The Dark Side Is Happening !

[Gone]

Holy moly, call me caged because I don't get out much these days (to party or bar outings etc.) and living on SSCC close to the railways rd. I haven't traveled more then 1 kilometre up from the tracks but last night when I went up soi nernplabwan to see "The Big Smile Band" at the Brass Monkey Bar, it felt like I was on the "bright side" just about as things are just happening these days. Many new restaurants, bars, markets, shops etc.

This is the same for the other main sois on the dark side I have seen lately.

The Brass Monkey Bar was packed but I'm not sure if it was just like this because of the band or........

I have never lived on the "bright side" and always on the dark but it's great to see that things are changing here. More options.

Oh well, off to Leo's Blues Bar today for the Jesters gathering. Now if only Leo could move his bar to the dark side. haha.

[PattayaPhom]

Sukhumvit is a mental barrier for most and it will always be that way.

[candid]

Sukhumvit is a mental barrier for most and it will always be that way.

Things will change when the new tunnel intersection opens at Pattaya Klang. Official opening in 2039, Songkran

[hotandhumid]

Three cheers for the dark side, hip hip...

[thegrogmonster]

We have had our townhouse on the darkside for 10 years. Even though we are only there now for a month a year it is in my opinion the best area of Pattaya for me. Plenty of bars for drinking, girls available if you want them and some good restaurants etc.

On another board I am on the only thing apparently missing from the darkside now is a bowling alley.

[breadbin]

The dark side is better for properties, bars and plain old living.

The beach side is better for the well, beaches.

IMO only

[ROBINPATTAYA]

The Darkside is so good, I go "into town" maybe once every 2 months.

Makes me wonder why I live in Pattaya actually.

We have everything out here, why venture over Suk...

There will be plenty of people who dissagree, that is OK, stay on the Brightside

Cheers

[bytebuster]

Things will change when the new tunnel intersection opens at Pattaya Klang. Official opening in 2039, Songkran

Good news! Initially, there were rumors it will happen in 2078, probably on Monday after lunch.

[Gone]

Come on guys let's not get crazy here......we all know it won't happen after lunch.

[LennyW]

Sukhumvit is a mental barrier for most and it will always be that way.

Things will change when the new tunnel intersection opens at Pattaya Klang. Official opening in 2039, Songkran

If all is to be believed, then that chaos is set to kick off next month!!!!

[meatballs]

Not for me. Crossing Suhkumvit everyday is risking your life. You won't live very long..

[DrTuner]

On another board I am on the only thing apparently missing from the darkside now is a bowling alley.

And a supermarket. Not that it's that difficult to drive to one of those on Sukhumvit.

[OZEMADE]

On another board I am on the only thing apparently missing from the darkside now is a bowling alley.

And a supermarket. Not that it's that difficult to drive to one of those on Sukhumvit.

There is a large Tasco Lotus on the dark side now, one street up from the railway line crossing on Siam Country Club Rd (SCCR).

They are about to build a new Big "C" Extra on the corner of (SCCR) and Laplay Rd beside the new Thai Markets.

Already have a mini Tasco and a 7/11 there now.

2 new bars have opened on Laplay Rd as well, seem to be springing up ever where over here now. Things are really on the move here.

[Gone]

Yes but the big Lotus is not new at all and also just finished remodelling to the better. Many Tops mini markets, 2 Mini Lotus's on SSCC, Biggest food market in Pattaya at the railway rd and soi nernplabwan and I don't really consider Foodland in the bright side as it's just across Suk.

[rekkie]

When you live on the Dark Side their is no desire to go into town simply because we have everything we want.

I also find prices better, bin cheating less and girls slightly less focused on the atm. (note i said slightly)

Mabprachan needs a few more venues that are not shacks.

A full size supermarket is needed near the lake

Soi siam needs to be a dual carriageway!

[candid]

Sukhumvit is a mental barrier for most and it will always be that way.

Things will change when the new tunnel intersection opens at Pattaya Klang. Official opening in 2039, Songkran

If all is to be believed, then that chaos is set to kick off next month!!!!

Think of the fun we will have when THAT thread opens up

[ace]

Come on guys let's not get crazy here......we all know it won't happen after lunch.

In Thailand there is no "after" lunch, there is only lunch.

Sent from my A500 using Thaivisa Connect App

[yermanee]

Not for me. Crossing Suhkumvit everyday is risking your life. You won't live very long..

I must be very, very lucky then. I live on the dark side since march 1995.

Yermanee

[julemanden]

Sukhumvit is a mental barrier for most and it will always be that way.

I surely hope so course then we would still have a nice life here "on the dark side" without all the crazy tourist

[JSixpack]

I must have missed something. Where's the go-go bar?

