Backpacker Paradise or Overcrowded Chaos? Pai Struggles with Tourism Boom

[Hummin]

23 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What do you mean with "need to go for Thai chicks"?

Since I know they exist I prefer Thai girls. Most farang "girls" are fat. And if you are lucky to find one pretty girl you can be almost sure she has an attitude problem. Most western guys in Thailand are not interested in farang females for a good reason.

Most foreigners at our age, can't talk for the younger dudes.

 

 

[Hummin]

2 minutes ago, Woke to Sounds said:

Agree.

 

Farang chicks are looking for any and all reason to chop your bxlls off.

 

Avoid those bxtches at all costs.

 

If absolutely necessary get a good lawyer to draft a pre-nuptial.

 

Cover your axse.

People have different options and values, but seen from your view and most likely experiences, I believe you

[Gecko]

In The Beach the movie it says:

Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, it's probably worth it.

The only downer is, everyone's got the same idea. We all travel thousands of miles just to watch TV and check into somewhere with all the comforts of home.

And you gotta ask yourself......What is the point of that?

 

Well, I did watch movies in the evenings in Pai 20 years ago 😁, was quite relaxing actually. But okay, there were just a handful of people who watched with me.

[Jonathan Swift]

These things are more complicated than most people are able to grasp. This kind of radical change acts like a fast moving blunt object, a swinging pendulum of force that goes one way when it's pushed in that direction, going past the intended target, knocking people over, uprooting and smashing things in the process. It happens everywhere, not just Thailand, it is the nature of change when it happens faster than people can keep up with. In this case, obviously the government had to do something to save and preserve the economy, I think we all understand that, and it is virtually impossible to foresee all of the repercussions. It's also impossible to keep government operating in a consistently effective and sensible manner

[tjintx]

1 hour ago, frank83628 said:

Those young guys dont need to go for Thai chicks, unlike you OAPs

 

Looking at 'em in that picture, I'd say it's the Thai fellas they're more likely to go after (other than the other dudes in the tubes).

[Jonathan Swift]

The bad publicity has embarrassed the powers that be into holding a high level meeting about this, in the town of Pai with the police and locals. Things look like they are about to change. A bar just got raided and a whole band of musicians were caught working without a permit. This may not seem like much, but it shows a radical departure from the previous status quo of turning a blind eye to the behavior of foreigners. The local hippie colony is all shocked  and outraged that their little hippie stoner paradise is now being stepped on with actual enforcement of laws. They've been flauting visa rules, flauting motorbike license laws and endangering people with their driving, publicly flauting work laws by actually advertising services on facebook, parasite begpackers and deadbeats contributing nothing to the local economy. I'm sure this was a deliberate signal as to what's coming. But of course I could be wrong, because, the more I learn the less I know. Thailand if nothing else is largely unpredictable. One thing for sure, the times they are a-changin, and the good old days are gone. 

[WDSmart]

1 hour ago, blaze master said:

 

Clearly you missed my first comment on this thread. Maybe take a peek. Or at one of the others where I talked about the burning. 

 

The thing is you haven't really learned though. You'll make the normal excuse but you still thrive off the rewards capitalism provided you.

 

Give if all up become a monk or a humanitarian. Until then you're just making excuses for your hypocritical behavior. If you didn't preach so much about socialism I would never comment.

 

However.

.

As I have previously stated I probably own much less things and stuff than you do. All by choice. People who know me know I live quite selfless. 

 

I have learned. I don't "thrive" off the "rewards capitalism provided" me. I live modestly and contribute a lot to my community here in Thailand. And, yes, what I do have are the results of my capitalist activities, but I've diminished those long ago.

I am not a monk, but I am an avid humanitarian. That's what socialism is all about. To put it simply, "The difference between capitalism and socialism is the first letter of a two-letter word. Capitalists are all about 'me,' and socialists are all about 'we.'"'

I'm glad to hear you live "quite selfless." I respect that.

[sharot724]

Some have forgotten how it is being young.

[smew]

So, the moral of this story is: give us your money but don't visit, just  come drop off you cash at the town limits and bugger off.

Well, one comes with the other.

