Pattaya Is Dead Dead Dead

[pepsi666]

But why not go to them and see what they got to offer, you may like it

***raspberries***

Right back at ya,

I had a look on their forums, not a patch on this one, I'll stick with TV

[Phatcharanan]

(for those not up on slang, a septic is slang for a yank, = septic tank= a YANK, hope this clears up any confusion)

Actually.....you come over as a bit of a tanker. Thats slang too.

[dsfbrit]

(for those not up on slang, a septic is slang for a yank, = septic tank= a YANK, hope this clears up any confusion)

Actually.....you come over as a bit of a tanker. Thats slang too.

Not wishing to get deeply involved in the debate - but its normally 'merchant banker' in the part of London I am from.

[pepsi666]

(for those not up on slang, a septic is slang for a yank, = septic tank= a YANK, hope this clears up any confusion)

Actually.....you come over as a bit of a tanker. Thats slang too.

Not wishing to get deeply involved in the debate - but its normally 'merchant banker' in the part of London I am from.

neither is East London slang, they are squaddies terms, the same as a septic

[MeetJohnDoe]

Actually.....you come over as a bit of a tanker. Thats slang too.

Didn't you mean "wanke_r"?

Edited June 22, 2009 by MeetJohnDoe

[MeetJohnDoe]

Oh wow...TV auto-editor doesn't like "w a n k e r" ...what a polite forum

[anothertorres]

aww shit.

[Ohio]

[

, and a beautiful beach".

I love Pattaya , but there are much better & cheaper resort destinations at this time...............BUT , "and a beautiful beach" You cannot be serious.

I am not that blinkered about Patts . The beach in Patts & Jomtien are the pits for hygiene & health.

Out at the island is a Beach & many other places , but beautiful is not the word for sewage flow into swimming areas

[surayu]

(for those not up on slang, a septic is slang for a yank, = septic tank= a YANK, hope this clears up any confusion)

Actually.....you come over as a bit of a tanker. Thats slang too.

Not wishing to get deeply involved in the debate - but its normally 'merchant banker' in the part of London I am from.

neither is East London slang, they are squaddies terms, the same as a septic

....that sounds like a Cockneys competition on TV, i hope you don't walk around Pattaya dressed like this too

[pepsi666]

As Pattaya is dead, dead, dead, may as well have bit of fun in here,

A TRUE cockney is born within the sound of Bow Bells, I suppose with the internet, it could be any one these days, regardless of nationality, even some of the 'irons' in here

[tropo]

You'd be surprised how much fun you can have in Pattaya when it's supposedly "dead, dead, dead".

Easier to find hotel rooms, bar stools and girls.

Expats in the know prefer the quiet seasons, and the quieter the better.

Having said that, even in these "dead, dead, dead" times there are always plenty of people walking around and there's still lots of traffic. People forget that plenty of Thai people live in this town too.

The best bars, restaurants and hotels in town are still fairly busy.

[moo9]

You'd be surprised how much fun you can have in Pattaya when it's supposedly "dead, dead, dead".

Easier to find hotel rooms, bar stools and girls.

Expats in the know prefer the quiet seasons, and the quieter the better.

Having said that, even in these "dead, dead, dead" times there are always plenty of people walking around and there's still lots of traffic. People forget that plenty of Thai people live in this town too.

The best bars, restaurants and hotels in town are still fairly busy.

Agree to that. The long established venues are still running ok.

There is undoubtly a lack of tourists, but as you said, that is only to the expat advantage somehow.

Cheers

[Phatcharanan]

Quite possibly one of the most boring threads ever.

If you don't like Thailand or Pattaya.......stay away. Easy peasy.

Continually moaning about a place you don't like makes you out to be some sort of.....numb nut. Go find a place that you adore............say Milton Keynes. or Birmingham, Alabama.

[pepsi666]

Quite possibly one of the most boring threads ever.

If you don't like Thailand or Pattaya.......stay away. Easy peasy.

Continually moaning about a place you don't like makes you out to be some sort of.....numb nut. Go find a place that you adore............say Milton Keynes. or Birmingham, Alabama.

I have never said I didnt like Thailand or Pattaya, read the entire topic before you make a comment like that, please

I have compared my costs to the DR and Pattaya and the value I got from both places, if its that boring, why read it ? I am sure there are more worthy threads aqnd topics in here

[MeetJohnDoe]

Expats in the know prefer the quiet seasons, and the quieter the better.

Having said that, even in these "dead, dead, dead" times there are always plenty of people walking around and there's still lots of traffic. People forget that plenty of Thai people live in this town too.

The best bars, restaurants and hotels in town are still fairly busy.

