Is Pattaya really on the bones of it arse at the minute?

[konying]

Very busy all over Pattaya last night.

Hardly in comparison to last year, though indeed in comparison to an every day lately.

Even the lack of fireworks is a good indicator of quite it really is

Yes there were tiny short lived fireworks, but it was nothing in comparison to last year.

Traffic was no more than the usual weekend and the regular places like Mabrachan for locals hardly busy.

[thailiketoo]

Very busy all over Pattaya last night.

Yep - Pattaya really turned it on for Loy Krathong - best night I've had in Pattaya for a very long time even if I did end up with a hangover today. Stunning to see the transformation some of the girls undergo when they swap the shorts and t-shirt for their Thai finery - I can only assume traditional clobber doesnt come cheaply either. It would be great if they wore it more often.

Many of the ladies rent the outfits for the nights.

[thailiketoo]

I must have gone out on the wrong nights, because I don't agree with your assessment. These girls work on salary, not commission, so even if it is quiet they make a living wage (far better than most regular jobs), so they're never totally desperate.

Wouldn't you call the money made from bar fines, lady drinks and short and long time a commission?

My point was they can survive without lady's drinks and out calls. Yes, they make a small commission on drinks. Payment for out services is not commission.

In quiet times it would be the bar owners who get desperate, not the girls. The girls can easily transfer elsewhere if the bar closes down.

. Average salary 4,000bt pr month in average bar not many lady drinks and tips in low season bar owners have to give advances in salary many times as the girls dont have enough to pay for room send money home etc. not easy for a lot of girls and bar owners at mo. Regards

They list the dancers wages on the outside of many go gos. Without getting into the specifics the wages; the total with add ons are on a par with most doctors in Thailand.

[Soiyamoto]

I must have gone out on the wrong nights, because I don't agree with your assessment. These girls work on salary, not commission, so even if it is quiet they make a living wage (far better than most regular jobs), so they're never totally desperate.

Wouldn't you call the money made from bar fines, lady drinks and short and long time a commission?

My point was they can survive without lady's drinks and out calls. Yes, they make a small commission on drinks. Payment for out services is not commission.

In quiet times it would be the bar owners who get desperate, not the girls. The girls can easily transfer elsewhere if the bar closes down.

. Average salary 4,000bt pr month in average bar not many lady drinks and tips in low season bar owners have to give advances in salary many times as the girls dont have enough to pay for room send money home etc. not easy for a lot of girls and bar owners at mo. Regards

They list the dancers wages on the outside of many go gos. Without getting into the specifics the wages; the total with add ons are on a par with most doctors in Thailand.

. Average bars 4k go go bars not average bar as salary around 9k pr month

[TobyOliver]

No I'm sorry, this 4k a month or 9k for go go is just not reflective.

I know some go go dancers (the hot ones you might actually want to take away for a few days are pushing 60-70k a month) In comparison to the west, take into account price difference and that's more then a pilot or a doctor earns.

If there was a stunner in a beer bar and all she got was 4k a month surely she would be readily available. But there not are they....if you see a stunning girl there's 2 responses.

1. She won't go with customer

2. Is 3k min+ fine and some drinks to meet quota. no negotiation unless you look decent, and no phone numbers in go go now

[Soiyamoto]

Ok. Agree to dissagree

[morrobay]

Interesting ^^ And selections from a letter to a daily on Friday :'Infrastructure development has fallen far behind growth in the city.There are too many (tour) buses There is no public transport system, zero parking and loading facilities, no traffic police. Pattaya is choked beyond reason with huge smog spewing monsters that have nowhere to go. One cannot operate a restaurant or other small business because there is always a bus parked in front idling needlessly while waiting for a herd of low-end visitors to return from there walkabout. One sees no money spent in those small businesses and regular customers turning away in frustration.' So to answer the OP : In terms of sheer numbers Pattaya is jammed.Jammed with the majority tourist nationality being Thais who jam the roads everyday Followed by the Russians , East Europeans and Chinese in tour buses. Not the best demographic that is causing total gridlock with the functional collapse of Pattaya

[David48]

Very busy all over Pattaya last night.

