Pattaya - The New Deadwood?

[jasperblubber2005]

i can only give my two cents so here it is, for a single male there is no place like pattaya you only need to use common sense, before moving here a few months ago i vacationed here every year for five years, in that time i never traveled outside the beach road second road area. now that i live here the pattaya i once knew has changed drastically, purse and gold chain snatching is out of hand, a friend had his chain snatched and when he went to the police to make a report he was told that each of the stations(police) had five snatchings reports per station per day ( this is for those of you who constantly ask for statistics).

for years i never thought about any of my jewelery but since moving here i have put them in the safety deposit box, if one keeps there activity between the beach and second road and stay out of dark soi's the originator of this thread should have no problem, but what ever you do forget about moving here, it took me one month to realize that this was a bad move on my part, i hope to be out of here by february.

i realized when i came from the states that things would be different than back home and i really like thailand but pattaya, as far as i'm concerned is a toilet, sex is great but how many times can you have sex per day if you live here?, if your not having sex what doe's pattaya offer, not much from what i have seen.

after visiting hua hin recently it was very clear to me that i would fit better in a city like that then here in pattaya, pattaya could take care of some of its problems by simply taking its head out of the sand and deal with the issues that face this city, there isn't a week that goe's by that i don't read about how pattaya will spend ......baht to promote the city.

let me give you a clue, you can spend 200,000,000, baht on promoting this city but if you don't do anything about safety that money goe's down the drain.

do the people who run this city honestly think that tourist don't talk about there experiences here?, when someone get the valueable stolen do the city fathers think that these victims will not share their experience with family and friends?

those of you that live here have noticed that when reading the local paper, a crime will be committed and the story will go on to say that the suspects have been caught and were well known to the police, well how well were they known, if these are repete offenders what is the punishment?, obviously not enough because according to the newspapers its the same people commiting the same crimes

in closing, getting back to the original thread, for short stays this is a good city for drinking and sex, anything more than that i would look else where, thailand has much to offer, you just have to do some searching

jasper

[roadking95]

Its obvious to me that you Jasperblubber moved to Pattaya for the wrong reasons, if you move to a city just for drinking and sex than you are a sad human being. I am thinking of moving to somewhere in SEA and Pattaya is one of places I quite like. I live in a city in Australia where we have the tourist strip and I can assure you it is not a good place to be late at night. To call Pattaya a toilet is very shallow, the place in USA must of been a real shithole if you had to leave it. I drink rum and I love it, but I dont expect others to like it because I do, its the same as with any city you will either love it or hate it.But dont call it a toilet

I will spend some more time in Pattaya in 07 and see if it is the place I want to be, but you can bet your bottom dollar, it wont be the bars or bar girls that will sway my decision.Unlike some posters on here.

[gharknes]

Thailand has been violent country for as long as I can remember. Life is cheap, and thousands of Thais are murdered very year.

A vast majority of these murders and other crimes rarely involve foreigners, and even rarer do they involve tourists. There have been a few high profile rapes of female tourisists, which happens in most world wide tourist spots . Apart from this, the violent crimes and murders involving foreigners have usually been against long term residents or sometimes, loutish, drunken Eeropean tourists (mainly Brits) who think they can behave here as they do back home.

I do not have any statistics of violent crimes against foreigners, but if the news reports are anything to go by, I doubt it is more than two or three per week for the whole of Thailand, and considering that in Pattaya alone there were something like 4 million tourists last year, I'd say that is likely to be a very low number

Interpol reports that in Thailand in 2001 (the latest year of records) there were 5,027 murders (14 per day), 20862 sexual offences, excluding rape (57 per day), 3847 rapes (11 per day) 21,054 serious assaults (58 per day) and it goes on and on.

So from these stats we can assume that the number of crimes against foreigners is very low, and I think it is reasonable to assume that in general Thailand and Pattaya is still a pretty safe place for foreigners, and it is only a few drunken brawlers and farangs who get involved in business or domestic disputes and put their heads 'above the parapet' who are increasing their risk of becoming part of those statistics.

