How Busy This High Season?

[dmax]

pattaya very very busy now ...

[siggie2]

I've noticed that there is a thriving nightlife on Soi Buckhaw/LK recently. So this obviously has reduced the numbers of Beach Road Soi punters.

I think that many knowledgable return visitors to Pattaya tend to avoid Walking Street and the Soi 7/8 scene and search for value and smiles elsewhere.

Exactly right mate.After 6 years i try to find new bars on my 2 nights a week piss up.Also try to find good restaraunts too.Too many bars and not enough drinkers in Walking st except for the 2 week millionaires who give false hope to the bar owners

The candy shop syndrome has well worn off and the bull shhhhhhhhhh chat is a joke

[tropo]

This is my first high season and to be honest found it rather disappointing as I expected loads more. Once the festive season stragglers go home, ie, late Jan early Feb I reckon alot of buisnesses will go to the wall.

Most tourists come here at high season because that is the only time of the year they can come. Why would a regular visitor such as yourself look forward to a high season?

People talk gloom and doom every year. Business open and close every year. Perhaps Jomtien needs a good face lift to make it a more attractive place for tourists. A few quite seasons will help Jomtien in the long run. Right now it doesn't have the appeal of it's big sister Pattaya, and why should it.

Edited January 16, 2010 by tropo

[longstebe]

I spent 2 nights in Pattaya over new year and thought it was just as busy as any other. I've been coming

down there for the last 9-10 years. Thais or farangs, it was difficult to tell. Surprised to see the cinema had

moved to central. Takes a bloody hr to get to it.

[Tolley]

It was certainly pretty busy over high season this year especially in places like Central where the restaurants were packed and there were plenty of people roaming around.

Walking St was also busy but i did notice that the Gogo bars weren't that busy so maybe that just reflects the type of tourist in town.

Only went to Jomtiem once so no comment and i have not much good to say about the place and further it is a pain getting there and back when it is busy as the roads are choked.

[sharecropper]

Well, following my late night out last night and on Friday night I can definitely say that Walking Street is significantly quieter at this stage of the high season than I have ever seen it.

And in my capacity as a sad loser, having walked around Central last night for an hour, just to have a gander, it seems that the Russians are almost singlehandedly supporting the place.

I reckon Thais will accept the Russians poor social behaviour in Pattaya because at least they buy stuff, as opposed to other impecunious recent cheapskate arrivals, who, from what I saw over 2 nights on Walking Street, have only dragged the place down further in terms of seediness.

[Firestarter]

Pattaya might not be the same ever again.

To much bad press in the last few years.

To many other places for people to holiday.

To many people wantting a cut of every little thing in town.

Thailand wants your money but not you.

Thailand is not nice to Xpats, we spend a shed load of cash in this country every year.

Other countries are looking more invitting, this will increase over time as well.

Pattaya is a town built on the sex trade, but pattaya has forgotten this minor point.

There is only a certain amount of people who will sit on a jet linner for 12 hours to get here and pay the high ticket cost, not all people.

To many people hit with the Global down turn.

Pattaya will aways do well from the single guy out for a good time with the girls, with a load of cash in the pocket, but thats it.

Nearly forgot, To many Rip off estate Agents in town, pattaya way over priced for rental or to buy House / Flat ect

Only my take on it all over the last few years of pattaya.

This is all very good for me, as i can have soi 6 to myself and a few mates all day long.

Edited January 17, 2010 by Firestarter

[salty]

I was at the walking street disco's on new years eve,around 2 am you could easily move around inside any of the disco's.I tried Marine and Insomnia at that time with a difference of about 30 minutes.Never have seen this possible at any previous years.Other years at that time you will have problems to enter any of the popular disco's.

Was at those disco's again last saturday and it was even more quiet.If you are able to count the customers in Insomnia at 5 am then there is something wrong,I doubt the problem lays with Insomnia.

When I recall the posts about the thuggish behaviour of the bouncers there it makes me happy to hear that.

[KASABIAN]

pattaya very very busy now ...

Ditto....Pattaya is buzzing right now its rammed down Beach Road and the shopping malls. Lots more Western Couples about I feel then last year, that's a good thing in my eyes.

[Firestarter]

You sure about that.

Did they all come in the same coach and have the same pink base ball caps on. with a tour guide.