Yep - Pattaya really turned it on for Loy Krathong - best night I've had in Pattaya for a very long time even if I did end up with a hangover today. Stunning to see the transformation some of the girls undergo when they swap the shorts and t-shirt for their Thai finery - I can only assume traditional clobber doesnt come cheaply either. It would be great if they wore it more often.

Many of the ladies rent the outfits for the nights.

There is an irony there ...

.

[Soiyamoto]

No I'm sorry, this 4k a month or 9k for go go is just not reflective.

I know some go go dancers (the hot ones you might actually want to take away for a few days are pushing 60-70k a month) In comparison to the west, take into account price difference and that's more then a pilot or a doctor earns.

If there was a stunner in a beer bar and all she got was 4k a month surely she would be readily available. But there not are they....if you see a stunning girl there's 2 responses.

1. She won't go with customer

2. Is 3k min+ fine and some drinks to meet quota. no negotiation unless you look decent, and no phone numbers in go go now

you know the rent she pays is most likey 50-150 usd per month, so after her main bill she ears what enough to pay cash on a house every 3 months in her own home town. oh yes they are so downtrooden n broke, they earn what at this rate of 3k usd per month, 6 new homes per year? have a look at what it cost to build a house in issan, they girls who look good who work for the high cost and get it are killing it via getting ahead from working like this.

now pattaya is the land of the thai or rather lation 6 at best, and id reckon that most girls make nothing much anymore with maybe a girl or two every other 5 bars making a nice living via the long term send me money from abroad hustle they run.

the weirdest thing is the teen hookers fresh of the bus, the cleanest ones, the sweetest ones, the least jaded ones are the cheapest ones or easiest to get free, but the men that travel to thiland always want a nice 8 year hooker veteran of say 24/25 yeas old with a nice vocab, tons of miles on the hoy, and a price that's 6 times to high,, this seems to be whats becoming of Thailand, hasn't anybody noticed that sex in the west for pay used to be 6k and now its also 3k baht, that is minus the 1200 airfare and all the joy of sitting in a thai pub with ten other 6's all begging for drinks.

Some of you guys are beyond naive and some simply do not have a clue.

Firstly if they did earn very little, they would not be walking around with latest smartphones

Secondly if they earned as much as some claim, their family's would be living in mansions.

Bar girls salary range from 3000-5000 plus 20-50 baht from lady drink.

Go Go girls salary range from 9000-30000(depending on nudity, shows, or showgirl or agency girl) plus 30-60 baht from lady drink plus a cut from barfine(limited to some bars, not all)

They can and do earn a lot of money, but waste it all on drinks, friends, haircuts, nails and all other rubbish.

They live in 3000-5000 baht rooms shared by minimum 2, usually 3 or 4 girls.

In many bars, they have free room upstairs.

They hardly ever send any money back home and when they do, its usually 2000 baht.

The only time family becomes number 1 and must be send 5,6,10 thousand is when she has a "boyfriend"

The only time they need to buy house, car or motorcycle for mama, papa and brother is when boyfriend pays.

All of knowledge does not come from the bar stool, but from having a bar and employing hookers for over 10 years both in bar and in my other businesses(when they have a boyfriend already)

Low season, many of them leave the bar and go work 'normal" job, in which they stay for no longer than a month because either some customer came, or they screw customers of that business or simply get kicked out for being late or not showing up.

The ones with sponsors, do not save any money, but waste it on latest smartphones, gold jewlerry and bottles of whisky in the clubs like Ibar

. Wow the girls making that much dosh and have all that gold and smartphones motorbikes etc. i want to be a bargirl when i grow up

[ttthailand]

I have been to Pattaya to visit farang friends twice in two weeks. Did the walking street thing and will say that there were many people walking around, Mostly saw Indian, Chinese, Thai, Russian or middle Eastern, but very few western farang. Went into a few clubs and a show bar. Bars had people but not full. Also seemed that there were mostly local guys making there rounds and not tourists.

Soi LK had locals but few tourist. Ladies were not happy and talking about no customers.

Other areas, second road, soi 6 and 7 had some people but again I think most were locals making their rounds.

The beer bars everywhere were dead. The girls were the oldest and worst looking I have ever seen in Pattaya in 20 years. A few sweethearts but there few and far between.

I could be wrong but I think the end is near for this town. It does not have decent beaches or any other attraction except bars and sex. If the girls are ugly no one will want to go to the bars or for sex .... If no one going to bars no girls coming....