I feel a lot safer here than I have done in most places I have lived - including Bangkok.

great post

[tropo]

i can only give my two cents so here it is, for a single male there is no place like pattaya you only need to use common sense, before moving here a few months ago i vacationed here every year for five years, in that time i never traveled outside the beach road second road area. now that i live here the pattaya i once knew has changed drastically, purse and gold chain snatching is out of hand, a friend had his chain snatched and when he went to the police to make a report he was told that each of the stations(police) had five snatchings reports per station per day ( this is for those of you who constantly ask for statistics).

for years i never thought about any of my jewelery but since moving here i have put them in the safety deposit box, if one keeps there activity between the beach and second road and stay out of dark soi's the originator of this thread should have no problem, but what ever you do forget about moving here, it took me one month to realize that this was a bad move on my part, i hope to be out of here by february.

i realized when i came from the states that things would be different than back home and i really like thailand but pattaya, as far as i'm concerned is a toilet, sex is great but how many times can you have sex per day if you live here?, if your not having sex what doe's pattaya offer, not much from what i have seen.

after visiting hua hin recently it was very clear to me that i would fit better in a city like that then here in pattaya, pattaya could take care of some of its problems by simply taking its head out of the sand and deal with the issues that face this city, there isn't a week that goe's by that i don't read about how pattaya will spend ......baht to promote the city.

let me give you a clue, you can spend 200,000,000, baht on promoting this city but if you don't do anything about safety that money goe's down the drain.

do the people who run this city honestly think that tourist don't talk about there experiences here?, when someone get the valueable stolen do the city fathers think that these victims will not share their experience with family and friends?

those of you that live here have noticed that when reading the local paper, a crime will be committed and the story will go on to say that the suspects have been caught and were well known to the police, well how well were they known, if these are repete offenders what is the punishment?, obviously not enough because according to the newspapers its the same people commiting the same crimes

in closing, getting back to the original thread, for short stays this is a good city for drinking and sex, anything more than that i would look else where, thailand has much to offer, you just have to do some searching

jasper

There are many good reasons to live in Pattaya.

The number one reason that makes Pattaya such a great city for living is the massive expat infrastructure and support that has developed as a result of so many Westerners settling there.

Many of you shortsighted people (you explained that you'd not left the Beach Road, Second Road area in 5 years of vacationing there) fail to see what is available in Pattaya. You never see the Jomtien/Naklua areas. You never see the country-side east of Sukhumvit Highway. Pattaya is like any city/beach resort, you can live right in the heart of it, or further away and peacefully.

Wearing thick gold chains is not wise in most parts of the world, and especially Asia. I'm still trying to work out why anyone needs to walk around with expensive jewelry anywhere. It's kind of like wearing a banner saying "I'm rich, come and get me".

My girlfriend has a lot of gold jewelry, but wears it appropriately in full consideration of where she is going. People who walk around with 2, 3, 4...baht gold necklaces usually have more money than sense and deserve to be robbed. To expect police to be able to stop such theft is absurd. To rubbish Pattaya because of such theft is even more absurd.

Edited December 3, 2006 by tropo

[Ulysses G.]

if you move to a city just for drinking and sex than you are a sad human being.

How about just honest!

[davethailand]

Its a dangerous place for people who are too drunk/stupid to keep their eyes open.

" for people who fancy themselves as hard men.

" for people who choose not to learn anything about Thailand and its ways.

" for people who shouldn't be allowed out alone to their local mall .

Other than that there are many many falang who have contented lives away from the nightlife.

Agreed.

[wilko]

Same old thread...same old <deleted>.

[suiging]

Same old thread...same old <deleted>.

Best post yet.

[tropo]

Same old thread...same old <deleted>.

Do you not realise that everyday new members join so what you consider old is new for many.

It's so typical on every forum for older members to constantly complain about threads that seem to cover the same subjects. If you eliminated all the repeated topics over the last 4 years, you could probably delete 9/10 ths of all posts.

