My observations for a recent trip to Pattaya.

[Scouse123]

1 hour ago, newnative said:

    If you're talking about the bar scene--maybe.  The rest of Pattaya has been changing tremendously, and still is, with new development going up all over the area.  From the description, the OP was mostly in a very small part of Pattaya.

 

Ah right,

 

He was in the low-so part!

 

Not the part with all the high-so Chinese, Indians and Russians making Pattaya the five-star children friendly, family orientated resort?

[newnative]

10 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

Ah right,

 

He was in the low-so part!

 

Not the part with all the high-so Chinese, Indians and Russians making Pattaya the five-star children friendly, family orientated resort?

     Racist much?  Twice a week my spouse and I go to a very nice high-end resort in Wongamat to use the also very nice gym.  And, yes, the resort does have Chinese, Indian, and Russian families.  Also those from other countries, as well as lots of Thai families on weekends and holidays. 

   You need to get out more--there's a lot more to Pattaya than just Walking Street/Soi 6, etc.  As I've said before, most of the big, new development is not near Walking Street.  Actually, anywhere but.                 Instead, it's in north Pattaya with Terminal 21, Ozo, Mitt, Grand Centre Point, Centre Point Space, and Once condo.  It's in Wong Amat with Arom, Riviera, and Wyndham Grand, to join all the other development that has gone in there, including a number of boutique hotels. 

    It's in Jomtien with Copacabana, Aeras, Riviera Monaco and Ocean Drive, among lots of others.  It's on the Darkside with a big new amusement/water park going up, along with numerous new housing estates, and a large under-construction hospital connected with Thammasat University. 

    It's south of town with Icon Siam on the horizon, to go with extensive roadwork expanding the lanes and incorporating overpasses.  It's lots of new non-bar businesses springing up everywhere--check out the huge, new Nitan coffee cafe on Sukhumvit sometime to get an idea of how Pattaya is changing.  Or, perhaps the new Miss Pastry near Lake Mabprachan.

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

Maybe just lonely old guys, you could have gone and spoken with them and livened things up being 15–20 years younger than them.

 

Yes, skipping my breakfast, but instead going to a beer bar at 8 a.m., having to order and drink beer at that time... Call me old-fashioned, but I don't drink beer before late afternoon. - I am lonely too, but I don't sit in a beer bar early in the morning, just staring ahead of me...

[hotchilli]

On 1/4/2024 at 11:51 AM, advancebooking said:

I just visited Pats and rented a condo short term near beach road. Observations:

- Walking street was really busy and a lot of fun. Great vibes there. Worth spending a night out on W.S for sure

- Hot Tuna bar has a fantastic rock band. 

- I noticed about 15 officers with DOPA jackets on surrounding a shop that had the BB guns. I asked the officer what was going on. He said 'checking documents'. I thought that was quite odd for all of them to be there at 1030pm at night. 

- I tried to get my washing done at a small laundry in the condo building at 9am. She said pick it up tomorrow. Noticed she had a balcony with empty rack (no clothes drying or anything from other customers). It was a hot morning with breeze. I thought it was ridiculous to suggest that it couldn't be done same day. Ended up buying small washing powder and putting it in machine myself elsewhere. Hung it up and was dry in 2 to 3 hours on balcony at condo. 

- There was so much plastic and rubbish on the sand at the beach. Last year I saw a tractor with the scrapper blade driving up and down the beach. Why do they not use this every morning during peak season. Hopeless local government. 

- I saw a lot of overweight old men lying in the sun for long time. Red lobster bodies and faces. 

- Walked down soi 6 and noticed a lot of farang men sitting alone at tables. Bar girls standing at the front of the bar staring at people walking down the road- with their backs to these guys. Got to wonder what sort of business model this is. Why are they not socialising with the fine specimens in the bar?

- Walking along beach road at night I saw a lot of working girls from many nationalities. A few looked Indian ladies. A lot of large African ladies, lot of trans gender thais and normal thai girls. 

- During morning exercise along the beach noticed some old farang at the bar having beer for breakfast. 

 

Thats about all I observed. 

Hasn't changed much then... 

