Foreign Investors Still Optimistic About Pattaya

[damian5000]

I have the same problems with the dogs, if you live in a middle-class Thai neighbourhood you deal with those people, making noises all night, motorbikes passing all night (do they never sleep?) Dog shit all over the place! Yesterday couldn't even park my big bike before my entree cause there were like 3-4 different dog shits everywhere, I talked to the lady from the dogs that I am tired of that shit, she replied, just clean it and it dissappear, what a logic? I tried pepper and it works (if it not rains of course) Now I am looking for a new neighbourhood where farangs live like me.

When I first moved in (20 years ago) the estate was occupied by middle-class Thais (army, navy, bank managers, gold shop owners, school teachers etc) and me (the only farang). Now I'm the only original occupier left. All the others sold and left. The new occupiers of those houses are low-class farang with their even lower-class girl-friends (ex-bar-whores).

Perhaps it too is time for me too leave..................

There's no perhaps about it...

[jellymeister]

this cornick chap of raimon land is probably just doing his job, but he has to be one of the biggest false hope spin doctors in the real estate industry..every story mentioning him seems to imply that a Pattaya boom is well underway, and each time for a different reason...next it will be the martians who have decided to drive up the pattaya market due to the many available heliports or some other such nonsense.....

Foreign investors still optimistic about Pattaya

BANGKOK: -- The Thai Government is currently taking steps to reassure foreign investors, one of Thailand‘s biggest money earners, that the present wave of political protests is a short term affair and isn‘t indicative of long-term instability.

Apparently, Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama thought it necessary to reassure the British business community, in particular via the UK‘s Foreign Minister, David Miliband, that all was essentially well in the Land of Smiles and what discontent there was was merely a symptom of the democratic process.

Everybody here understands that street protests are normal in any democratic country and they don‘t have to hurt government stability," Noppadon said in a press briefing in London on June 3, 2008.

Mr. Noppadon's attempt to reassure both foreign investors and potential tourists was apparently in response to a recent report that Asian tourists in particular are shying away from Thailand because of the political protests, Malaysia and Indonesia, apparently issuing travel warnings to their citizens contemplating Thai holidays. Highly respected Thai commentator, Prawase Wasi, also warned that the Thai poltico-economic conflicts were discouraging investment and tourism and proposed the establishment of a national government as a solution.

All this popular mass protest recently witnessed in the streets of Bangkok, doesn't seem to have radically affected Russian and Scandinavian investors, particularly in Pattaya, however. In 2007, 889,656 Russians visited Pattaya, up 84 per cent from 2006, making them the leading market for the resort. According to Raimon Land's CEO, Nigel Cornick's recent edition of the definitive property guide "Why invest...... Pattaya", the Russians and Scandinavians have now displaced the Brits and Germans as the main property investors in Pattaya, which is particularly good news for developers in this fair city. And although the Russians have been coming here for the past 10 years, it's only in the past two that they have started to buy up Pattaya properties. Last year, according to Raimon Land, Russian property purchases accounted for 22 per cent, (USD 7.7 million) of condominium sales in their upmarket developments Northshore, The Lofts, Southshore and Northpoint.

The Russians, however, not exactly being super-linguists as any Pattaya-Jomtien baht-bus passenger can readily attest, do tend to place their trust in their own language speakers, which is why recently so many Pattaya Real estate agents have begun to recruit Russian speakers, as a glimpse at the classified Jobs Offered sections of the local media will confirm. Although some longer term Russian Pattaya residents have begun placing their children in the local international schools where learning English is far cheaper than back in Russia.

One new trend, however, won't gladden the hearts of the established Pattaya real estate agencies, however, that of the recent setting up of real estate agencies by authentic Russians, many of whom have direct links with the lucrative CIS tourist group market. Uriy Segal, the Russian president of Russian House, a newly set-up Pattaya property agency, stated "I think this year (2008), Russians will account for 40 per cent of property sales in Pattaya." Segal also commented that compared to Moscow, property prices in Pattaya are a bargain.

Although there is a growing trend for Russians to open their own real estate agencies, their local Western brethren can still count on substantial Russian custom, however, as can be vouched for by the likes of Raimon Land, CB Richard Ellis and Siam Best Enterprises.' ultra prestigious, Ocean 1 Tower. Russians, apparently, love to boast of their purchases back home and ownership in Siam Best Enterprises.' ultra prestigious, Ocean 1 Tower, as SE Asia's potentially tallest building comes top of the list.

