Pattaya Is Dead Dead Dead

[thaibeachlovers]

I live here in Patters with my familly,well on the outskirts and love it ,but to be honest if i was looking for a high class destination to bring my familly on holiday it certainly wouldnt be here. its a holiday destination for single guys not famillys,as GK10002000 said anything they do is like putting lipstick on a pig.

at the weekend we drove down to Bang Sean and it was heaving with thai weekenders and the beaches were packed,just down the road is the new Central mall ,that was heaving as well .Pattaya? ,well we all know what that is like now ,dead,

Well, I've been saying for ages that the lack of family and so called "quality" tourists would be a "good thing" to destroy once and for all City Hall's attempt to upmarket and trendify Pattaya. It may take a year or two more of pain for the bars, but there have been too many of them for years anyway, and a reduction in number would make the remainder more prosperous.

Assuming that the world economies will be back in a couple years, that should be long enough for the "powers that be" to realise where the money is, and stop harrassing the bar punters with restrictive visas etc.

Just curious about what "restrictive visas" you feel are harrassing the bar punters. Also, curious if anyone has any kind of information, as to the ratio of business in Pattaya, created by long term expats, versus short term tourists. By short term, I mean anywhere from a few days upto 2 or 3 months.

OK, so in the mid 90's I got 90 days permit to stay at the airport, and land border, stayed as long as I liked with border runs. Now I have to get visa, and all hassles of extending, plus extra cost, only 15 days at land border.

[JR Texas]

Everyone's situation is different...I suspect you are going for a non-immigrant B, with a one-year extension (based on investment or business). Maybe you are also throwing-in the hassle/paperwork of getting a wp to go along with all this.

For me, it's just a 1 page application, a few pages of documentation, couple photos, and US$ 175 for a 1 year non-imm O multi-entry (90-days in and out) that can be stretched to a 15 month stay

[Of course, this is done every 15 months in my country or origin.]

No, I'm talking about the annual extension of Non-O (marriage). You're still a visa runner. I haven't been out of the country for years.

I guess I wasn't clear...what I meant to convey is what you say...anything involving annual extensions of stay (other than a retirement extension) requires heaps of paperwork (like you say). Probably the same in most countries if you are not a citizen or permanent legal resident.

Nope. We lived in Europe for several years. One simple visit to the local commune where my Thai wife immediately got both residence and work permits valid for 5 years, to be renewed by a similar simple meeting. Documents required: our passports.

Pretty much the same in the USA after you get passed the initial screening process.....you are in and you don't have to report every 90 days or do border runs or travel across the country to get a reentry permit, etc. And, eventually she gets citizenship if she wants it along with the opportunity to get a pension later in life.

[spacebass]

30 baht an hour for the privilege of dropping my car somewhere while shopping. Yikes. Tell me they at least have some ticket-stamp option ...

Plus the rip off engineered by the ladyboy cashier!!!

[MayBeLater]

Everyone's situation is different...I suspect you are going for a non-immigrant B, with a one-year extension (based on investment or business). Maybe you are also throwing-in the hassle/paperwork of getting a wp to go along with all this.

For me, it's just a 1 page application, a few pages of documentation, couple photos, and US$ 175 for a 1 year non-imm O multi-entry (90-days in and out) that can be stretched to a 15 month stay

[Of course, this is done every 15 months in my country or origin.]

No, I'm talking about the annual extension of Non-O (marriage). You're still a visa runner. I haven't been out of the country for years.

I guess I wasn't clear...what I meant to convey is what you say...anything involving annual extensions of stay (other than a retirement extension) requires heaps of paperwork (like you say). Probably the same in most countries if you are not a citizen or permanent legal resident.

Nope. We lived in Europe for several years. One simple visit to the local commune where my Thai wife immediately got both residence and work permits valid for 5 years, to be renewed by a similar simple meeting. Documents required: our passports.

Well the conclusion is that Thailand is way smarter then us Europeans, see what kind of foreigners we have in Europe, even worse people then the foreigners residing in Thailand.

[MayBeLater]

I wonder why they feel the need to target one country.........why not target all countries? Seems like over the past few years they have selectively targeted, in order, Russians, Chinese, and now Indians.

Notice a trend here...poor...poorer...poorest...

Hahhaha good old Jonny again;-) Travel a bit Jonny and you might change your views about those countries, but I doubt you will see anything through your eyes, seems you understand everything ;-)

[sandyandshirley]

Hello everyone!

I've been lurking here for a while, thought it was about time to say hello....