[Scouse123]

2 hours ago, newnative said:

     Racist much?  Twice a week my spouse and I go to a very nice high-end resort in Wongamat to use the also very nice gym.  And, yes, the resort does have Chinese, Indian, and Russian families.  Also those from other countries, as well as lots of Thai families on weekends and holidays. 

   You need to get out more--there's a lot more to Pattaya than just Walking Street/Soi 6, etc.  As I've said before, most of the big, new development is not near Walking Street.  Actually, anywhere but.                 Instead, it's in north Pattaya with Terminal 21, Ozo, Mitt, Grand Centre Point, Centre Point Space, and Once condo.  It's in Wong Amat with Arom, Riviera, and Wyndham Grand, to join all the other development that has gone in there, including a number of boutique hotels. 

    It's in Jomtien with Copacabana, Aeras, Riviera Monaco and Ocean Drive, among lots of others.  It's on the Darkside with a big new amusement/water park going up, along with numerous new housing estates, and a large under-construction hospital connected with Thammasat University. 

    It's south of town with Icon Siam on the horizon, to go with extensive roadwork expanding the lanes and incorporating overpasses.  It's lots of new non-bar businesses springing up everywhere--check out the huge, new Nitan coffee cafe on Sukhumvit sometime to get an idea of how Pattaya is changing.  Or, perhaps the new Miss Pastry near Lake Mabprachan.

 

 

Nothing racist in my post whatsoever, it's you who has chosen to read it that way.

 

I left Pattaya after selling a business and doing well from it in 2006.

 

In my view, on my brief returns to the city, it has done nothing but continue downhill since. Sure, I am getting older, but I definitely much preferred Pattaya in the nineties and early 2000s to what it has become now.

 

I would choose Rayong, Koh Kood, Koh Chang, Krabi, over Pattaya any day, but it's a personal choice.

 

You are welcome to keep the traffic jams, violent crime, whorehouses, and filthy polluted beaches.

[newnative]

10 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

Nothing racist in my post whatsoever, it's you who has chosen to read it that way.

 

I left Pattaya after selling a business and doing well from it in 2006.

 

In my view, on my brief returns to the city, it has done nothing but continue downhill since. Sure, I am getting older, but I definitely much preferred Pattaya in the nineties and early 2000s to what it has become now.

 

I would choose Rayong, Koh Kood, Koh Chang, Krabi, over Pattaya any day, but it's a personal choice.

 

You are welcome to keep the traffic jams, violent crime, whorehouses, and filthy polluted beaches.

Not racist?  You gotta be kidding.  In any case, an application for the Just Can't Quit Pattaya Fan Club is on its way.

[Scouse123]

10 minutes ago, newnative said:

Not racist?  You gotta be kidding.  In any case, an application for the Just Can't Quit Pattaya Fan Club is on its way.

 

 

Your posts are weird.

[herfiehandbag]

On 1/4/2024 at 11:51 AM, advancebooking said:

I just visited Pats and rented a condo short term near beach road. Observations:

- Walking street was really busy and a lot of fun. Great vibes there. Worth spending a night out on W.S for sure

- Hot Tuna bar has a fantastic rock band. 

- I noticed about 15 officers with DOPA jackets on surrounding a shop that had the BB guns. I asked the officer what was going on. He said 'checking documents'. I thought that was quite odd for all of them to be there at 1030pm at night. 

- I tried to get my washing done at a small laundry in the condo building at 9am. She said pick it up tomorrow. Noticed she had a balcony with empty rack (no clothes drying or anything from other customers). It was a hot morning with breeze. I thought it was ridiculous to suggest that it couldn't be done same day. Ended up buying small washing powder and putting it in machine myself elsewhere. Hung it up and was dry in 2 to 3 hours on balcony at condo. 

- There was so much plastic and rubbish on the sand at the beach. Last year I saw a tractor with the scrapper blade driving up and down the beach. Why do they not use this every morning during peak season. Hopeless local government. 

- I saw a lot of overweight old men lying in the sun for long time. Red lobster bodies and faces. 