For most Pattaya real estate agencies however, the Scandinavian local investor market is much less lucrative. Although there is a prediction by Colliers International of a huge incipient surge from Nordic RSH (retired and second home) investors, with Pattaya investments estimated at Bt1550 billion (2008-9), local real estate agents can expect to see little of this as the Swedish and Norwegian market in Pattaya is effectively sewn by up savvy Scandinavian developers who often sell Pattaya properties to their compatriots even before they come to what is now termed the Asian Riviera or mini-Bangkok, i.e. Pattaya.

-- Pattaya Daily News 2008-06-06

Edited June 7, 2008 by jellymeister

[ray08]

I bought my land in pattaya and had the house and pool built 4 years ago,total cost 3 million, 3 bed, 2 bath,14 mt pool,i had it sold a month ago for 5 mill,i went looking around pattaya for another house for a week,all the villages i had looked at not long ago with many places fo sale,all of a sudden have only 2/3 for sale,

and a 2 story 3 bed house's no pool were selling from 4 1/2 mill up some cheaper,but not good for a resale later.

i stopped the sale before deposit,and am now glad i did,my norwegien neighbor has 4 house's and he has them constantly rented.

the thais are buying,and the russians are both renting and buying,i use to check the condos out but not lately so i car'nt comment on them.but the house's i've found are on the up, if you have not got on your bike or car to look around and only listen to others,you are not doing yourself, or others a favor,like anything else you have to do your homework.

cat

What Real Estate Agent do you work for ? and great to see foreigners can now own land in Thailand like your Norwegian neighbour , I must of missed that law being passed.

[monkfish]

Just read Mr Noppadon's speech nothing mentioned about the protests in Bangkok though.

Not sure where the Thai newspapers got that story? maybe it was said over a cup of tee?

http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/LSEPublic...602_Pattama.pdf

[catwho]

I bought my land in pattaya and had the house and pool built 4 years ago,total cost 3 million, 3 bed, 2 bath,14 mt pool,i had it sold a month ago for 5 mill,i went looking around pattaya for another house for a week,all the villages i had looked at not long ago with many places fo sale,all of a sudden have only 2/3 for sale,

and a 2 story 3 bed house's no pool were selling from 4 1/2 mill up some cheaper,but not good for a resale later.

i stopped the sale before deposit,and am now glad i did,my norwegien neighbor has 4 house's and he has them constantly rented.

the thais are buying,and the russians are both renting and buying,i use to check the condos out but not lately so i car'nt comment on them.but the house's i've found are on the up, if you have not got on your bike or car to look around and only listen to others,you are not doing yourself, or others a favor,like anything else you have to do your homework.

cat

What Real Estate Agent do you work for ? and great to see foreigners can now own land in Thailand like your Norwegian neighbour , I must of missed that law being passed.

another sinic,get of your ass and have a look around.my wife and kids own the house and havent you heard of companys,and lease's.i tell it how i see it.

[wilko]

I bought my land in pattaya and had the house and pool built 4 years ago,total cost 3 million, 3 bed, 2 bath,14 mt pool,i had it sold a month ago for 5 mill,i went looking around pattaya for another house for a week,all the villages i had looked at not long ago with many places fo sale,all of a sudden have only 2/3 for sale,

and a 2 story 3 bed house's no pool were selling from 4 1/2 mill up some cheaper,but not good for a resale later.

i stopped the sale before deposit,and am now glad i did,my norwegien neighbor has 4 house's and he has them constantly rented.

the thais are buying,and the russians are both renting and buying,i use to check the condos out but not lately so i car'nt comment on them.but the house's i've found are on the up, if you have not got on your bike or car to look around and only listen to others,you are not doing yourself, or others a favor,like anything else you have to do your homework.

cat

What Real Estate Agent do you work for ? and great to see foreigners can now own land in Thailand like your Norwegian neighbour , I must of missed that law being passed.

another sinic,get of your ass and have a look around.my wife and kids own the house and havent you heard of companys,and lease's.i tell it how i see it.

Yes..lets face it at the end of the day owning a house here can be pretty shitty....no freehold etc...but if there's money to be made people will do it.....so maybe that's why they aren't?!

[Naam]

I couldn't wait to leave.

good riddance and don't come back!

Lived in Pattaya for the last 10 years and wouldn't live anywhere else. There are other things to do besides going and checking out the sex tourists and prostitutes while your here you know!

