Will Pattaya be a ghost town in ten years?

[tropo]

It does take a period of time to say enough is enough,my case few years,but I would be gone now, but for the baggage,long time GF ,dogs etc. To just abandon them is heartless,taking them with me is an option which is now being actively explored

I just want to get the hell out of it and leave Thailand to the Thais (and Chinese)

.. and that's exactly what I would expect to hear from someone who lives here and doesn't like it.

I'm trying to understand the people who constantly moan about how bad it is here yet continue to stay. My guess is that they came for the girls, and once that wore off, or they got married, it wasn't the same anymore.

After 10 years there may have been some changes, but the essence of the place is exactly as it was 10 years ago, warts and all.

Well I didn't come here for the girls, haven't had a GF for years now, and wouldn't want one if she paid me. But I'm sick of the place, because it has changed a lot over the more than 2 decades I live here, and not to the better.

The problem is to find something that offers the same qualities for which I came here. I think I could go Cambodia or Laos, but it wouldn't make much changes in the pet peeves I have issues with in Thailand.

Tourist cities and towns develop and change faster than any other places. It's also worth noting that home based internet was born 2 decades ago - it's a whole new world now. When I arrived here 10 years ago, the basic internet package was 1Mb/0.5Mb... think about what were doing 2 decades ago. We certainly weren't wasting any time on Internet forums.

The things you came for are are what I'm trying to get away from. Underdeveloped, 3rd world towns are not hard to find.

[overherebc]

At the moment the older guys, me included, have memories of how good it was 20 + years ago, and "we" can't help but go on about it. Remember this, remember that etc etc etc.

In 20+ years time the young guys who are now enjoying Pattaya and are ignoring all the minus points, seen but not thought about, that exist in their present time, will be posting on Thai Visa about how far downhill Pattaya has gone since they arrived 20+ years ago.

Do 'we' old guys really want to see it fail or is it just our jealousy that wants it to fail because we don't fit in now and if we care to admit it, we can't do it anymore. The following gap is for the other oldies, like me, to fill in all the 'speak for yourself comments. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

We can't keep up with the changes because we see them happening faster than we handle, when you're young you don't see any changes happening, it's fun everyday as far as you're concerned.

Pattaya won't die, it'll go on changing, some good some bad, but that will depend on where you're looking from. Mark one eyeball unassisted or through your bi-focals on the end of your nose , like me.

Still think it'll smell worse, not exotic as we described the same smells 20+ years ago.

[thaibeachlovers]

It does take a period of time to say enough is enough,my case few years,but I would be gone now, but for the baggage,long time GF ,dogs etc. To just abandon them is heartless,taking them with me is an option which is now being actively explored

I just want to get the hell out of it and leave Thailand to the Thais (and Chinese)

.. and that's exactly what I would expect to hear from someone who lives here and doesn't like it.

I'm trying to understand the people who constantly moan about how bad it is here yet continue to stay. My guess is that they came for the girls, and once that wore off, or they got married, it wasn't the same anymore.

After 10 years there may have been some changes, but the essence of the place is exactly as it was 10 years ago, warts and all.

Well I didn't come here for the girls, haven't had a GF for years now, and wouldn't want one if she paid me. But I'm sick of the place, because it has changed a lot over the more than 2 decades I live here, and not to the better.

The problem is to find something that offers the same qualities for which I came here. I think I could go Cambodia or Laos, but it wouldn't make much changes in the pet peeves I have issues with in Thailand.

Tourist cities and towns develop and change faster than any other places. It's also worth noting that home based internet was born 2 decades ago - it's a whole new world now. When I arrived here 10 years ago, the basic internet package was 1Mb/0.5Mb... think about what were doing 2 decades ago. We certainly weren't wasting any time on Internet forums.

The things you came for are are what I'm trying to get away from. Underdeveloped, 3rd world towns are not hard to find.

We certainly weren't wasting any time on Internet forums.

Certainly better off for not having internet. I have to confess I'm addicted to the internet, like so many. Had it not existed what might have I accomplished?

Edited August 8, 2015 by thaibeachlovers

[tropo]

At the moment the older guys, me included, have memories of how good it was 20 + years ago, and "we" can't help but go on about it. Remember this, remember that etc etc etc.

In 20+ years time the young guys who are now enjoying Pattaya and are ignoring all the minus points, seen but not thought about, that exist in their present time, will be posting on Thai Visa about how far downhill Pattaya has gone since they arrived 20+ years ago.

