Pattaya struggles to survive the economic downturn

[webfact]

Thailand's Sin Cities Struggle to Survive the Economic Downturn
By Jeff Koyen

NEW YORK: -- Pattaya is a shxxhole. Granted, I stayed there 10 years ago, but Thailand’s pleasure dens aren’t known for their reformation and rehabilitation. If anything, I imagine this particular seaside town has gotten seedier and scummier, with drugs and prostitution around every corner, and thugs eyeing up tourists like midnight snacks.

Economic downturns certainly don’t help such situations. When has a moral interzone ever shrugged off its iniquity when the clientele goes even further downscale?

That’s exactly the issue in Pattaya, where hotels are “struggling to survive” due to “Chinese travel agents” pushing for reduced room rates. The issue is the city’s reliance on Chinese tourists, who were actively courted in recent years to make up for the loss of European and Russian visitors.

Which makes complete sense. The past years have seen Goa explode as Russia’s favorite hedonist hotspot, and well-heeled Europeans find better bargains closer to home.

Full story: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/van-winkles/thailands-sin-cities-stru_b_7805096.html

-- Huffington Post 2015-07-16

[AMP101]

"I imagine this particular seaside town has gotten seedier and scummier, with drugs and prostitution around every corner, and thugs eyeing up tourists like midnight snacks."

Steller reseasch imo

[uty6543]

Jeff Koyen Is a rubbish reporter. He stayed in Pattaya 10 years ago and then makes up what he thinks it's like today. Yes of course there are plenty of bar girls for everyone that wants one and the drugs and criminal elements that every big city has but it is also a nice place to have a holiday or retire to. I could name many cities that are worse but why slag off any place just for the sake of it.

[LennyW]

Jeff Koyen seems to be doing a lot of imagining and guessing in the composition of this piece of drivel.

[petercool]

By all means have an opinion on the writer but stay away from slagging off members please. A flame post was removed.

[morrobay]

The subject here is also about the economic impact on Pattaya from the new Chinese mass tourism demographics.

Edited July 16, 2015 by morrobay

[silent]

Jeff Koyen Is a rubbish reporter. He stayed in Pattaya 10 years ago and then makes up what he thinks it's like today. Yes of course there are plenty of bar girls for everyone that wants one and the drugs and criminal elements that every big city has but it is also a nice place to have a holiday or retire to. I could name many cities that are worse but why slag off any place just for the sake of it.

(deleted flame post)

Would that be from "says the piper to the pie man ", and/ or the pot calling a kettle black? (Same same)

[abitmiffed]

Jeff Koyen Is a rubbish reporter. He stayed in Pattaya 10 years ago and then makes up what he thinks it's like today. Yes of course there are plenty of bar girls for everyone that wants one and the drugs and criminal elements that every big city has but it is also a nice place to have a holiday or retire to. I could name many cities that are worse but why slag off any place just for the sake of it.

Regardless, is he wrong? The more shit you throw at someone at some point they might wonder why?

[khunianb]

Pattaya is no longer an inexpensive destination and as tourist numbers decline businesses seem to increase their prices.

Pattaya needs to refurbish its image and get rid of some of the seedier elements - like hundreds of bar girls standing on Walking Street trying to attract customers.

[Naam]

Pattaya is no longer an inexpensive destination and as tourist numbers decline businesses seem to increase their prices.

Pattaya needs to refurbish its image and get rid of some of the seedier elements - like hundreds of bar girls standing on Walking Street trying to attract customers.

the "seedier elements" wouldn't exist if there was no seedy demand from seedy tourists.

[Anthony5]

There are 2 Pattaya's.

The one, we who live here long time know and which merely consist East of Sukhumvit, and the one the tourists know and is located West side of Sukhumvit.

I live here more than 2 decades and the first 14 years my life revolved around the tourist areas, but the times I've been there in the past 7 years can be counted on 2 hands.

So I remember how it was in walking street 7 years ago, but times have changed big time.

I have many long time friends who still come over twice or trice a year for holidays and spend most of their time in the city, and they tell me that it has changed a lot over the past 5 years, and not to the better.

To have a good time on walking street you now need to be a millionaire, and that is not the 2 week millionaires we all know, but a real life millionaire.

Apart from that the crime and aggressive behavior has risen to unseen levels and the fun is not the same fun they had 10 years ago. They also tell me that the number of tourists are dwindling very fast, and many long time visitors can't be bothered with Thailand anymore.

What we, even those that live on the East side, can notice anyway is that business is down everywhere.

There are many established businesses, which recently have gone out of business. I know whole streets that were business centers a couple of years ago, and now consist out of only deserted shops.

