Patong Being Destroyed

[OriginalPoster]

What was it like 30 years ago? What has actually been lost?

Don't know about 30 years ago, but 15 years ago it was already pretty seedy.

[agudbuk]

Isn't it the same the whole world over?

Somebody finds a beach or a beautiful area of countryside and tells their friend about it; because of the amount of visitors hotels, restaurants and bars are built. Eventually the whole thing is covered in concrete and in the case of some beach resorts you can't even sunbathe on the beach because of the shadows from high rise hotels.

Good examples world wide would be the Spanish Costa's ,Teerife, Honolulu, Miami, . but I wouldn't mind betting that there are examples in every country of the world.

It's just another by product of the world having to many people.

[OriginalPoster]

Isn't it the same the whole world over?

Somebody finds a beach or a beautiful area of countryside and tells their friend about it; because of the amount of visitors hotels, restaurants and bars are built. Eventually the whole thing is covered in concrete and in the case of some beach resorts you can't even sunbathe on the beach because of the shadows from high rise hotels.

Good examples world wide would be the Spanish Costa's ,Teerife, Honolulu, Miami, . but I wouldn't mind betting that there are examples in every country of the world.

It's just another by product of the world having to many people.

Perhaps in terms of McDonalds, Starbucks, and concrete moving in, but not everywhere does the place turn into a circus.

Edited February 26, 2009 by OriginalPoster

[Felt 35]

Of course its possible to keep a tourist destination tidy and the ocean clean.

It all comes down to one thing and that is the way the local population keep and manage their place. Patong is far from the only backyard looking ugly here

and it was for sure not the tourist or the foreign residents which opened the first bar or brothel in Thailand.

However I guess I now are in to a sensitive subject so Im backing off.

[Ping]

Perhaps they should have left the place in its natural state - plus of course, some tin mines. You'd still be able to get there - although you would need to hire a boat - but you wouldn't have to be bothered by such inconveniences as electricity, plumbing, accommodation, restaurants and shops, etc. But then again, there are still plenty of other islands that fit this description (and they don't even have tin mines)...

[Rango]

Patong Being Destroyed

and i got all hopeful that Godzilla had risen from the depths....

[huggybear]

I was sickend and shocked to see how commercialization is destroying Patong.

I saw 3 McDonalds in the space of 1 square mile, too many sub ways an irish pub...........the list goes on.

Why bother even going to patong????? Its horrible

Same for Starbucks, in that same vicinity I think there are three or four. Pizza Co.'s too.

It's horrible, I'll agree but it's basic business sense, known fact that a lot of the tourists that visit Patong have at home and enjoy that convenience.

And to the dietary decline of the Thais, I've seen them frequenting these establishments more and more also.

Just embrace "progress" OP.

Edited February 28, 2009 by huggybear

[Quero]

to mash an old quote- there are many disagreeable things about Phuket, but the most disagreeable is the visitors

No, no, I disagree - Patong is the place to go. Definitely. 100%. Don't even think of stepping outside that wonderful place, please.

I'm with you, jetsetbkk, no need to go elsewhere. Especially don't come uh, I mean, don't go, to the boring east side of the island.

[dreamchaser]

The violence and crime has increased at a very concerning rate too.

Corruption is even more rampant.............................

[lonexpat]

Negative progress is backward movement.

Why have people which have resided in Phuket for 10-15 years slowly but sure moved away from Patong. Its sure not because of positive progress.

Why is it that many tourist not in Patong for the girls/boys, who annually spent 2-3 weeks of the winter in Patong now have dropped their holiday at all to Phuket?

Why is the ocean outside of Patong Beach not recognized as very clean by either tourist or residents?

Nothing of the above are either positive progress or development, its slowly to destroy the place.

Regulations after the Tsunami could have saved Patong, now its to late and local and foreign investors are going to drag it further down with murky businesses which thrives in that environment.

A few valid words here for the likes of Ping to chew over.

The irony is also not lost on me that when the Thai Tourism Authority do their worldwide sales pitch they don't show the negatives that so many here appear to say aren't negatives at all but progress or what Tourists want? Wonder why that is?

They show the idyllic beaches and sparse infrastructure. They know the market and it appears most would still pfrefer that as that's the sales pitch.

Many observations here are just plain wrong.

[dreamchaser]

There are more breakins into houses etc in phuket than in any other area in Thailand.

Phuket is going down the toilet fast.................

[donna]

i went back to Phuket this week for a business trip. i CHOSE to stay in patong for convenience, as i used to work there, and wanted to catch up with some old friends.

wow. what a change i noticed!

patong itself is no different really, but the thing that DID bother me was the fact that a stinking tuk tuk (now more yellow ones these days) wants 200thb to take someone from burasari up to the other end of the beach! i nearly choked on my banana pancake when i was told of the price (well, only joking about the pancake, but im sure you all 'get' it).

the rest of the island has changed a heck of a lot:

the fountain(?) from chalong circle has been removed to reveal an upside down saucer

home-pro has opened up a huge number of stores

the amount of 'condo's' being built is phenomenal. i cant believe the number of these things that are going up. and it appears that there is only one architect on the island!

more shops in jungceylon have opened up which is good.

there are more cops on the roads.

i am not sure whether all of the above are negative or positive changes, but i guess they are just progress. and having said all that, the drivers on phuket are still CRAP.

