From Pattaya Mail:

Thai travel agents want to

promote Pattaya as a high-end

tourist destination, but

first they plan to gradually

eliminate its negative image

as a haven for sex tourism.

Association of Thai Travel

Agents (ATTA) president,

Mr Apichart Sankary, said the

move was in response to the

anticipated year-end opening

of the new Suvarnabhumi

Airport, located just one and

a half hours from the Pattaya.

He said ATTA and the Thai

Hotels Association had in

May organised an agent

familiarisation trip to Pattaya

for a site inspection as well

as brainstormed ways to develop

tourism promotions.

As a result, ATTA has identified

the 100-year-old canal

market as a new tourism attraction

for potential tourist

markets from Europe such as

Russia and Switzerland as

well as locals and expatriates.

However, Mr Apichart said

Pattaya must eliminate problems

hindering tourism growth

such as safety, illegal sex tourism

and the lack of proper

zoning for the entertainment

district.

"The high-spending Scandinavian

market is extremely

against all these negative is-

sues and that explains why

Pattaya can now only attract

Asians and Russians with lower

spending power," he said.

Meanwhile, the Tourism Authority

of Thailand - Central

Region Office 3 is organising a

"Colours of The East" event

for 90 international travel

agents and media from Korea,

Hong Kong, Malaysia,

Vietnam and Taiwan scheduled

for June 10 to 13.

The event, it is hoped, will

highlight tourism attractions

in the Coastal Tourism Cluster

including Chonburi (Pattaya),

Rayong, Chanthaburi and

Trat. (TTG)

Pattaya can now only attract

Asians and Russians with lower

spending power," he said.

hey !

what about all those low rent brits , dont forget them.

So if I have this right, we shed a few tatty beer bars and the odd coach load of Taiwanese, and in exchange we get topless Scandanavians ?

No brainer.

Pattaya is a dump, foreigners only move there for cheap beer and even cheaper woman.

Cheap beer and cheap women? Sounds GREAT to me. Add cheap living and that is another BIG bonus. Who could ask for more?

If we could figure out a way to keep the phony cultured class of tourists out of the area it would also be MUCH more pleasant.

Pattaya is a dump, foreigners only move there for cheap beer and even cheaper woman.

Someone read my post without a level understanding. The " no brainer " was a whimsical quip, not an invitation for people with " no brains " to respond.

Que, Pattaya bashing.

Over to you no brainers.

Pattaya is a dump, foreigners only move there for cheap beer and even cheaper woman.

Here we go again

Cheap beer and cheap women? Sounds GREAT to me. Add cheap living and that is another BIG bonus. Who could ask for more?

If we could figure out a way to keep the phony cultured class of tourists out of the area it would also be MUCH more pleasant.

As usual Thailand don't understand squat.

Scandinavians don't mind "the scene" in Thailand or Pattaya but they mind being ripped off, they mind the unorganized traffic chaos, they mind concrete jungle and dirty beaches.

The point about the lack of zoning was right on though.

It boggles the mind.

Pattaya is a dump, foreigners only move there for cheap beer and even cheaper woman.

Yet another wannabe Pattayan who feels compelled to slag off the place at every opportunity because he can only dream of living there...

As usual Thailand don't understand squat.

Scandinavians don't mind "the scene" in Thailand or Pattaya but they mind being ripped off, they mind the unorganized traffic chaos, they mind concrete jungle and dirty beaches.

The point about the lack of zoning was right on though.

It boggles the mind.

No, he is onto something there, actually. There is definitely a strong opposition to prostitution in the Scandinavian countries, but naturally not *every* Scando thinks that way.

Pattaya is a dump, foreigners only move there for cheap beer and even cheaper woman.

Yet another wannabe Pattayan who feels compelled to slag off the place at every opportunity because he can only dream of living there...

Boring is'nt he.

Pattaya is a dump, foreigners only move there for cheap beer and even cheaper woman.

Yet another wannabe Pattayan who feels compelled to slag off the place at every opportunity because he can only dream of living there...

Well he is from Newcastle is he not

Pattaya is a dump, foreigners only move there for cheap beer and even cheaper woman.

A stupid comment!

Pattaya can now only attract

Asians and Russians with lower

spending power," he said.

hey !

what about all those low rent brits , dont forget them.

oh! do you mean the ones that get fed up with Hua Hin?

Pattaya is a dump, foreigners only move there for cheap beer and even cheaper woman.

A stupid comment!

And a wet noodle for a brain!!!

If we could figure out a way to keep the phony "cultured" class of tourists out of the area it would also be MUCH more pleasant.

As usual Thailand don't understand squat.

Scandinavians don't mind "the scene" in Thailand or Pattaya but they mind being ripped off, they mind the unorganized traffic chaos, they mind concrete jungle and dirty beaches.

The point about the lack of zoning was right on though.

It boggles the mind.

No, he is onto something there, actually. There is definitely a strong opposition to prostitution in the Scandinavian countries, but naturally not *every* Scando thinks that way.

Well I don't know about Sweden but I can assure you nobody give a flying <deleted> in Denmark. Prostitution is legal and prostitutes advertise openly in daily newspapers.

This is what happens when politicians go shooting off their mouths. They want high end tourists, but from what's been said, they seem to think either all Scandinavians are high-end or there are no high-end tourists from other areas.

They need to do proper surveys and my guess is that they will be very surprised and the things that bother tourists.

I have had family come to Thailand and wanted to go to the beaches--I took them to Pattaya because it's close. I didn't want to "expose" them to the seedy side of Pattaya and interestingly had to problem. They had a great time, loved the place and had no idea about it's seedy reputation.

I, like many, seem to head straight for the seedy side of town. When I didn't go there, I found it to be a most enjoyable, entertaining, internationally-oriented place which is easily accessible.

It will probably have a long ways to go to compete with places like Phuket for the "high-end" tourists, however.

So don't high end tourists sleep with hookers?

So don't high end tourists sleep with hookers?

Only high class hookers.................

...........and they can be found plying their trade to the rich and famous tourists along Beach Road.

Funny enough a Finnish lad I know always brought his gf to Patters and well after a week or so he breaks up with her and she flies back to Finland. He stays and well you can guess the rest....

Funny enough a Finnish lad I know always brought his gf to Patters and well after a week or so he breaks up with her and she flies back to Finland. He stays and well you can guess the rest....

Did he try bungy jumping without the bungy?

Funny enough a Finnish lad I know always brought his gf to Patters and well after a week or so he breaks up with her and she flies back to Finland. He stays and well you can guess the rest....

Did he try bungy jumping without the bungy?

No, but I did ask him a rather serious question, if you are going to be naughty why bring your finnish gf with you? Sadly he stayed silent.

Funny enough a Finnish lad I know always brought his gf to Patters and well after a week or so he breaks up with her and she flies back to Finland. He stays and well you can guess the rest....

Same g/f each time ?

If not, then it sounds like he plans the trips, hoping to score far from home with his latest Finish g/f. If she holds out, he dumps her and has thousands of Thai girls to help him get over his short-lived depression !

Why go Finnish when you can try Thai anyway? Did he not relise the place would be full of very beautiful petit girls.... ???