I can't wait for your illuminated response, but I suspect you only post to increase your post count.

[cobra]

... In the mean time I’ll still as always think about where I am at night,

what I’m carrying and try not to look like a victim!

Sage advice, anywhere, anytime.

[suiging]

Same old thread...same old <deleted>.

Do you not realise that everyday new members join so what you consider old is new for many.

It's so typical on every forum for older members to constantly complain about threads that seem to cover the same subjects. If you eliminated all the repeated topics over the last 4 years, you could probably delete 9/10 ths of all posts.

I can't wait for your illuminated response, but I suspect you only post to increase your post count.

You are quite right.

However, when other topics are done to death our beloved mods step in with a link to the previous threads and close the repeated drivel. You may enjoy Pattaya bashing, but why not have a holiday and go and bash Phuket ?

[Kerryd]

You may enjoy Pattaya bashing, but why not have a holiday and go and bash Phuket ?

Or Chang Mai ! Go to CM ! Quite lovely up there I'm told. Cooler weather, less pollution, no beaches to attract hordes of tourists, therefore there should be less sex-for-sale and less crime as well !

Or Bangkok. No beaches there either, but they do get loads of tourists. Lots of crime and other unsavoury activities going on as well I'm told.

Wow. Sex and crime aren't limited to Pattaya ? Would never have thought that by reading some stuff here. Some people seem to think only bad stuff happens in Pattaya, but no where else. Odd.

Still haven't found a perfect place in the world, where there is no sex, no crime and no beer-swilling football louts (not even Antartica !). Wanto to bet that even if such a place existed, there'd be people that would find excuses to bash it for other reasons ?

[wilko]

If it was same old topic new <deleted> I'd be interested, but unfortunately if you look at the numbers of posts that the "Pattaya Delenda Est" brigade have each made it's fair to assume that they are the least qualified to make a judgement and the least interested in getting any real info on the place....

[wilko]

PS - I'm NOT old....I've just had a hard life!

[Mobi]

It is the same old <deleted> because it's the same old thread - resurrected after lying dormant for 6 lonely months.

If you want new <deleted>, start a new thread, and least you can say that you hadn't read all the the previous stuff. but as it's all there if you bother to read it- so why bother to regurgitate? Unless you just want to be deliberately provocative to the good citizens of Thailand's second city.

I can sympathise with Wilko. He has written some of the best stuff on this forum on the 'joys and and good things to do in Pattaya' and I reckon he's cut and pasted it at least 3 times - but we still get this rubbish about how evil and sordid the place is, without any attempt to read up on what's been said before, or to even open your eyes and use a bit of common sense.

It looks dangerously like bashing for the sake of bashing to me

[wilko]

Cheers Mobi! I'd cut and paste you a "thank you" but I only keep the long-winded stuff for cutting and pasting...so....Thank you!

I suppose I should file it under "same old <deleted>"!

Edited December 5, 2006 by wilko

[ZZZ]

These are the latest official crime stats posted on an earlier thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=92131

Pattaya City crime statistics for Jan-June 2006, totals for the Chonburi district in brackets.

Very serious offences: 37 (186) Solved: 20 (78) People caught: 35 (139)

Harm to life, body or gender: 123 (602) Solved: 55 (207) People caught: 77 (285)

Property crime: 611 (1767) Solved: 197 (690) People caught: 244 (902)

Minor crime: 443 (1182) Solved: 35 (122) People caught: 53 (190)

Civil crime: Solved: 1262 (5789) People caught: 2064 (9902)

Out of the 37 very serious offences 14 were murders with 7 solved cases with 18 people caught.

Disclaimer: Note that I don’t speak or read Thai, everything was translated using web translator. Data can be found at the Chonburi Police web site:

http://chonburi.police.go.th/crime/crime2006_index.html

[PeaceBlondie]

In spite of statistics issued by the govt. about reported and solved crimes, we don't really have enough data. We don't know. It's absurd to compare crime stats between countries. Differences in reporting, lifestyles, etc. And to do a 'per capita' calculation, you also need to know the population, and we don't know.

