2 hours ago, Rockyroad said:

English breakfast wow. You flew 5000km to eat badly cooked eggs and bacon 🤣

Nah not me. I took the shortcut!!

7 hours ago, Olmate said:

When were you in Phuket then because your comment is way off reality, especially for expats. I was in Phuket for 5 and same here!

7 hours ago, Olmate said:

When were you in Phuket then because your comment is way off reality, especially for expats. I was in Phuket for 5 and same here!

i don't understand what you're trying to say?

3 hours ago, PJ71 said:

i don't understand what you're trying to say?

Seriously! Pattaya is great for expats more so than tourists and Phuket is more suited to short stays tberefore not for expats. End of story👍

On 4/26/2026 at 9:54 AM, spidermike007 said:

Phuket and Samui are finished for those of us who have seen them back in their glory days. So who comes now? Who is attracted to an over crowded and over priced island?

same thing will happen to Koh Chang - it's roughly the same size of Phuket. I think Krabi is still just ok.. and Hua Hin is jealously guarded by th Hi So and Mid So Thais that have their second homes there..which is why little has changed (except a small shopping centre opposite the Marriott), though condos (illegally) rented as Airbnb's continue to be developed south of the town along the coast.

5 hours ago, Olmate said:

Seriously! Pattaya is great for expats more so than tourists and Phuket is more suited to short stays tberefore not for expats. End of story👍

In your opinion.

What can you get in Pattaya you cannot get in Phuket?

Some of those Aussies can be extremely volatile.

I would never go near one without protection.

On 4/25/2026 at 11:22 PM, PJ71 said:

It's a shame as the scenery is stunning.

That's the only reason I would consider returning. Well, that and the surfing beaches on the SW in low season.

The low quality trailer trash tourists like this Sherlock character are just subhumans who should be banned from the Kingdom.

5 hours ago, ronnie50 said:

same thing will happen to Koh Chang - it's roughly the same size of Phuket.

Huh? I'm not so sure.

Chang is much more of an effort to get to than Phuket.

Trash tourists want the easiest path.

Ergo Phuket, Pattaya and Samui are overflowing with trash.

7 hours ago, PJ71 said:

In your opinion.

What can you get in Pattaya you cannot get in Phuket?

A 15 baht songtaew ride!

23 hours ago, Olmate said:

Are you in Phuket then? Seems not if you post 'less creeps'. Exactly where do you want to ferry south to FFS! 🤣

Lanta is nice, takes the brunt of low season winds though.

8 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Some of those Aussies can be extremely volatile.

I would never go near one without protection.

Your safe, even Bogans have their standards!

On 4/26/2026 at 10:54 AM, spidermike007 said:

Phuket has declined to a rather sad level over the years. I was first in Phuket in 1976. Few resorts. A few bungalows on the beaches. Beachfront land was 2,000 baht a rai. They could not give it away. 

 

Went back in 1986. Had developed alot. Still very nice. Same applied to Samui. Again in 1993. Far more development. Still amazing. Azure seas. Spectacular women everywhere. Great food. 

 

Did not return until around 2008. It was degraded, for the most part. But, still decent. Good nightlife.

 

Again around 2014. Nowhere near the place it used to be, with a diminished nightlife, but not awful yet.

Back again in 2023 and there was absolutely no charm left, very few attractive gals and Bangla Road was absolutely horrific, with barely a good looking girl to be found with the exception of just a couple of Go-Go's charging truly stupid money.

.....

Phuket and Samui are finished for those of us who have seen them back in their glory days. So who comes now? Who is attracted to an over crowded and over priced island?

It only took 3 visits for me plan around even passing through Phuket.

1977: idyllic remote beach bliss.

1984: Fun and games.

2010: Get me outta here!

8 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

Huh? I'm not so sure.

Chang is much more of an effort to get to than Phuket.

Trash tourists want the easiest path.

Ergo Phuket, Pattaya and Samui are overflowing with trash.

I lived on Samui over a decade ago, for a decade, and I sometimes felt like the island resembled a dish rag from a diner that had been used hundreds, if not thousands of times. Wrung out time and again. Spoiled, soiled and abused. And the environment was never treated with any degree of pride by either the locals or the authorities.

10 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

Huh? I'm not so sure.

Chang is much more of an effort to get to than Phuket.

Trash tourists want the easiest path.

Ergo Phuket, Pattaya and Samui are overflowing with trash.

I agree they want the easiest path. My point is Koh Chang is increasingly marketed, so it's ripe for development - and the trash will follow.

Stop visa free travel for bogan dross