I was in Pattaya last month, and am coming back again next week, 'flu or not. Myself and the wife like to live on the edge - might get the cold, might not get the cold.... eek!

We are house-hunting, thinking about Mabprachan, but we won't be getting any gardeners - especially tall ones We also liked SP3, SP5, and Greenfield though.

We're looking forward to it. Pity the downturn doesn't equate to cheaper prices like everywhere else, but them's the breaks I s'pose.

I am concerned about the latest "farang house ownership" stuff I've been reading, but I get the impression everything's negotiable.

Anyway, hello, post #1.

Peace,

Sandy

[AbelMagwitch]

I noticed Jomtien was quiet last month too. Not a soul on the beach and the hotel was empty.

[Dave the Dude]

Anyway, hello, post #1.

Peace,

Sandy

[Ohio]

Anyway, hello, post #1.

Peace,

Sandy

DO NOT BUY , Rent for 12 months

Free advice.

We are also going to buy but had really good advice that so far has proved correct IMO

[sandyandshirley]

Ohio,

That was something we were thinking, but we both fell in love with a house (and Pattaya) and want to buy.

Tell me it's a f**g stupid thing to do because I know deep down it is..... but coming from Europe the price is hard to ignore right now. And I think this is a temporary glitch which I might be able to take advantage of - just in the sense of getting a good deal on our family home I mean.

Cheers,

S&S

[thaimate]

Ohio,

That was something we were thinking, but we both fell in love with a house (and Pattaya) and want to buy.

Tell me it's a f**g stupid thing to do because I know deep down it is..... but coming from Europe the price is hard to ignore right now. And I think this is a temporary glitch which I might be able to take advantage of - just in the sense of getting a good deal on our family home I mean.

Cheers,

S&S

Its a f**g stupid thing to do ,dont buy ,rent . in a few years you may want to move ,nothing worse than being stuck with a house you cant sell for years on end.

[Phil Conners]

Everyone's situation is different...I suspect you are going for a non-immigrant B, with a one-year extension (based on investment or business). Maybe you are also throwing-in the hassle/paperwork of getting a wp to go along with all this.

For me, it's just a 1 page application, a few pages of documentation, couple photos, and US$ 175 for a 1 year non-imm O multi-entry (90-days in and out) that can be stretched to a 15 month stay

[Of course, this is done every 15 months in my country or origin.]

No, I'm talking about the annual extension of Non-O (marriage). You're still a visa runner. I haven't been out of the country for years.

I guess I wasn't clear...what I meant to convey is what you say...anything involving annual extensions of stay (other than a retirement extension) requires heaps of paperwork (like you say). Probably the same in most countries if you are not a citizen or permanent legal resident.

Nope. We lived in Europe for several years. One simple visit to the local commune where my Thai wife immediately got both residence and work permits valid for 5 years, to be renewed by a similar simple meeting. Documents required: our passports.

Well the conclusion is that Thailand is way smarter then us Europeans, see what kind of foreigners we have in Europe, even worse people then the foreigners residing in Thailand.

You show a very old-fashioned conservative opinion. Each country to their own. Build big walls between each country. Everybody should be live and die in the same village they were born.

Welcome to the global world.

[patklang]

Ohio,

That was something we were thinking, but we both fell in love with a house (and Pattaya) and want to buy.

Tell me it's a f**g stupid thing to do because I know deep down it is..... but coming from Europe the price is hard to ignore right now. And I think this is a temporary glitch which I might be able to take advantage of - just in the sense of getting a good deal on our family home I mean.

Cheers,

S&S

Go to Foodland and Friendship and pick up some of the monthly house magazines.there is one 3 bed/3 bathroom with a swimming pool,reduced from 5.7m to 2.7m.Maybe a spelling error but thats what it says.also the contact is chris on 0890263022

[yogi100]

...

Maybe it is time for the govt. to actually encourage tourism......no, they are not doing that, unless you are from China (# of Chinese tourists down 80% from same time last year, by the way).

According to my contacts in Pattaya-Jomtien, not only is it a Ghost Town, but prices are still high........what happened to the big discounts and free rooms?

First of all, I do not believe that most Thais have adequate understanding of marketing techniques to "encourage tourism", or make effective use of pricing tactics.

Secondly, would you mind quoting the source of that "80% decrease" in Chinese tourists? That would be quite a drop, if true. I'd also wonder what the real number would be for the Korean bus tours that we've also seen many of over recent years.

IMO, many permanent resident expats would be happy to see the true "tourist" industry here drop way off. We've seen many express a desire for the area to "upgrade", and become more family oriented. Whether you agree or not (I'm not trying to resurect that discussion here), I think that would happen if the "sex and alcohol" elements of the tourist trade died.