Do 'we' old guys really want to see it fail or is it just our jealousy that wants it to fail because we don't fit in now and if we care to admit it, we can't do it anymore. The following gap is for the other oldies, like me, to fill in all the 'speak for yourself comments. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

We can't keep up with the changes because we see them happening faster than we handle, when you're young you don't see any changes happening, it's fun everyday as far as you're concerned.

Pattaya won't die, it'll go on changing, some good some bad, but that will depend on where you're looking from. Mark one eyeball unassisted or through your bi-focals on the end of your nose , like me.

Still think it'll smell worse, not exotic as we described the same smells 20+ years ago.

I don't know what you mean by "older guys"... maybe I'm one, maybe not. I don't have 20 years of experience in Pattaya, but I can say that over 10 years I'm just as content with the place now as when I arrived.

I'm not a nostalgic person and tend to live in the present, so I don't spend a lot of time pondering the past. I really don't think it is a healthy state of mind - living in the past. We're all getting older, so the past is usually a better time, no matter where you live.

Edited August 8, 2015 by tropo

[TobyOliver]

As a fairly young person working in Thailand for a couple of years now I can see changes frequently, things such as prices, demographics of tourists and attitudes.

I think in the future Pattaya of old and today will change into something else. I'm sure this will involve the Chinese but what exactly it will look like we can only speculate.

One thing I have noticed is that the the girls working in the bars seem to be thinning out and quality going down.

This is not to say there aren't great looking Thai girls around, it's just most are spoken for or are going off to university and getting white collar jobs.

[rocketboybkk]

As a fairly young person working in Thailand for a couple of years now I can see changes frequently, things such as prices, demographics of tourists and attitudes.

I think in the future Pattaya of old and today will change into something else. I'm sure this will involve the Chinese but what exactly it will look like we can only speculate.

One thing I have noticed is that the the girls working in the bars seem to be thinning out and quality going down.

This is not to say there aren't great looking Thai girls around, it's just most are spoken for or are going off to university and getting white collar jobs.

What job are you in to speculate on this subject?

As you said, you've only bin in country a couple of years.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[thaibeachlovers]

As a fairly young person working in Thailand for a couple of years now I can see changes frequently, things such as prices, demographics of tourists and attitudes.

I think in the future Pattaya of old and today will change into something else. I'm sure this will involve the Chinese but what exactly it will look like we can only speculate.

One thing I have noticed is that the the girls working in the bars seem to be thinning out and quality going down.

This is not to say there aren't great looking Thai girls around, it's just most are spoken for or are going off to university and getting white collar jobs.

getting white collar jobs.

When the economy crashes they'll be back.

[tropo]

As a fairly young person working in Thailand for a couple of years now I can see changes frequently, things such as prices, demographics of tourists and attitudes.

I think in the future Pattaya of old and today will change into something else. I'm sure this will involve the Chinese but what exactly it will look like we can only speculate.

One thing I have noticed is that the the girls working in the bars seem to be thinning out and quality going down.

This is not to say there aren't great looking Thai girls around, it's just most are spoken for or are going off to university and getting white collar jobs.

LOL. re the comment about bar girls: "quality going down". You gauged this over a "couple of years"?

I don't think it's the "quality" in question, but your attitude. That changes over time (for everyone), especially if you're "fairly young".

BTW, what is "fairly young"? For my wife it would be around 22 as the girls think they are "fairly old" when they get to 26 and old when they get to 30.

[thaibeachlovers]

As a fairly young person working in Thailand for a couple of years now I can see changes frequently, things such as prices, demographics of tourists and attitudes.

I think in the future Pattaya of old and today will change into something else. I'm sure this will involve the Chinese but what exactly it will look like we can only speculate.

One thing I have noticed is that the the girls working in the bars seem to be thinning out and quality going down.

This is not to say there aren't great looking Thai girls around, it's just most are spoken for or are going off to university and getting white collar jobs.

LOL. re the comment about bar girls: "quality going down". You gauged this over a "couple of years"?

I don't think it's the "quality" in question, but your attitude. That changes over time (for everyone), especially if you're "fairly young".

BTW, what is "fairly young"? For my wife it would be around 22 as the girls think they are "fairly old" when they get to 26 and old when they get to 30.

Quite right. How does anyone judge the "quality" of BGs? For starters, one would have to sample a LOT over every year. Even one a night would only be a drop in the bucket.

BTW, back in the day many years ago, I could check out every bar beer on Beach Rd and Second Rd from WS to Naklua and not find one that I was attracted to- based purely on physical beauty. For the best looking ones the Gogos are the main place. I doubt that has changed.

