What Will Become Of Pattaya

[thaimate]

Well without slagging Pattaya, many many things have changed over the last 20 years & not for the better either. I can imagine that this progress will continue, as it does everywhere & in another 20 years the place will be even more dirtier & congested than it is now. Its a shame to see this but anyone that can't see this downhill slide, is obviously blind.

i have to agree with you ,i first came here 19 years ago and it was a much"nicer" place ,more smiles and the girls were not as hard .now we live here on the outskirts and very rarely come into town at night (those days have passed ) thats what marriage and a teenage son do for you. however i have noticed that prices are rising ,or should i say the wife notices and shops accordingly, our village is lived in by mainly wealthy thais and none of them seem to be cutting back as they all seem to be having their houses painted and the kids still go to private school and have new toys .dont know how long it will last. but i do feel the storm approaching.

[BigSnake]

Pattaya will be just fine in the long run, the bad boys and girls will come and go From time to time the power that be will come in and clean out the bad apples in it will be business as normal. "THE BEAT GOES ON"

[tropo]

The long term prognosis is poor as it is overpriced without giving anything back in return. So speaks someone with businesses there (most sold off in last 18 months). As someone stated, Burger King and Subway are cheaper in the west. That is just ridiculous.

I think this will be the biggest problem Thailand has to overcome, it's not cheap here any more, and there is very little quality!

This depends where you're coming from and to where you're making your comparison.

On US dollars my value for money is improving.

There's plenty of quality in Pattaya. Like anywhere, you have to pay more for quality.

Compared to all other SE Asian cities Pattaya is paradise. Where would you prefer to live?

[Tolley]

I admire the optimism of those who have no idea about business in Pattaya, would not or could not do business there etc. to speak as if they had a crystal ball. Utter rubbish I'm afraid.

I've been through this before in Mallorca. Originally it was cheap, people only ever went to Europe, it was hot, loads of girls went so sex was on the table and food and beer were cheap. Over the years prices went up substantially until it was more expensive than back home. Eventually the premium for sex and hot weather was not worth it and the far East beckoned. Now they have screwed it up.

However, the main thing is that most small businesses are not sufficiently capitalised to purchase the building or buy a long lease. Thus, landlords have raised rents so far that they cripple businesses. I know, I know what I was paying in some places.

Attitudes suck these days with exceptions. Girls are far more mercenary. They think their shit don't stink.

So please tell me just why I would come to Pattaya ? There is familiarity I know but that aside and after the sex, there is very little.

With prices going up and up the rationale will dictate that sex tourists move onto other places. I can tell you that it is already happening. Current volumes are the result of pre planned trips. Future trips have to be planned and funder in a new economic climate and people will start to look for more value for their money and other places are now offering that value for money.

Agree 100 percent....spent 7k Australian including airfare over the Xmas break 25 days and I stayed in a very cheap place 800baht a night ......value is not really there....and i was not barfining girls everyday nor drinking huge amounts.....I could have spent a lot more....

[Jingthing]

Regarding the bible verse a poster mentioned, and then another poster asked about, and then I googled the verse number and supplied, please be advised that I was only being helpful and personally do not believe in any religious faith or believe Pattaya is Sodom and Gomorrah.

(Why did I post this? I have received anti-Christian hate PMs about this so I wanted to clear up the matter in case anyone else is confused.)

Edited February 28, 2009 by Jingthing

[DonTron]

Now lets see...

- Central Festival (8 billion baht) just finished.

- Northpoint sold 80% and is right on schedule

- AD Hyatt (500 condos) sold 70% and is right on schedule

- Centara Resort Naklua progressing fast (4 bn baht, looks SO cool!)

- ...etc... even my two companies are growing faster than ever

I even had to call around to 4 hotels just to find available rooms for my 3 clients. (e.g. Aiyara is fully booked 2 months ahead)

So I hear a lot about this crisis but I just don’t see it.

