The Grand Pattaya International Music Festival 2006

[donkeykong]

We were stuck in traffic gridlock from Naklua to South Pattaya

The whole town came to almost a complete standstill for hours.

One more night of this BS.

The panel beaters and hospitals will be rubbing their hands.

I'd be interested to know the effect on income on the bars along Beach Road?

Dear Mr Mayor.......

Don't you think it's about time that the 12,000 seat Pattaya International Stadium was built near Bali Hai Pier (or thereabouts)?

Then you wouldn't have to close off the town's major roads

Edited March 19, 2006 by donkeykong

[Kerryd]

We were stuck in traffic gridlock from Naklua to South Pattaya

The whole town came to almost a complete standstill for hours.

Yeah, a friend of mine took half an hour to get from the South Pattaya Rd/# 3 road intersection, down to Friendship supermarket (what, 400 meters maybe ?)

Of course, having the market on Soi Bukhao didn't help the traffic situation much.

Then there was the rainstorm in the early evening. That probably messed things even more (and put a "damper" on the final night of the Festival).

[johnh101]

Well, that was that then. Three nights of Beach Road bedlam, but, er, what was "International" about it ?

[donkeykong]

Well, that was that then. Three nights of Beach Road bedlam, but, er, what was "International" about it ?

Well all the 'International' tourists who'd spent a small fortune to get here for a week or two, just had three days generally screwed up by this insane idea which goes from lack-of-strength to lack-of-strength.....

And unless your a Thai college bimbo into Korean boy bands, Thai boy hoodlums into Malaysian wannabe c-rapsters, or go for the Luk Toong Macadangdang bandwagon, then there's not much to see

I still want to see a 12000 seat Entertainment Centre at Bali Hai !!

Come on... you know you want to.....

...... computer says 'no'

.

[Thaiquila]

OK, the international name is a bit of a puff, but remember any airport that handles even one international flight is an international airport.

I for one thought the festo was good fun and as I appreciate Thailand and Thai music, the preponderence of Thai music was a feature.

After all, this is Thailand!

I also liked the closed roads and general fair like atmosphere, all very Thai.

Who is it who once said that Holland is a nation of shopkeepers? Well, if you are to judge the scores of one man shops on a blanket on the street "shops" at the festival, you could say the same thing about Thailand.

I also witnessed a hilarious TIT phenom at the Bali Hai stage. There were two main entrance paths were there was heavy security and officious passing through metal detector devices. Then there were about a zillion other ways to just walk into the main concert area with not a security person in sight. I understand the concern for security, but why even bother at this kind of show when the site is a colander?

Another comment, I was intrigued that I witnessed not one expression of the current Thai political crisis in this mainly Thai crowd.

Edited March 20, 2006 by Thaiquila

[Mobi]

Personally i think that The Pattaya "Grand" Music festival is a waste, look at the website... All in thai, ALL thai bands, always the same bands, why hold it in the middle of a bloody tourist town?

The festival last october IMO was an excellently organized event with chances for all PATTAYA'S own musicans to perform, the line up this one has now should be held elsewhere UNLESS its tailored for farangs also.

NO farang businesses in pattaya were asked to join or sponser etc.

This is'nt a moan because the bf is'nt involved just a thing thats bothered me for a couple of years now, it could be so much more than the thai only stuff, and it should be alot more.

Sorry but i'll be in BKK for the blues festival and back sunday.

Dave - if you look at TAT stats, Thai tourists outweigh foreigners by 50% - so its hardly a waste in their eyes. One of theair (TAT) aims is to encourage DOMESTIC tourism - i.e stop outflows of baht into foreign currency. This fits that aim perfectly. Not that I am agreeing with this - but you cant fault their logic, based on these requirements.

I'm not taking sides in this. I'm too advanced in years to put up with the hassles of any music festival, let alone a Thai one. This is Thailand, and if the Thais wish to stage a music festival in Pattaya, its their choice, and we farangs have to grin and bear it.