My quote was this, so, why don't you go and don't come back until you learn to read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my reading is ok but you have to learn to post in a way that one can distinguish your post from the quote my friend!

[djinn]

Did Pattaya become really already a bit more family friendly in recent years?

Sure,didn't you notice the nice changes

-New large footpaths everywhere

-No more crime nor drug

-The best police force you can afford

-Fluid traffic witb every motorbike owner respecting the law

-not any more semi naked drunk tourists in town

-....you can add some more if you wish

OK OK I am cynical they are some positive points

Hum I wish I could find one

solly

A 6 years resident in Naklua and Na Jomtien

[bayrider]

Well, I bought a condo in Bangkok and it is a very nice place since it has nice teak wood flooring and extremely high ceiling and all the amenities. I spent 4.5 million over 5 years ago and now maybe it is worth 6 million since it is in Asoke. I think it is ok for living, however even with the Thai currency appreciation it is a crappy investment since if I bought anything in place of high growth like Shanghai it would have appreciated 300% and if I bought in Ho Chi Min city in Vietnam it would have appreciated 1,000%. The Thais do have better marketing skills, they could package ice cubes and sell it to Eskimos.

[NanLaew]

Quite a few posts about dogs and yes, there are dogs everywhere in Thailand. Everyone seems to have a dog while not actually having a dog if you see what I mean. Apart from the mangiest ones, people feed certain dogs in their soi and shoo away others, all a very subtle way of ownership. I wondered why does everyone have a dog that they don't really care about or look after? On a visit to the vet, the penny dropped when I saw a framed picture on the wall of somebody that all Thais revere and respect and he was surrounded by dogs. He has dogs, ergo, all Thais must have dogs too.

So get used to it. These dogs aren't going anywhere for a few years yet.

[Otis]

Quite a few posts about dogs and yes, there are dogs everywhere in Thailand. Everyone seems to have a dog while not actually having a dog if you see what I mean. Apart from the mangiest ones, people feed certain dogs in their soi and shoo away others, all a very subtle way of ownership. I wondered why does everyone have a dog that they don't really care about or look after? On a visit to the vet, the penny dropped when I saw a framed picture on the wall of somebody that all Thais revere and respect and he was surrounded by dogs. He has dogs, ergo, all Thais must have dogs too.

So get used to it. These dogs aren't going anywhere for a few years yet.

Or, maybe, move to Sahkorn Nahkorn.

[Naam]

i have a dog, my neighbour has a dog and two cats. in the afternoon our dogs and the cats play with each other for an hour or so. where's the problem?

[ray08]

I bought my land in pattaya and had the house and pool built 4 years ago,total cost 3 million, 3 bed, 2 bath,14 mt pool,i had it sold a month ago for 5 mill,i went looking around pattaya for another house for a week,all the villages i had looked at not long ago with many places fo sale,all of a sudden have only 2/3 for sale,

and a 2 story 3 bed house's no pool were selling from 4 1/2 mill up some cheaper,but not good for a resale later.

i stopped the sale before deposit,and am now glad i did,my norwegien neighbor has 4 house's and he has them constantly rented.

the thais are buying,and the russians are both renting and buying,i use to check the condos out but not lately so i car'nt comment on them.but the house's i've found are on the up, if you have not got on your bike or car to look around and only listen to others,you are not doing yourself, or others a favor,like anything else you have to do your homework.

cat

What Real Estate Agent do you work for ? and great to see foreigners can now own land in Thailand like your Norwegian neighbour , I must of missed that law being passed.

another sinic,get of your ass and have a look around.my wife and kids own the house and havent you heard of companys,and lease's.i tell it how i see it.

oh, so the law has not changed and a foreigner still cannot buy land ,Company route not kosher , give it to the Thai wife ,well its not yours, so we are talking about buying an asset that YOU cannot own ,not good advice for investing .

[wilko]

i have a dog, my neighbour has a dog and two cats. in the afternoon our dogs and the cats play with each other for an hour or so. where's the problem?

I' sure you didn't intend to sound like that but it is typical of dog owners...they seem to be blind to the problems that their darling pooches cause.......

"He's only trying to be friendly" ........... as their Rottie gnaws off or humps your leg, chases your motorbike halfway down the road, howls at his playmates at 2 in the morning, shits on your doorstep, pisses in your fishpond, gets run over and bleeds to death in your front yard etc etc....

[Priceless]

Back to the OP for a minute:

Foreign investors still optimistic about Pattaya

BANGKOK: -- The Thai Government is currently taking steps to reassure foreign investors, one of Thailand‘s biggest money earners, that the present wave of political protests is a short term affair and isn‘t indicative of long-term instability.

