How Pattaya Has Changed

[Naam]

I remember when Jomtien beach road was a single dirt track along the top of the sand dunes and they were in the process of building Theppasit road, must have been 1979/1980 ish?

And the road down here from Bangkok was an single track nightmare

but the taxi fare BKK-Pattaya was only 200 Baht and a 50 Baht tip for the driver was considered outrageously generous.

[chops]

A few years have absolutely destroyed Pattaya. Sad to see. 2008? <deleted> happened?

[crudy21]

Pretty much the same as poster #28. Discovered Pattaya around 1996 in my twenties, thought i had died and gone to heaven!

Kinda lost its appeal nowadays but still like to call in on old friends when i am in the region.

[SGD]

My Pattaya time doesn't go back nearly as far as my Thailand time but I did live on the ground in Pattaya for some years. Pattaya certainly wasn't as laid back as I first found Samui but neither was Samui the same at the time I found Pattaya. Bangkok was somehow more stable, less changed, or so it seemed.

Outside a few corporate types, Pattaya was run on much friendlier lines. Business was seemingly about getting by and having a good time, not screwing the last baht out of the mug punter. Now they want your last satang as well.

People were friendlier but I largely put that down to their lack of materialistic desire. Shelter, food, sanook seemed to be the order of the day. No need for thousand dollar i-this or i-that. No expectations of becoming rich and little desire to leave Thailand. Now most want all the crap they think they need and yet, even if they have fleeced some sucker of his life savings and had him build houses in the jungle, they still revert to type and pi55 all the money away in no time at all. Then back to the bar.

They are living in the 21st century but their ability to cope with it is limited by their 17/18/19th century social development. Oh, and the rich Thais still screw them over as always.

[ChangFai]

A few years have absolutely destroyed Pattaya. Sad to see. 2008? <deleted> happened?

1997 was a bigger year for change than 2008.

[toenail]

Recent: Eight years ago, there were no Russian families and the number of retired Brits, Fins, and Germans were decreasing. Since then, the Russian population had taken over where now the signs and menus are printed in Russian. (Good for business when you think of "what if" they were not here in nunbers...no business at all since there are less Europeans and no "new" Americans coming here to retire. The city may be becoming more "international" but is not keeping up with the infrastructure that is needed to run a growing city. (music festivals don't help)

[SGD]

1997 through to 2006 was fuelled by people from the USA and Europe experiencing fx rates way over the norm to the degree that many established a new norm in their own heads with no reference to the economy or anything else tangible, thinking they would just get comparatively richer and richer. Their wealth was not earned, it was not saved, it was largely free money which miraculously appeared as their house prices rose. Now they are finding out that their plans were as solid as a house built of cards.

[pmgthailand]

I first visited Pattaya in 1999 and really liked the place. Eventually moved to Phuket in 2005. I lived and worked there until August of last year before moving back to the UK. I did't really like Phuket and didn't find the girls there that attractive. Pattaya seemed to have more attractive and younger girls, not as costly and easier to meet. But I was never into the pay for pleasure scene anyways, don't get me wrong I did it sometimes but it was not my main reason for being there. I made a good living while I was there, enjoyed myself and I am glad that I did live there, but to me the Thai people are not the same as when I first visited. The longer I lived there and the more I got to know the Thai, the less and less I liked them or understood their values. So I left.

[thenervoussurgeon]

I think the reason Thai people have changed is the same as why people in the west have changed,they want more for doing less.

[NormanW]

Another reason for Pattaya's demise: Will this be A. A lovely flat piece of grassed area to uplift the area? B. Another badly needed condo? C. Another badly needed hotel?

[vediovis]

When I read the first message of this topic, I'm happy Pattaya changed a lot and became what it is today: the first balnear station of Asia where between 500,000 and 800,000 people can enjoy life by the sea in an English speaking environment with 7 shopping malls, a Hilton, 3 cinemas (with 3D), 2 tukcoms, a few international schools, etc, etc, etc.... cheaper than Phuket and in a much better atmosphere.

I do believe the city will become an important Asian economical centre in the future, things are heading in this direction and I'm really pleased to see it.

