Live in pattaya and never travel again

[enyaw]

Do you reckon lemon decades have any relationship with cat years?

Kindergarten is out?

Well we all have these blind spots don't we, could have come from December possibly the 12th month of the roman calender year which comes from the latin word meaning tenth.. ?

[Soutpeel]

and they say the Thai education system is bed...

Whose bed? Lol

Woopsie...I must confess, I may get slightly dyslectic at times, but at least I done need to look up on wiki what the definition of a decade is...

[enyaw]

and they say the Thai education system is bed...

Whose bed? Lol

Woopsie...I must confess, I may get slightly dyslectic at times, but at least I done need to look up on wiki what the definition of a decade is...

Do you really think I would actually need to look up the definition of a Decade and that is the reason a posted a link?

Some right on thaivisa these days.

[davethailand]

CCC, a couple of points:

- unless they've done some major work on the road, HH is at least another 30 minutes further away from central BKK than Pattaya - a small consideration, but for those getting off a plane at Swampy for a holiday it may not be so small. Pattaya is very handy to Suvarnabhumi.

- Pattaya is what it is, and I doubt that there is a Thai over the age of 15 who doesnt recognise that, just as I recognise that Kings Cross and the Gold Coast are 'Australia' purely by virtue of their geographical location. In every other respect, they are a fabrication designed to appeal to people with more money than sense - Disneyland for the unwary.

- I have no idea why Russian families take their kids to Pattaya - it wouldnt be my choice for a family holiday - but that's their problem, not Pattaya's. Similarly, I wouldnt advise anyone in Oz to take their kids out anywhere on the Gold Coast strip at night, but people do.

Personally, I dont know why we have to continually bash Pattaya - we all know it contains one of the world's largest nightlife precincts, and most of us know what it looks like during the day : it's an easy target. For all that, there are dozens of TV regulars who manage to live in the quieter parts of the town without apparent brain injury - do we really need these endless threads about the evils of Pattaya ? When I get off a plane in BKK, I dont have to go south to find Farang who profess to know everything about Thailand - most days, I wouldnt even have to leave the arrivals hall !

I know nothing about Thailand, but I dont even have to go to Thailand to get a grip on the close-minded attitudes that some of us develop as we head into our later years.

Fair point's well made.

The reasoning behind the continually bashing of Pattaya stems from the trouble it causes Thai's from it's reputation abroad.

Thailand should annex Pattaya as a separate state or clean it up after all Thailand really does not need this kind of tourism as it has much more to offer to most minded people.

CCC

Dare I say that the majority of the crimes committed in the city are actually Thai!

Again not bashing Pattaya at all but thats is a fact and its mainly Thai on Thai.

[Soutpeel]

and they say the Thai education system is bed...

Whose bed? Lol

Woopsie...I must confess, I may get slightly dyslectic at times, but at least I done need to look up on wiki what the definition of a decade is...

Do you really think I would actually need to look up the definition of a Decade and that is the reason a posted a link?

Some right on thaivisa these days.

Yes...

[stickylies]

satun hasn't been bashed. great place...

Just had a quick look at the place ... seems very quiet.

Do you live in the general area?

.

have lived there. great place, near nice islands, near malaysia (border runs over land or sea), nothing much to do (nightlife) but i'm not interested in nightlife so that was a hit! very quite town (city). great nightmarket (food). very little farang residents and the ones I met were not the typical sleazy "know-it-all" whorechasers.

[maingmoom]

I think I have the best of both worlds. My home is 125k north of Pattaya. I live there for one month and then go to Pattaya for one week to party. I then return home stocked up with lots of English food and enjoy four weeks of Thai life.There is only one other farang who lives 15k from me and we meet up once a week. Happy days.

[enyaw]

earlier post from some other.. for some reason couldn't reply to his post so did my best etc

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Woopsie...I must confess, I may get slightly dyslectic at times, but at least I done need to look up on wiki what the definition of a decade is...