Apparently, Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama thought it necessary to reassure the British business community, in particular via the UK‘s Foreign Minister, David Miliband, that all was essentially well in the Land of Smiles and what discontent there was was merely a symptom of the democratic process.

Everybody here understands that street protests are normal in any democratic country and they don‘t have to hurt government stability," Noppadon said in a press briefing in London on June 3, 2008.

Mr. Noppadon's attempt to reassure both foreign investors and potential tourists was apparently in response to a recent report that Asian tourists in particular are shying away from Thailand because of the political protests, Malaysia and Indonesia, apparently issuing travel warnings to their citizens contemplating Thai holidays. Highly respected Thai commentator, Prawase Wasi, also warned that the Thai poltico-economic conflicts were discouraging investment and tourism and proposed the establishment of a national government as a solution.

All this popular mass protest recently witnessed in the streets of Bangkok, doesn't seem to have radically affected Russian and Scandinavian investors, particularly in Pattaya, however. In 2007, 889,656 Russians visited Pattaya, up 84 per cent from 2006, making them the leading market for the resort. According to Raimon Land's CEO, Nigel Cornick's recent edition of the definitive property guide "Why invest...... Pattaya", the Russians and Scandinavians have now displaced the Brits and Germans as the main property investors in Pattaya, which is particularly good news for developers in this fair city. And although the Russians have been coming here for the past 10 years, it's only in the past two that they have started to buy up Pattaya properties. Last year, according to Raimon Land, Russian property purchases accounted for 22 per cent, (USD 7.7 million) of condominium sales in their upmarket developments Northshore, The Lofts, Southshore and Northpoint.

The Russians, however, not exactly being super-linguists as any Pattaya-Jomtien baht-bus passenger can readily attest, do tend to place their trust in their own language speakers, which is why recently so many Pattaya Real estate agents have begun to recruit Russian speakers, as a glimpse at the classified Jobs Offered sections of the local media will confirm. Although some longer term Russian Pattaya residents have begun placing their children in the local international schools where learning English is far cheaper than back in Russia.

One new trend, however, won't gladden the hearts of the established Pattaya real estate agencies, however, that of the recent setting up of real estate agencies by authentic Russians, many of whom have direct links with the lucrative CIS tourist group market. Uriy Segal, the Russian president of Russian House, a newly set-up Pattaya property agency, stated "I think this year (2008), Russians will account for 40 per cent of property sales in Pattaya." Segal also commented that compared to Moscow, property prices in Pattaya are a bargain.

Although there is a growing trend for Russians to open their own real estate agencies, their local Western brethren can still count on substantial Russian custom, however, as can be vouched for by the likes of Raimon Land, CB Richard Ellis and Siam Best Enterprises.' ultra prestigious, Ocean 1 Tower. Russians, apparently, love to boast of their purchases back home and ownership in Siam Best Enterprises.' ultra prestigious, Ocean 1 Tower, as SE Asia's potentially tallest building comes top of the list.

For most Pattaya real estate agencies however, the Scandinavian local investor market is much less lucrative. Although there is a prediction by Colliers International of a huge incipient surge from Nordic RSH (retired and second home) investors, with Pattaya investments estimated at Bt1550 billion (2008-9), local real estate agents can expect to see little of this as the Swedish and Norwegian market in Pattaya is effectively sewn by up savvy Scandinavian developers who often sell Pattaya properties to their compatriots even before they come to what is now termed the Asian Riviera or mini-Bangkok, i.e. Pattaya.

-- Pattaya Daily News 2008-06-06

I love the Thai attitude to numbers, as long as they have many significant digits it doesn't matter if they have any relationship to reality

According to the article 889,656 Russians visited Pattaya during 2007, up 84% from 2006. According to TAT (based on data from Immigration Bureau, Police Department) a total of 279,771 Russians visited Thailand during 2007, up 46.6% from 2006. Shall we assume that they all cloned themselves three ways immediately after passing Immigration and then went on their merry way to Pattaya I would rather think that somebody needed a high figure for some reason, so (s)he made one up

I may be wrong though, there's got to be a first time for everything

/ Priceless

[dezy1801]

Foreign investors still optimistic about Pattaya

BANGKOK: -- The Thai Government is currently taking steps to reassure foreign investors, one of Thailand's biggest money earners, that the present wave of political protests is a short term affair and isn't indicative of long-term instability.

