

On 7/18/2021 at 11:12 PM, Stargrazer9889 said:

The last thing I want to do is travel to any country that looks mostly deserted, and up for rent or sale.

  When the Delta and the Lambda, and likely a few more variants keep the pandemic alive for another 

year. The situation in a lot of places in the world,  including Thailand will look  a lot different. The world will not be going

back to a quick fix normal anywhere.  Places in the USA like Las Angeles are going back to masking and

distancing again as the delta variant is spiking the number of COVID cases a lot. Even the red necks and

anti vaxxers are changing their minds and getting the Pfizer, Moderna, and J & J poke.

Geezer

Likely these people are not anti vacc's.

Holding 

out for better. We should be so lucky.

Just didn't want Chinese water injected.

[Lucky Bones]

21 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

It is not enough for me and I am semi retired, all doshed up and have all the time in the world.  Pattaya I loved because it was convenient.  Easy bus ride from BKK airport or Ekamai and BTS .  Relatively good priced hotels with pools.  I love walking around.  Bug buddha hill.  Absolutely love the baht bus system that allows you to hop on hop off for a cheap price.  No need to worry about car rental, motorbike rental, etc.  So many food places of all types, western and Thai.  Fun takeaways open late at night for those nights where you are just heading back to your hotel to watch some late night TV and just want to eat and chill.  I am a small butterfly, but of course can't deny there are many opportunities.  Getting a daily foot massage is heaven,  Oil massage every now and then.  You can't beat the prices of these things.  I enjoy a disco now and then.  I like that one  bar at the beginning of Walking Street that usually has a live Issan band.  Fun nights playing pool and some drinks and ordering food with some buddies.  A quiet day lounging outside ans snoozing at the hotel pool.  A mall visit every now and then. Do a Sudoku puzzle from the bangkok post.  That bbq place on the ground floor at Big C Marina has great sauce.  Sushi once a week.  I mean for a holiday, Pattaya is a great place.  After two month stays I have gotten bored, but that is when I flew over to Phuket and Karon beach where the water was actually clean enough to swim in.  Take the ferry from there to Ao Nang is just beautiful.  And from Pattaya, easy bus rides up to Bangkok and use the BTS to get around.  Really is a convenient and inexpensive way to spend some time in Bangkok.  I wish the beach water was clean for swimming in Pattaya. Years ago Jomtien was OK for swimming. But all the condo expansion and run off has not helped that water.  Same for Wong Amat.  Jomtien is still a beautiful stretch of beach. 

 

   Ready to go as soon as they take the onus off the incoming travelers.  My primary plan was two 90 day visits each year by getting the 60 day SETV  visa with one 30 day extension on each.  I always planned to get the retirement visa, but once the USA embassy stopped the income letters, I got a bit turned off.  I would never put 800 K baht into Thailand.  The monthly transfer requirements are silly and a nuisance but still something I may consider.  I hate paperwork, but for a few days a year it is doable, and I would be prepared to accept that if I did it.  I almost laid out for the Elite visa as I am willing to pay for some convenience.   The extra Thai health insurance pisses me off as I have great global coverage, but Thailand immigration kind of will not accept that.  But all just a cost of doing business if I then get the cheapest Thai policy out there, with the highest deductible, etc.  Still getting pricey at 64 years of age.

Too long. Did not read. Keep it short and simple.

[mikosan]

4 hours ago, impulse said:

That's what they said about the Phuket Sandbox opening on July 1.

 

And what a big success that is! As it happens, Phuket has a couple of advantages. Firstly, it’s an island and secondly the plans to open and the actual opening, occurred before the latest huge spike in infections and the latest re-zoning to dark red and subsequent increased restrictions. Pattaya will not be opening up any time in the near future.

[Stargeezr]

Wow Lucky Bones is another newbie, or some one who was kicked off, but got them self a new

title.  Pattaya and Jomtien are still there, but have a lot less businesses open. the term ghost towns

are not such a good thing to go back to when you go again. Oh and if you think that there will be loads

of working girls, think again.  My cousin lives there and says, that most workers went back home as they

did not want to starve in Pattaya. So hansome man newbie. Good Luck to you.

  I doubt that Pattaya will be back to its old self for 3 to 5 years. I do believe tho that there are lots of horny guys

who need their oil changed, that they will rush back, and return home all disappointed and sad.

Geezer

[Lucky Bones]

On 7/18/2021 at 8:33 PM, jcmj said:

The only people I see coming are those who are trying to get back to their families. Other than that I think it would be crazy to think anyone would come with everything being closed and paying out the wazoo just to visit Pattaya. 

Got it in one.

[The Hammer2021]

On 7/19/2021 at 7:19 PM, JemJem said:

I miss Thailand. Pattaya is not actually even a favorite destination of mine but I would actually love to visit it (it has been ages since I last went to Pattaya), why not. But not under these requirements/conditions. I shall give it a big pass sadly. 

 

1-2 months ago, I was optimistic about going to Thailand (mainly Bangkok) around this November. But now, I am not so sure, with the increase in Covid cases and with various requirements still in place. I now give it around 50 percent chance. 

It's finished as a travel or tourist destination. Look at the travel chaos in Europe and UK.

[The Hammer2021]

2 hours ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

Wow Lucky Bones is another newbie, or some one who was kicked off, but got them self a new

title.  Pattaya and Jomtien are still there, but have a lot less businesses open. the term ghost towns

are not such a good thing to go back to when you go again. Oh and if you think that there will be loads

of working girls, think again.  My cousin lives there and says, that most workers went back home as they

did not want to starve in Pattaya. So hansome man newbie. Good Luck to you.