If the crisis is so hard - then where is all the super cheap real estate? where are all the super cheap companies we can buy?

In US they offer 50-60% discounts on real estate in several cities - where are those kind of discounts in Pattaya?

Someone please show me cause I seriously want to buy at that price.

You Mr. doomsday OZEMADE - give us some crisis examples we can use - show us where the cheap stuff is....

[actiondell4]

spent 7k Australian including airfare over the Xmas break 25 days and I stayed in a very cheap place 800baht a night"'

So after airfare you spent roughly 6000 dollars aussie.

a hel_l of a lot for just over 3 weeks.

apart from the nightfun,what is else worth buying.

i think later this year will be the lowest of the lowest low seasons.

[Tolley]

spent 7k Australian including airfare over the Xmas break 25 days and I stayed in a very cheap place 800baht a night"'

So after airfare you spent roughly 6000 dollars aussie.

a hel_l of a lot for just over 3 weeks.

apart from the nightfun,what is else worth buying.

i think later this year will be the lowest of the lowest low seasons.

Airfare was 2kAUD gouged for Xmas period.

Was getting 23 baht to the dollar so spent 115k baht over the holiday.

That is only 4.5k baht a day and after accommodation averaged 3.7k baht a day.....pretty easy to do i might add.....

You think that 3.7k baht a day is hard to spend?

Very easy my friend.....if i was barfining from the Gogos in Walking St imagine how much i could have spent?

If you did a LT it is gonna cost you nearly 3k baht with the barfine and that is before you dring eat or do anything else....

Pattaya is overpriced and especially so with the strength of the baht.

I mean I get a shag cheaper in Australia than the gogo girls in Pattaya....sure Soi 6 is cheaper but that is about it

[anothertorres]

Siem Reap is looking for newcomers! that place is still pretty much the wild, wild west. however, the ganja on the street is horrible!

[actiondell4]

Tolley your right,3000 baht a day is very easy to spend.

The point is can people afford to do this in the next few months,or more to the point will they be willing to go to Pattaya and pay the higher prices.?

Surely you cant afford these types of holidays a lot.

As one of the posters pointed out,t shirts ,shoes etc are cheaper in the west than in Thailand now,so i guess the only thing pattaya has going for it ,is its night life.

The home loan interest rates are around 4% to 6 % here in Australia currently,so people are still having it good,but if they go up to 18%-21% like they did during our 1993 recession then Thailand can forget tourists especially families to Phuket etc.

Edited February 28, 2009 by actiondell4

[Chaimai]

Lat's see

1. the Thai Baht is to strong and Thailand being one of the lagest exporters of rice in the world. Others will seek to buy their rice elsewhere.Slightly off topic but relevent read on.

Rice,as a commodity, is priced in Dollars.

2.Airport Fiasco will discourage tourism (shooting oneself in the foot is a good analogy)

This is long-forgotten by many and will continue to fade from the memory.

3.Buying power of foreign currencies dropping by one third.

Certainly an issue for tourism (6% - 8% of GDP allegedly)

4.The Thai habit of losing customers, up the prices (profit). Most businesses would drop prices to encourage custom.

No change

5.Other places in SE asia being more competative. (cheaper).

No change

6.Due to the strenght of the Baht Thailand isn't cheap anymoree.g. Burgerking and subway cheaper in OZ.(don't eat Thaifood- to spicey

Agreed, but prices have gone up everywhere.

7.Better beaches elsewhere

True, but not everybody visits for the beaches.

CONCLUSION- Unless there is a devalueation of the Baht Pattaya will suffer.As will all of Thailand

I agree that Pattaya could well suffer more than most - partly because of the exchange rate but mainly because of the global recession impacting on income and asset values. Remember, for a Brit, Europe hardly represents a good alternative - the Baht down to 50 from, say recent average of 65 = -23%, Euro, say, 1.50 to 1.15 = 23%

Just my 2 bahts worth

lilBob

[Naam]

Now that the Thai Government has admitted that the world economy is worse than they expected and that it will probably be worse in Thailand than the 1997 crash and no improvement in sight for at least 3 years.