I will wait to see how this high season turns out before totally writing it off but signs so far don't look good.

[metisdead]

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[petercool]

A flame post using vulgarity removed along with a reply quoting that

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[thaibeachlovers]

The bars are probably empty because everyone is stuck in traffic. Never seen it this bad. Yesterday not only was Sukumvit backed up on both directions but the railroad "bypass" was also backed up all the way to Hua Yai

Traffic in Pattaya has always been bad, for over 20 years, but is indeed really bad now. When the pedestrian crossing lights were installed and working, they did allow one to cross, but now most of them are switched off. The only one I saw on, was outside the police station, and it is on permanent green, so useless- what a waste of money.

And the .......... in charge think Pattaya can attract rich hiso tourists- what a bunch of ........... ( fill in the blanks in your own words ).

BTW, the "improved" Beach Road has allowed cars to travel faster, so making it even more difficult and dangerous to cross- good result, NOT.

[thaibeachlovers]

I'm in Pattaya at the moment, and situation normal for this time of year- too many bars for the number of punters, so few have many if any customers.

Traffic is horrendeous, mainly because the authorities will not do anything about the parking, illegal or legal- should be banned on Beach, Second and Third altogether.

The infrastructure is still broken, as it has been for the past 20 years. In fact the same potholes exist in the pavement that were there 10 years ago- they never fix anything.

Pattaya beach seems to be getting narrower- the sand must be washing away. The walkway around the north headland is still broken.

As for the new walkway- WE TOLD YOU SO! It's a disaster.

[Tolley]

Traffic is horrendous.

Took me 45mins to get from Central Road Pattaya /Third Road Junction to Pratunamuk on Friday by car

Hate to think what it will be like if all those condo projects fill up.

Luckily I live in Pattaya Klang so I can walk most place I want to go.

[tropo]

I must have gone out on the wrong nights, because I don't agree with your assessment. These girls work on salary, not commission, so even if it is quiet they make a living wage (far better than most regular jobs), so they're never totally desperate.

Wouldn't you call the money made from bar fines, lady drinks and short and long time a commission?

My point was they can survive without lady's drinks and out calls. Yes, they make a small commission on drinks. Payment for out services is not commission.

In quiet times it would be the bar owners who get desperate, not the girls. The girls can easily transfer elsewhere if the bar closes down.

. Average salary 4,000bt pr month in average bar not many lady drinks and tips in low season bar owners have to give advances in salary many times as the girls dont have enough to pay for room send money home etc. not easy for a lot of girls and bar owners at mo. Regards

They're not getting such low salaries in the bars I was visiting. The girls certainly were not acting desperate.

[Jip99]

Wouldn't you call the money made from bar fines, lady drinks and short and long time a commission?

My point was they can survive without lady's drinks and out calls. Yes, they make a small commission on drinks. Payment for out services is not commission.

In quiet times it would be the bar owners who get desperate, not the girls. The girls can easily transfer elsewhere if the bar closes down.

. Average salary 4,000bt pr month in average bar not many lady drinks and tips in low season bar owners have to give advances in salary many times as the girls dont have enough to pay for room send money home etc. not easy for a lot of girls and bar owners at mo. Regards

They're not getting such low salaries in the bars I was visiting. The girls certainly were not acting desperate.

No indeed.

They have pride.

[zierf1]

I have been to Pattaya to visit farang friends twice in two weeks. Did the walking street thing and will say that there were many people walking around, Mostly saw Indian, Chinese, Thai, Russian or middle Eastern, but very few western farang. Went into a few clubs and a show bar. Bars had people but not full. Also seemed that there were mostly local guys making there rounds and not tourists.

Soi LK had locals but few tourist. Ladies were not happy and talking about no customers.

Other areas, second road, soi 6 and 7 had some people but again I think most were locals making their rounds.

The beer bars everywhere were dead. The girls were the oldest and worst looking I have ever seen in Pattaya in 20 years. A few sweethearts but there few and far between.

I could be wrong but I think the end is near for this town. It does not have decent beaches or any other attraction except bars and sex. If the girls are ugly no one will want to go to the bars or for sex .... If no one going to bars no girls coming....

I will wait to see how this high season turns out before totally writing it off but signs so far don't look good.