- Walked down soi 6 and noticed a lot of farang men sitting alone at tables. Bar girls standing at the front of the bar staring at people walking down the road- with their backs to these guys. Got to wonder what sort of business model this is. Why are they not socialising with the fine specimens in the bar?

- Walking along beach road at night I saw a lot of working girls from many nationalities. A few looked Indian ladies. A lot of large African ladies, lot of trans gender thais and normal thai girls. 

- During morning exercise along the beach noticed some old farang at the bar having beer for breakfast. 

 

Thats about all I observed. 

So it hasn't changed since 20 years ago then!

[JimTripper]

4 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

Maybe just lonely old guys, you could have gone and spoken with them and livened things up being 15–20 years younger than them.

For free? 🤣

[thesetat]

On 1/4/2024 at 2:52 PM, JimTripper said:

Most guys that like other guys would not be in a gay venue. They chat up other guys in places that are oriented to straights and appear uninterested in the girls. That's why I'm always suspicious of guys that want to chit chat in places where they should be talking to the women.

 

Many don't realize they are gay. They just know they are more comfortable being with and talking to other guys, or just doing things with other guys in general. Over time, they may come out and admit they like males better, but it can take a long time or years for that to happen.

 

For some much older guys like this, it never even turns sexual. It's just a guy that has all these male friends, usually much younger then himself, and it looks odd that he's having all these pool parties with little or no women present. People sometimes think why is this guy not married of have a gf and he is always around a group of guys? Kind of like an uncle figure, but it's not family.

sounds like you have a lot of personal experience with dealing with this. It seems safe to assume you went through this yourself and have now shared your own private insight and experience with everyone else. Thanks for your insight and experience. I hope it has gotten you happy in your new life with other men. 

As for the story, there are many men who go to these type of bars without ever taking a woman. Personally, I go to watch their antics trying to get customers. Occasionally I will take a woman for a drink or more if she interests me enough to consider paying a few hundred dollars on her for drinks and bar fines and then some playtime. 

It seem easy to come to the conclusion though that you personally go to the bars for other men and you are still fighting to come out of the closet or just recently did and trying to convince yourself that other men are the same as you. 

[JimTripper]

9 minutes ago, thesetat said:

sounds like you have a lot of personal experience with dealing with this. It seems safe to assume you went through this yourself and have now shared your own private insight and experience with everyone else. Thanks for your insight and experience. I hope it has gotten you happy in your new life with other men. 

As for the story, there are many men who go to these type of bars without ever taking a woman. Personally, I go to watch their antics trying to get customers. Occasionally I will take a woman for a drink or more if she interests me enough to consider paying a few hundred dollars on her for drinks and bar fines and then some playtime. 

It seem easy to come to the conclusion though that you personally go to the bars for other men and you are still fighting to come out of the closet or just recently did and trying to convince yourself that other men are the same as you. 

Why would you go to a pickup type bar to watch what other men are doing? If you are doing that regularly for some strange unknown reason, definately don't nag or bother other men while you're there. Makes no sense.

[BusyB]

On 1/4/2024 at 6:03 AM, freeworld said:

Did you eat at any restaurants?

 

In the 80's travelling in Austria and Germany, observed people at 7 in the morning dressed in business suits drinking beer.

 

Liquid bread.

[BusyB]

On 1/4/2024 at 6:53 AM, freeworld said:

Traveling around Europe by overnight train and arrive at the station early morning, observed people attired in business suits drinking beer, only what was observed.

 

There's a DW article https://www.dw.com/en/beer-before-work-why-is-it-so-normal-in-germany-to-drink-alcohol-in-the-morning/a-19024870

 

In the UK observed office people at lunch drinking beer as well.

 

Decades under my belt as well. Can only confirm what you say. Not uncommon in offices at all as well. Maybe JG lived a sheltered life in Germany 555

[JimTripper]

On 1/4/2024 at 12:03 PM, freeworld said:

Did you eat at any restaurants?

 

In the 80's travelling in Austria and Germany, observed people at 7 in the morning dressed in business suits drinking beer.