The Russian tourists are down 80%, the bike week has finished, the U.S. Navy and Marines have gone, the LPGA Golf is over and it is the end of an alleged high season where staff are being laid off everywhere in Pattaya. Seems we are in for a long hard stretch.

did you make a lving off Russians, Marines and Golf? if yes, tough luck

[tropo]

Regarding the bible verse a poster mentioned, and then another poster asked about, and then I googled the verse number and supplied, please be advised that I was only being helpful and personally do not believe in any religious faith or believe Pattaya is Sodom and Gomorrah.

(Why did I post this? I have received anti-Christian hate PMs about this so I wanted to clear up the matter in case anyone else is confused.)

It's good to know that I'm not the only one getting "hate PMs". We've both got each other on block right?

[thaibeachlovers]

am sure pattaya will be fine,the council want to make it more family friendly so maybe over time the beer bars between beach road and second road may be made to go and push back towards third road,leave walkin st. alone probably.but in my opinion these go go bars and bear bars should have better licencing hours and in return should be made to upgrade their facilities so that they do not remain a "hole in the wall"

I see from your username that you come from the once attractive and pleasant, but become a right sh** ho** island, completely destroyed by greedy ignorant developers and covered in expensive ugly concrete. if that's what you want for Pattaya, please think again. For the umpteenth time, we don't want families in Pattaya, they're bad for business.

The only thing that needs to happen to the bars is less regulation.

[AsiaCheese]

Russian tourism is down 80%? Nah...I'll bite my tongue and try to be nice today.

My tongue's bleeding too

:D :D

[Jingthing]

Regarding the bible verse a poster mentioned, and then another poster asked about, and then I googled the verse number and supplied, please be advised that I was only being helpful and personally do not believe in any religious faith or believe Pattaya is Sodom and Gomorrah.

(Why did I post this? I have received anti-Christian hate PMs about this so I wanted to clear up the matter in case anyone else is confused.)

It's good to know that I'm not the only one getting "hate PMs". We've both got each other on block right?

Do you miss me, snookums?

[AsiaCheese]

Even my wifes hairdresser wanted $1500 2 days ago but charged $800 3 months ago.

Care to tell us what sort of service your wife's hair dresser provides -- at these prices????

[Jingthing]

Even my wifes hairdresser wanted $1500 2 days ago but charged $800 3 months ago.

Care to tell us what sort of service your wife's hair dresser provides -- at these prices????

Probably gold plated by a harem of eunichs.

[tropo]

Even my wifes hairdresser wanted $1500 2 days ago but charged $800 3 months ago.

Care to tell us what sort of service your wife's hair dresser provides -- at these prices????

Probably gold plated by a harem of eunichs.

My girlfriend usually spends about 4000 - 5000 at L'Oreal in Carrefour. It's easy to do.

I know someone's going to ask, so here's what you get:

Pre-treatement

Colour

Highlights

Trim

Treatment

..for long hair

[IanForbes]

Genesis 19:24

Huh ????

As a devil worshipper I have no idea what you are on about

and Jehovah hath rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah, from the heavens;

Oy vey!

Glad to see SOMEONE has a bible handy. I left mine at home in Canada. I seldom read that sort of fiction anymore.

When prices go up it means the locals are FINALLY getting THEIR share of the world pie. I remember when Japan was a cheap place to visit. Now it's too expensive for me and most people. But, the locals finally received a reasonable income. Japan finally stabilized with well run companies and the cheap charlies had to go elsewhere for their "fix". Some found Pattaya and stayed. Now it's changed and maybe it's time for them to press on to other places... like Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Burma is still in the dark ages and not some place any sane person would want to visit any time soon. Too bad really, because the Andaman Sea along the Burma coast will eventually be the "NEW" destination spot in the world.