[rocketboybkk]

The op has been in country a couple of years so he know the score now as he's an expert, I suspect especially on the bar girl scene

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Asiacat]

In response to the previous post I have been in town 15 years not 2 and do not claim to be an expert. It's just that awful lot of businesses are closing down and as someone who invests in several businesses I do notice that there is an awful lot less money floating around.

[morrobay]

As a fairly young person working in Thailand for a couple of years now I can see changes frequently, things such as prices, demographics of tourists and attitudes.

I think in the future Pattaya of old and today will change into something else. I'm sure this will involve the Chinese but what exactly it will look like we can only speculate.

One thing I have noticed is that the the girls working in the bars seem to be thinning out and quality going down.

This is not to say there aren't great looking Thai girls around, it's just most are spoken for or are going off to university and getting white collar jobs.

getting white collar jobs.

When the economy crashes they'll be back.

The working girls that are the 8's & 9's are not going for white collar jobs they are just in different venues : discos and the internet dating services, mostly the latter

A university graduatel would be lucky to get a white collar job for 25 000/mo. Her sisters can make three times that without degree. And on the topic :

Forget about subjective comparisons to 10 20 years ago. Just look at the mess this place is , objectively, right now and dont expect it to get any better.

What you see is what you are going to get: A seedy congested third string Asian seaside resort taken over by big touring business.

Said it many times: if not here for the main attraction it seems there would be better places to be. For example the beaches in Vietnam and Indonesia.

And the economy is in a slow motion train wreck so things should be picking up in the bars.

Edited August 11, 2015 by morrobay

[thaibeachlovers]

In response to the previous post I have been in town 15 years not 2 and do not claim to be an expert. It's just that awful lot of businesses are closing down and as someone who invests in several businesses I do notice that there is an awful lot less money floating around.

It was a bubble based on Russian money. I hope the rip off scum businessmen, hotel owners etc that used the bubble to vastly inflate the prices of their establishments are severely burned. No doubt the ones closing now had a case of rouble greed and thought they would cash in, buying at high prices, but now finding that ship has sailed and they have lost money.

Sooner the greedies pack up and leave the better, as things can then get back to Pattaya normal, and hopefully prices will come down as well.

[thaibeachlovers]

As a fairly young person working in Thailand for a couple of years now I can see changes frequently, things such as prices, demographics of tourists and attitudes.

I think in the future Pattaya of old and today will change into something else. I'm sure this will involve the Chinese but what exactly it will look like we can only speculate.

One thing I have noticed is that the the girls working in the bars seem to be thinning out and quality going down.

This is not to say there aren't great looking Thai girls around, it's just most are spoken for or are going off to university and getting white collar jobs.

getting white collar jobs.

When the economy crashes they'll be back.

The working girls that are the 8's & 9's are not going for white collar jobs they are just in different venues : discos and the internet dating services, mostly the latter

A university graduatel would be lucky to get a white collar job for 25 000/mo. Her sisters can make three times that without degree. And on the topic :

Forget about subjective comparisons to 10 20 years ago. Just look at the mess this place is , objectively, right now and dont expect it to get any better.

What you see is what you are going to get: A seedy congested third string Asian seaside resort taken over by big touring business.

Said it many times: if not here for the main attraction it seems there would be better places to be. For example the beaches in Vietnam and Indonesia.

And the economy is in a slow motion train wreck so things should be picking up in the bars.

As one that has frequented Pattaya for over 20 years, I can say Pattaya has always been a disaster, but that was fine as it kept the families away and left Pattaya as a cheap and cheerful place for grownup guys.

Unfortunately, businessmen and politicians had stars in their eyes of Pattaya becoming a high end destination, hence inapropriate constructions like Central ( should have been built in Jomptien ), the attrocious new beach walkway, the stupid parking building at Bali Hai, the ghastly high rise at Bali Hi and the grotesque marina. All without doing a thing to improve the roads, the drainage or the scams.

Hopefully they will have been badly burned now and such excrescences will not be repeated

[lostoday]

One of my hobbies here when I see restaurants opening is guessing when they will close. That's pretty naughty, I know. Sometimes I think places will work and then they still don't though. I couldn't have predicted all the Russian places closing before the Ruble crashed.

have you seen there is a new American restaurant opening soon at the front of " The Avenue " on second road directly above the pizza shop. It used to be an Irish pub. It will be called " the all-American restaurant " - chicken wings and other things. it will have a huge seating capacity but I have no idea if there will be enough people in their target audience.

Well I think I'll wait for them to open and to check it out before I make any predictions.