Somebody says Pattaya metro area has the second largest population in Thailand. Other people say Chiang Mai, or Khon Khaen, or maybe some village in Mae Hong Son province. We don't know. Especially tourist areas, the real population is many times the one quoted by the census.

It has been shown that crime rates vary considerably from one neighborhood to the next, within a city.

Every city in Thailand has crime, population, sex, and perfectly nice people who live in nice neighborhoods.

[wilko]

National average 14 per day...Pattaya 14 in 6 months!

[Tammi]

If it was same old topic new <deleted> I'd be interested, but unfortunately if you look at the numbers of posts that the "Pattaya Delenda Est" brigade have each made it's fair to assume that they are the least qualified to make a judgement and the least interested in getting any real info on the place....

Whoever said anything about wanting to destroy Pattaya. We want it to grow up strong and clean.

Pattaya is like an obnoxious brat who is like that because of bad parenting.

It seems that City Hall does not know how to parent. Case in point: Jomthien beaches are disgusting. Not at all like the tropical paradise the area used to be.

Two mornings ago a group of Russians came to the beach to sunbathe but couldn’t find a clean spot. One of the ladies borrowed a rake and cleaned a piece of the beach. They will go home and tell all their friends. Where is the Parent?

The garbage bins are also disgusting as is the area around the bins. Where is the Parent?

The toilets open at 8 am so men urinate at every tree and wall. Where is the Parent?

Cigarette butts are everywhere and as “Mr. PollutionSolution” points out the cellulose acetate in the filters plus nicotine is toxic to sea and bird life. Where is the Parent?

And let’s not forget the laundry lines strung across the balconies at the new View Talay. Doesn’t exactly make the place look good. Where is the Parent?

The brats race their motos (no helmets, of course) on the walking street when it is opened to motorized traffic, weaving around the manhole covers. I fear for my life. A brat will, one day, hit a pothole, lose control, and cause serious injury to himself and/or pedestrians. Where is the Parent?

On Sunday I went to Bang Saen and I swear did not see one plastic bag. I inspected the garbage bins. All had obviously been washed. Walking path was spotless. I counted 8 falangs and there were thousands of happy Thais. So all of you who say Thais are messy, that’s not true. Bang Saen obviously has good parenting and the Thais have responded to it.

So stop knocking the folks who point out the things wrong with Pattaya and start doing something to improve it - such as collecting and disposing of garbage on the beaches.

[Creeper]

Many Farangs that live in Pattaya will spend a lot of the time moaning about Pattaya, especially those that have bought incredibly expensive poorly built housing and can see a day when they will lose it, either to a Thai wife or any member of her Family should she die before he does, even her ex husband if she has children from a relationship with a Thai man in a previous life can take over the house should something happen to her.................I'd be a bit worried myself too if I was ever in that position!!

Then there is the crime, pollution, even the traffic police wear face masks to protect against the air pollution, very odd for a beach resort.

Yet on the Pattaya forum of TV, they all act like it's paradise and they are so happy stuck in the traffic jams.

Maybe wishful thinking on their part, but reality is, most of the long termers in Pattaya think it's a dump that was better years ago and spend the bulk of their time complaining.

[Creeper]

I inspected the garbage bins.

Find anything good?

[Tammi]

I inspected the garbage bins.

Find anything good?

No fetidness!

[COBBER]

Many Farangs that live in Pattaya will spend a lot of the time moaning about Pattaya, especially those that have bought incredibly expensive poorly built housing and can see a day when they will lose it, either to a Thai wife or any member of her Family should she die before he does, even her ex husband if she has children from a relationship with a Thai man in a previous life can take over the house should something happen to her.................I'd be a bit worried myself too if I was ever in that position!!

Then there is the crime, pollution, even the traffic police wear face masks to protect against the air pollution, very odd for a beach resort.

