Central Festival Flooded

[BSJ]

Essential wear for Central Festival shoppers!

Or maybe this would do the trick???

[rafval]

the fact is it has a big catchment area, unlike the other malls, its not a matter of drains as there is nowhere to drain to, the only place the water can go is under or over the road and onto the beach, probably a design fault I would say, its going to take some powerful pumps to stop that area flooding

[anothertorres]

Asia's largest beachfront floating market!

[tropo]

Soho - I think not. Sex city of Asia where a MAJORITY of the tourists only come for sex? I think so.

And if the get rid of the girls they get rid of Pattaya.

You are living in cloud cuckoo land my friend.

I don't believe the majority of tourists come for sex.

I don't believe Pattaya would be finished if the got rid of the bars (obviously you cannot get rid of the girls).

It could be you who is living in the clouds.

[thaibeachlovers]

Mr depressing or what!!!! and what utter rubish Central is great and whenever i have been there is no shorttage of customers Pattaya needs more shopping centers like Central its a growing city and a great place to be. stop being so negative, I sometimes wonder why some posters on this forum bothered to move to Thailand at all!!

I call it as I see it.

You may do the same.

But don't tell what to do please - or maybe you aspire to be a moderator?

I'm not negative, nor depressed, and I warrrant I have spent more time in Thailand than you probably have on this Earth.

I have seen Pattaya grow from a sleepy, pretty little fishing village to the monster - yes monster - that it is today. That doesn't mean there aren't good parts of pattaya, and I do enjoy those parts and am happy living here, but Pattaya is a far, far call from the pleasant Thai village that it used to be.

Of course everything has to progress, and time cannot stand still, but it certainly unfortunate that some of the developments of the past 25 years have turned this resort into one of the most infamous sex cities in the world.

In my opinion you are dreaming if you really believe this place will go up market. This city was built on sex, and if it is to survive it will continue to survive largely on sex tourists. If the powers to be really try to take it up market and close down all the red light areas, Pattaya will die a painfiull death.

Places like Central are not suited to Pattaya, and I reiterate my personal observation that it is an awful , uninspiring failure and that on the day I went, it had very few visitors, and even less people actually buying anything. As opposed to Mikes, and Royal, which were teaming with happy shoppers. Doesn't that tell you something??

If you love places like Central so much, why don't you move to Bangkok, or better still, go back to your home country where I am sure you have an abundance of up market Malls and Department stores, to satisfy your addiction

And why are yoiu so upset? Surely you don't think that even the all powerful Mobi can singlehandedly persuade Central to close it's doors? Don't worry, I'm sure it will be open for many years to come,and will just be a red "blimp" in Central's balance sheet.

The only reason Pattaya won't move forward is because of people with views like yours. I still think you are talking utter tosh many people come to Pattaya for holidays and may never get involved in the sex side its like judging London on soho you clearly do no much about what makes a modern tourist destination.

Many people come to Pattaya and never get involved with the sex side, because they have no idea when they go to the travel agent what it's like, and the travel brochures certainly don't show the reality. Then after they go home they tell all their friends not to go there.

Soho is a small and ridiculous pimple on London's backside, full of clip joints, and rip off artists. It would be possible to completely avoid a visit to Soho. Pattaya is the opposite. It's all red light area, and unavoidable.

While I would never go to a modern tourist destination ( Dubai anyone? ), as I think they are boring and expensive, I love Pattaya the way it is. Take away the bar scene, and what's left? A cra*** beach, a cra*** promenade, cra*** infrastructure, terrible traffic.

It could happen, but it would be like Hua Hin, a completely revolting pit, full of rich people lying around, and paying far too much for everything. Not my scene at all.

[tropo]

I love Pattaya the way it is. Take away the bar scene, and what's left? A cra*** beach, a cra*** promenade, cra*** infrastructure, terrible traffic.

It could happen, but it would be like Hua Hin, a completely revolting pit, full of rich people lying around, and paying far too much for everything. Not my scene at all.

I never go to any bars and still enjoy living here.

[Mobi]

I don't believe the majority of tourists come for sex.

:jerk:

Has to be the Thai Visa quote of the month

(Actually I agree with you - most come for the scenery, clean beaches, museums, libraries, Thai culture and strolling around up market Department stores )

[tropo]

I don't believe the majority of tourists come for sex.

:jerk:

Has to be the Thai Visa quote of the month

(Actually I agree with you - most come for the scenery, clean beaches, museums, libraries, Thai culture and strolling around up market Department stores )

Do you think adding emoticons adds credibility to your posts?