It's also hard to know what their business plan is.

For all we know, they plan to book in Chinese tour buses and I think more provincial Chinese might love that kind of "exotic" food.

Of course Hooters opening on Beach Road is famous for wings and ... let me check ... "other" THINGS.

I doubt Hooters would be opening here without having done some hard core market research.

I find it hard to believe that Hooters will be a success in Pattaya.

I mean Pattaya is quite price sensitive and Hooters wont be cheap so for a start that will wipe out a lot of customers.

And the girl attraction can be had all over town and in much sexier outfits or no outfits as the case may be.

Chinese tourists would never like Hooters.

[tropo]

As a fairly young person working in Thailand for a couple of years now I can see changes frequently, things such as prices, demographics of tourists and attitudes.

I think in the future Pattaya of old and today will change into something else. I'm sure this will involve the Chinese but what exactly it will look like we can only speculate.

One thing I have noticed is that the the girls working in the bars seem to be thinning out and quality going down.

This is not to say there aren't great looking Thai girls around, it's just most are spoken for or are going off to university and getting white collar jobs.

LOL. re the comment about bar girls: "quality going down". You gauged this over a "couple of years"?

I don't think it's the "quality" in question, but your attitude. That changes over time (for everyone), especially if you're "fairly young".

BTW, what is "fairly young"? For my wife it would be around 22 as the girls think they are "fairly old" when they get to 26 and old when they get to 30.

Quite right. How does anyone judge the "quality" of BGs? For starters, one would have to sample a LOT over every year. Even one a night would only be a drop in the bucket.

BTW, back in the day many years ago, I could check out every bar beer on Beach Rd and Second Rd from WS to Naklua and not find one that I was attracted to- based purely on physical beauty. For the best looking ones the Gogos are the main place. I doubt that has changed.

Over the last couple of years I've done quite a bit of gogo bar hopping with a visiting friend, and was surprised at the abundance of talent based purely on physical beauty. Seems better than ever.

For someone to say the "quality has gone down", (although it's a rather offensive comment as we're dealing with people, not meat), I'd have to wonder where they are finding their "meat", or as you said, how are they assessing "quality".

Edited August 11, 2015 by tropo

[tropo]

As a fairly young person working in Thailand for a couple of years now I can see changes frequently, things such as prices, demographics of tourists and attitudes.

I think in the future Pattaya of old and today will change into something else. I'm sure this will involve the Chinese but what exactly it will look like we can only speculate.

One thing I have noticed is that the the girls working in the bars seem to be thinning out and quality going down.

This is not to say there aren't great looking Thai girls around, it's just most are spoken for or are going off to university and getting white collar jobs.

getting white collar jobs.

When the economy crashes they'll be back.

The working girls that are the 8's & 9's are not going for white collar jobs they are just in different venues : discos and the internet dating services, mostly the latter

A university graduatel would be lucky to get a white collar job for 25 000/mo. Her sisters can make three times that without degree. And on the topic :

Forget about subjective comparisons to 10 20 years ago. Just look at the mess this place is , objectively, right now and dont expect it to get any better.

What you see is what you are going to get: A seedy congested third string Asian seaside resort taken over by big touring business.

Said it many times: if not here for the main attraction it seems there would be better places to be. For example the beaches in Vietnam and Indonesia.

And the economy is in a slow motion train wreck so things should be picking up in the bars.

As one that has frequented Pattaya for over 20 years, I can say Pattaya has always been a disaster, but that was fine as it kept the families away and left Pattaya as a cheap and cheerful place for grownup guys.

Unfortunately, businessmen and politicians had stars in their eyes of Pattaya becoming a high end destination, hence inapropriate constructions like Central ( should have been built in Jomptien ), the attrocious new beach walkway, the stupid parking building at Bali Hai, the ghastly high rise at Bali Hi and the grotesque marina. All without doing a thing to improve the roads, the drainage or the scams.

Hopefully they will have been badly burned now and such excrescences will not be repeated

Cities don't grow up like that. It takes decades of suffering through growing pains to improve infrastructure, and Pattaya is no exception. It's an evolutionary process.

People don't seem to grasp the fact that there are many 5 star hotels in Pattaya - all doing good business. Pattaya is not the disaster so many are touting. It's a very interesting place with a huge variety of entertainment options for all types of tourists.

Central should have been built in Jomtien? Seriously? It's the biggest success story in Pattaya right where it is. Most of the customers there are tourists who don't drive. It needs to be in the center of the tourist zone, not in some isolated and quiet area. People have been anticipating it's downfall since it first opened in January 2009 (some were too afraid to enter the building, expecting it to collapse. There were whole threads dedicated to this subject LOL)... but it is doing just fine and it's still my favourite place in Pattaya.