Have you been to Pattaya much? It's always been like that, for years. And those Indians, Russians, and Chinese almost never enter the bars. ironically they are the majority of people you see on ws but never go in the bars.

[manxninja]

I wouldn't care how quiet it was I could entertain myself with a few people and ladies.

people who don't go because its quiet shouldn't be let out alone on dark nights.

[Soiyamoto]

Wouldn't you call the money made from bar fines, lady drinks and short and long time a commission?

My point was they can survive without lady's drinks and out calls. Yes, they make a small commission on drinks. Payment for out services is not commission.

In quiet times it would be the bar owners who get desperate, not the girls. The girls can easily transfer elsewhere if the bar closes down.

. Average salary 4,000bt pr month in average bar not many lady drinks and tips in low season bar owners have to give advances in salary many times as the girls dont have enough to pay for room send money home etc. not easy for a lot of girls and bar owners at mo. Regards

They're not getting such low salaries in the bars I was visiting. The girls certainly were not acting desperate.

No indeed.

They have pride.

Here here

[thailiketoo]

No indeed.

They have pride. Here here

The new scam has got to be internet dating by off shore workers. The ladies are making big bucks. Look at all the negative posts on Thai Visa. Does anyone really think it is caused by Song Tau drivers being impolite or bar drinks going up 10 baht?

[morrobay]

No indeed.

They have pride. Here here

The new scam has got to be internet dating by off shore workers. The ladies are making big bucks. Look at all the negative posts on Thai Visa. Does anyone really think it is caused by Song Tau drivers being impolite or bar drinks going up 10 baht?

Not sure on first sentence : (scam and offshore ) I understand that alot of ex bar/go go girls are now posting " personal " photos on facebook and dating sites with immediate pm's and rendezvous . Here in Thailand. Also some of the girls are going to work in HK & Singapore.

[thailiketoo]

The new scam has got to be internet dating by off shore workers. The ladies are making big bucks. Look at all the negative posts on Thai Visa. Does anyone really think it is caused by Song Tau drivers being impolite or bar drinks going up 10 baht?

Not sure on first sentence : (scam and offshore ) I understand that alot of ex bar/go go girls are now posting " personal " photos on facebook and dating sites with immediate pm's and rendezvous . Here in Thailand. Also some of the girls are going to work in HK & Singapore.

What I see on Thai Visa are a lot of guys asking questions or getting angry because of things which could only happen with an internet (ie not much) knowledge of Thailand.

These guys are alone and inexperienced and ripe for picking by the ladies of Pattaya and they are getting picked. Look at the posts. Thailand's not that bad; ask anyone who really lives here.

People make decisions about where to live and living and working on an oil platform or driving a truck in the Middle East is big bucks but not conducive to raising a family. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

If you live in Thailand full time you can buy; if you live somewhere else and only live in Thailand part time, rent, this goes for everything available in this lovely country.

But for the purposes of this thread what is good for the economic health of the ladies in Pattaya is not necessarily good for the Farangs.

[Bernard Flint]

I have been to Pattaya to visit farang friends twice in two weeks. Did the walking street thing and will say that there were many people walking around, Mostly saw Indian, Chinese, Thai, Russian or middle Eastern, but very few western farang. Went into a few clubs and a show bar. Bars had people but not full. Also seemed that there were mostly local guys making there rounds and not tourists.

Soi LK had locals but few tourist. Ladies were not happy and talking about no customers.

Other areas, second road, soi 6 and 7 had some people but again I think most were locals making their rounds.

The beer bars everywhere were dead. The girls were the oldest and worst looking I have ever seen in Pattaya in 20 years. A few sweethearts but there few and far between.

I could be wrong but I think the end is near for this town. It does not have decent beaches or any other attraction except bars and sex. If the girls are ugly no one will want to go to the bars or for sex .... If no one going to bars no girls coming....

I will wait to see how this high season turns out before totally writing it off but signs so far don't look good.

I suggest you look closer for decent beaches and many attractions, are you staying in beer bars all day?????

[john1000]

Pattaya will always have people visiting given the amount invested by businesses e.g. condos, malls etc. The usual Western tourists are being displaced by new arrivals.

Different market will prevail.

No secret the Junta are embarrassed by the red light scene. Income generated by this will be slowly be replaced by the service industry. All these condos and hotels need employees.