Somehow it looks better when you're wearing decent clothing and can afford a pair of shoes 🤣

[BusyB]

On 1/4/2024 at 9:05 AM, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Saw this earlier this year in Pattaya too; several old guys (15 to twenty years older than me) sitting alone every morning (after 8 or 9 a.m.) at the same beer bars, nursing one beer over an hour and longer, while staring at the empty Soi in front of them... But no, they weren't there since the night before, but arrived at the bar as soon as it opened to have a liquid 'breakfast'.

 

I even saw one guy ringing the bell in an open fronted Beach Road bar at nine in the morning. (I was just passing, honestly.) The place was pretty busy.

[morrobay]

Could care less about when/where/who/what all drinking. But these people coming to Pattaya to smoke cigarettes and waddle around the malls?? Don't they have cigarettes and malls where they come from?. Sure you can find up scale people here in selected venues. But the general ------- public here around the town are mostly overweight cigarette smoking slobs.

 

[thesetat]

2 hours ago, JimTripper said:

Why would you go to a pickup type bar to watch what other men are doing? If you are doing that regularly for some strange unknown reason, definately don't nag or bother other men while you're there. Makes no sense.

You can not read i guess... i clearly said watching them get customers.. I did not know men go to those bars to find customers. but maybe you do hmm

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, JimTripper said:

Somehow it looks better when you're wearing decent clothing and can afford a pair of shoes 🤣

 

True. Even after many years in Thailand, I still won't 'go native', wearing flip-flops, unless I'm on the way to the beach. On the contrary, I'm often overdressed, so that, years ago, I was even called 'Bangkok mafia' by some bargirls in Pattaya, cause they thought I worked in Thailand...

 

[CartagenaWarlock]

On 1/3/2024 at 10:51 PM, advancebooking said:

Why are they not socialising with the fine specimens in the bar?

Maybe they tried, but some people won't buy lady drinks. 

[CartagenaWarlock]

1 hour ago, BusyB said:

I even saw one guy ringing the bell in an open fronted Beach Road bar at nine in the morning. (I was just passing, honestly.) The place was pretty busy.

If a person could afford to ring the bell, there should not be any jealousy.

[CartagenaWarlock]

7 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

Not the part with all the high-so Chinese, Indians and Russians making Pattaya the five-star children friendly, family orientated resort?

 

7 hours ago, newnative said:

Racist much?  Twice a week my spouse and I go to a very nice high-end resort in Wongamat to use the also very nice gym.  And, yes, the resort does have Chinese, Indian, and Russian families.  Also those from other countries, as well as lots of Thai families on weekends and holidays. 

   You need to get out more--there's a lot more to Pattaya than just Walking Street/Soi 6, etc.  As I've said before, most of the big, new development is not near Walking Street.  Actually, anywhere but.                 Instead, it's in north Pattaya with Terminal 21, Ozo, Mitt, Grand Centre Point, Centre Point Space, and Once condo.  It's in Wong Amat with Arom, Riviera, and Wyndham Grand, to join all the other development that has gone in there, including a number of boutique hotels. 

    It's in Jomtien with Copacabana, Aeras, Riviera Monaco and Ocean Drive, among lots of others.  It's on the Darkside with a big new amusement/water park going up, along with numerous new housing estates, and a large under-construction hospital connected with Thammasat University. 

    It's south of town with Icon Siam on the horizon, to go with extensive roadwork expanding the lanes and incorporating overpasses.  It's lots of new non-bar businesses springing up everywhere--check out the huge, new Nitan coffee cafe on Sukhumvit sometime to get an idea of how Pattaya is changing.  Or, perhaps the new Miss Pastry near Lake Mabprachan.

I concur. And more coming with the high-speed trains from Bangkok. If only Pattay had a university, the game will change. It will be like Thai version of Las Vegas. The downtown Pattay (mostly walking street area) is very crowded, indeed. New planning required to move crowds away from that area. 

[newnative]

1 hour ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

Your posts are weird.

    I prefer occasional flights of fantasy to weird; taking something real and then creating something fictional and, perhaps, whimsical out of it.  Some time ago I began to notice the many posts on every Forum thread having anything whatsoever to do with Pattaya, by a legion of non-Pattaya  posters, some who had never actually even been to Pattaya, some who had been to Pattaya once or a few times, many years ago, and some, like you, who lived here at some point and moved away. 

