Pattaya

[ZZZ]

Just the fact that there are such widely varied opinions on Pattaya from it being a vile place for kids to being as "good as Disneyland" should indicate Sharon has probably decided not to come. There are certainly no consistently positive notes regarding Pattaya as a family vacation spot for children.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The one consistency I can see is that most the positive replies have actually had visitors with kids in Pattaya while the negative replies just give their own opinion.

[sriracha john]

Just the fact that there are such widely varied opinions on Pattaya from it being a vile place for kids to being as "good as Disneyland" should indicate Sharon has probably decided not to come. There are certainly no consistently positive notes regarding Pattaya as a family vacation spot for children.

Lastly, I please wish everyone could stop mentioning my town's despised Tiger Zoo as a place to bring guests, kids especially. It's criminal history and deplorable practices are well documented on thaivisa and elsewhere. Best to steer clear of it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

John - fess up you just want to keep Sriracha off the travel itinerary. Come on half day at the Tiger Zoo isnt going to kill you. Besides BKK Tiger Zoo prob is still out of action because of feeding those poor tigers chicken. Open your arms up to the tourist they wont hurt you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

actually it WAS the Sriracha Tiger Zoo that lost hundreds of these beautiful animals to bird flu after feeding them contaminated chicken. It's a dangerous place for workers, with a needless mauling death last year. It's criminal selling of tigers to China to be butchered for parts (medicine and food), it's unethical

in-breeding of tigers corrupting the DNA which threatens the very existence of one of this planet's most magnificant lifeforms. It's a big facade with it's "ohhh, get a photo feeding the baby tiger"... and "awww..isn't it cute that the cubs feed from a pig"...

It's BS... and what goes on there (btw, literally this often behind unlocked doors seriously threatening guest's safety) is a disgrace.

It is on many environmental NGO's lists of places to avoid like the plague, eg. Save The Tiger.

It's really got nothing to do with my own preferences. I've already surrendered to the farang invasion here. It was a losing battle.

If the Tiger Zoo WAS a good place, I'd be promoting it to death... unfortunately, it's only the tigers and the untrained employees that die.

[britmaveric]

But the baby tigers are really cute!!! On a side note the Elephant zoo(s) are not much better for animal treatment, but public rarely see(s) that.

[Anthony_Mustang]

But the baby tigers are really cute!!! On a side note the Elephant zoo(s) are not much better for animal treatment, but public rarely see(s) that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was horrified when I went to the tiger zoo and they started to use the tigers to do circus tricks.

I didn't say anything but just smiled politely and made an excuse to leave.

Edited October 11, 2005 by Anthony_Mustang

[wilko]

Snoophound

                  Why on earth would you take your 13 year old niece to Pattaya in the first place,surely her reaction was not surprising to you. I take it for granted that that was not your 1st trip!

    IMHO Pattaya is not a holiday destination for any 13 year old Western girl.    

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i'm guessing you don't have kids.....

[wilko]

In any other country the Tiger Zoo would have been shut years ago.....and probably followed by some prosecutions...

the open zoo is a less distressing prospect....another posting could deal with treatment of animals in Thailand I think.....

Edited October 11, 2005 by wilko

[sriracha john]

Take your pick on the horrors of Sriracha Tiger Zoo:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=18112&hl=

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=18914&hl=

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19865&hl=

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=41808&hl=

which includes the ominous:

"On May 1st, an untrained, teenage worker at the zoo tragically died after being mauled by six tigers in front of more than 100 shocked tourists."

[aughie]

I bet they go to Hong Kong Disneyland.

[sriracha john]

I bet they go to Hong Kong Disneyland.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For a parent in her situation, that would seem to be the best move.

[wilko]

I bet they go to Hong Kong Disneyland.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For a parent in her situation, that would seem to be the best move.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can somebody explain what exactly is so unsuitable for kids in Pattaya?