A bonus for the establishment would be reduced crime, drugs violence.

[Flanno]

I love reading these posts from the Doom & Gloom 'experts'. Too much traffic, too many Russians, prices going up, too few tourists, too many tourists etc etc. Pattaya will keep rolling along irrespective of all its 'problems' and the whiners will keep whining but they still keep coming here. I been coming here on and off for 15 years now and it's a welcome break from the 'normal' life I lead back in Oz. I love looking up old friends, visiting my favourite bars and restaurants and generally taking in the scene. I guess you can say I love Pattaya, with all its faults and false promises. Just like a marriage but thankfully one I can have some respite from when I need it.

[thaibeachlovers]

I love reading these posts from the Doom & Gloom 'experts'. Too much traffic, too many Russians, prices going up, too few tourists, too many tourists etc etc. Pattaya will keep rolling along irrespective of all its 'problems' and the whiners will keep whining but they still keep coming here. I been coming here on and off for 15 years now and it's a welcome break from the 'normal' life I lead back in Oz. I love looking up old friends, visiting my favourite bars and restaurants and generally taking in the scene. I guess you can say I love Pattaya, with all its faults and false promises. Just like a marriage but thankfully one I can have some respite from when I need it.

The prices have gone up BECAUSE of the Russians. Many signs all over the place in Russian, so places obviously chasing the Russian money. Unfortunately, they seem to be prepared to pay ridiculous amounts for everything.

Other than the Russians, there has always been ( for at least 20 years ) too many bar beers for the number of customers, so one's "favourite" bar may no longer exist the next time you visit.

[Flanno]

Yes let's blame the Russians for rising prices. Why not after all they get blamed for just about all Pattayas woes. Funny though they have minimal impact on places I visit. Of course they are in Pattaya in their numbers but I never see them in my favourite bars, very few in Go Go bars when I go, I don't notice them in the restaurants and they certainly don't frequent the same guesthouses I stay at. Of course in other parts of Pattaya they are more prominent but so what? Do the Brits, Aussies or Europeans have more of a right to be in Pattaya than the Russians? I have friends who own businesses and they depend on Russian customers when they are there. So to blame Russians for rising prices is dumb!

Pattaya is still excellent value despite the inevitable price rises. It's about 50% less than comparable prices in Bangkok. I really think most punters confuse fluctuating currency prices with rising prices. In the last 10 years there have been significant fluctuations of the $US, Aust$, Euro and GBP. For example my trips to Pattaya are about 15% more expensive than 12 months ago. Why? Because the Aust$ has fallen against the US$.

Too many beer bars? Too many restaurants and food outlets? Too many hotels/Guesthouses? Too many GOGos? Yes to all of them. Why do you think Pattaya is very affordable?? It's called COMPETITION.

[thailiketoo]

I love reading these posts from the Doom & Gloom 'experts'. Too much traffic, too many Russians, prices going up, too few tourists, too many tourists etc etc. Pattaya will keep rolling along irrespective of all its 'problems' and the whiners will keep whining but they still keep coming here. I been coming here on and off for 15 years now and it's a welcome break from the 'normal' life I lead back in Oz. I love looking up old friends, visiting my favourite bars and restaurants and generally taking in the scene. I guess you can say I love Pattaya, with all its faults and false promises. Just like a marriage but thankfully one I can have some respite from when I need it.

The prices have gone up BECAUSE of the Russians. Many signs all over the place in Russian, so places obviously chasing the Russian money. Unfortunately, they seem to be prepared to pay ridiculous amounts for everything.

Other than the Russians, there has always been ( for at least 20 years ) too many bar beers for the number of customers, so one's "favourite" bar may no longer exist the next time you visit.

To quote another poster in another thread, "In Pattaya a lot of currency exchange booths are saying No Ruble."

[rgs2001uk]

Was in Pattaya yesterday, the bars on second road were rocking, eg, Wonderful Bar 2, The Meeting Point, standing room only.

What the heck was going on outside Central yesterday about 5 in the evening, we had Michael Jackson, Minnie Ha Ha and Haiwatha giving it big lix.

Opposite Mikes, the farang cheap chalee or farang kee ngok brigade were out in force.

Yes Pattaya Rawks.