Next time you drive around Pattaya, check out the tour buses parked over by Bali Hai Pier everyday. Go over to Bali Hai pier between 6 - 8am and count how many speed boats are put into the water everyday. Count the tourists heading to Koh Larn everyday. Do you believe these tourists are hitting the bars?

No they are not. They're Asian and Russian tourists and other non-sex tourists from around the world looking for a bargain holiday.

Of course you're brilliant and you can somehow determine the ratio of sex-tourists/real-tourists in your head.

I used the phrase "I don't believe", leaving the possibility that I could be wrong, but of course you're so sure you're correct that you'll openly mock anyone with an opposing point of view. You should be able to pull out some stats to prove your statement then, shouldn't you?

I'm waiting...

Edited March 22, 2009 by tropo

[eljeque]

I have lived here for 1/2 of my adult life, starting in 1988. That is when I bought and then sold my first of seven houses here. I have watched “changes” in many things. Yes, some things on the surface have changed, but nothing beneath it.

If the sex tourists (who spend three times as much money on other things than sex), were to vanish........

A lot of the money which tourists who engage in sex, pay to the women they see, goes back into the local economy. Bargirls spend money here. They earn 20,000 (or whatever)/ month and spend much of it here. Yes, some goes back home. Poor girls working as waitresses and shopgirls earn a paltry sum, and have little to spend. So, they put little into the local economy. I am not defending sex-tourism, simply showing that a large sum of Pattaya's non-hotel expenditures can be attributed to tourists who seek sex.

Their disappearance would mean a disappearance of spending by bargirls/gogo girls as well, and that would show up in a large reduction in income to all of Pattaya.

Why has Pattaya grown so much over the past 20 years, while other cities without an industry to attract tourists who seek sex, have not grown at anywhere near the same rate?

The Chinese busloads, have you seen them tip? Russians do not do a lot of that either. The Chinese are on pre-set tour plans, paid for in advance.

The Russians will slow, and already are. Their currency and their economy are leading many to forgo their vacations here and / or to reduce expenditures while here.

The Chinese have never assisted anyone anywhere to do anything, and Pattaya will prove to be no exception.

[tropo]

I have lived here for 1/2 of my adult life, starting in 1988. That is when I bought and then sold my first of seven houses here. I have watched “changes” in many things. Yes, some things on the surface have changed, but nothing beneath it.

If the sex tourists (who spend three times as much money on other things than sex), were to vanish........

A lot of the money which tourists who engage in sex, pay to the women they see, goes back into the local economy. Bargirls spend money here. They earn 20,000 (or whatever)/ month and spend much of it here. Yes, some goes back home. Poor girls working as waitresses and shopgirls earn a paltry sum, and have little to spend. So, they put little into the local economy. I am not defending sex-tourism, simply showing that a large sum of Pattaya's non-hotel expenditures can be attributed to tourists who seek sex.

Their disappearance would mean a disappearance of spending by bargirls/gogo girls as well, and that would show up in a large reduction in income to all of Pattaya.

Why has Pattaya grown so much over the past 20 years, while other cities without an industry to attract tourists who seek sex, have not grown at anywhere near the same rate?

The Chinese busloads, have you seen them tip? Russians do not do a lot of that either. The Chinese are on pre-set tour plans, paid for in advance.

The Russians will slow, and already are. Their currency and their economy are leading many to forgo their vacations here and / or to reduce expenditures while here.

The Chinese have never assisted anyone anywhere to do anything, and Pattaya will prove to be no exception.

I was arguing about actual tourist numbers, not what they as a groups spend.

I disagree that the regular workers in Pattaya businesses contribute less to the overall economy. They out number sex workers by a huge number and as a group would probably contribute a lot more.

No one is saying that the economy of Pattaya wouldn't suffer if the sex-industry disappeared but I don't believe it would be the end of Pattaya.

[soundman]

I fail to see a parallel between sex tourism, beer bars and the basement flooding in Central.

Could we try and steer this back on topic thanks.

[barrybike]

i think central festival is good for the area and it is a good shopping mall....what are ye all complaining about ...youd swear there wasent enough beer bars in pattaya for you to go to...eventually there wont be any beer bars along beach road ,it will be all developments like this......if you lived in a remote part of thailand you would be greatful to have a place like this on your doorstep to go to shop ,look at movies,eat etc

[sriracha john]

I fail to see a parallel between sex tourism, beer bars and the basement flooding in Central.

Could we try and steer this back on topic thanks.

Google Search Engine Hits for:

722,000 for "Pattaya for sex"

58,600 for "Pattaya for family vacation"

3,640 for "Central Festival Pattaya flooding"

We know now what most people are more interested in.