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Do you really think I would actually need to look up the definition of a Decade and that is the reason a posted a link?

Some right on thaivisa these days.

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Yes...

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You're not a deep thinker then which is fine. Just need to point out here that said op did in fact, by his own admission did believe a decade was 12 years long, silly mistake possibly, we have all made similar.. i thought the expresion damp squib was dam squid for years for example? Wht a cnt!

Wikipedia its all <deleted>

Edited October 10, 2013 by enyaw

[Eneukman]

I live in Jomtien (virtually Pattaya) and, frankly, I am happy to stay there. In the six years i have lived in Thailand I have lived 3 of them here. I have travelled all over Thailand and this area suits me down to the ground. If I never travel again it will be too soon.

Unfortunately my work requires that I am abroad at least one week in four. But as for holidays I can get pretty much everything i want around here. It is, in my opinion, not better to travel than arrive.

But then I don't think I know everything about Thailand or Thai's. In fact I honestly believe the longer I am here the less I understand.

I too live in Jomtien (8 years now) and like the area. There are good restaurants within walking distance and if I want somewhere a bit busier, the bright lights of Pattaya are a short distance away by baht bus. However, now that I have a Thai girlfriend, I am not going into Pattaya as often as before.

I haven't done much travelling and have only be to 2 villages in Isaan and one near Chiang Mai though that will change over the next few years. I certainly don't claim to know everything about Thailand though I do know the type of people referred to in the opening post.

Alan

[kevkev1888]

Depends what you call Pattaya, some people think Pattaya is only 3rd road to the beach.

I live over on the darkside, East Pattaya and it is the real Thailand. Mostly Thais living ordinary lives, doing standard day to day things same as anywhere else in non rural Thailand.

[arthurwait]

I mean they must of had some kind of traveller inside to end up in Thailand in the first place

Not really, one suspects many came to Thailand to ensure they could get to play hide the sausage on a regular basis in their declining years

+1 There is a world of difference between travelling to far off country's and culture's with a backpack.

Exploring the vast continents and non beaten tracks of the world.

The only reason farangs go to Pattaya is well documented and the sooner the place is set out to sea and sunk the better for all Thai's around the world and Thailand as a whole!

CCC

I imagine many live there for the company of similar expats, people that speak their own language and the modern facilities. These people (while many do in Pattaya ) may not end up the lonely bitter expat ranting on the web.

Pattaya must be one of the highest tax generators in the country and not to mention the amount of employment in provides outside of the sex trade as well. Thailand would be worse off without it even if it does provide a bad reputation about the country.

No I don't live there and very rarely go.

Edited October 10, 2013 by arthurwait

[dighambara]

Some people have travelled all over Thailand and still think Pattaya is the real Thailand.

... for them, Pattaya is the real Thailand.

Perception is Reality ... and their Reality suits them.

Travel, however, does broaden the mind ...

BTW ... I happen to like Pattaya just fine. For all it's ills and misgivings ...

Perception is reality and reality is illusion - ask any Physicist...

[lemoncake]

Depends what you call Pattaya, some people think Pattaya is only 3rd road to the beach.

I live over on the darkside, East Pattaya and it is the real Thailand. Mostly Thais living ordinary lives, doing standard day to day things same as anywhere else in non rural Thailand.

Many do not get past Soi Buakhao and soi 6 and are sure that it is Pattaya, some even think that Pattaya beach, the stretch from soi 6 to Walking street is the only beach or beach used by the locals

[FarangKino]

I mean they must of had some kind of traveller inside to end up in Thailand in the first place

Not really, one suspects many came to Thailand to ensure they could get to play hide the sausage on a regular basis in their declining years

Speak for yerself matey - I intend to play hide the sausage UNTIL my declining years!!

[arthurwait]

Some people have travelled all over Thailand and still think Pattaya is the real Thailand.

... for them, Pattaya is the real Thailand.

