Tourist Tax Money

[toenail]

Thee is an article in one of the papers that tourists are bringing in the cash to Pattaya, that the hotels are running around 90% occupied. Then therre is another article I read where the mayor is promoting Pattaya as the "French Rivera of Thailand". Since I live here and can see through the cracks, I see very little being spent on the infrastructure of the city to help promote it as a riveria of Thailand thought there are millions of dollars flowing into the city government. Walk around Beach Road, Second Rd., and Pattaya Klang (the major streets in Pattaya) and you will notice sidewalks that have caved in or piles of dirt or rocks left from some project months ago... then there is the trash washed along the beach that could be picked up by city cleaners, and to place more trash bin around the city since we Westerners are use to throwing our trash in a bin - not along the curb or in a pile. Next, there are the electric wires that pop up through the ground or are tangled near your face every few blocks. I really wonder if any of the city council elected officials ever walk around in the city or do they just drive around and live in a bubble? All that tax revenue should go towards improving the sidewalks and building more water treatment plants along with stopping the erosion along the beach. Publishing fake pictures of Pattaya Bay using photo shop will not help.

[petercool]

There is no specific tourist tax but taxes are applicable on what a tourist or anyone else buys in goods or services. The issue is less what Pattaya is called but more about what monies eventually get to be usable by local municipalities as opposed to National tax collections and any eventual dispersals back to Pattaya etc. Whether actual allocations get used correctly is an issue we can only speculate about but Pattaya is not unique in terms of poorly maintained infrastructure.

[wans]

Its a mystery, although the beach looked very clean yesterday evening, guess the wind has changed. they could teach some customer service to the visitors from isan too, I really dont like getting told to f off by random unattractive old ladies that think Im somehow intruding on their businesses by sitting on a public bench or talking to a friend on a public footpath, or getting told to go home to my own country by some random ladyboy I want nothing to do with, but right now its happening daily to me, it seriously makes me want to find a town where the people are still friendly

Edited December 21, 2012 by wans

[BlackPuddingBertha]

"..... the mayor is promoting Pattaya as the "French Rivera of Thailand"."

Always nice to know that elected officials can retain a sense of humour.

[wans]

the French Riviera has quite a reputation for drugs and prostitutes I believe

Edited December 21, 2012 by wans

[JSixpack]

Hey--the dolphin light poles ain't even been paid for yet. Priorities, man!

Edited December 21, 2012 by JSixpack

[Briggsy]

It is interesting to point out that Pattaya is the only municipality in Thailand other than Bangkok that has its special administrative status. I don't know how that affects its revenue but if anything it is likely to have greater control over how it raises revenue and greater freedom over how it spends it.

I feel the OP has hit the nail on the head. Sometimes the most obvious things tell us most.

In defence of the Pattaya municipal administration, I would also point out that the floral displays along Sukhumvit's central reservation are usually on a par if not better than those in other cities. You can see where the priorities for the city's budget lie.

[RandomSand]

Its a mystery, although the beach looked very clean yesterday evening, guess the wind has changed. they could teach some customer service to the visitors from isan too, I really dont like getting told to f off by random unattractive old ladies that think Im somehow intruding on their businesses by sitting on a public bench or talking to a friend on a public footpath, or getting told to go home to my own country by some random ladyboy I want nothing to do with, but right now its happening daily to me, it seriously makes me want to find a town where the people are still friendly

Simply avoid Walking Street & Beach Road. Problem solved.

[Swiss1960]

the French Riviera has quite a reputation for drugs and prostitutes I believe

Yep... with small differences to Pattaya... drug on the French Riviera is mostly coke... the fat farang are Russian or Armenian or Arabs... girls are long-legged and sun-tanned artificial blond Russian and French girls (and not ladyboys as the long-legged in Thailand)... and the fat farang are REALLY rich and KNOW that they are suggar daddies and the girls don't need to tell them "i love you" all the time...