[Pushit]

What was it like 30 years ago? What has actually been lost?

I was there in 1980, all there was there was Fantasea Divers a couple of small beer bars, some barbecue seafood stalls and some bamboo bungalows right on the beach. Absolute Paradise.

[LivinginKata]

home-pro has opened up a huge number of stores

Huge number ??? I only count 2 ..... even it you also count Home Works = 3 all together.

[notasexpat]

<br />Isn't it the same the whole world over?<br /><br />Somebody finds a beach or a beautiful area of countryside and tells their friend about it; because of the amount of visitors hotels, restaurants and bars are built. Eventually the whole thing is covered in concrete and in the case of some beach resorts you can't even sunbathe on the beach because of the shadows from high rise hotels.<br /><br />Good examples world wide would be the Spanish Costa's ,Teerife, Honolulu, Miami, . but I wouldn't mind betting that there are examples in every country of the world.<br />It's just another by product of the world having to many people.<br /><br /><br />

<br /><br /><br />

NO IT IS NOT

The problem is thai's are not able(or you could say clever if you were realistic) enough on average to think about something else than their tv show and food, they clearly cannot understand what being clean is. Same goes for the majority of tourists it brings.

Dominican republic and the surrounding country for the most part have a ton of clean beaches near cities that are better developed than patong. Ok they might not have concrete roads or mcdonalds, but they do have Pharmacies,bar,high class restaurants, low class restaurants, hotels etc etc. Yet they keep it clean. The locals love their country, are not overly greedy or dumb.

I remember once in those countries i was 30mins from the airport in a developping town 5mins from 5-6 resorts.

I found 3 beaches that had exactly 0 people for many many kilometers. (the other 2 had a good amount of tourist, 0 food vendors, they were across the street made from the same crap they use here, yet it looks CLEAN and they actualy remove the food from the ground and put it in bags which explains the no liter on the beach itself)

I found no garbage on the road

Yet the people are maybe even more uneducated than in thailand, theres hookers aswell and crime.

Only difference is 90% of the town isnt spending 10hours a day watching soap shows while drinking and eating/working.

Patong has to be the only beach town dumb enough to dump their poo on their own beach..

I have also heard of near perfect beaches in malaysia, brazil and surrounding countries, africa. Even in the USA you can find many many nice spots that arent clustered with obese women in thongs everyday

[neverdie]

It still looks a thousand times better than Pattaya

[paulfromphuket]

it strikes me that everybody is out to knock Phuket at the moment.

GUYS its a tourist island so it's all about making as much money as you can when the sun is shining.

same same Blackpool Miami or Magalufth.

as the eagles sang you call some place paradise kiss it goodbye.

progress is inevitable, some good, some bad yes 4 sure but what you gonna do about it go home ?

think not.

[Farma]

1984 I loved restaurant number 4. The blackouts each night were fun but I wished for more.

1994 there was a lot more. It was fun and tourists there were more.

2004 what an eyesore. I wished it looked like 1984.

[Duciboy]

Bangla Rd - early 80's

Edited March 19, 2009 by Duciboy

[dreamchaser]

Unfortunately over development, massive commercialization, dodgy expats, crime and violence have spoilt what was once a beautiful island

[Ping]

Thanks for the snap, Duciboy. I haven't got a lot of those general street type photos from my early days on the island, because in those days one was choosy about what one photographed - unlike today's freedom of the digital camera. Any more early pics of Patong?

[Big Guy]

Ive been here over 15 years now and what is spoiling the place is all the tourists and businesses set up to cater for them, but the thais have the right to develope their country their way and earn money as they see fit and if we don't like it we can always stay in our home countries. Yes it has changed a lot and will keep changing but if you want culture and the real thailand Phuket and especially Patong are not the place to see it.

[BigSnake]

I was sickend and shocked to see how commercialization is destroying Patong.

I saw 3 McDonalds in the space of 1 square mile, too many sub ways an irish pub...........the list goes on.

Why bother even going to patong????? Its horrible

I don't think it is being destroyed, just wait a bit for the old supply and demand to kick in . Three McDonalds within a square mile, wish they put one of those bad boys in my area.

[Ulysses G.]

Patong is a tourist area ... what exactly are you looking for?

It is also in Thailand and should at least concentrate on presenting culture before commercialism.

[paulfromphuket]

Unfortunately over development, massive commercialization, dodgy expats, crime and violence have spoilt what was once a beautiful island

so where are you going to chase your dream next? can we all come and help you destroy it please.

[Duciboy]

Thanks for the snap, Duciboy. I haven't got a lot of those general street type photos from my early days on the island, because in those days one was choosy about what one photographed - unlike today's freedom of the digital camera. Any more early pics of Patong?

Edited March 26, 2009 by Duciboy

[thaiwanderer]

are you superman? if not credit for copyright holder might be nice

[phuketrex]

The "new concrete town" next to Phuket Palace consisting of 16 blocks..yuk>>>

Another 30+ being built or about to be along the new road behind Jungceylon too.