[sriracha john]

I bet they go to Hong Kong Disneyland.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For a parent in her situation, that would seem to be the best move.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can somebody explain what exactly is so unsuitable for kids in Pattaya?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, since you asked, as a fellow parent myself, I'm sure she would share my concern for the safety of their dearly beloved offspring's continued healthy eyesight after viewing this too much :

[Jim 50]

Took my kiwi 13 year old niece a year back.

She couldnt work out why so many white guys had thai daughters.

I wanted to BS and say it was the vietnam war.

Anyway she thought it was disgusting.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Disgusting"

Probably should not have taken her there.

[opothai]

i took my 16 year old son to thailand, 1 week in korat and 1 week in pattaya,

when in pattaya we did go to some bars, but i did not take him to the go go bars although he wanted to go. he did get talking to some of the girls in the bars and he did want to take one out by himself, so i had to explain how things work to which i was suprised by his answer,

any way at the young age that he is, i asked him what his honest opinion of thailand was.

he said 'what a great place, dad ,and when can we come back'.

he was not over awed by anything he saw he was just relaxed and took things in his stride, my conclusion from the trip was, give young kids credit to make thier own minds up about what they see and do, children now grow up faster than what you may think, he has a live and let live attitude as do a lot of the younger generation.

[COBBER]

I bet they go to Hong Kong Disneyland.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For a parent in her situation, that would seem to be the best move.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can somebody explain what exactly is so unsuitable for kids in Pattaya?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, since you asked, as a fellow parent myself, I'm sure she would share my concern for the safety of their dearly beloved offspring's continued healthy eyesight after viewing this too much :

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep, i can just imagine, a teen exposed to these 2 plonkers on the beach would need years of theropy to recover from the emotional distress.

[skylar]

I bet they go to Hong Kong Disneyland.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For a parent in her situation, that would seem to be the best move.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can somebody explain what exactly is so unsuitable for kids in Pattaya?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, since you asked, as a fellow parent myself, I'm sure she would share my concern for the safety of their dearly beloved offspring's continued healthy eyesight after viewing this too much :

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep, i can just imagine, a teen exposed to these 2 plonkers on the beach would need years of theropy to recover from the emotional distress.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Plenty of those in Australia, moite

[britmaveric]

Question I have asked many times - naught to see in Patters. I think the Parents have more of a problem than the lil ones.

[sriracha john]

i took my 16 year old son to thailand, 1 week in korat and 1 week in pattaya,

when in pattaya we did go to some bars, but i did not take him to the go go bars although he wanted to go. he did get talking to some of the girls in the bars and he did want to take one out by himself, so i had to explain how things work to which i was suprised by his answer,

any way at the young age that he is, i asked him what his honest opinion of thailand was.

he said 'what a great place, dad ,and when can we come back'.

he was not over awed by anything he saw he was just relaxed and took things in his stride, my conclusion from the trip was, give young kids credit to make thier own minds up about what they see and do, children now grow up faster than what you may think, he has a live and let live attitude as do a lot of the younger generation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would just say there's a considerable difference in maturity between your

bar-going 16 year old son and the OP's

3 kids all girls, (13, 9, 4)

that group of kids is not interested in the bar scene at all... they want beach and associated activities... and there's FAR better for that elsewhere in Thailand.

Edited October 12, 2005 by sriracha john

[opothai]

i took my 16 year old son to thailand, 1 week in korat and 1 week in pattaya,

when in pattaya we did go to some bars, but i did not take him to the go go bars although he wanted to go. he did get talking to some of the girls in the bars and he did want to take one out by himself, so i had to explain how things work to which i was suprised by his answer,

any way at the young age that he is, i asked him what his honest opinion of thailand was.

he said 'what a great place, dad ,and when can we come back'.