[basjke]

You sure about that.

Did they all come in the same coach and have the same pink base ball caps on. with a tour guide.

If it was visible busy then there must have been green,blue and orange base ball caps at the same time.One coach doesn't make walking street busy.

[pgt99]

Alot of people are reckoning on a long slow low season. Just keep an eye out for the 'for sale' signs on bars from April onwards.

[KASABIAN]

As an example we sat outside of Gulliver's Bar on beach road. Anyone who lives here full time knows that place is hardly ever packed out at all. Last night it was full, hardly any seats left to sit down.

It made a refreshing change to sit amongst a pleasant atmosphere with Western couples and a few Thai's alike. Rather then the usual Chang vest wearing slobs that frequent the bars during the low season like cockroaches to a sewer pipe.

Alot of people are reckoning on a long slow low season. Just keep an eye out for the 'for sale' signs on bars from April onwards.

Its common knowledge that many bars go up for sale each low season, once Songkran is over the signs go up every year, nothing new about that.

[Ulysses G.]

It made a refreshing change to sit amongst a pleasant atmosphere with Western couples and a few Thai's alike. Rather then the usual Chang vest wearing slobs that frequent the bars during the low season like cockroaches to a sewer pipe.

What's wrong with my Chang vest?

[tropo]

I reckon Thais will accept the Russians poor social behaviour in Pattaya because at least they buy stuff, as opposed to other impecunious recent cheapskate arrivals, who, from what I saw over 2 nights on Walking Street, have only dragged the place down further in terms of seediness.

Come on, it's the seediness of Walking Street that is its major attraction. It's an easy place to avoid if you don't like it. I hardly ever go there despite living 1km away.

I don't want to bash nationalities here, but I see many nationalities with "poor social behaviour" besides the Russians.

[tropo]

Jomtien has been significantly quiter this year, and there are less Russians here than in previous years.

Pattaya seemed to fill up (mostly with Thais) over the Christmas and New Year period, then empty out almost immediately.

So according to this statement, Pattaya has emptied out. We must be living in different towns.

[sharecropper]

Jomtien has been significantly quiter this year, and there are less Russians here than in previous years.

Pattaya seemed to fill up (mostly with Thais) over the Christmas and New Year period, then empty out almost immediately.

So according to this statement, Pattaya has emptied out. We must be living in different towns.

I think you have to look at numbers of tourists in terms of weeks.

That quote referred to the huge amount of Thais who descended on Pattaya at New Year and then disappeared. There were significantly fewer Russians and other caucasian tourists here over the holiday period than usual.

There are now huge numbers of Russians here, over 2 weeks later.

Edited January 18, 2010 by sharecropper

[tropo]

There are now huge numbers of Russians here, over 2 weeks later.

That's the way I normally expect it to be. Europeans like to spend Christmas - New Year at home and travel in the new year. January and February are usually busier than December.

[sharecropper]

There are now huge numbers of Russians here, over 2 weeks later.

That's the way I normally expect it to be. Europeans like to spend Christmas - New Year at home and travel in the new year. January and February are usually busier than December.

But usually there are a massive number of mongers in the town for that period. Their numbers were significantly down this year.

[JSixpack]

There are now huge numbers of Russians here, over 2 weeks later.

That's the way I normally expect it to be. Europeans like to spend Christmas - New Year at home and travel in the new year. January and February are usually busier than December.

But usually there are a massive number of mongers in the town for that period. Their numbers were significantly down this year.

Even if true, it doesn't matter as the number of Thais, Chinese, Russians, and perhaps Arabs is significantly up. (Love those great-looking Russian women, too.) Lots of Thais visit on weekends now, more than ever. Every weekend seems crowded with horrendous traffic on Beach & 2nd roads. The parking situation is the worst it's EVER been despite newer lots at the Avenue, Central, and Tukcom. Central was supposed to go bust according to all the usual doomsayers. It's doing great. Lots of new hotels & condos. Northpoint is looking great.

A lot of the mongers are less visible now as they've migrated over to the Soi Buakow area. That area has built up massively in the past 5 years. You need mongers, go over there and you'll find plenty.

As far as sheer numbers go, I don't see a problem. Economically, overall, Pattaya is doing great.

