Pattaya ready for what it hopes to be a 20% high season compared to the millions before

[JCP108]

On 10/6/2021 at 2:15 AM, MarcelV said:

If there's no high season to speak of in Pattaya, then the city is done, finished. The Nick Deans of this world aren't going to keep paying rent and key money on businesses that are bleeding money. I expect 80-90 percent of all foreign owned businesses not to survive the onslaught of another missed high season. GOODBYE!

Well. Many travelers make their holiday travel plans more than 48 hours in advance. So, if this high season is going to get off the ground, I'd say they only have very few days to get their <deleted> together and announce very clear plans/restrictions/incentives. Otherwise, it's <deleted>-ed. 

[Skallywag]

On 9/25/2021 at 3:41 PM, The Hammer2021 said:

It's depressing seeing so many derelict, shuttered businesses. There is nothing great about a constant visual reminder of poverty and desperation. 

Just goes to show how so many businesses are not needed.  15 t-shirt vendors on beach road, 35 massage shops on beach road.  3 kebab shops within sight of each other, etc...

A town built around tourism, that cannot even keep sidewalks or electrical lines repaired is sad.  City gets all this money for Beach road improvements, Bali Hai improvements, Walking street improvements, and burying the electrical lines for safety and ambience, yet little if nothing has been accomplished in the last 18 months

Poverty and desperation was visible way before this pandemic unfortunately

Tourism will be back, and hotels and shops will start opening, but likely way too many will open and all will be largely empty for another year or 2.  

[VBF]

5 hours ago, Skallywag said:

Just goes to show how so many businesses are not needed.  15 t-shirt vendors on beach road, 35 massage shops on beach road.  3 kebab shops within sight of each other, etc...

A town built around tourism, that cannot even keep sidewalks or electrical lines repaired is sad.  City gets all this money for Beach road improvements, Bali Hai improvements, Walking street improvements, and burying the electrical lines for safety and ambience, yet little if nothing has been accomplished in the last 18 months

Poverty and desperation was visible way before this pandemic unfortunately

Tourism will be back, and hotels and shops will start opening, but likely way too many will open and all will be largely empty for another year or 2.  

You're right. ????

However the "15 t-shirt vendors on beach road, 35 massage shops on beach road.  3 kebab shops within sight of each other, etc..." is so typically Thai! One business opens, is reasonably successful and 3 other "wannabes" open a competing business in the same street without considering the size of the market. You even see that in Provincial Thailand but to a lesser extent.

 

Your "A town built around tourism...."  paragraph just demonstrates the corruption endemic in the place...sadly.

 

And Poverty and desperation was indeed visible several years ago....again, sadly.

 

[Leaver]

8 hours ago, Skallywag said:

A town built around tourism, that cannot even keep sidewalks or electrical lines repaired is sad. 

Pattaya is a city built on sex tourism.  Whilst sex tourism is still tourism, many sex tourists do not care about the environment in which they are purchasing the product. 

 

I understand the point you are making, however, fix the sidewalks and electric cables, but stop the sex trade, and Pattaya goes broke.

 

Sex tourists don't care about uneven sidewalks and electric cables all over the place.  They will still come to Pattaya, regardless, as long as the hookers are here.  

[Leaver]

On 10/6/2021 at 6:03 PM, Cherrytreeview said:

You forget the very wealthy sponsors in the background who are investing in new premises.

One of Nick Dean's latest danders down Soi Chatapom, shows three shops knocked into one. It's going to be a gentleman's club/ night club.

Totally gutted and remodelled. It's called High Rollers.

Pattaya in 2019 had hardly enough patrons to make Soi Chatapom work, let alone gentlemen's clubs.

The triangle bar was packed every night to be fair.

Either money to burn, waste, right off against tax or launder, Pattaya always has someone waiting to have a go.

I wouldn't concern yourself with Nick Dean, someone will make sure he gets through.

Even if there are very few tourists, i would think expats will keep the place ticking over to next year. 

The future of Pattaya will depend on how quickly Thailand allows a stamp on your passport in BKK.

 

 

 

The issue many will have, including Nick Dean and others, is key money and / or a new lease will fall due in the near future. 

 

In the past, earnings have been put aside to pay the Thai landlord when these have become due, thus, the bar continues to operate.  Due to covid, there have been no earnings, only outgoings, for a considerable length of their current lease.  

 

Do they dip into their savings, for a second time, to buy the bar / pay key money again, or walk away?  

 

In relation to development on Soi Pothole, it must be remembered that the new nightclub being built, as well as the new nightclub not far away on Soi Baukhao, simply cuts the slices of the tourist / customer pie even thinner. 

 

Many Youtubers, some with bars here, talk up the new "investment" being put into Pattaya during covid, but for every new bar opened, that means another bar going broke.  