he was not over awed by anything he saw he was just relaxed and took things in his stride, my conclusion from the trip was, give young kids credit to make thier own minds up about what they see and do, children now grow up faster than what you may think, he has a live and let live attitude as do a lot of the younger generation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would just say there's a considerable difference in maturity between your

bar-going 16 year old son and the OP's

3 kids all girls, (13, 9, 4)

that group of kids is not interested in the bar scene at all... they want beach and associated activities... and there's FAR better for that elsewhere in Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you say quote 'bar going 16 year old'

he is not a bar going 16 year old, i took him to the bar twice in one week because i wanted a drink.

i fear you see the worse elements in people, what you could have deducted from my post was pattaya is no big deal to take kids.

pattaya has a lot for kids to do,ie parks, zoo's, swimming, sight seeing,etc, i did not list all of these activities in my original post as i gathered most people know these exist.

[sriracha john]

i took my 16 year old son to thailand, 1 week in korat and 1 week in pattaya,

when in pattaya we did go to some bars, but i did not take him to the go go bars although he wanted to go. he did get talking to some of the girls in the bars and he did want to take one out by himself, so i had to explain how things work to which i was suprised by his answer,

any way at the young age that he is, i asked him what his honest opinion of thailand was.

he said 'what a great place, dad ,and when can we come back'.

he was not over awed by anything he saw he was just relaxed and took things in his stride, my conclusion from the trip was, give young kids credit to make thier own minds up about what they see and do, children now grow up faster than what you may think, he has a live and let live attitude as do a lot of the younger generation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would just say there's a considerable difference in maturity between your

bar-going 16 year old son and the OP's

3 kids all girls, (13, 9, 4)

that group of kids is not interested in the bar scene at all... they want beach and associated activities... and there's FAR better for that elsewhere in Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you say quote 'bar going 16 year old'

he is not a bar going 16 year old, i took him to the bar twice in one week because i wanted a drink.

i fear you see the worse elements in people, what you could have deducted from my post was pattaya is no big deal to take kids.

pattaya has a lot for kids to do,ie parks, zoo's, swimming, sight seeing,etc, i did not list all of these activities in my original post as i gathered most people know these exist.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm sorry if you took offense at my remarks about your son, that was not my intent. I was just echoing your own comments regarding your journeys there together. I personally, wouldn't do that... but to each parent, their own.

My main point was I doubt the OP is looking to do the same with her young daughters. As for other activities for children, I think we've established that the zoo is horrendous and criminal (unless you're referring to a different zoo besides tiger zoo). The sight-seeing?... not sure what that would entail as you don't really specify. I'll grant you there is Pattaya Park, although it's getting more and more run down as the years go by with little upkeep and no renovations.... which leaves swimming and as I said, there are far better places to swim at a beach in Thailand than the fecal-contaminated, plastic-strewn beaches of Pattaya. Pattaya was and remains an adult playground, by and large. At that, Pattaya does an excellent job and is difficult to surpass.

Having said that now, it's certainly not worth the effort and expense to travel there to extract what few attractions there are that are family-oriented. Given the OP's situation with those ages and gender, a far better option would be a place like Koh Chang for some beach time or mixed perhaps with a little bit of historical travel to places like Kanchanaburi and Ayuthaya or cultural trips to the North.

I don't mean to sound completely negative about Pattaya. It does have some great times available for adults... but as for 4 and 9 and 13 year old girls, I think the parents can do far better elsewhere.

[britmaveric]

I'd center in Patters/Jomtien then branch out to many things available for young ones. Beaches - easily rent a speedboat and head out for one of the islands for a day. Then take day trips out!! BKK can be done at the end of the trip - 3days max and you'll be bored.

BTW Sriracha would be an ideal place to stay!!!

[sriracha john]

BTW Sriracha would be an ideal place to stay!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll give you that... for families with small children, it would be much, much safer place to stay...

but I doubt they're coming to Pattaya on their trip afterall, anyway...

[wilko]

Plenty of those in Australia, moite 

....so Oz not suitable for kids then?