Perception is Reality ... and their Reality suits them.

Travel, however, does broaden the mind ...

BTW ... I happen to like Pattaya just fine. For all it's ills and misgivings ...

Perception is reality and reality is illusion - ask any Physicist...

Tommo ?

[Emdog]

Okay, to set you guys straight about decades: the standard decade is ten years. A twelve year decade is referred to as a "long decade", similar in concept to a "long tonne".

[TheSpade]

If lemoncake doesn't know what a decade is you have to wonder what else he doesn't know.

The price of whisky in my local pub in BKK maybe?

[chrisinth]

IMHO........................

It is not the people who live or visit Pattaya that give it a bad name, but rather the people who have never been there basing their comments on over zealous sensationalized media reporting, comments made on internet forums, etc.

Bad news is good news and a lot of people live for it. Certainly it is far from perfect, and incidents are bound to happen, but if you weigh the incidents against the number of visitors each year, the percentage figures drop.

I know people living here (some for a very long time) who have been able to assess Pattaya in one day or less when they have had to visit for some reason or another. All in the negative. If you visit somewhere for the first time, and your mind is already made up before you arrive, this is a natural outcome.

I visited Pattaya for about 10 years, I lived there full time for two years. I have seen both sides of the fence, serious party mode for a lot of the time, but have also seen it from the normal conservative visitor viewpoint and what it can offer the average tourist without the red light part of the city.

As has been commented by many posters already, it really is up to the individual if they want to live there or not. If the negative viewpoints come from someone who knows the city, that is fine. If the viewpoints come from people who only imagine what it is like, then perhaps they should be thinking about backing up their comments with actual experience.

Internet search engines and the media don't provide all the truthful answers.....................

[Chittychangchang]

I mean they must of had some kind of traveller inside to end up in Thailand in the first place

Not really, one suspects many came to Thailand to ensure they could get to play hide the sausage on a regular basis in their declining years

+1 There is a world of difference between travelling to far off country's and culture's with a backpack.

Exploring the vast continents and non beaten tracks of the world.

The only reason farangs go to Pattaya is well documented and the sooner the place is set out to sea and sunk the better for all Thai's around the world and Thailand as a whole!

CCC

You really want to see thousands of Thai's and their families starve?

Off course not!

I went shopping the other day and three of the products i came home with were a boys mountain bike, toy cars by Weller wheels and 4 tins of John West Tuna(not the cheap crap). Guess what? All Manufactured in Thailand!

The point i am making is Thailand has a massive manufacturing bases for thousands of companys employing millions of people.

Even just down the coast in Rayong(Not much of a commute).

Plenty of work around for a hard working Thai.

I'm sure a few thousands pattaya workers and their families could find gainful employment instead of burdening Thailand with a stigma.

It needs a social change and that change is in part "in the post" More Russian families, strong Baht as Thailand's economy booms. The opening up of alternative destinations around the globe for "tourists".

Indeed the end is nigh for Pattaya as you know it today.

CCC

[how241]

Maybe they have just found what they are looking for, maybe they have given up and are tired of travelling and think thats as good as it gets.

Maybe they are just happy doing what they want, doing it there way, who are we or anyone to judge them.

Live and let live, as Thais say " up to you".

+1....I really enjoy Pattaya and when I travel , I'm always glad to be back home in Pattaya. Great City ....IMHO

[Sigurris]

Indeed the end is nigh for Pattaya as you know it today.

At last CCC has made a comment that I can agree with. However we probably have different interpretations of what that means.

The sex industry will not go away since the majority of it in Thailand (not necessarily Pattaya) is for Thai's.

But I do believe that Pattaya will change and the sex industry will move to more discrete locations as is happening already in Jomtien (Rompho Market) and Pattaya (Soi Buakow and LK Metro). I think over the next 2-3 years we will see the sois running parallel to the beach start changing to be more family friendly.