 

Edited October 8, 2021 by Leaver

[LetsGoBrandon]

I dont know what's gonna happen but I look forward to returning to Pattaya soon.

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, LetsGoBrandon said:

I dont know what's gonna happen but I look forward to returning to Pattaya soon.

 

What do you think you will be returning to?  

[Rimmer]

A personal attack and reply have been removed

[JensenZ]

On 9/25/2021 at 12:32 PM, ivor bigun said:

i know this is awful to say ,and for the sake of workers i hope tourists are allowed back ,but as an ordinary married guy who lives that sort of lifestyle ,its great without tourists. 

 

The workers are long gone. Bringing tourists back in will not reopen the 1000's of businesses that have been shuttered in the last 20 months. By now, most of those workers have moved on to a new life doing something else somewhere else. This will give a distinct advantage to any businesses that have managed to hold on, at least in the first couple of years.

 

These Thai seers (forecasters) seem to alway live in a bubble, thinking the problem is Thailand and as soon as they open their doors tourists from all around the world will come flocking back in. They are so naive. They don't seem to grasp the severity of the world's ecoomic resession which is sure to deteriorate significantly before it improves, and tourist numbers will be down worldwide for a very long time. Thailand is a budget tourist destination and they need tourists from the socio-economic sector that has been hardest hit by the pandemic. The world's rich have done very well during covid, but they're not coming here.

 

These Thai forecasters would do well to follow some international economic news from time to time. If not, then at least get a more reliable crystal ball.

Edited October 10, 2021 by JensenZ

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, JensenZ said:

This will give a distinct advantage to any businesses that have managed to hold on, at least in the first couple of years.

 

I'm not sure the advantage will be so great.  

 

Sure, they will be busy in the initial stages, due to remaining at their location, and possibly some Youtube exposure, but they have 2 years of outgoings with little to no income, plus, they are 2 years closer to a new lease and / or key money payment.

 

Even if they had a customer on every seat during opening hours, they would only be making up what they have lost in the last 2 years, so would be lucky to break even. 

 

In my opinion, it was a big risk to stay, particularly for those with an unsympathetic Thai landlord.   

 

Only time will tell if it was the right decision to hold on.  

[ChaiyaTH]

20% in mr flowers his dreams I guess, they would be lucky with 3% this year.

Edited October 10, 2021 by ChaiyaTH

[Leaver]

On 10/10/2021 at 5:48 PM, ChaiyaTH said:

20% in mr flowers his dreams I guess, they would be lucky with 3% this year.

 

Fair to say, after recent government announcement/s, the coming high season is not looking good for bar owners.   

[HashBrownHarry]

On 9/25/2021 at 5:13 AM, smedly said:

they intend to run it exactly like Phuket Sandbox which has turned out to be a mega failure - no kidding

Why's it been a 'mega failure'?

[BangkokReady]

On 9/25/2021 at 11:31 AM, steven100 said:

if they don't have the above measures in place, the Covid19 numbers will escalate exponentially

If Pattaya is opened enough to actually attract tourists (booze, clubs, prostitutes, all allowed with zero social distancing), it will have huge numbers of covid.

 

Vaccinate all, accept covid and have zero restrictions, or don't bother opening.

[BangkokReady]

On 10/8/2021 at 11:46 PM, Leaver said:

What do you think you will be returning to?  

Life's simple pleasures.  A walk on the beach and hookers in his hotel room.

[Leaver]

17 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Life's simple pleasures.  A walk on the beach and hookers in his hotel room.

 

Which are available in most countries.  

[Leaver]

22 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Vaccinate all, accept covid and have zero restrictions, or don't bother opening.

 

"Vaccinate all" is the problem they have here. 

 

The Thai government is not used to doing ANYTHING that benefits ALL Thai's.  

[BangkokReady]

4 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Which are available in most countries. 

I'm no expert, as I haven't used a proustite in any country, but I can't help feeling that it would be nicer, easier and more affordable to use one in Thailand.  Just a hunch.

[Leaver]

12 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

I'm no expert, as I haven't used a proustite in any country, but I can't help feeling that it would be nicer, easier and more affordable to use one in Thailand.  Just a hunch.

 

"nicer" - Pattaya Beach is rubbish.

 

"easier" - no more easier or difficult than walking into any brothel in the west.

 

"affordable" - yes, but once you add on flights etc, then maybe it's not as affordable.   

Edited October 15, 2021 by Leaver

[StayinThailand2much]

It's a shame what they did to the beach promenade!

[Longwood50]

On 9/25/2021 at 11:00 AM, webfact said:

A leading tourism figure in Pattaya said he was not expecting a million tourists a month in the high season.

What would possibly bring them here?  The restaurants as of today can still not serve alcohol and the bars are closed.  Many of the tourist attractions are also still closed.  