Apparently, Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama thought it necessary to reassure the British business community, in particular via the UK's Foreign Minister, David Miliband, that all was essentially well in the Land of Smiles and what discontent there was was merely a symptom of the democratic process.

Everybody here understands that street protests are normal in any democratic country and they don't have to hurt government stability," Noppadon said in a press briefing in London on June 3, 2008.

Mr. Noppadon's attempt to reassure both foreign investors and potential tourists was apparently in response to a recent report that Asian tourists in particular are shying away from Thailand because of the political protests, Malaysia and Indonesia, apparently issuing travel warnings to their citizens contemplating Thai holidays. Highly respected Thai commentator, Prawase Wasi, also warned that the Thai poltico-economic conflicts were discouraging investment and tourism and proposed the establishment of a national government as a solution.

All this popular mass protest recently witnessed in the streets of Bangkok, doesn't seem to have radically affected Russian and Scandinavian investors, particularly in Pattaya, however. In 2007, 889,656 Russians visited Pattaya, up 84 per cent from 2006, making them the leading market for the resort. According to Raimon Land's CEO, Nigel Cornick's recent edition of the definitive property guide "Why invest...... Pattaya", the Russians and Scandinavians have now displaced the Brits and Germans as the main property investors in Pattaya, which is particularly good news for developers in this fair city. And although the Russians have been coming here for the past 10 years, it's only in the past two that they have started to buy up Pattaya properties. Last year, according to Raimon Land, Russian property purchases accounted for 22 per cent, (USD 7.7 million) of condominium sales in their upmarket developments Northshore, The Lofts, Southshore and Northpoint.

The Russians, however, not exactly being super-linguists as any Pattaya-Jomtien baht-bus passenger can readily attest, do tend to place their trust in their own language speakers, which is why recently so many Pattaya Real estate agents have begun to recruit Russian speakers, as a glimpse at the classified Jobs Offered sections of the local media will confirm. Although some longer term Russian Pattaya residents have begun placing their children in the local international schools where learning English is far cheaper than back in Russia.

One new trend, however, won't gladden the hearts of the established Pattaya real estate agencies, however, that of the recent setting up of real estate agencies by authentic Russians, many of whom have direct links with the lucrative CIS tourist group market. Uriy Segal, the Russian president of Russian House, a newly set-up Pattaya property agency, stated "I think this year (2008), Russians will account for 40 per cent of property sales in Pattaya." Segal also commented that compared to Moscow, property prices in Pattaya are a bargain.

Although there is a growing trend for Russians to open their own real estate agencies, their local Western brethren can still count on substantial Russian custom, however, as can be vouched for by the likes of Raimon Land, CB Richard Ellis and Siam Best Enterprises.' ultra prestigious, Ocean 1 Tower. Russians, apparently, love to boast of their purchases back home and ownership in Siam Best Enterprises.' ultra prestigious, Ocean 1 Tower, as SE Asia's potentially tallest building comes top of the list.

For most Pattaya real estate agencies however, the Scandinavian local investor market is much less lucrative. Although there is a prediction by Colliers International of a huge incipient surge from Nordic RSH (retired and second home) investors, with Pattaya investments estimated at Bt1550 billion (2008-9), local real estate agents can expect to see little of this as the Swedish and Norwegian market in Pattaya is effectively sewn by up savvy Scandinavian developers who often sell Pattaya properties to their compatriots even before they come to what is now termed the Asian Riviera or mini-Bangkok, i.e. Pattaya.

-- Pattaya Daily News 2008-06-06

I just spent the past week in Pattaya. I couldn't wait to leave. Nothing but lurking looks at me and my steady university educated girlfriend. I wouldn't buy anything there. The infrastructure and environment is nothing worth investing in, nothing but sex tourists and protitutes. If you think there is more than that, you need your head examined. I would'nt gamble my money on Pattaya. There are many more places in Thailand to enjoy. Investing in real estate in another country is not an investment. Only spend as much as you are willing to lose.

Where do I start! So I assume you spent much of your week in Pattaya around soi 6,7,8? You obviously never went out beyond these areas. Pattaya and the Chon Buri area are host's to much more than your narrow little mind has set, such as 15 top golf course's but you wouldn't have seen that as you were to busy snooping around the soi's 6,7,8.

Ok these ladys maybe do somethings more than others for money but again you can't see the bigger picture that these ladys are looking for a Farang to settle down with and maybe be lucky just like your steady university educated girlfriend. Dosen't matter where you invest your money if you have a wife chances are you will end up losing most of it anyway.