If all (or most) of the prostitutes were to go back to their birthplaces, the tourists seeking that type of entertainment would certainly find other towns in the world where they could satisfy their desires. The large hotels, and other "family" tourist attractions, might actually see an increase in patronage. Such people might be able to convince the myopic government to make serious upgrades to the beach. The same upgrade might follow for the businesses supporting permanent residents; although, frankly, there's a healthy number of such businesses now in place.

So, if Pattaya - the party town - were to die; would it, over a few years, with all of the business already in place, shrink to a safer, cleaner, permanent residence and family resort town? I'm not saying that the "sleeze" elements would totally disappear; simply that they might not dominate as the personality of the town. Just asking.

[yogi100]

...

Maybe it is time for the govt. to actually encourage tourism......no, they are not doing that, unless you are from China (# of Chinese tourists down 80% from same time last year, by the way).

According to my contacts in Pattaya-Jomtien, not only is it a Ghost Town, but prices are still high........what happened to the big discounts and free rooms?

First of all, I do not believe that most Thais have adequate understanding of marketing techniques to "encourage tourism", or make effective use of pricing tactics.

Secondly, would you mind quoting the source of that "80% decrease" in Chinese tourists? That would be quite a drop, if true. I'd also wonder what the real number would be for the Korean bus tours that we've also seen many of over recent years.

IMO, many permanent resident expats would be happy to see the true "tourist" industry here drop way off. We've seen many express a desire for the area to "upgrade", and become more family oriented. Whether you agree or not (I'm not trying to resurect that discussion here), I think that would happen if the "sex and alcohol" elements of the tourist trade died.

If all (or most) of the prostitutes were to go back to their birthplaces, the tourists seeking that type of entertainment would certainly find other towns in the world where they could satisfy their desires. The large hotels, and other "family" tourist attractions, might actually see an increase in patronage. Such people might be able to convince the myopic government to make serious upgrades to the beach. The same upgrade might follow for the businesses supporting permanent residents; although, frankly, there's a healthy number of such businesses now in place.

So, if Pattaya - the party town - were to die; would it, over a few years, with all of the business already in place, shrink to a safer, cleaner, permanent residence and family resort town? I'm not saying that the "sleeze" elements would totally disappear; simply that they might not dominate as the personality of the town. Just asking.

Pattaya will never make it as a family holiday resort, It can only be Pattaya.

Can you see parents bringing their children thousands of miles from Europe and the US to bathe in the sea and frolic on the sands of Pattaya Beach. They'd be stuck on planes for 12 - 20 hours for a start. They'll visit their traditional beach resorts in the Med and the Caribbean before they'd subject themselves and their kids to all that travelling to swim in the filthy sea off Pattaya and be pestered all day long by vendors.

[Chaimai]

They'll visit their traditional beach resorts in the Med and the Caribbean before they'd subject themselves and their kids to all that travelling to swim in the filthy sea off Pattaya and be pestered all day long by vendors.

So the whole of the Med is not filthy and European playas do not have 'looky looky' men or, God forbid, time-share touts ??

[Humphrey Bear]

The global tourism trade is suffering, not just Pattaya.

But Pattaya will suffer more than most, due to the high price of the Thai Baht, due to the cost of travel from OZ, US, Europe. Why spend so much money just to come here and be ripped off by the locals?

A devaluation of the Baht by, say, 30% would help the Thai economy in many ways. What do Thais consume that is imported, apart from fuel?

[moo9]

The global tourism trade is suffering, not just Pattaya.

But Pattaya will suffer more than most, due to the high price of the Thai Baht, due to the cost of travel from OZ, US, Europe. Why spend so much money just to come here and be ripped off by the locals?

A devaluation of the Baht by, say, 30% would help the Thai economy in many ways. What do Thais consume that is imported, apart from fuel?

You have no idea what all is imported. A 30 % devaluation of the THB would destroy many businesses (incl. mine).

In general the value of imported goods is much higher, the exported ones are rather cheap (food, clothes, shoes, low quality items etc.), so the impact would be much higher on the imported ones.

Besides this, except for the STG, USD and EURO are still quite ok against the Baht imho.

The currencies are not the real problem for the slump in tourism!