[moo9]

am sure pattaya will be fine,the council want to make it more family friendly so maybe over time the beer bars between beach road and second road may be made to go and push back towards third road,leave walkin st. alone probably.but in my opinion these go go bars and bear bars should have better licencing hours and in return should be made to upgrade their facilities so that they do not remain a "hole in the wall"

It ain't gonna happen, EVER...unfortunately, of course

Som na na....

with all respect, Pattaya is what it is known for. If people don't like it.....why do they stay here?

There are enough choices around the world for "family friendly" resorts.

It was better a few years ago, but after all, the variety of entertainment is great. I cannot understand people constantly bashing the city.

Probably the would like to stay here but can't do it.

Cheers

[barrybike]

am sure pattaya will be fine,the council want to make it more family friendly so maybe over time the beer bars between beach road and second road may be made to go and push back towards third road,leave walkin st. alone probably.but in my opinion these go go bars and bear bars should have better licencing hours and in return should be made to upgrade their facilities so that they do not remain a "hole in the wall"

I see from your username that you come from the once attractive and pleasant, but become a right sh** ho** island, completely destroyed by greedy ignorant developers and covered in expensive ugly concrete. if that's what you want for Pattaya, please think again. For the umpteenth time, we don't want families in Pattaya, they're bad for business.

The only thing that needs to happen to the bars is less regulation.

you havent looked at whats going on around you lately by the looks of it, the bars are disappearing off beach road and second road every week ,they (the govt) are building shopping malls hotels etc to try and encourage families ,they must think they have bigger spending power than the farang looking for cheap hotels and cheap freelancers along the beach etc...are they wrong to do this ????????

[gmac]

am sure pattaya will be fine,the council want to make it more family friendly so maybe over time the beer bars between beach road and second road may be made to go and push back towards third road,leave walkin st. alone probably.but in my opinion these go go bars and bear bars should have better licencing hours and in return should be made to upgrade their facilities so that they do not remain a "hole in the wall"

I see from your username that you come from the once attractive and pleasant, but become a right sh** ho** island, completely destroyed by greedy ignorant developers and covered in expensive ugly concrete. if that's what you want for Pattaya, please think again. For the umpteenth time, we don't want families in Pattaya, they're bad for business.

The only thing that needs to happen to the bars is less regulation.

you havent looked at whats going on around you lately by the looks of it, the bars are disappearing off beach road and second road every week ,they (the govt) are building shopping malls hotels etc to try and encourage families ,they must think they have bigger spending power than the farang looking for cheap hotels and cheap freelancers along the beach etc...are they wrong to do this ????????

I think they are. There really is nothing attractive here for families. The beaches are dirty the infrastructure poor, and who comes to a beach/nightlife resort to go shopping anyway?

[Pdaz]

am sure pattaya will be fine,the council want to make it more family friendly so maybe over time the beer bars between beach road and second road may be made to go and push back towards third road,leave walkin st. alone probably.but in my opinion these go go bars and bear bars should have better licencing hours and in return should be made to upgrade their facilities so that they do not remain a "hole in the wall"

I see from your username that you come from the once attractive and pleasant, but become a right sh** ho** island, completely destroyed by greedy ignorant developers and covered in expensive ugly concrete. if that's what you want for Pattaya, please think again. For the umpteenth time, we don't want families in Pattaya, they're bad for business.

The only thing that needs to happen to the bars is less regulation.

you havent looked at whats going on around you lately by the looks of it, the bars are disappearing off beach road and second road every week ,they (the govt) are building shopping malls hotels etc to try and encourage families ,they must think they have bigger spending power than the farang looking for cheap hotels and cheap freelancers along the beach etc...are they wrong to do this ????????