As residents we do benefit when things slow down a bit...we naturally get 6 months or so of this every year. However, we also benefit by the retail and service infrastructure that's been built-up over the years for tourists and so we need a certain number of visitors in order to keep them viable and therefore available to us as well. That's the worry...that we lose some businesses we enjoy due to the paucity of tourists.

[tropo]

Expats in the know prefer the quiet seasons, and the quieter the better.

Having said that, even in these "dead, dead, dead" times there are always plenty of people walking around and there's still lots of traffic. People forget that plenty of Thai people live in this town too.

The best bars, restaurants and hotels in town are still fairly busy.

As residents we do benefit when things slow down a bit...we naturally get 6 months or so of this every year. However, we also benefit by the retail and service infrastructure that's been built-up over the years for tourists and so we need a certain number of visitors in order to keep them viable and therefore available to us as well. That's the worry...that we lose some businesses we enjoy due to the paucity of tourists.

I haven't been here long enough to yearn for the old days, but I'm sure more than a few expats wouldn't mind a return to the more simple, quieter town of yester year. Quite a few expats were somewhat disappointed when the new Central Shopping center came to town.

There's plenty of redundant businesses in town that were teetering on the brink even in better times. One thing I find somewhat unique in Pattaya is how many unprofitable business seem to survive. This town will survive any major recession.

[thaibeachlovers]

Have just arrived, and yes, the usual places along Beach and Second roads ( and the sois ) are very quiet. Many bars have no customers at 9 pm.

However Soi Buakaow seems to be booming.

[JR Texas]

Have just arrived, and yes, the usual places along Beach and Second roads ( and the sois ) are very quiet. Many bars have no customers at 9 pm.

However Soi Buakaow seems to be booming.

Just curious about prices..........your perception of them. Does everything seem more expensive.......a lot more expensive.....than just two years ago?

Not Pattaya, but I walking inside the Conrad Hotel complex a few days ago in Bangkok........roaming around and found TOPs. I really did not want anything but walked around and noticed that the prices seemed extremely high (98 baht for Doritos; 300 baht for a small hunk of cheese, etc).

And my hotel, not Conrad Hotel, was not offering any discount. My guess is that the hotels in Pattaya-Jomtien still have not reduced prices.

I think the owners are really taking a big gamble by not discounting prices now..........they are assuming their present losses will not matter after they "big money" comes in in the high season. But I think the high season will be similar to a normal low season.

After that, they will really be screwed........big reality check coming.

Even if I could afford it, and I can, I would not stay at any hotel in Pattaya-Jomtien that has raised it price two to three fold over the past 3 years.......just a matter of principle.

[MeetJohnDoe]

...roaming around and found TOPs. I really did not want anything but walked around and noticed that the prices seemed extremely high (98 baht for Doritos; 300 baht for a small hunk of cheese, etc).

Even if I could afford it, and I can, I would not stay at any hotel in Pattaya-Jomtien that has raised it price two to three fold over the past 3 years.......just a matter of principle.

Imported food products have always been expensive and are influenced by exchange rates and other factors. Cheese is particularly expensive as the market is very small and being heavy and needing to be refrigerated, it's very expensive to ship.

Can you name any hotels in Pattaya (or Bangkok) that have raised their rates 2-3x over the past few years? The hotel where I stay when visiting Bangkok has not change at all and I see really good discounts at many others. Example: You can get a standard room with breakfast and late check-out at the Shangri La Hotel for about B 5500...with a free upgrade to a deluxe river-front view room. That hotel room, in one of the best hotels in Bangkok (let alone Asia) would have been B 8000-12,000 a few years ago during the boom times. Similar sized discounts are available at many Bangkok properties.

[MeetJohnDoe]

Have just arrived, and yes, the usual places along Beach and Second roads ( and the sois ) are very quiet. Many bars have no customers at 9 pm. However Soi Buakaow seems to be booming.

Lesson: Family and "quality" tourists are a fickle market whereas punters and mongers will always cum [sorry I couldn't resist] come hel_l or high-water.

Edited June 24, 2009 by MeetJohnDoe

[zorro1]

Perhaps not reducing prices really is the answer. The down turn is a Global one. If they gave you 6 nights 1 night free would it make a difference? spending $5k to save $10-$100 wouldnt make any diif. People too worried about their jobs and and finding the cash so they will go to the gold coast or Miami in their own country for half the price and thats exactly what they are doing just ask the airlines (bad luck for the brits no escape for you ). Why discount the rooms if overall their is no significant increase in numbers..

[soundman]

Why discount the rooms if overall their is no significant increase in numbers..

Now you are starting to see things from Thai Businessman's perspective! And furthering the logic, why not raise you prices if there is no significant decrease in numbers....

[Ulysses G.]

Perhaps not reducing prices really is the answer. Why discount the rooms if overall their is no significant increase in numbers..