Nothing wrong with this as it will create zones where each type of tourist can find what they want without bothering or offending others. The thais have a phrase similar to "bending with the wind" which sums this up.

When that happens what will you haters do then? Start on Phuket I expect.

[bgrvian]

You will also find many foreigners who become Thai experts even after just been here for 1 month.

lol - Doesn't take a month for a lot of them. We had a guy that spent 8 days in Phuket. Came back to our camp in Kabul and started telling everyone about Thailand, as he (apparently) figured he knew everything about the place.

He had me LMFAO when he started going on about how all the Phuket bar girls were "clean" because they had to have a check-up once a month and the police enforced it and were not "corruptible" !

But it is true that for many foreigners, Pattaya (or Phuket) are the only places they've ever experienced, so what they've seen/felt/experienced forms the whole of their knowledge of Thailand.

I'm sure if I went to the UK and spent 8-10 days wandering around a small part of London and then started spouting off on all things English, there'd be plenty here that'd be quick to critique everything I said and point out the "London" isn't "England".

Same if I'd spent that same amount of time in New Orleans, Rio, Woomera or a host of other places.

For those that have actually traveled around to different parts of the country, yes, it can be annoying listening to those "experts" that probably don't even know where Sukhumvit is, or what's on the "dark side". The ones who think "Isaan" is a type of local sausage (well, the girls are always talking about "Isaan" and always eating so that must be what they are on about, right ?).

The ones who think "kwaii" is just a cute nickname and that the girls really, really mean it when they call him "sexy man" !

I just smile, shake my head sadly and move along. Trying to convince them otherwise, when they are flush in the euphoria of the moment, is a fools errand at best. It can take what feels like a lifetime (to a Pattaya "vet") before some of these "experts" are finally jaded enough to listen and learn about the rest of the country. Undoubtedly, some will never learn.

But before you confront them about their ignorance, remember that Pattaya is also home to the largest contingent of "ex" special forces operatives in the world !

In fact, after a few years of overheard conversations and various stories in numerous bars, I'm pretty sure that every member of every "special force" from every country in the world moves to Pattaya after they leave the military.

I'm actually surprised that Pattaya isn't promoted as being "the hub" of ex-special forces !

I'm not surprised that Pattaya seems to be "overlooked" when it comes to red/yellow protests, coups and other organized violence. Seems everyone "in the know" knows that every 2nd or 3rd foreigner in Pattaya is ex-Delta/SAS/SBS/GS9/Mossad/Spetnaz/Green Beret/JTF/(insert preferred elite special force unit here/) and so they leave us in peace.

I've heard the same many, but until I read a single story of a Farang getting the best of a Somchai, or a bunch of Somchai's in a fight, count me skeptical. As far as I know, the local's have been running up the score on all visitors for a long time.

[Naam]

Okay, to set you guys straight about decades: the standard decade is ten years. A twelve year decade is referred to as a "long decade", similar in concept to a "long tonne".

and a fifteen year decade is referred to as "very long decade", similar in concept to an "elongated avoirdupois tonne".

then there is the 27½ year decade which is used after 7 straight single malts, alternatively after 1½ bottles of old portwine.

[davethailand]

Indeed the end is nigh for Pattaya as you know it today.

At last CCC has made a comment that I can agree with. However we probably have different interpretations of what that means.

The sex industry will not go away since the majority of it in Thailand (not necessarily Pattaya) is for Thai's.

But I do believe that Pattaya will change and the sex industry will move to more discrete locations as is happening already in Jomtien (Rompho Market) and Pattaya (Soi Buakow and LK Metro). I think over the next 2-3 years we will see the sois running parallel to the beach start changing to be more family friendly.

Nothing wrong with this as it will create zones where each type of tourist can find what they want without bothering or offending others. The thais have a phrase similar to "bending with the wind" which sums this up.

When that happens what will you haters do then? Start on Phuket I expect.

I'm actually up for this and agree that it will happen.