However, I am a little curious. I know there are a lot of Thai visitors in Pattaya, but I wonder who is spending the most money - Thais or farangs? You mention the outflow of foreign currency - what about the inflow? Pattaya is a world famous tourist resort and is very important to Thailand's tourist industry. You could hold a Thai music festival anywhere (Bang Saen, Satahip, Rayong etc) and the Thais would go, and Pattaya would not suffer the bedlam and grind to a halt for 3 days.

Just a thought - but I'm not Thai bashing - at the end of the day its up to them, and there certainly seems to have been quite a few farangs who have also enjoyed the last 3 days.

[alexth]

I guess this will also be a big business opportunity for thieves and pickpokets, not mentioning that it will be a BG reunion hold here, I think I'll stay Bangkok for these 3 days

[Digger]

Personally i think that The Pattaya "Grand" Music festival is a waste, look at the website... All in thai, ALL thai bands, always the same bands, why hold it in the middle of a bloody tourist town?

The festival last october IMO was an excellently organized event with chances for all PATTAYA'S own musicans to perform, the line up this one has now should be held elsewhere UNLESS its tailored for farangs also.

NO farang businesses in pattaya were asked to join or sponser etc.

This is'nt a moan because the bf is'nt involved just a thing thats bothered me for a couple of years now, it could be so much more than the thai only stuff, and it should be alot more.

Sorry but i'll be in BKK for the blues festival and back sunday.

Dave - if you look at TAT stats, Thai tourists outweigh foreigners by 50% - so its hardly a waste in their eyes. One of theair (TAT) aims is to encourage DOMESTIC tourism - i.e stop outflows of baht into foreign currency. This fits that aim perfectly. Not that I am agreeing with this - but you cant fault their logic, based on these requirements.

I'm not taking sides in this. I'm too advanced in years to put up with the hassles of any music festival, let alone a Thai one. This is Thailand, and if the Thais wish to stage a music festival in Pattaya, its their choice, and we farangs have to grin and bear it.

However, I am a little curious. I know there are a lot of Thai visitors in Pattaya, but I wonder who is spending the most money - Thais or farangs? You mention the outflow of foreign currency - what about the inflow? Pattaya is a world famous tourist resort and is very important to Thailand's tourist industry. You could hold a Thai music festival anywhere (Bang Saen, Satahip, Rayong etc) and the Thais would go, and Pattaya would not suffer the bedlam and grind to a halt for 3 days.

Just a thought - but I'm not Thai bashing - at the end of the day its up to them, and there certainly seems to have been quite a few farangs who have also enjoyed the last 3 days.

I'd hazzard a guess thats is done in Pattaya because Pattaya is considered a tourist town with the alleged 'tourist' facilities in place to accomodate such an undertaking. Somehow I can see the local police and council in Bang Saen or Sattahip being able to handle such a thing. No doubt it also helps that Pattaya council has probably put up most of the money to stage such an event.

Now of course, when you start talking about revenues generated, this gets considerably more 'cloudy' - in reality nobody is in a position to say how much money has been spent. The irony is how much additional imported fuel has been burnt just by the thousands of cars coming down from Bangkok - but of course, these things are not considered in the bigger scheme of things.

The reality is that today in City Hall, there will be lots of congratulations about the success of the event, the money (unknown) it has brought in and so on. As a result of one festival, I dont imagine any farang will be packing their bags and saying 'enough is enough - I'm out of here', therefore a considered success all round. Everybody is happy (ish).

[donkeykong]

and just three weeks to Songkran!

bloody beauty !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kerryd]

and just three weeks to Songkran!

bloody beauty !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least Songkran is something everybody can enjoy

(except maybe for the odd soap-dodger that's allergic to anything that doesn't contain alcohol)

[icecubes]

and just three weeks to Songkran!

bloody beauty !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least Songkran is something everybody can enjoy

(except maybe for the odd soap-dodger that's allergic to anything that doesn't contain alcohol)

Thank god im out of the area for this years Songkran.

what a crap time for residents of Pattaya.