[tropo]

I fail to see a parallel between sex tourism, beer bars and the basement flooding in Central.

Could we try and steer this back on topic thanks.

Google Search Engine Hits for:

722,000 for "Pattaya for sex"

58,600 for "Pattaya for family vacation"

3,640 for "Central Festival Pattaya flooding"

We know now what most people are more interested in.

Try these in Google:

Pattaya + sex = 717,000 hits

Pattaya + beach = 1,230,000 hits

Obviously more people are interested in Pattaya Beach according to your scientific approach.

Edited March 22, 2009 by tropo

[Jingthing]

You're both wrong!

They're here for the FOOD!

Pattaya + food = 1,570,000 hits

[tropo]

You're both wrong!

They're here for the FOOD!

Pattaya + food = 1,570,000 hits

Hahahaha! Good one.

To make the results more "scientific" we should be using Russian, Chinese, Korean, Arabic and a whole host of other language search engines.

[sriracha john]

I fail to see a parallel between sex tourism, beer bars and the basement flooding in Central.

Could we try and steer this back on topic thanks.

Google Search Engine Hits for:

722,000 for "Pattaya for sex"

58,600 for "Pattaya for family vacation"

3,640 for "Central Festival Pattaya flooding"

We know now what most people are more interested in.

Try these in Google:

Pattaya + sex = 717,000 hits

Pattaya + beach = 1,230,000 hits

Obviously more people are interested in Pattaya Beach according to your scientific approach.

56,300 for Pattaya Beach for sex.

25,800 for Pattaya Beach for family vacation.

Twice as many people go to Pattaya for sex as do for family vacations.

[tropo]

I fail to see a parallel between sex tourism, beer bars and the basement flooding in Central.

Could we try and steer this back on topic thanks.

Google Search Engine Hits for:

722,000 for "Pattaya for sex"

58,600 for "Pattaya for family vacation"

3,640 for "Central Festival Pattaya flooding"

We know now what most people are more interested in.

Try these in Google:

Pattaya + sex = 717,000 hits

Pattaya + beach = 1,230,000 hits

Obviously more people are interested in Pattaya Beach according to your scientific approach.

56,300 for Pattaya Beach for sex.

25,800 for Pattaya Beach for family vacation.

Twice as many people go to Pattaya for sex as do for family vacations.

Pattaya beach for family holiday = 62,600

Pattaya beach for family vacation = 25,800

Pattaya beach for vacation = 92,500

Pattaya beach for holiday = 231,000

You lose again!

Pattaya + beach + family + holiday = 187,000

Pattaya + beach + family + vacation = 58,800

(Only Americans call it a vacation, the rest of the English speaking world call it a holiday)

[LennyW]

You're both wrong!

They're here for the FOOD!

Pattaya + food = 1,570,000 hits

They will be lucky if there is any left....youv'e eaten it all!!!!

[eljeque]

I fail to see a parallel between sex tourism, beer bars and the basement flooding in Central.

Could we try and steer this back on topic thanks.

Google Search Engine Hits for:

722,000 for "Pattaya for sex"

58,600 for "Pattaya for family vacation"

3,640 for "Central Festival Pattaya flooding"

We know now what most people are more interested in.

Try these in Google:

Pattaya + sex = 717,000 hits

Pattaya + beach = 1,230,000 hits

Obviously more people are interested in Pattaya Beach according to your scientific approach.

_____

I agree that the city would not die.

Pattaya + beach = 1,230,000 hits

Pattaya = 14,800,000 ; Does this mean only 1 in 12 who look into Pattaya are concerned with the beach?

No, it doesn't. I would not go that far, but "Pattaya Beach" is a very common name for Pattaya. Searching "Pattaya Beach" is just a long name for searching "Pattaya".

Pattaya would not die, like a ghost town, or Lansing, Michigan, but the decrease in business activity would lead to a large number of unemployed, an increasing rate of in the plummeting prices of houses and condos, meaning more and more buyers defaulting, and the list goes on.

Look at all of the other beach resorts for tourists in Thailand, and see how little these places have grown versus Pattaya.

[Pdaz]

Only have to compare Bang Saen and Pattaya to see the difference..

Bang Saen is marginally closer to BKK has a much better beach. Wider 'beach road' and even a nice Chinese temple to visit.. But despite the fact that it is cleaner and has less of a traffic problem it has hardly developed at all.. Busy at the weekend with Thai beachgoers but farangs are quite a rare sight.

Hardly any farang tourists there and very few Russians, Koreans, Japanese or Chinamen..

So guess the 'going for the temples' is BS..