[marinediscoking]

I don't remember the KFC either until royal garden was finished. About that time I saw a thai lady pushing a baby stroller what seemed to me like as odd as an alien space ship landing. The first ride down from bangkok took 5 hours and I am not exaggerating. A lot of my friends left for S.ville about 10 years ago in hopes of a new pattaya there.

[Tanaka]

I first came here in 1988, and it always makes me laugh when people say there was no tourist families in Pattaya back then.

Nonsense !

If there were they were few and far between,also as someone else said it was really safe here then ,never ever saw any trouble .

I remember walking down Walking Street (before it was Walking Street) and being offered heroin repeatedly.

Must have been your flipflops.

[lumply]

I would love to be able to remmember what Payyaya was like when I first visited in the 80's for a days' meeting from BKK. Ended up staying for 5 days! I do recall the bars. I've been back 20 odd times since, a little wiser

[thenervoussurgeon]

One thing i do wish is that there had been digital cameras then ,it was all film ,so i took very few pictures , lived in soi bonkot for a time and it was open land most of it ,now i cant even recognise it.

[PoodMaiDai]

I first came here in 1988, and it always makes me laugh when people say there was no tourist families in Pattaya back then.

Nonsense !

If there were they were few and far between,also as someone else said it was really safe here then ,never ever saw any trouble .

I remember walking down Walking Street (before it was Walking Street) and being offered heroin repeatedly.

Now it's just madiwannacokeite (marijuana-coke-ice).

Gone are the glory days of sharing needles in Thailand.

[sharky1]

Been in Pattaya full time since 2004. The secret to my happiness is meeting normal Thais away from the bars. This does not guarantee they are all good Thais. It all come out in the wash and there's no reason not to believe they probably resent you in that they can't meet good Thai men so they're "stuck" with foreigners. The first big change I found was when the bar girls stopped offering me a cold towel when I ordered my drink.

[IMA_FARANG]

From around 1980 the Saudi invasion took place, remember?? Tough times for us Western Males!

Against that, today's Russian influx is a breath of fresh air!!

Remember the signs that were a somewhat common sight around town regarding the Arabs? I've heard they are slowly making a comeback and a few places are hanging them again.

----------------

Knew this American guy that worked in Saudi Arabia then.

He came to Thailand for a vacation and went to Pattaya.

We called him "Bigfoot" because his feet were gigantic

Four Saudis in a bar knocked over his table (accidently I guess) so he told them to pay for the drinks they just spilled he had on that table.

The Saudis wouldn't and Bigfoot put all four of them on the floor.

The bar owner called the police, and the Saudis and Bigfoot both spent a night in jail.

In the morning Bigfoot was told that the bar owner wanted him to pay for some of the furniture Bigfoot had destroyed when he disposed of the Saudis.

Bigfoot paid that, and then the BIB told him they were also fining him 500 Baht for fighting.

So Bigfoot took out two 500 Baht notes.

"No", said the police, "Just 500 Bant".

"That's o.k.", said Bigfoot, "I intend to go back there tonight, and find those @*** Saudis. I'm going to kick their a--. So I'm giving you the extra 500 Baht now. At that price it's a d-mn good deal!"

Unfortunately the BIB disagreed. They took him to the bus station, and put him on the bus back to Bangkok

So Bigfoot never got the chance to wipe the floor with those 4 Saudis again.

True story.

[BugJackBaron]

Since noone has mentioned Jomttien, I will. As recently as 5 years ago, only a dirt road connected Pattaya to it and it was a quaint,

quiet place with a smattering of nightlife.

Now it's well connected by a well-paved road and has one of the highest traffic accident rates

in all of Patttaya.

Russians everywhere and the Koreans have gone.

Edited March 20, 2012 by BugJackBaron

[thenervoussurgeon]

I dont know about a dirt road 5 years ago ,it wasnt as good as now ,but i do remember 20 odd years ago when it was a narrow road with trees and fields at the side and Jomtien was "a day out "

[Lite Beer]

A derogatory anti Thai post has been deleted.