Edited January 18, 2010 by JSixpack

[gharknes]

There are now huge numbers of Russians here, over 2 weeks later.

That's the way I normally expect it to be. Europeans like to spend Christmas - New Year at home and travel in the new year. January and February are usually busier than December.

But usually there are a massive number of mongers in the town for that period. Their numbers were significantly down this year.

Even if true, it doesn't matter as the number of Thais, Chinese, Russians, and perhaps Arabs is significantly up. (Love those great-looking Russian women, too.) Lots of Thais visit on weekends now, more than ever. Every weekend seems crowded with horrendous traffic on Beach & 2nd roads. The parking situation is the worst it's EVER been despite newer lots at the Avenue, Central, and Tukcom. Central was supposed to go bust according to all the usual doomsayers. It's doing great. Lots of new hotels & condos. Northpoint is looking great.

A lot of the mongers are less visible now as they've migrated over to the Soi Buakow area. That area has built up massively in the past 5 years. You need mongers, go over there and you'll find plenty.

As far as sheer numbers go, I don't see a problem. Economically, overall, Pattaya is doing great.

Pardon me for asking but what is a "Monger" ?

[sharecropper]

Pardon me for asking but what is a "Monger" ?

It's an abbreviation for whoremonger.

[NanLaew]

^ Oops! There goes another fine thread...

(and i thought there was only sexpats to worry about)

Edited January 19, 2010 by NanLaew

[tropo]

There are now huge numbers of Russians here, over 2 weeks later.

That's the way I normally expect it to be. Europeans like to spend Christmas - New Year at home and travel in the new year. January and February are usually busier than December.

But usually there are a massive number of mongers in the town for that period. Their numbers were significantly down this year.

How do you gauge it? I've done 5 peak seasons here now and they all seem just as busy. In fact I think traffic is getting worse every year.

A lot of people are trying to gauge numbers by bums on stools in bars. I think this is the wrong way because there's a lot more normal tourists here these days. Surely you can't say it's quieter this year than last year just after the world wide economic collapse and airport closure etc.

[sharecropper]

A lot of people are trying to gauge numbers by bums on stools in bars.

If you are specifically counting bums on stools in bars as a tourist segment, this is the right way to do it.

there's a lot more normal tourists here these days.

Unquestionably. Although I might hesitate in counting a lot of the Subcontinental flotsam arriving as "normal", the Russians make up for it.

Surely you can't say it's quieter this year than last year just after the world wide economic collapse and airport closure etc.

I can and I do, up until about 2 weeks ago.

[aussiechick]

There is also one other factor that most people do not seem to remember: Pattaya has grown, even well over to "The Darkside".

Once upon a time if you wanted to find your friends that were on holidays you went to Soi 7 & 8 - 90% of the time they were there. Now look around, from South to North from East to West there are many more place to go, bars restaurants, entertainment.

You have friends that live here - they have moved, you tend to go out with them in their "new" area when you come to visit. You've been before you want to go to different places you take your "newbie" friends with you, they have no clue. Of course you still have the tourists that haven't moved from Soi 7 & 8 and you have new ones to fill the gap.

I don't see how it can be judged on who is in Walking Street! I remember when Walking Street wasn't!!

As far as I am concerned Pattaya is not doing too badly at all - well I would rather be here anyway.

[Firestarter]

I think people who have a vested interest in pattaya will always see things form a bias point of

View.

The traffic problem in Pattaya week days is all our own doing as expats we have thrown the motorbike in the garage, for occasional use

( given to family) and bought the wife (plus extended family an asset) Car or pick up, in doing this we have created the traffic problem in pattaya, coupled with bad planning by city hall.

As for volume of people in pattaya , plenty coach loads of zero dollar tourists. and a few ruskies around

Question for mr Tropo

What’s a Normal tourist for a sex town like Pattaya.

[tropo]

I can and I do, up until about 2 weeks ago.

Yes, I know you can. I'm saying it is not true. There is no way it is quieter than last year.

[tropo]

Question for mr Tropo

What’s a Normal tourist for a sex town like Pattaya.

Families, couples...."real" tourists.

Have a look around if you're ever in town. There's a lot of them about.

Edited January 19, 2010 by tropo

[Firestarter]

Mr Tropo

A real tourist in a sex town, is a sex tourist.

You should get your facts right.

Have a nice day.