Yep sex sells and certainly drives the economy of Pattaya despite what all the prudes would have you believe..

You only have to look at all the new trucks/cars/houses.. Even Chonburi the provincial 'capital' is a backwater compared to Pattaya..

[tropo]

I agree that the city would not die.

Pattaya + beach = 1,230,000 hits

Pattaya = 14,800,000 ; Does this mean only 1 in 12 who look into Pattaya are concerned with the beach?

No, it doesn't. I would not go that far, but "Pattaya Beach" is a very common name for Pattaya. Searching "Pattaya Beach" is just a long name for searching "Pattaya".

You've used the wrong Googling criteria for your comparison.

Pattaya + beach brings up all articles with the individual words "Pattaya" and "beach" in them in no particular order.

"Pattaya beach" brings up all all articles with the phrase "Pattaya beach".

We didn't google for "pattaya beach".

[tropo]

Only have to compare Bang Saen and Pattaya to see the difference..

Bang Saen is marginally closer to BKK has a much better beach. Wider 'beach road' and even a nice Chinese temple to visit.. But despite the fact that it is cleaner and has less of a traffic problem it has hardly developed at all.. Busy at the weekend with Thai beachgoers but farangs are quite a rare sight.

Hardly any farang tourists there and very few Russians, Koreans, Japanese or Chinamen..

So guess the 'going for the temples' is BS..

Yep sex sells and certainly drives the economy of Pattaya despite what all the prudes would have you believe..

You only have to look at all the new trucks/cars/houses.. Even Chonburi the provincial 'capital' is a backwater compared to Pattaya..

Your comparison is meaningless.

Pattaya was built up on the sex industry, no one is denying that. It's the infrastructure plus 1000's of restaurants and hotel rooms, shopping malls etc, that has been built around it which now makes it a very popular place for normal tourists and local Thais to visit.

The sex industry was like a seed to start the ball rolling. The seed is no longer required.

[longball53098]

What happened to the flood? Is it still raining? This discussion is getting water logged in the flood.

[tropo]

What happened to the flood? Is it still raining? This discussion is getting water logged in the flood.

It's now as dry as a bone.

[daveb1]

The point everybody seems to be missing is that every tourist destination has to try and attract as many people as possible. What Pattaya is doing is broadening its appeal. The reason I love this place and live here is not because of the bars its because of the people, the weather, the great restaurants, cinemas, shopping malls like central and a thousand other reasons.

I know many people who come here and never get involved in the prostitution scene. They may visit the bars for a laugh but don’t purchase girls or boys. Not everyone is here for the sex.. It’s sensible for Pattaya to try and diversify, look at all the events this city puts on like the music festival or major sporting events for example. I am not saying that business would not suffer if the sex industry was not here but looking to the future I think it will be less important than some of you dinosaurs think! Pattaya is a great place, stop being so negative about it. And look to some of its good points for a change!

[Mobi]

Do you think adding emoticons adds credibility to your posts?

Next time you drive around Pattaya, check out the tour buses parked over by Bali Hai Pier everyday. Go over to Bali Hai pier between 6 - 8am and count how many speed boats are put into the water everyday. Count the tourists heading to Koh Larn everyday. Do you believe these tourists are hitting the bars?

No they are not. They're Asian and Russian tourists and other non-sex tourists from around the world looking for a bargain holiday.

Of course you're brilliant and you can somehow determine the ratio of sex-tourists/real-tourists in your head.

I used the phrase "I don't believe", leaving the possibility that I could be wrong, but of course you're so sure you're correct that you'll openly mock anyone with an opposing point of view. You should be able to pull out some stats to prove your statement then, shouldn't you?

I'm waiting...

Tropo, the number of emoticons merely represents a small fraction of the people who have burst out into paroxysms of uncontrollable mirth when I quote your now infamous statement to them.

If you think I'm going to waste my time researching whether a majority of the visitors to Pattaya come for sex, when all sensible thinking people (both Thais and farangs) know it as an undistupable fact, then you will wait forever.

You know I have suspected it for a long time, and I know know it to be true:

1. you always hate it when someone disagrees with you and effectively puts you to the written sword, and you always turn very nasty.

2. You particularly hate it when I, Mobi, put you to the sword, and you never stop whining and spitting and biting until I let you you have the last word.

Be happy - that's what Pattaya is for -

[Jai Dee]

As this topic has continued way off course and shows no sign of ever returning to the original subject matter, there is no point continuing it.

Sould any member have any updated information valid to the subject matter that you would like to have added into the thread, please PM an online moderator who can re-open the topic for you.

/Closed.