    Despite in some cases never, ever visiting, or visiting very long ago, it didn't stop these posters from voraciously reading every single thread they could find about Pattaya and then, often with wonderful sour grapes tonality, adding their comments, opinions, barbs, etc.--usually woefully out-of-date and inaccurate.  Lots of good examples on display in this very thread, including yours, harking back to Pattaya of the 'nineties'.

    Having observed this crazy, unnatural phenomenon, I let my imagination run and out popped the mythical Just Can't Quit Pattaya Fan Club, made up of members, such as yourself, that, well, just can't quit Pattaya--for whatever reason.  Just. Cannot. Let. It. Go.  Talk about weird!  Is there a Just Can't Quit Lamphun Fan Club?   I think not.

    In any case, welcome to the club.  Membership allows you to comment inaccurately on all things Pattaya to your heart's content, for as many years, or decades, as you feel you must, and with absolutely no condemnation from your fellow club members, who, of course, suffer from the same strange malady.  So, post away!

[newnative]

16 minutes ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

 

I concur. And more coming with the high-speed trains from Bangkok. If only Pattay had a university, the game will change. It will be like Thai version of Las Vegas. The downtown Pattay (mostly walking street area) is very crowded, indeed. New planning required to move crowds away from that area. 

Pattaya does have a small campus of Thammasat University.  It is currently building a large hospital next to the campus that will be affiiated with the university.

[JimTripper]

1 hour ago, StayinThailand2much said:

True. Even after many years in Thailand, I still won't 'go native', wearing flip-flops, unless I'm on the way to the beach. On the contrary, I'm often overdressed, so that, years ago, I was even called 'Bangkok mafia' by some bargirls in Pattaya, cause they thought I worked in Thailand...

I did the flip flop and tank top thing the first few years I was here. When I realized I was living here and not just on vacation I said forget it I don't want to live like a poor guy in flip flops and started wearing nice shoes and long pants 🤣.

[SAFETY FIRST]

16 hours ago, newnative said:

resort in Wongamat to use the also very nice gym

How much do they charge you for use of the gym? 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

8 hours ago, JimTripper said:

don't want to live like a poor guy in flip flops and started wearing nice shoes and long pants 🤣.

I wear flip flops around the house, never outside but I can't understand why people wear long pants here in Thailand, sure if you are doing business, not going for a drink with your mates 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 1/4/2024 at 5:59 PM, proton said:

'Bar girls standing at the front of the bar staring at people walking down the road- with their backs to these guys. Got to wonder what sort of business model this is. Why are they not socialising with the fine specimens in the bar?'

 

Because most of them despise sex pats and sex tourists, they have zero in common with them and only interact with these foreign sad sacks when absolutely necessary.

You appear to know as little about the bar scene as the OP- not much. Have you actually spent ANY time in the bars you apparently despise. can't have talked with (m)any bar girls to have that idea.

[thaibeachlovers]

9 hours ago, JimTripper said:

I did the flip flop and tank top thing the first few years I was here. When I realized I was living here and not just on vacation I said forget it I don't want to live like a poor guy in flip flops and started wearing nice shoes and long pants 🤣.

Sooooo, all the Thais in Thailand that wear flip flops are exhibiting their "poverty" are they?

[thaibeachlovers]

10 hours ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

 

I concur. And more coming with the high-speed trains from Bangkok. If only Pattay had a university, the game will change. It will be like Thai version of Las Vegas. The downtown Pattay (mostly walking street area) is very crowded, indeed. New planning required to move crowds away from that area. 

The down town area is where the money is made, Why would they reduce the people spending there?

 

Did you post "university" when you meant "casino"?

What's wrong with Pattaya as it is? Why does everyone want to change it. Want Las Vegas- go there and stop trying to change Pattaya.

[thaibeachlovers]

13 hours ago, BusyB said:

 

I even saw one guy ringing the bell in an open fronted Beach Road bar at nine in the morning. (I was just passing, honestly.) The place was pretty busy.

No one cares if you went in, and if someone wants to ring the bell, is that a big deal, or something?