Yes cos when they have finished building all the Malls and shophouses.. Pattaya will just resemble BKK with a dirty beach.. If all the cities and islands in Thailand end up being exactly the same there would be no point to visit them... Go check out what they have done to Koh Chang in the last few years.. From beautiful island (when I first visited in 1990) to a strip of hotels, shops and resorts that obscure the beach .. 'Indian' tailors, Irish pubs, Cafe's and internet shops... <deleted> ! It's meant to be a beautiful natural island.. Not a foookin shopping center... Why not leave the islands for people that want peace, quiet and unspoilt natural beauty... If you need a Mall, fancy hotel, cafe culture and worst an Irish pub.. Stay in BKK or better still your own country... Thailand is fast running out of what brought peple here in the first place... As for Pattaya.. I like many long termers here have seen it get worse over the years.. Service has disapeared along with the smiles, traffic congestion is terrible, violence, crime have increased while quality of life has suffered.. Worse still even if I move down the coast I know that in a couple of year all the greedy developer types and desperate 'entreprenuers' will arrive and proceed to bu**er up that part of Thailand too...

[barrybike]

am sure pattaya will be fine,the council want to make it more family friendly so maybe over time the beer bars between beach road and second road may be made to go and push back towards third road,leave walkin st. alone probably.but in my opinion these go go bars and bear bars should have better licencing hours and in return should be made to upgrade their facilities so that they do not remain a "hole in the wall"

I see from your username that you come from the once attractive and pleasant, but become a right sh** ho** island, completely destroyed by greedy ignorant developers and covered in expensive ugly concrete. if that's what you want for Pattaya, please think again. For the umpteenth time, we don't want families in Pattaya, they're bad for business.

The only thing that needs to happen to the bars is less regulation.

you havent looked at whats going on around you lately by the looks of it, the bars are disappearing off beach road and second road every week ,they (the govt) are building shopping malls hotels etc to try and encourage families ,they must think they have bigger spending power than the farang looking for cheap hotels and cheap freelancers along the beach etc...are they wrong to do this ????????

I think they are. There really is nothing attractive here for families. The beaches are dirty the infrastructure poor, and who comes to a beach/nightlife resort to go shopping anyway?

i agree with you but im just saying this is how the thai govt are seemingly thinking by the looks of it..there must be some one shopping with the new central festival just opened ,royal garden plaza ,big c s,mikes shopping mall to name just a few ,im just back from there a week ago and i couldnt believe there was so many families there ,i never noticed such a high rate before ,im going there this 8 years,you have to remember too there is some very wealthy thais living in pattaya now too

[gmac]

.

you havent looked at whats going on around you lately by the looks of it, the bars are disappearing off beach road and second road every week ,they (the govt) are building shopping malls hotels etc to try and encourage families ,they must think they have bigger spending power than the farang looking for cheap hotels and cheap freelancers along the beach etc...are they wrong to do this ????????

I think they are. There really is nothing attractive here for families. The beaches are dirty the infrastructure poor, and who comes to a beach/nightlife resort to go shopping anyway?

i agree with you but im just saying this is how the thai govt are seemingly thinking by the looks of it..there must be some one shopping with the new central festival just opened ,royal garden plaza ,big c s,mikes shopping mall to name just a few ,im just back from there a week ago and i couldnt believe there was so many families there ,i never noticed such a high rate before ,im going there this 8 years,you have to remember too there is some very wealthy thais living in pattaya now too

I suspect the wealthy Thais will have to be the main users as the prices in these malls are no lower than in the tourists home countries so what is the attraction for them.? I wonder how many of these extra families you are seeing this year will become regular visitors? Then again TIT, since when did the Thais worry about repeat business.....gouge today, there will always be another new customer to fleece tomorrow!

[basjke]

you havent looked at whats going on around you lately by the looks of it, the bars are disappearing off beach road and second road every week ,they (the govt) are building shopping malls hotels etc to try and encourage families ,they must think they have bigger spending power than the farang looking for cheap hotels and cheap freelancers along the beach etc...are they wrong to do this ????????

Since when is the government building hotels and shopping malls?They are built by greedy investors who bought the land from the barcomplex owners because they saw the barbusiness go down big time in the past years and cash in now by selling the land.However all those projects were planned many years ago,read before the current world recession,and will have now a really difficult time to be profitable.