[Hummin]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Swift said:

The bad publicity has embarrassed the powers that be into holding a high level meeting about this, in the town of Pai with the police and locals. Things look like they are about to change. A bar just got raided and a whole band of musicians were caught working without a permit. This may not seem like much, but it shows a radical departure from the previous status quo of turning a blind eye to the behavior of foreigners. The local hippie colony is all shocked  and outraged that their little hippie stoner paradise is now being stepped on with actual enforcement of laws. They've been flauting visa rules, flauting motorbike license laws and endangering people with their driving, publicly flauting work laws by actually advertising services on facebook, parasite begpackers and deadbeats contributing nothing to the local economy. I'm sure this was a deliberate signal as to what's coming. But of course I could be wrong, because, the more I learn the less I know. Thailand if nothing else is largely unpredictable. One thing for sure, the times they are a-changin, and the good old days are gone. 

One of my favorite islands, is now just overrun by dopeheads and ignorant party tourists. And it used to be such a clean pristine quiet place with very few locals, expats, and high season tourism. 

[Ajarnbrian]

The word spread, more visitors came, it became a tourist honeypot, more money making outsiders came, backpackers with little regard for local culture arrived in droves. What was attractive about Pai over 10 years ago is largely lost. Time to aim for a better class of tourist.

[steven100]

2 minutes ago, Ajarnbrian said:

Time to aim for a better class of tourist.

 

they tried that several times,   but they kept getting robbed of they're gold neck chains  

[Burma Bill]

8 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

Even when I lived in Chiang Mai years ago, Pai had a reputation as an anything goes, happy go lucky place.

 

If things are getting disorderly, maybe they should post a few more police there to keep order and referee the disputes. It’s what they do in any top class family-friendly resorts elsewhere.

 

Yes indeed.

 

When I retired to live in Northern Thailand 25 years ago, PAI was known as the unofficial "capital" of The Golden Triangle. You could still see 1960's style hippies wandering the streets. Along with the alcohol, drugs were widely available including Yaba, heroin/opium and cannabis (illegal at that time). It was a "junkie" resort. With the recent legalization of marijuana, I am sure PAI has become an even greater magnet for the addicts. 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

10 hours ago, cr600john said:

Is this NOT what the Thai Government wanted? free visa, talk of lifting the BAN on ALCOHOL SALES, To get more tourists in and get them happy drunk. then complain that only BAD FARANGS.coming to THAILAND.

 

100%... 

 

This is exactly what Thailand wants... its covets these tourists, advertises for them, sets up such activities for them... 

 

This is part of the back-packer / gap-year trail...  The come here, they spend loads of money and have a great time...    they video their experiences (instagram, youtube, tiktok) and more come... 

 

 

Then what ??   some people complain that the tranquility is lost ? 

 

Thailand wants this, the locals want this because of the revenue - its a lottery win... 

But, the complaints are naive - you can't have mass tourism without the 'negatives' that come with it.....  Thailand likes to try and kill off the golden goose... 

... Yes, tourists can be disrespectful...  but the locals who covet such numbers seem to want only the money and that greed also makes them hypocritical when they complain their culture is being impacted. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Ajarnbrian said:

The word spread, more visitors came, it became a tourist honeypot, more money making outsiders came, backpackers with little regard for local culture arrived in droves. What was attractive about Pai over 10 years ago is largely lost. Time to aim for a better class of tourist.

 

I'm not sure about that....    The 'better class of tourist' doesn't want what they have 'on offer'... 

...  These area's covet such tourist as they arrive en-masse, spend money en-masse... 

 

This 'better classes of tourist' that Thailand repeatedly announces that its trying to attract either goes elsewhere, or it goes to 'quieter' area's of Thailand already... 

 

 

BUT... the truth is Thailand authorities and local businesses don't care about the 'class of Tourist'.... They just want the money.... once the money is flowing in, then familiarity breeds contempt and the complaints also start flowing...   

 

Tourism is a double edges sword, the positive does not exist without he negative - or it doesn't without very careful planning and that is not a Thailand strong suit.

 

Thailand is a great tourist destination - it does what is says on the tin...   it already has the recipe right, it self markets and it makes a lot of money from tourists... it should stop complaining and grow up - when such numbers are visiting they can't suddenly complain that this is not what they wanted. 