[KittenKong]

I think that there is definitely less in the way of drugs and prostitution than there was 10 years ago, but the number of thugs has increased hugely in that time. In fact there are probably more thugs, thieves and scam artists here now than there are prostitutes.

Quite why anyone would come to Thailand for cheap drugs or cheap sex is beyond me as the prices here for both seem to be much higher than they would be elsewhere. The quality of both is probably much higher elsewhere also.

[i claudius]

Last time i was with a bar girl it was 200 baht short time and 500 baht all night have prices increased much?

[balo]

There are 2 Pattaya's.

The one, we who live here long time know and which merely consist East of Sukhumvit, and the one the tourists know and is located West side of Sukhumvit.

I live here more than 2 decades and the first 14 years my life revolved around the tourist areas, but the times I've been there in the past 7 years can be counted on 2 hands.

So I remember how it was in walking street 7 years ago, but times have changed big time.

I have many long time friends who still come over twice or trice a year for holidays and spend most of their time in the city, and they tell me that it has changed a lot over the past 5 years, and not to the better.

To have a good time on walking street you now need to be a millionaire, and that is not the 2 week millionaires we all know, but a real life millionaire.

Apart from that the crime and aggressive behavior has risen to unseen levels and the fun is not the same fun they had 10 years ago. They also tell me that the number of tourists are dwindling very fast, and many long time visitors can't be bothered with Thailand anymore.

What we, even those that live on the East side, can notice anyway is that business is down everywhere.

There are many established businesses, which recently have gone out of business. I know whole streets that were business centers a couple of years ago, and now consist out of only deserted shops.

Are you thinking about sex or drinks here?

I sometimes visit walking street to have some fun and I'm no millionaire. 3-400 baht is all you need really. Unless you want a sexy lady that only millionaires can afford.

Edited July 16, 2015 by balo

[Anthony5]

There are 2 Pattaya's.

The one, we who live here long time know and which merely consist East of Sukhumvit, and the one the tourists know and is located West side of Sukhumvit.

I live here more than 2 decades and the first 14 years my life revolved around the tourist areas, but the times I've been there in the past 7 years can be counted on 2 hands.

So I remember how it was in walking street 7 years ago, but times have changed big time.

I have many long time friends who still come over twice or trice a year for holidays and spend most of their time in the city, and they tell me that it has changed a lot over the past 5 years, and not to the better.

To have a good time on walking street you now need to be a millionaire, and that is not the 2 week millionaires we all know, but a real life millionaire.

Apart from that the crime and aggressive behavior has risen to unseen levels and the fun is not the same fun they had 10 years ago. They also tell me that the number of tourists are dwindling very fast, and many long time visitors can't be bothered with Thailand anymore.

What we, even those that live on the East side, can notice anyway is that business is down everywhere.

There are many established businesses, which recently have gone out of business. I know whole streets that were business centers a couple of years ago, and now consist out of only deserted shops.

Are you thinking about sex or drinks here?

I sometimes visit walking street to have some fun and I'm no millionaire. 3-400 baht is all you need really. Unless you want a sexy lady that only millionaires can afford.

For that kind of fun I don't even need 400 Baht, I can mix in with a group of Chinese or watch tv, but some people have different understandings about what is fun.

[Lostpack3t]

As normal, commentary from someone who onced lived here, knew someone, or their former room mate's cousin once visited. I've lived and worked here 4 years. Some aspects I love, some aspects I don't. Same as my home town in Sydney, Australia. Pattaya is a small town you make as you please same as any adventurous town. Look for peace you will find it, look for fun you will find it, look for trouble you will find it. Stop the trolling and get back to real reporting.

[jacko45k]

Pattaya is no longer an inexpensive destination and as tourist numbers decline businesses seem to increase their prices.

Pattaya needs to refurbish its image and get rid of some of the seedier elements - like hundreds of bar girls standing on Walking Street trying to attract customers.

the "seedier elements" wouldn't exist if there was no seedy demand from seedy tourists.

Nor would there be seedy tourists if there were not seedy elements.

Which came first?

[robertthebruce]

Wild horses could not drag me to Pattaya..... But that's me, different strokes for different Folks......

[harrycallahan]

Chinese are a different league of tourist, they come on a package tour and rock up at the pre-chosen soapy in the tour bus. Beer bars, restaurants etc off the schedule will never see them.

[SheungWan]

Last time i was with a bar girl it was 200 baht short time and 500 baht all night have prices increased much?

I'll ask a friend and get back to you.