[CGW]

Since noone has mentioned Jomttien, I will. As recently as 5 years ago, only a dirt road connected Pattaya to it and it was a quaint,

quiet place with a smattering of nightlife.

Now it's well connected by a well-paved road and has one of the highest traffic accident rates

in all of Patttaya.

Russians everywhere and the Koreans have gone.

Its a lot longer than five years ago that there was only a "dirt road" try about 15 years ago! though I think it is longer than that, the Russkies started to arrive about ten years ago as I remember it.

[Phil Conners]

It hasn't been a dirt road in the 20 years I've come here. It was more or less turned into one during the expansion over the last couple of years but that's another story.

[ARGUSEYE]

Around 1980 opposite the Marine Bar there was the Sophon Hotel, 80 Baht all night, 50 S/T. If I remember right, Sophon was the mayor of Pattaya at that time, now cable operator. If you look up from the Marine today, you can still see the balconies of the ex - hotel.

In the lobby of the hotel they sold a cold Beer Singh for 15 Baht, so we used to smuggle it into the Marine, where it was 25... Until the watchman caught us.

[BugJackBaron]

Since noone has mentioned Jomttien, I will. As recently as 5 years ago, only a dirt road connected Pattaya to it and it was a quaint,

quiet place with a smattering of nightlife.

Now it's well connected by a well-paved road and has one of the highest traffic accident rates

in all of Patttaya.

Russians everywhere and the Koreans have gone.

Its a lot longer than five years ago that there was only a "dirt road" try about 15 years ago! though I think it is longer than that, the Russkies started to arrive about ten years ago as I remember it.

Sure. What I rememebr is that it took them forever to pave it.

As for the Russkies, although they were here 10 years ago they tended to be the Mafiosa types. Now they are boring families.

[doggie888888]

Wongamat Beach was wonderful a mere 5 years ago...before Centara Grand, the Cove and a host of other pseudo "high class" condos. There was a fishing vilage feel about it, it was almost unknown/unvisited and generally clean. Now it is an overcrowded, seriously eroded and rubbish strewn beach.

[NormanW]

Been in Pattaya full time since 2004. The secret to my happiness is meeting normal Thais away from the bars. This does not guarantee they are all good Thais. It all come out in the wash and there's no reason not to believe they probably resent you in that they can't meet good Thai men so they're "stuck" with foreigners. The first big change I found was when the bar girls stopped offering me a cold towel when I ordered my drink.

Aye, those were the days.

Have you met any 'normal' farang?

[Naam]

Since noone has mentioned Jomttien, I will. As recently as 5 years ago, only a dirt road connected Pattaya to it and it was a quaint,

quiet place with a smattering of nightlife.

Now it's well connected by a well-paved road and has one of the highest traffic accident rates

in all of Patttaya.

Russians everywhere and the Koreans have gone.

Its a lot longer than five years ago that there was only a "dirt road" try about 15 years ago! though I think it is longer than that, the Russkies started to arrive about ten years ago as I remember it.

Pattaya Park Hotel was crowded with Russians as early as 1989/1990.

[NormanW]

Wongamat Beach was wonderful a mere 5 years ago...before Centara Grand, the Cove and a host of other pseudo "high class" condos. There was a fishing vilage feel about it, it was almost unknown/unvisited and generally clean. Now it is an overcrowded, seriously eroded and rubbish strewn beach.

Arh yes, the curse of property developers wanting to upgrade to the next model Mercedes along with near zero building zones.

[DMC1]

Since noone has mentioned Jomttien, I will. As recently as 5 years ago, only a dirt road connected Pattaya to it and it was a quaint,

quiet place with a smattering of nightlife.

Now it's well connected by a well-paved road and has one of the highest traffic accident rates

in all of Patttaya.

Russians everywhere and the Koreans have gone.

Its a lot longer than five years ago that there was only a "dirt road" try about 15 years ago! though I think it is longer than that, the Russkies started to arrive about ten years ago as I remember it.

Yes, I can go back only as far as 1993 and it wasn't a dirt road although I think parts of 3rd road & Thepprasit were under construction. I think Soi Buakhaow was pretty much a dirt road though back then - any takers?

Really not a massive difference apart from the amount Russians.