 

 

 

 

[geisha]

9 hours ago, phetphet said:

It's not just Pai. Even here in Samui it is chaotic now. High season has always been fairly busy here, but I have never seen the roads this busy before. Journeys that once took ten minutes can now take an hour. Impossible to get a flight to or from Bangkok for days, car ferries fully booked.

Uncontrolled building everywhere. So called "Beach Clubs", which seem to be the new trend are popping up everywhere. My only surprises are that there hasn't been too many power outages or water shortages. I dread what will happen when, or if they build the much talked about bridge.

 

It might be progress, but it's not all good.

It seems that all Thailand has been invaded. My UK niece told me her neighbor just came back and said “ never again”. My friends from Phuket says it’s become a hell hole. Expats trying to sell up and leave. 
Im in Pattaya, and to be honest, have never seen so many tourists. Mostly Chinese , Indian and Russian. La crème de la crème , not ! From Central Festival to Terminal 21, 40 mins drive this weekend . It’s driving the Thais crazy , and angry. Nobody wants tourism at this price.  I’m so glad I never retired here, it was my dream through my working years.  I’d hate to think I’d sold my home and quality of life for this chaos.

[cmsally]

39 minutes ago, geisha said:

It seems that all Thailand has been invaded. My UK niece told me her neighbor just came back and said “ never again”. My friends from Phuket says it’s become a hell hole. Expats trying to sell up and leave. 
Im in Pattaya, and to be honest, have never seen so many tourists. Mostly Chinese , Indian and Russian. La crème de la crème , not ! From Central Festival to Terminal 21, 40 mins drive this weekend . It’s driving the Thais crazy , and angry. Nobody wants tourism at this price.  I’m so glad I never retired here, it was my dream through my working years.  I’d hate to think I’d sold my home and quality of life for this chaos.

Spot on, this is the first year I have heard multiple people saying they will not visit Thailand or certain parts of Thailand again. 

[Greenhill]

12 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

That has me confused.......not that it takes much nowadays anyway. Also, Knowing what cheap charlies backpackers are I cannot imagine a huge influx of tourist money. 

 

You're not confused!!   That sentence makes no sense!!!

[happydreamer]

Lived in Thailand 10 years...Places Ive never gone and will probably never go

Koh Phangan

Phuket

Koh Phi Phi

Koh Tao

Pai

 

I did go to Samui on my first trip here in 2012 but spent the entire time on grounds at the Conrad.  

 

[PomPolo]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

some locals feel their traditions and way of life are increasingly marginalised

One day they don't like Jewish people the next day they don't like any tourists but I bet they love money!

[Young Hick]

18 hours ago, cowellandrew said:

Yeah that looks like real fun!

😁😬😳

That's just foreplay.  Wait what happens at night.  

[Young Hick]

4 hours ago, happydreamer said:

Lived in Thailand 10 years...Places Ive never gone and will probably never go

Koh Phangan

Phuket

Koh Phi Phi

Koh Tao

Pai

 

I did go to Samui on my first trip here in 2012 but spent the entire time on grounds at the Conrad.  

 

Makes sense, I have everything I need in Pattaya.  So I'll be living nearby.

[Young Hick]

Some locals see many tourists and see glass half empty.  The reverse is also true.  

 

Plus, for those complaining, it's just during high season anyway.  Populations are growing and folks need to understand that unless you leave beach front where you only see ocean ahead of you, train your eyes to see people more and more.  Folks go to the mountains or buy ranches and think they got it made paying a fraction but same as those who pay premium living beachfront.  No.   

[kwak250]

4 hours ago, happydreamer said:

Lived in Thailand 10 years...Places Ive never gone and will probably never go

Koh Phangan

Phuket

Koh Phi Phi

Koh Tao

Pai

 

I did go to Samui on my first trip here in 2012 but spent the entire time on grounds at the Conrad.  

 

You just named some of the best places or at least they were 10-20 years ago

[Jim Blue]

Seems to me his case was thrown out so the law worked perfectly.?

[happydreamer]

16 hours ago, kwak250 said:

You just named some of the best places or at least they were 10-20 years ago

Yep...add 2001Ibiza to that list too.  That one I've been to but seeing it now would never return