[MrWorldwide]

If Beach Road / Walking Street was completely surrendered to the family tourist market tomorrow, it wouldn't worry me in the slightest. The only time I go to Walking St is to see a band at the Hot Tuna bar, and the only time I've ever bothered with the overpriced seafood restaurants was when an ex-GF wanted to impress her family with her 'catch of the day'. Live and learn.

(no, she didn't have crabs - lets not take the seafood metaphor any further )

[davethailand]

If Beach Road / Walking Street was completely surrendered to the family tourist market tomorrow, it wouldn't worry me in the slightest. The only time I go to Walking St is to see a band at the Hot Tuna bar, and the only time I've ever bothered with the overpriced seafood restaurants was when an ex-GF wanted to impress her family with her 'catch of the day'. Live and learn.

(no, she didn't have crabs - lets not take the seafood metaphor any further )

Good bar Hot Tuna, good friend owns it, we also share some of the same musicians in my place.

[boisian]

Maybe they have just found what they are looking for, maybe they have given up and are tired of travelling and think thats as good as it gets.

Maybe they are just happy doing what they want, doing it there way, who are we or anyone to judge them.

Live and let live, as Thais say " up to you".

"Up to you" is the furthest statement from "Live and let live" that a Thai person can say. It means the exact opposite. When I hear "Up To You" my Spidey Sense starts tingling because danger is imminent. "Up to you" is a warning, and probably the last warning you will get that you had better make the right decision. And unless you are looking for an argument, i advise to never use the phrase "Up to you"

It is an oft-heard phrase, but it carries far more insinuation than the benign Live and let live.

But then again, this is not a steadfast rule - it can be bantered filppantly (however I equate that to a demonstration of juggling knives blindfolded)

Or maybe that is just the Pattaya regional use of the term.

[Soutpeel]

Maybe they have just found what they are looking for, maybe they have given up and are tired of travelling and think thats as good as it gets.

Maybe they are just happy doing what they want, doing it there way, who are we or anyone to judge them.

Live and let live, as Thais say " up to you".

"Up to you" is the furthest statement from "Live and let live" that a Thai person can say. It means the exact opposite. When I hear "Up To You" my Spidey Sense starts tingling because danger is imminent. "Up to you" is a warning, and probably the last warning you will get that you had better make the right decision. And unless you are looking for an argument, i advise to never use the phrase "Up to you"

It is an oft-heard phrase, but it carries far more insinuation than the benign Live and let live.

But then again, this is not a steadfast rule - it can be bantered filppantly (however I equate that to a demonstration of juggling knives blindfolded)

Or maybe that is just the Pattaya regional use of the term.

Thank you for your expert insight into Thai cultural norms

And tune in next week folks for expert level guidance on how to "wai" correctly

[davethailand]

IMHO........................

It is not the people who live or visit Pattaya that give it a bad name, but rather the people who have never been there basing their comments on over zealous sensationalized media reporting, comments made on internet forums, etc.

Bad news is good news and a lot of people live for it. Certainly it is far from perfect, and incidents are bound to happen, but if you weigh the incidents against the number of visitors each year, the percentage figures drop.

I know people living here (some for a very long time) who have been able to assess Pattaya in one day or less when they have had to visit for some reason or another. All in the negative. If you visit somewhere for the first time, and your mind is already made up before you arrive, this is a natural outcome.

I visited Pattaya for about 10 years, I lived there full time for two years. I have seen both sides of the fence, serious party mode for a lot of the time, but have also seen it from the normal conservative visitor viewpoint and what it can offer the average tourist without the red light part of the city.

As has been commented by many posters already, it really is up to the individual if they want to live there or not. If the negative viewpoints come from someone who knows the city, that is fine. If the viewpoints come from people who only imagine what it is like, then perhaps they should be thinking about backing up their comments with actual experience.

Internet search engines and the media don't provide all the truthful answers.....................

Good post.