Now the government says it wants to transform Pattaya into a family destination.  Oh so then it tacks on a 500 baht fee.  Pretty cheap for 1 person but how about that family of 5.  Add to that the 7,000 baht per person total cost for two covid test per person not to mention the mandatory Covid insurance on each person.  

Yep, sure sounds like that family of 5 could have a nice vacation here in Thailand for 1 or 2 weeks if they are willing to spend more on the testing, insurance, and entry fee than they are for their accommodations.   All of that to see closed attractions and drink water with their meal. 

[BangkokReady]

32 minutes ago, Leaver said:

"nicer" - Pattaya Beach is rubbish.

I meant the prostitutes.

 

32 minutes ago, Leaver said:

"easier" - no more easier or difficult than walking into any brothel in the west.

Depends on the customer.  I think it would be easier in Thailand due to multiple reasons, mainly cultural.

 

32 minutes ago, Leaver said:

"affordable" - yes, but once you add on flights etc, then it's not.  

If you have sex once perhaps.  If you have a girl every night for a couple of weeks, it will quickly become far cheaper in Thailand.

[thaibeachlovers]

14 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

Which are available in most countries.  

Thou jest assuredly.

To have a western prostitute stay long time would require a great deal of money, and the usual time limit is so short this one would never bother.

Between western prostitution and that in LOS there is NO comparison, IMO.

[thaibeachlovers]

14 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

"nicer" - Pattaya Beach is rubbish.

 

"easier" - no more easier or difficult than walking into any brothel in the west.

 

"affordable" - yes, but once you add on flights etc, then maybe it's not as affordable.   

You can't possibly be comparing western prostitution to Thailand where I could take one from Pattaya for a month on a nice beach. The cost in the west would make that a no go for most mongers that go to Pattaya.

Edited October 16, 2021 by thaibeachlovers

[Leaver]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Thou jest assuredly.

To have a western prostitute stay long time would require a great deal of money, and the usual time limit is so short this one would never bother.

Between western prostitution and that in LOS there is NO comparison, IMO.

Show me where I suggested long time?

 

Whilst some guys like the 2 week girlfriend experience, and some like the overnight long time experience, many guys like short time, which is readily available in most countries, and with apps like Tinder, sometimes for free.  

[Leaver]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

where I could take one from Pattaya for a month on a nice beach.

Once again, you are only focusing on long time, be it over night, one week, or one month.  Not all mongers are interested in long time, no matter how long. 

 

I agree with you that long time is affordable in Thailand, and yes, this aspect of prostitution in Thailand is difficult and / or expensive in the west.

 

I was merely commenting that "nice" and "easy" and "affordable" is not really the case because Pattaya, and particularly Pattaya Beach, is not nice, and it's just as easy to go to a brothel for an hour in one's home country as it is to Soi 6 when here, and one should add the costs of flights. accommodation etc when saying sex is more affordable here.      

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

21 hours ago, Leaver said:

Show me where I suggested long time?

 

Whilst some guys like the 2 week girlfriend experience, and some like the overnight long time experience, many guys like short time, which is readily available in most countries, and with apps like Tinder, sometimes for free.  

You didn't specify short time, ergo you were referring to every variation, IMO.

[thaibeachlovers]

21 hours ago, Leaver said:

Once again, you are only focusing on long time, be it over night, one week, or one month.  Not all mongers are interested in long time, no matter how long. 

 

I agree with you that long time is affordable in Thailand, and yes, this aspect of prostitution in Thailand is difficult and / or expensive in the west.

 

I was merely commenting that "nice" and "easy" and "affordable" is not really the case because Pattaya, and particularly Pattaya Beach, is not nice, and it's just as easy to go to a brothel for an hour in one's home country as it is to Soi 6 when here, and one should add the costs of flights. accommodation etc when saying sex is more affordable here.      

 

 

 

Must be something about the Thailand experience that makes it worthwhile to pay for flights to Thailand, instead of just going to a local brothel, or millions of western men wouldn't have bothered going to LOS to play.

Perhaps because the western brothel is IMO for the desperate, and bar girls in LOS are more like temporary girlfriends.

[Leaver]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Must be something about the Thailand experience that makes it worthwhile to pay for flights to Thailand, instead of just going to a local brothel, or millions of western men wouldn't have bothered going to LOS to play.

Perhaps because the western brothel is IMO for the desperate, and bar girls in LOS are more like temporary girlfriends.

 

I agree, it's a popular place. I would say the climate, the freedom (lawlessness) cheap alcohol, meals and accommodation, plus the abundance of affordable prostitutes makes it popular. 

 

I was merely pointing out that there is a higher cost to mongers than just the 1000 baht for the hour.  They have to include flights, accommodation etc etc.  

[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Perhaps because the western brothel is IMO for the desperate, and bar girls in LOS are more like temporary girlfriends.

Without doubt... a few days playing the field, reducing the pressure, then find a 'keeper' to take a trip with.