I'm looking forward to my vacation and I wanted to go to Pattaya as I thought that it would be a real bargain this year. However, I discovered that everyone is raising prices, rather than lowering them, so I'm going to Bali instead. They are doing serious discounts there and airline fees are cheap too.

THAT is why you don't raise your prices during an economic downturn!

Edited June 24, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[Jingthing]

Exactly, UG, because they are in a global competition for a much smaller pot of money, and they don't generally seem to get that ...

[zorro1]

Perhaps not reducing prices really is the answer. Why discount the rooms if overall their is no significant increase in numbers..

I'm looking forward to my vacation and I wanted to go to Pattya as I thought that it would be a real bargain this year. However, I discovered that everyone is raising prices, rather than lowering them, so I'm going to Bali instead. They are doing serious discounts there and airline fees are cheap too.

THAT is why you don't raise your prices during an economic downturn!

Good one I have never been although everyone raves about it. Would be extremely surprised if they were having a much better season than here although it does appeal to ozzies and its closer hence cheaper.

[Absingjul]

Perhaps not reducing prices really is the answer. Why discount the rooms if overall their is no significant increase in numbers..

I'm looking forward to my vacation and I wanted to go to Pattya as I thought that it would be a real bargain this year. However, I discovered that everyone is raising prices, rather than lowering them, so I'm going to Bali instead. They are doing serious discounts there and airline fees are cheap too.

THAT is why you don't raise your prices during an economic downturn!

Good one I have never been although everyone raves about it. Would be extremely surprised if they were having a much better season than here although it does appeal to ozzies and its closer hence cheaper.

http://www.balidiscovery.com/messages/message.asp?Id=5289

(6/8/2009) Foreign tourist arrival to Bali in April 2009 totaled 179,879 representing the best April on record for Bali tourism and 21.94% improvement over April 2008 (147,515).

...

As predicted by balidiscovery.com, April 2009 also saw the historical unseating of Japan by Australia from its top-ranking as the largest source market for Bali. Through the end of the first four months of 2009 Australian arrivals totaled 102,179 – increasing 30.08% as compared to the same period in 2008.

And this was before beer mat mom

[JR Texas]

...roaming around and found TOPs. I really did not want anything but walked around and noticed that the prices seemed extremely high (98 baht for Doritos; 300 baht for a small hunk of cheese, etc).

Even if I could afford it, and I can, I would not stay at any hotel in Pattaya-Jomtien that has raised it price two to three fold over the past 3 years.......just a matter of principle.

Imported food products have always been expensive and are influenced by exchange rates and other factors. Cheese is particularly expensive as the market is very small and being heavy and needing to be refrigerated, it's very expensive to ship.

Can you name any hotels in Pattaya (or Bangkok) that have raised their rates 2-3x over the past few years? The hotel where I stay when visiting Bangkok has not change at all and I see really good discounts at many others. Example: You can get a standard room with breakfast and late check-out at the Shangri La Hotel for about B 5500...with a free upgrade to a deluxe river-front view room. That hotel room, in one of the best hotels in Bangkok (let alone Asia) would have been B 8000-12,000 a few years ago during the boom times. Similar sized discounts are available at many Bangkok properties.

Hi MeetJohnDoe........yes, I can give you some names but would rather not get sued. You no doubt know of hotels that have raised their prices way up over the past three years since so many have.

There are tourists who can afford double what they are asking..........that is not the point for some tourists. They know what the rates were and simply don't like the idea of being ripped off. And now they really think Thailand's hotel industry should be giving people genuine bargains..........but they are not as far as I can see.

Again, I think they truly believe this is a fluke and that the high season will be a normal one.......I just don't think that is the case and that is why I think they need to offer big discounts now.

[MeetJohnDoe]

I'm looking forward to my vacation and I wanted to go to Pattaya as I thought that it would be a real bargain this year. However, I discovered that everyone is raising prices, rather than lowering them, so I'm going to Bali instead.

Bali is beautiful...I love my trips there. Last I checked, AA had direct flights from BKK for around US$ 150...cheap cheap cheap! Your gain is Pattaya's loss...have a great trip

[moo9]

I think Bali and Pattaya are not real competitors. It is up to your personal taste.

I find the Pattaya bashing a bit unfair, as I (as a resident) do not think that prices went up that dramatically. If alcohol taxes are increased you can't blame it on Pattaya!

With regard to Hotel prices, I am not so sure, but there are plenty of rooms available at very reasonable prices!

My 5 cents

Cheers

[loong]

If alcohol taxes are increased you can't blame it on Pattaya!

A large bottle of Chang increased by about 2 Baht because of the Tax increase, Large Leo 2 or 3 Baht depending where you buy. The more expensive beers about 3 Baht for a small bottle.

I wonder what the average increase was in the bars. Hopefully some absorbed the increase to keep their customers happy.