My Heart Cries For Phuket

[DLock]

That's right, Patong is for guys who want to party, drink alcohol and get laid.

If that doesn't describe you, why go there?

Plenty of "family" beaches up and down the island.

Too many people put the place down, yet still keep going. Maybe it satisfies their voyeurism, or, confirms their sense of moral superiority.

By your response and your huge post count, I can only assume you are new to Patong and the reasons you list for going there are your reasons for being there. No shame in that.

Patong is what it is, and in 5 years when it's not what it is today, look back on this post and feel free to cut and paste.

[Cerberus]

By your response and your huge post count, I can only assume you are new to Patong and the reasons you list for going there are your reasons for being there. No shame in that.

Patong is what it is, and in 5 years when it's not what it is today, look back on this post and feel free to cut and paste.

Great logic Einstein. Low post count = new to Phuket.

I've lived there since 1985

[Carmine6]

I first visited Patong 3 or 4 months after the tsunami. Had a very nice time. Prices were reasonable and I was tipping like crazy since I knew how much they'd been impacted. Really enjoyed the stay.

My last trip was in mid 2008 and it'll be the last for a while. It looks nicer, but the merchants were pretty mercenary. Way too annoying. Prices overall were higher than the equivalent in Bangkok. I enjoyed the stay and got to some other areas of the island, but there are so many other options in Thailand. If a not so adventurous friend wanted to visit Thailand I could be talked into it, but otherwise I can have just about the same experience in Mexico.

[DLock]

By your response and your huge post count, I can only assume you are new to Patong and the reasons you list for going there are your reasons for being there. No shame in that.

Patong is what it is, and in 5 years when it's not what it is today, look back on this post and feel free to cut and paste.

Great logic Einstein. Low post count = new to Phuket.

I've lived there since 1985

Actually, my LOGIC was pretty sound.

I think you meant my ASSUMPTION was incorrect.

Slight difference junior. Carry on.

[Cerberus]

Deleted.

Edited March 16, 2009 by Cerberus

[Ping]

I first visited Patong 3 or 4 months after the tsunami. Had a very nice time. Prices were reasonable and I was tipping like crazy since I knew how much they'd been impacted. Really enjoyed the stay.

My last trip was in mid 2008 and it'll be the last for a while. It looks nicer, but the merchants were pretty mercenary. Way too annoying. Prices overall were higher than the equivalent in Bangkok. I enjoyed the stay and got to some other areas of the island, but there are so many other options in Thailand. If a not so adventurous friend wanted to visit Thailand I could be talked into it, but otherwise I can have just about the same experience in Mexico.

Prices tend to find their own level of sustainability. It's interesting that you talk of 'tipping like crazy' and then reel when prices increase. Thailand is not a country with a tradition of tipping. Tipping was introduced by farang. It is now virtually expected in tourist areas. If a manager sees regular significant tips going to staff, he/she may consider the easist way to get a piece of the action is to increase prices.

Having said that, I think you will find that the higher the ratio of tourists in any given area, the higher the prices. Why? Because tourists typically have a greater expendable budget than locals for a given period and are often not aware of correct local pricing.

I have nothing against people tipping - I do it myself where warranted. I have everything against overtipping because of the expectations upon and ramifications it can have for other customers - particularly the locals who have to live there day in and day out with the impact of unthoughtful tourist tipping. And I say this from a neutral standpoint (although I spend a lot of time there, I don't actually live there). I cringe when I see these two-week tourists who splash thousand and two thousand baht tips at every restaurant and bar they visit and who gladly pay inflated prices for their 'bargain' market purchases. Do you really wonder why prices go up?

[Carmine6]

I first visited Patong 3 or 4 months after the tsunami. Had a very nice time. Prices were reasonable and I was tipping like crazy since I knew how much they'd been impacted. Really enjoyed the stay.

My last trip was in mid 2008 and it'll be the last for a while. It looks nicer, but the merchants were pretty mercenary. Way too annoying. Prices overall were higher than the equivalent in Bangkok. I enjoyed the stay and got to some other areas of the island, but there are so many other options in Thailand. If a not so adventurous friend wanted to visit Thailand I could be talked into it, but otherwise I can have just about the same experience in Mexico.

Prices tend to find their own level of sustainability. It's interesting that you talk of 'tipping like crazy' and then reel when prices increase. Thailand is not a country with a tradition of tipping. Tipping was introduced by farang. It is now virtually expected in tourist areas. If a manager sees regular significant tips going to staff, he/she may consider the easist way to get a piece of the action is to increase prices.