[Ianatlarge]

Pattaya is one of the last Man's Places left on the Earth. It is a fantastic spot. I schedule to spend at least two months a year there. To soak in the culture. It is not as good as it used to be (demolish Central, I say, and push the rubble into the ocean and replace with a beer bar).

I don't know who this buffoon is, but if he does not like (love) Patt Town, shove off, I say.

[Emster23]

Always these articles start off with slagging to establish "Well, I'd never take a bar girl", holier than holy fest. But he somehow makes a few valid points... One of major problems to me is that locals willing to take money, but not put any into areas that tourist and locals may like: clean beaches, sidewalks can walk on, enforcement of some laws with honest cops. Instead money goes to brown envelope projects like destruction of Jomtien beach to follow up on what did to Pattaya beach. So have "budget" back packer gap year setting but hope to attract well to do. Ain't gonna happen.

"Pattaya has about 2,000 hotels with 136,000 rooms. If I had to guess, I’d say half are whorehouses." Well, you would have to guess, seeing how this number shows you haven't been here....

Seems TAT has backed wrong horses (first Russian and now China). Old adage "It takes money to make money": improve infrastructure and environment and maybe just maybe tourists will return. Never seen it so dead in 10 years I've been here.

[BlackJack]

so prices have gone down

have the girls lowered their price as well?

[Jingthing]

Wild horses could not drag me to Pattaya..... But that's me, different strokes for different Folks......

Sure, but could good deli pull you in?

http://www.pastramionryethailand.com/

[magnacarta]

This is a first,in the past if you made any unkind remarks about the cesspit it would be deleted.I visit there from time to time as there isn't much choice for beach resorts,they are all dirty and expensive,but I like to take the family on an occasional weekend break.

[gandalf12]

A very succinct appraisal of Pattaya. Probably get this post deleted for agreeing that Pattaya is a s***hole

[Bignose]

Like many other resort towns Pattaya has indeed changed over the years, the same has happened in every country that has a tourist industry, it is not a specifically Thai issue and has been repeated around the world.

As resort towns develop the price of real estate increases, that leads to higher rents and accommodation (it's not rocket science) In general it is becoming more expensive and ultimately becoming less competitive with resort towns in less developed countries.

Mr Koyen makes a fairly bold statement of opinion "If anything, I imagine this particular seaside town has gotten seedier and scummier" This is a fairly unimaginative and crude comment, it takes no real journalistic talent to cobble something like that together.

Pattaya would, like every other larger town or city in Thailand, have always had its seedier and scummier area's, just as most other countries around the world have. While I don't particularly like Pattaya myself I don't see any real need to bag it or single it out as a uniquely disgusting place. It will, due to market forces, undergo further change over the years just to survive.

Hopefully in future we some more realistic and factual reporting, not just some statements of personal dissatisfaction and contempt, I can get that from the grump old bas***d next door....

[Jingthing]

A very succinct appraisal of Pattaya. Probably get this post deleted for agreeing that Pattaya is a s***hole

You live here?

When were you last here?

For how long?

Did you make it past Walking Street and sex district?

Maybe Pattaya a s/h but it's OUR s/h.

Next!

Edited July 16, 2015 by Jingthing

[Yann55]

Jeff Koyen Is a rubbish reporter. He stayed in Pattaya 10 years ago and then makes up what he thinks it's like today. Yes of course there are plenty of bar girls for everyone that wants one and the drugs and criminal elements that every big city has but it is also a nice place to have a holiday or retire to. I could name many cities that are worse but why slag off any place just for the sake of it.

You are absolutely right. Now let's not forget that this guy is not the only one who 'slags off' Pattaya. It's pretty much an international sport. Whether they've been there or not, that's what people do around the world when the name Pattaya pops up, not only in the media but pretty much everywhere.

It's an interesting sociological phenomenon, actually, one which obviously serves a simple purpose : making people feel better about themselves and their own place. Evil is there, thus it's not here.

There is no smoke without fire of course, and Pattaya is certainly not where angels go spend their holiday, but the amazing dis-proportion between the actual place and its reputation clearly indicates a fair amount of hysteria, and the building of a myth, ie something based on reality yet very remote from the truth.

[gandalf12]

A very succinct appraisal of Pattaya. Probably get this post deleted for agreeing that Pattaya is a s***hole

You live here?

When were you last here?

For how long?

Did you make it past Walking Street and sex district?

Maybe Pattaya a s/h but it's OUR s/h.

Next!

I lived just outside for 8 years. No I didnt get to the areas you mention, fortunately I have a mind that is is located above my waist. Obviously below the waist is a requirement to consider like you obviously do that Pattaya is a nice place. Each to their own