  I doubt that Pattaya will be back to its old self for 3 to 5 years. I do believe tho that there are lots of horny guys

who need their oil changed, that they will rush back, and return home all disappointed and sad.

Geezer

Pattaya  Beach Road is 95% closed. It is a derelict,  squalid, run down desolate strip of desperation. That was before the current lockdown. A few places on Jomtien  Beach Rd were open but all since closed by police.  For the foreseeable  future there will be no change. The permanent  expat community does not have sufficient  energy to fuel a revival. Nobody would want to come here for any reason.

[The Hammer2021]

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It just occurred to me that the last place I'd want to be will be Pattaya just after it opens to tourists. The hawkers were bad enough before, and IMO they'll be making every tourist's life a misery with a hawker ever 5 meters or so.

Not forgetting the other lot that'll be making up for lost earning opportunities, IMO by targeting every farang on a m'bike for every infraction they can dream up.

Then there will be the fake cops accusing tourists of dropping litter or smoking in restricted areas etc etc etc.

Will the ladyboys be out in force, looking to pickpocket the unwary?

Will the jet ski scammers be back en mass?

IMO the malls will be full of condo sales people trying to sell all those empty condos.

 

 

Might be better to wait a while before visiting.

Pattaya  won't be opening in our lifetime so you don't need to worry  about local Thai traders.

[kingstonkid]

2 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Pattaya  Beach Road is 95% closed. It is a derelict,  squalid, run down desolate strip of desperation. That was before the current lockdown. A few places on Jomtien  Beach Rd were open but all since closed by police.  For the foreseeable  future there will be no change. The permanent  expat community does not have sufficient  energy to fuel a revival. Nobody would want to come here for any reason.

The only way that Pattaya can reopen is to reopen with the idea of being a tourist destination for Thai's.  

 

Walking street is a disaster waiting to happen and will not return to it's "glory" days.  

The place is to well known for all the bad reasons and there are nicer venues in Pats to go to if you are looking for entertainment.

 

The funny thing about the sandbox that people are overlooking is that all the bars are still closed. Therefore most of the working girls are not there.

The restaurants I am sure have liquor restrictions.

 

Does anyone really think that expats are going to flock to Pats to sit in a bar and drink Coke or pepsi and pay through the nose for what girls return.

 

Even if they open Pattaya up as long as the country wide bar and liquor ban is in place there will be no Walking street or anywhere else for people to go.

 

[ChipButty]

I reckon the days of pussy bars are over they were going down hill before covid 

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

Does anyone really think that expats are going to flock to Pats to sit in a bar and drink Coke or pepsi and pay through the nose for what girls return.

The bars are going to remain closed.... there isn't really an alcohol ban, but a ban on bars, so that does the job. The Pattaya sandbox is a foolish idea... I am not convinced the Phuket one is worthwhile. 

[morrobay]

18 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Pattaya  Beach Road is 95% closed. It is a derelict,  squalid, run down desolate strip of desperation. 

This core beachfront / tourism area has been taken to ruin. It started with the so called promenade "improvements" that turned this nice non palms treed area with flower planters and solid concrete benches into a glorified road with local males on motorbikes. With only the oblivious chinese and domestics left as the majority. Now as pointed out above "they" have finished the place off. This place now is in terra incognita surrounded by perfect storms. And these people are going on about tourism revival. Well they are in for a shock.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

16 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I reckon the days of pussy bars are over they were going down hill before covid 

Sure, but IMO Pattaya will still be the place to go for rumpty with Thai girls that will be contacted on line.

Accommodation is cheaper in Pattaya than Bkk.

[The Hammer2021]

On 7/21/2021 at 3:53 PM, ChipButty said:

I reckon the days of pussy bars are over they were going down hill before covid 

We were all having a great time before  Covid-19  at the wide  array of P4P  places which were many and varied. In Pattaya  15 new places opened around SB and Soi Boomerang in the last year.

[The Hammer2021]

On 7/22/2021 at 8:24 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

Sure, but IMO Pattaya will still be the place to go for rumpty with Thai girls that will be contacted on line.

Accommodation is cheaper in Pattaya than Bkk.

If the girls are here

[The Hammer2021]

On 7/22/2021 at 6:43 AM, jacko45k said:

The bars are going to remain closed.... there isn't really an alcohol ban, but a ban on bars, so that does the job. The Pattaya sandbox is a foolish idea... I am not convinced the Phuket one is worthwhile. 

There is an alcohol  ban in bars, clubs and restaurants.

[The Hammer2021]

On 7/22/2021 at 8:24 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

Sure, but IMO Pattaya will still be the place to go for rumpty with Thai girls that will be contacted on line.

Accommodation is cheaper in Pattaya than Bkk.

They were thriving before covid. 9 new bars opened on soi Boomerang and many other G clubs around Pattaya too. Go Go bars were on the wain though but for those in the know there were a few great ones..

[rott]

On 7/17/2021 at 11:57 AM, grain said:

Yes that's what I keep thinking when I read posts by monger guys who want to get back to Pattaya for P-for-P.

Guys are really going to pick up total strangers off the street or down the beach and bring them home for intimate contact? Have intercourse while practicing social distancing and wearing facemasks and face shields?...honestly the mind boggles.

You'll get used to it. When you've been posting on here a bit longer your mind just accepts it.