If you don't like Pattaya or Thailand then don't come back save your money to invest in another country.

[dezy1801]

So the property values in Pattaya have increased! This is all very well but they might increase more if people had some respect for their property owning neighbours. On the estate where I live (108 houses, mixed bungalows and townhouses) almost all of the 1 meter wide public pavement on each side of the streets has been turned illegally into flower boxes. Repairs to underground water pipes will now be difficult, reading of water and electric meters is also made difficult. Also a lot of the townhouses have illegally built rooms or roofs over their front yards not only destroying air flow up the street, but disposing of the rain water directly onto the public street without guttering. In the case of my neighbour his rain water falls on my electric meter. I told him (a renter) that when the meter fails due shorting caused by water I'll require him to pay for me to stay in Royal Cliff while I wait for the meter to be repaired/replaced. His answer "<deleted> off". Some people live in houses worth 1 million plus but have cars worth far more. If they have built on the car parking area they park in the street, sometimes double-parking, making it impossible for people to drive past. Most of the Thai occupiers have dogs. They insist on letting the dogs run free in the street to crap and piss wherever it likes while tormenting dogs like mine that never goes on the public street unless leashed in accordance with the law. The owners are just to lazy to take their dogs for a walk and should in my opinion be banned from owning a dog. These free-roaming dogs are shut-in the front yards of the houses only to bark like crazy when the garbage collectors call at around midnight 3 times a week waking everybody up including small children who have to be sent to school the next day. Garbage bins are left in the street 24/7 and because the footpath has been destroyed they on the street blocking access up and down the street. Some of the cars park on the outside of the bins i.e. about 2 feet from the kerb leaving even less width for cars to pass. Each house has a backyard which is where laundry should be hung. However most people hang their laundry out in the street again blocking the street width.

When I first moved in (20 years ago) the estate was occupied by middle-class Thais (army, navy, bank managers, gold shop owners, school teachers etc) and me (the only farang). Now I'm the only original occupier left. All the others sold and left. The new occupiers of those houses are low-class farang with their even lower-class girl-friends (ex-bar-whores).

Perhaps it too is time for me too leave..................

Tough choice, Thai's who make noise 24/7 and let their dogs shit everywhere or farangs with their low class whores.

You can't choose your neighbours, the main reason I always rent so I can piss off if it gets bad, luckily we are in a good place at the moment, Pattaya, most people I know that live there freely admit it is going down the tubes, getting rougher and more and more low class.

Do both yourselves a favour a go somewhere else like Viet Nam or Philippines in Pattaya is getting to rough for you.

[Bagwan]

Did you know that Chon Buri University is less than an hour away from Pattaya and many students have been known to fund their education with evening employment oppotunities within the seaside resort?

Did you know that not a few Pattaya college girls do likewise?

[KKK]

i have a dog, my neighbour has a dog and two cats. in the afternoon our dogs and the cats play with each other for an hour or so. where's the problem?

It is not the dog that is the problem it is the irresponsible owners. Current local law in Pattaya:

Owners must have their dogs properly vaccinated. This can be done for free at the city vet.

Dogs are not allowed on public land (anywhere outside your gate) without being properly leashed (max length 50cm) and under the control of an adult (15-65 years old).

You must clean up any poop or piss that your dog makes.

Failure to comply is a fine of baht 500.

If everybody followed these simple rules then dogs and their owners might not get so much flack.

Plenty of very large signs in Thai and English all around town advising residents of these new requirements. However it seems all my neighbours can't read!!

[bkkjames]

...me and my steady university educated girlfriend

the one with the PhD in Quantum Physics?

I tend to agree with the other poster, my wifey doesn't appreciate the service in Pattaya (could care less about the gogos etc). Even in the nicer hotels, the young Thai lads that work in the hotel always make comments and the like trying to play up how cool they are earning 5 k a month. Perhaps it's just cause and affect from Pattaya being the way it is with its nightlife, but I expect more professionalism from those employed at so-called 4-5 star hotels.

Regarding the article in the paper, you have to consider the source of these things, I mean Raimon Land are not gonna say the market is taking a dump with how much they have on the books there with Northshore and Lofts Southshore etc.

It's kind like CBRE's weekly article in the Post or Nation (cant remember). It's nothing but positive news from their point of view week after week. Especially funny when an article right next to it says the property market is down 30% this year and people are postponing developments.