Keep in mind that next to the hard rock hotel there will be build a new MBK center in the near future.

[tropo]

Yes cos when they have finished building all the Malls and shophouses.. Pattaya will just resemble BKK with a dirty beach.. If all the cities and islands in Thailand end up being exactly the same there would be no point to visit them... Go check out what they have done to Koh Chang in the last few years.. From beautiful island (when I first visited in 1990) to a strip of hotels, shops and resorts that obscure the beach .. 'Indian' tailors, Irish pubs, Cafe's and internet shops... <deleted> ! It's meant to be a beautiful natural island.. Not a foookin shopping center... Why not leave the islands for people that want peace, quiet and unspoilt natural beauty... If you need a Mall, fancy hotel, cafe culture and worst an Irish pub.. Stay in BKK or better still your own country... Thailand is fast running out of what brought peple here in the first place... As for Pattaya.. I like many long termers here have seen it get worse over the years.. Service has disapeared along with the smiles, traffic congestion is terrible, violence, crime have increased while quality of life has suffered.. Worse still even if I move down the coast I know that in a couple of year all the greedy developer types and desperate 'entreprenuers' will arrive and proceed to bu**er up that part of Thailand too...

This doesn't make any sense at all. Why do people like you stay somewhere you don't like? You're not Thai and weren't born here...just move on and find your own little utopia somewhere else and spare us the whining. How hard could that be?

I came here in 2006 and have no complaints at all. It's getting better by the day.

[Jingthing]

. Pattaya will just resemble BKK with a dirty beach.

By George, I think he's got it.

Some of us LIKE cities, especially ones with ocean breezes.

[barrybike]

am sure pattaya will be fine,the council want to make it more family friendly so maybe over time the beer bars between beach road and second road may be made to go and push back towards third road,leave walkin st. alone probably.but in my opinion these go go bars and bear bars should have better licencing hours and in return should be made to upgrade their facilities so that they do not remain a "hole in the wall"

I see from your username that you come from the once attractive and pleasant, but become a right sh** ho** island, completely destroyed by greedy ignorant developers and covered in expensive ugly concrete. if that's what you want for Pattaya, please think again. For the umpteenth time, we don't want families in Pattaya, they're bad for business.

The only thing that needs to happen to the bars is less regulation.

you havent looked at whats going on around you lately by the looks of it, the bars are disappearing off beach road and second road every week ,they (the govt) are building shopping malls hotels etc to try and encourage families ,they must think they have bigger spending power than the farang looking for cheap hotels and cheap freelancers along the beach etc...are they wrong to do this ????????

Yes cos when they have finished building all the Malls and shophouses.. Pattaya will just resemble BKK with a dirty beach.. If all the cities and islands in Thailand end up being exactly the same there would be no point to visit them... Go check out what they have done to Koh Chang in the last few years.. From beautiful island (when I first visited in 1990) to a strip of hotels, shops and resorts that obscure the beach .. 'Indian' tailors, Irish pubs, Cafe's and internet shops... <deleted> ! It's meant to be a beautiful natural island.. Not a foookin shopping center... Why not leave the islands for people that want peace, quiet and unspoilt natural beauty... If you need a Mall, fancy hotel, cafe culture and worst an Irish pub.. Stay in BKK or better still your own country... Thailand is fast running out of what brought peple here in the first place... As for Pattaya.. I like many long termers here have seen it get worse over the years.. Service has disapeared along with the smiles, traffic congestion is terrible, violence, crime have increased while quality of life has suffered.. Worse still even if I move down the coast I know that in a couple of year all the greedy developer types and desperate 'entreprenuers' will arrive and proceed to bu**er up that part of Thailand too...

and worst an Irish pub........whats wrong with an irish pub ?theyre better than the english ones ....most irish pubs there are owened by english anyway trying to cash in on the irish name.......