[bobobo]

I live on the bright side . Have some friends who have been living in the "darkness" for several Years. I have been visiting them regularly

through the years...I must say things there're changing..they actually have everything they need to lead a good life. And new businesses are opening all the time. I'm a little curious actually....well w'll see what happens..

[breadbin]

It can only be good for the darkside, a s I think I mentioned I prefer it.

Property good and on the increase, decent places to eat etc.

all good.

[hotandhumid]

It's like a playground around here and some real 'smugness' from the darkers here I see.....'I say the dark side is better than the bright side'...'oh come on, the bright side is still better'...blah blah blah. yada yada.

I too live on the dark side these days, but I don't have this mental barrier in my head, as far as I'm concerned I live in Pattaya and enjoy ALL what it offers, on both the dark and bright side of things..

Saying that, my daughter is starting school on the dark in November (currently at bright school) so I won't be going brightside as much after that....I won't miss Sukhumvit Road, that's for sure!

H&H

[Aranyrammie]

Thought I was reading about star wars here, I live out in the sticks near Cambodia and have only been to Pattaya on a few occasions, can you tell me what you mean by these two terms? I am intrigued

[SimonD]

Thought I was reading about star wars here, I live out in the sticks near Cambodia and have only been to Pattaya on a few occasions, can you tell me what you mean by these two terms? I am intrigued

The Darkside refers to the area east of Sukhumvit Road running past Pattaya. It is so-called because it was, until relatively recently, less developed and poorly lit compared with the 'bright lights' of Pattaya city itself. It is joined to Sukhumvit by a number of main sois (Khao Talo, Nernplablwan, Siam country club etc) running east to west and a maze of side-sois and housing estates.

It's a pleasant area with Pattaya and its amenities near enough, but not too near to be intrusive. Few tourists venture out that far and there is a good mix of foreigners and friendly Thais all living in close proximity. The one problem with it is the lack of a regular baht bus service. That can make journeys into Pattaya very difficult in the evenings unless you have your own transport.

Edited September 15, 2012 by SimonD

[raro]

Sorry, cannot confirm your observations on bars whatsoever and I made an indeep research. I encountered many more wackos on the bright side than on the Darkside

sent from my Android phone

[timekeeper]

Sorry, cannot confirm your observations on bars whatsoever and I made an in deep research. I encountered many more wackos on the bright side than on the Darkside

sent from my Android phone

i agree, i also found that there's many more Navy Seals and SAS living on the Brightside, than the Darkside not sure why........

[SimonD]

Sorry, cannot confirm your observations on bars whatsoever and I made an indeep research. I encountered many more wackos on the bright side than on the Darkside

sent from my Android phone

+1

[monty]

Sorry, cannot confirm your observations on bars whatsoever and I made an indeep research. I encountered many more wackos on the bright side than on the Darkside

sent from my Android phone

+1.

Actually having ran a rather big place on the far darkside, and also having done so before on the brightside, I can definitely say that the darkside experience from the owner/manager side is a much more positive experience.

But I do agree there is an oversupply at the moment (compared to demand), bringing down the average quality. But in my opinion what this does is clearly differentiate between the proper run places and the ones lacking proper hands on management.

[hotandhumid]

This is a thread about how nice the Darkside is and I agree that it is becoming allot more developed (which may or not be a good thing depending on your point of view), but there are allot of things that are not being mentioned here as well.

1. If you ride a motorbike late at night you are much more likely to get mugged on The Darkside rather than on the Brightside, two or three young Thai men on motorbikes surround you and rob you at knifepoint. This has happened to 3 people I know well and many others that I've heard of.

2. It tends to attract allot of people that are just too weird or messed up to live in Pattaya or Jomtien, many times in the bars here there seems to be some twisted idiot making a nuisance of himself that you rarely see elsewhere. Seedy, very drunk etc yes but the Darkside is where the proper weirdo's end up after being barred from most of the bars on the Brightside - the bars on this side are more desperate for customers so put up with more shit.

3. There are far too many bars for the amount of customers which means the quality of the bars tends to drop quite quickly after they are set up. There are exceptions and of course there are some very good bars in the area but very few of note.

4. Supermarket choice is basically none or cross Sukhumvit for most imported items although this does sound like it's about to change.

Even though I live on the Darkside I nearly always drink in Jomtien, it has a much better vibe for me and better quality everything (except houses - the Darkside has a good selection of upmarket houses compared to elsewhere in the area).

Just my personal observations after 2 years living here.

I live on the darkside and never in a million years can it be called 'nice' as nowwhere in Pattaya can be.

And yes you have got it all wrong with your observation about more weirdos over here, and to suggest that an individual can be banned form 'most' bars on the bright side is just laughable considering there are literally thousands of bars there.