Having said that, I think you will find that the higher the ratio of tourists in any given area, the higher the prices. Why? Because tourists typically have a greater expendable budget than locals for a given period and are often not aware of correct local pricing.

I have nothing against people tipping - I do it myself where warranted. I have everything against overtipping because of the expectations upon and ramifications it can have for other customers - particularly the locals who have to live there day in and day out with the impact of unthoughtful tourist tipping. And I say this from a neutral standpoint (although I spend a lot of time there, I don't actually live there). I cringe when I see these two-week tourists who splash thousand and two thousand baht tips at every restaurant and bar they visit and who gladly pay inflated prices for their 'bargain' market purchases. Do you really wonder why prices go up?

In spite of tipping heavily the first time, it was still much cheaper and had a friendlier feel. And I don't tip so much now, that was right after the tsunami. I don't know if they were discounting before or raised prices afterwards. The point is, there was a difference to the point where I see little reason to go back soon. Last couple trips I've stayed more days in Bangkok and then added more days somewhere else rather than adding Phuket into the mix.

Unthoughtful toursit tipping? Seems that would be from a certain viewpoint. But that is the point of this thread. Things have changed enough for some people that it's not as attractive as it once was. Some locals included I would guess.

[banjanti]

Great post!!! I have exactly same feelings, I don't know "old Phuket" at all, I just visited for a few days 2 years ago, now I'm in the middle of the way to Australia and decided to stay for a month. That was a mistake, you're right I'm one of those who would say "never more". The trafic is just insaine, I never thought that I will miss driving in Dublin, well...here it's much worse! I spend a month in Hua-hin, not comparable...

Overdevelopment - hel_l yes, well I knew from the beggining that Phuket is crowded and overdeveloped, but I never expected that it will be one big island-city! Buildings EVERYWHERE from south to north.

Phuket could be nice if you stay in one of those 10k bhat/day resorts with a private beach, the water is truely fantastic, but going anywhere outsite is just a horror.

And for famous sex-tourism - Pattaya is still much better! I didn't see any girls on the poles installed on Bangla (plenty of them 2 years ago), is local goverment playing "we Thais are not like this" old game again?

Paradise Island? A big joke, Tioman in Malysia is paradise island - only the reef, pristine beaches and jungle...not even a single road, and it's DUTY FREE!

If someone needs girls - Pattaya makes a lot more sense.

[banjanti]

And speaking about the rip-off I would like to give you an example - a gym (the main reason I came here, I needed a place with a decent gym, quite impossible in town with a few farangs...), in Phuket Town - Fit Club - 1800/month+joining fee, aircon NOT working as 90% clients are Thais, I believe this is "winter time" and they just don't need it, other one 1500/month - no aircon at all...Patong - TaiLife 3200 thb/month - that's a <removed> joke, is more than in London....Patong Gym - aricon from 14.00, ended up in FitClub "aircon on both floors" as advertised, but working only on 1sth, "cheap" for Phuket standards 900thb - 20 EUR, I would get something much better in Europe for this price anyway...So for quality and prices just one big joke. There are 4 or more very nice gyms in Pattaya, all of them cheaper...

[paulfromphuket]

seems to me theres a troll to trash phuket here, this island has for sure it's share of cr#p but you got to remember it's the same size as Singapore but with only 15% of the population!

Over developed ,maybe ,patong where the s#it goes but I can still find a beach with less than 10 people on it for sunset, I can drive along tree lined roads and see hardly any other people and I can still find Thais that but me a drink.

Guys get over it if you hang out in the tourist hot spots you will be ripped off anywhere in the world.

but where else in SEA will you find what Phuket offers.

international food

international accommodation

international heath care

international education

international shopping

international flights

and nice beaches, great weather, great diving,fantastic sailing, rock climbing and mostly nice people.

Sure it's expensive compared to some other parts of LOS but hey try Monaco, which is also a fab place.

If you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen dudes, maybe I'll see you cheap Charlie's in naknon nowhere out side a 7/11 if i am every bothered to go there.

Me I think I'll just enjoy living here and avoid people that want a more backward lifestyle.

[thaiwanderer]

Overdevelopment - hel_l yes, well I knew from the beggining that Phuket is crowded and overdeveloped, but I never expected that it will be one big island-city! Buildings EVERYWHERE from south to north.

Whilst I am not suggesting Phuket is the tropical idyll some claim (and it never was) the above statement is incorrect. Whilst your statement about sex tourism suggests were you went in Phuket, peace and quiet is still possible even in patong.