Yet on the Pattaya forum of TV, they all act like it's paradise and they are so happy stuck in the traffic jams.

Maybe wishful thinking on their part, but reality is, most of the long termers in Pattaya think it's a dump that was better years ago and spend the bulk of their time complaining.

What a crock. Thai visa posters that actualy live here ( which are very few ) would have moved on long ago if they thought the place was a <deleted> hole.

The defenders are not reminicsing about the good old days. In fact there are many things that have improved, and continue to improve. The'yre merely trying to educate the ignorant and illiterate, which is mostly a futile exercise.

[Gary A]

It's a strange thing about Jomtien Beach. I find that it is cleaner now than I have ever seen it. There is also a 2,000 baht fine for people who litter. Early in the morning you will see many of the vendors raking through the sand making their little area as clean as possible.

[Tammi]

It's a strange thing about Jomtien Beach. I find that it is cleaner now than I have ever seen it. There is also a 2,000 baht fine for people who litter. Early in the morning you will see many of the vendors raking through the sand making their little area as clean as possible.

You haven't been here 20 years. But that aside, the beach did get into a dreadful state and City Hall then decided to allow vendors who will lose their licences if they don't clean. But nobody seems to ensure that areas of beach are cleaned where there are no chairs, umbrellas, tables, cold boxes, tubes. Also at toilets. Also garbage bins.

Does this B2,000 fine apply on Dongtan Beach? I haven't seen any notices.

[Mobi]

[

Whoever said anything about wanting to destroy Pattaya. We want it to grow up strong and clean.

Pattaya is like an obnoxious brat who is like that because of bad parenting.

It seems that City Hall does not know how to parent. Case in point: Jomthien beaches are disgusting. Not at all like the tropical paradise the area used to be.

Two mornings ago a group of Russians came to the beach to sunbathe but couldn’t find a clean spot. One of the ladies borrowed a rake and cleaned a piece of the beach. They will go home and tell all their friends. Where is the Parent?

The garbage bins are also disgusting as is the area around the bins. Where is the Parent?

The toilets open at 8 am so men urinate at every tree and wall. Where is the Parent?

Cigarette butts are everywhere and as “Mr. PollutionSolution” points out the cellulose acetate in the filters plus nicotine is toxic to sea and bird life. Where is the Parent?

And let’s not forget the laundry lines strung across the balconies at the new View Talay. Doesn’t exactly make the place look good. Where is the Parent?

The brats race their motos (no helmets, of course) on the walking street when it is opened to motorized traffic, weaving around the manhole covers. I fear for my life. A brat will, one day, hit a pothole, lose control, and cause serious injury to himself and/or pedestrians. Where is the Parent?

On Sunday I went to Bang Saen and I swear did not see one plastic bag. I inspected the garbage bins. All had obviously been washed. Walking path was spotless. I counted 8 falangs and there were thousands of happy Thais. So all of you who say Thais are messy, that’s not true. Bang Saen obviously has good parenting and the Thais have responded to it.

So stop knocking the folks who point out the things wrong with Pattaya and start doing something to improve it - such as collecting and disposing of garbage on the beaches.

Good post Tammi,

As I've posted many times before, Bang Saen is a shining example of how it can be done if there is the will to do it.

Most of the cleanlines problems are borne out of ignorance. I am old enough to admit that 50 odd years ago, England wasn't that clean a place. There used to be flies and rubbish everywhere - but thanks to government and school education programmes, 99% of people in the UK are now aware of these issues and do their bit to 'keep Britain tidy.'

I live out at Pong - 12 kms from the city. It is quite rural, with two local markets within walking distance. A lot of people pass my house every day, walking, on motorcycles and in the ubiquitous pick-ups. The amount of garbage thrown along the road and in the adjoining fields would make you want to gag. It's just incredible - thank God for the 'freelance' garbage collectors. Then we have the beautiful Mabprachan reservoir. Just recently it has been 'discovered ' by Thais for fishing, barbequeing, and picnicking. Lovely spots, lakeside. I was down there yesterday to give my dog a swim, and the amount of litter there was unbelieveable - plastic bags Coke cans, cigarrette buts etc etc. I was totally disgusted.