[SoiGirlHunter]

did my jomtien bar crawl last night, it was dead out there! i noticed a very depressed mood in the bar workers/operators.

in negotiating prices some actually got downright nasty with me, something i never really experienced here before. i just paid

my bill and said som na na and left. ended up finding a nice friend though. i told her of my experience and she said "money down big

people crazy now, be careful walk soi nightime".

i am going to try to get over to soi walking tonight, hopefully its more upbeat

[moo9]

did my jomtien bar crawl last night, it was dead out there! i noticed a very depressed mood in the bar workers/operators.

in negotiating prices some actually got downright nasty with me, something i never really experienced here before. i just paid

my bill and said som na na and left. ended up finding a nice friend though. i told her of my experience and she said "money down big

people crazy now, be careful walk soi nightime".

i am going to try to get over to soi walking tonight, hopefully its more upbeat

I guess most of people involved in the nightly entertainment business are running on empty now.

Mai mee tang, mai sanook...and one can expect quite angry reactions.

[Jingthing]

Mai mee tang, mai sanook...and one can expect quite angry reactions.

Yeah, but WHO should they be angry with? The few foreigners that are left?

[Phil Conners]

did my jomtien bar crawl last night, it was dead out there! i noticed a very depressed mood in the bar workers/operators.

in negotiating prices some actually got downright nasty with me, something i never really experienced here before. i just paid

my bill and said som na na and left. ended up finding a nice friend though. i told her of my experience and she said "money down big

people crazy now, be careful walk soi nightime".

i am going to try to get over to soi walking tonight, hopefully its more upbeat

I thought you wrote you were down with Pig Flu a few days ago? False alarm or got over it dam_n quick?

[surayu]

Mai mee tang, mai sanook...and one can expect quite angry reactions.

Yeah, but WHO should they be angry with? The few foreigners that are left?

that would look very "thai" indeed

[Snarky]

did my jomtien bar crawl last night, it was dead out there! i noticed a very depressed mood in the bar workers/operators.

in negotiating prices some actually got downright nasty with me, something i never really experienced here before. i just paid

my bill and said som na na and left. ended up finding a nice friend though. i told her of my experience and she said "money down big

people crazy now, be careful walk soi nightime".

i am going to try to get over to soi walking tonight, hopefully its more upbeat

Pretty clear youre a TROLL

[davethailand]

did my jomtien bar crawl last night, it was dead out there! i noticed a very depressed mood in the bar workers/operators.

in negotiating prices some actually got downright nasty with me, something i never really experienced here before. i just paid

my bill and said som na na and left. ended up finding a nice friend though. i told her of my experience and she said "money down big

people crazy now, be careful walk soi nightime".

i am going to try to get over to soi walking tonight, hopefully its more upbeat

Try Beach rd, more choice and they'll go for less, perfect for the cheap charlies who take pleaseure in trying to pay the girl peanuts at the moment even though they are aware of how tight things are.

[Chaimai]

Pretty clear youre a TROLL

Good first post ! - Welcome to Thai Visa

[basjke]

did my jomtien bar crawl last night, it was dead out there! i noticed a very depressed mood in the bar workers/operators.

in negotiating prices some actually got downright nasty with me, something i never really experienced here before. i just paid

my bill and said som na na and left. ended up finding a nice friend though. i told her of my experience and she said "money down big

people crazy now, be careful walk soi nightime".

i am going to try to get over to soi walking tonight, hopefully its more upbeat

Try Beach rd, more choice and they'll go for less, perfect for the cheap charlies who take pleaseure in trying to pay the girl peanuts at the moment even though they are aware of how tight things are.

I don't want to start an argument but maybe things were overpriced in the past.Not to take advantage about the situation but things are tight for everyone and I don't feel I'm obliged to take care of the thai family.

[MeetJohnDoe]

Pretty clear youre a TROLL

Good first post ! - Welcome to Thai Visa

I Thought that was a pretty weird first posting too

[Ohio]

Bali Tourist arrival figure UP 21.8% , Aussie Tourist figures up by 79% , Hotel Occupancy 82 - 91 %

Ah ! is there a message to TAT here ?

[MeetJohnDoe]

Bali Tourist arrival figure UP 21.8% , Aussie Tourist figures up by 79% , Hotel Occupancy 82 - 91%

Ah ! is there a message to TAT here ?

In the case of Bali, probably more relevant that the Indo Rupiah is down around 20% or so against most Western currencies the past year and is right next door to Australia. It's a beautiful place (much more so than anywhere in LOS) and if I was looking for an idyllic holiday spot it would be Bali way before anyplace in LOS.

Also probably benefiting directly from political turmoil in LOS with Roos and others diverting to that "other" Asian tropical paradise of Bali. All these things are outside the TAT's control.