Yet the truth is that Thais don't know any better. How easy it would be for the government and schools to start a programme of environmental awareness. The schools could educate the kids, government controlled TV and radio couid produce some educational ads along the lines that we used to get in the 60's in the UK. Within a generation the population would be environmentally aware.

But it's not a high priority.

It bloody well should be.

[wilko]

Anyone who has lived in Bang Saen will tell you about the major problem there, and it is undoubtedly led to the clearing of rubbish from parts of the town....monkeys....more intelligent than the dogs and far more dextrous these vermin can open just about anything including your house and kitchen. And they fight with the dogs.

Pattaya could do with a clean-up but lets not confuse this with the portrayal by certain jealots of Pattaya as undesireable becouse of it's libertarian attitudes...it is these they want to destroy. I think destroying the location and returning it to a fishing village is a bit ambitious.

BTW....the sea at Bang Saen is just as polluted and there IS a dog problem, garbage etc, it's just that the sea front cleaning is better organised, and remember the visitors who stay in Bang Saen only come on W/E and holidays, few stay the night and this leaves plenty of time to clean up afterwards.

Edited December 6, 2006 by wilko

[Tammi]

Anyone who has lived in Bang Saen will tell you about the major problem there, and it is undoubtedly led to the clearing of rubbish from parts of the town....monkeys....more intelligent than the dogs and far more dextrous these vermin can open just about anything including your house and kitchen. And they fight with the dogs.

Pattaya could do with a clean-up but lets not confuse this with the portrayal by certain jealots of Pattaya as undesireable becouse of it's libertarian attitudes...it is these they want to destroy. I think destroying the location and returning it to a fishing village is a bit ambitious.

BTW....the sea at Bang Saen is just as polluted and there IS a dog problem, garbage etc, it's just that the sea front cleaning is better organised, and remember the visitors who stay in Bang Saen only come on W/E and holidays, few stay the night and this leaves plenty of time to clean up afterwards.

Last Sunday at Bang Saen there were hundreds of cars and thousands of people and the seaside sidewalks, parking bays, shopping area, cooking areas, walkway and beach were spotless. Not a plastic bag, or styrofoam container, or plasic straw, or cigarette butt, to be seen. Your argument that there's plenty of time to clean up doesn't hold water.

I'm glad you agree that Pattaya could do with a much better garbage collection, could be better organised. You can help, you know, by picking up garbage. If all the farangs did so, City Hall would get the message!

Is the sea at Jomthien polluted? Is it dangerous to swim there?

I don't remember anybody saying they wanted Pattaya to be a little fishing village again.

Pattaya is undesirable to many people because of, as you call it, its 'libertarian attitudes' and some of these 'attitudes' do need to be destroyed and others need to be less 'in your face'. And we must remember that prostitution is illegal in Thailand.

[wilko]

Was that your first trip to Bang Saen?

I wonder if you have been to Bang Saen during the week - i used to work there .......it's EMPTY!

On a day to day basis Pattaya has more than Bang Saen 24/7...hence no time to clean up....

Legislating of peoples "morals" or "moral values" is very dodgy and extremely subjective.

Yes! the sea is polluted at Jomtien, Pattaya, Bang Saen and it varies enormously at ALL the beaches of Thailand because there is little or no reliable monitoring or prevention carried out.

None of the expats I know will venture into the sea at Bang Saen. Raw sewerage was pumped for some time into Jomtien, and lord knows what effect the tides and currents have on the sewerage pumped out at sea, as I doubt that info is available....as I have said before this is Thailand ....and as a result you can't rely on appearances, assertion or assurances.

Actially I've got doubts about the commonly held belief that prostitution is illegal in Thailand, I've also no idea what the Thai legal definition of prostitution is. (It's NOT illegal in UK BTW)

Edited December 6, 2006 by wilko