It seems to me many are hoping that Pattaya will suffer a catastrophic downtrend. I don't see it. There's new skyscrapers going up all over town. I've endured "doom and gloom" posts on this forum for 10 years. It's just not happening, no matter how much you guys wish it.

It's still the place to be in Thailand (for expats) and nowhere else comes close.

[morrobay]

As a fairly young person working in Thailand for a couple of years now I can see changes frequently, things such as prices, demographics of tourists and attitudes.

I think in the future Pattaya of old and today will change into something else. I'm sure this will involve the Chinese but what exactly it will look like we can only speculate.

One thing I have noticed is that the the girls working in the bars seem to be thinning out and quality going down.

This is not to say there aren't great looking Thai girls around, it's just most are spoken for or are going off to university and getting white collar jobs.

getting white collar jobs.

When the economy crashes they'll be back.

The working girls that are the 8's & 9's are not going for white collar jobs they are just in different venues : discos and the internet dating services, mostly the latter

A university graduatel would be lucky to get a white collar job for 25 000/mo. Her sisters can make three times that without degree. And on the topic :

Forget about subjective comparisons to 10 20 years ago. Just look at the mess this place is , objectively, right now and dont expect it to get any better.

What you see is what you are going to get: A seedy congested third string Asian seaside resort taken over by big touring business.

Said it many times: if not here for the main attraction it seems there would be better places to be. For example the beaches in Vietnam and Indonesia.

And the economy is in a slow motion train wreck so things should be picking up in the bars.

As one that has frequented Pattaya for over 20 years, I can say Pattaya has always been a disaster, but that was fine as it kept the families away and left Pattaya as a cheap and cheerful place for grownup guys.

Unfortunately, businessmen and politicians had stars in their eyes of Pattaya becoming a high end destination, hence inapropriate constructions like Central ( should have been built in Jomptien ), the attrocious new beach walkway, the stupid parking building at Bali Hai, the ghastly high rise at Bali Hi and the grotesque marina. All without doing a thing to improve the roads, the drainage or the scams.

Hopefully they will have been badly burned now and such excrescences will not be repeated

Having said that of course Pattaya was better 10, 15, 20 years ago. The infrastructure is devolving.

Yes Central should have been built in Jomtien then the million Thais who drive to it on Saturday,

Sundays and Holidays would not be jamming up the roads in Pattaya ( whats wrong with the malls in Bangkok ? )

So maybe for now the 5 stars are doing ok. But they really are in another dimension from the rest of Pattaya.

Nothing around here would be better news than half of "these " developers going bankrupt.

Edited August 12, 2015 by morrobay

[thaibeachlovers]

getting white collar jobs.

When the economy crashes they'll be back.

The working girls that are the 8's & 9's are not going for white collar jobs they are just in different venues : discos and the internet dating services, mostly the latter

A university graduatel would be lucky to get a white collar job for 25 000/mo. Her sisters can make three times that without degree. And on the topic :

Forget about subjective comparisons to 10 20 years ago. Just look at the mess this place is , objectively, right now and dont expect it to get any better.

What you see is what you are going to get: A seedy congested third string Asian seaside resort taken over by big touring business.

Said it many times: if not here for the main attraction it seems there would be better places to be. For example the beaches in Vietnam and Indonesia.

And the economy is in a slow motion train wreck so things should be picking up in the bars.

As one that has frequented Pattaya for over 20 years, I can say Pattaya has always been a disaster, but that was fine as it kept the families away and left Pattaya as a cheap and cheerful place for grownup guys.

Unfortunately, businessmen and politicians had stars in their eyes of Pattaya becoming a high end destination, hence inapropriate constructions like Central ( should have been built in Jomptien ), the attrocious new beach walkway, the stupid parking building at Bali Hai, the ghastly high rise at Bali Hi and the grotesque marina. All without doing a thing to improve the roads, the drainage or the scams.

Hopefully they will have been badly burned now and such excrescences will not be repeated

Cities don't grow up like that. It takes decades of suffering through growing pains to improve infrastructure, and Pattaya is no exception. It's an evolutionary process.

People don't seem to grasp the fact that there are many 5 star hotels in Pattaya - all doing good business. Pattaya is not the disaster so many are touting. It's a very interesting place with a huge variety of entertainment options for all types of tourists.

Central should have been built in Jomtien? Seriously? It's the biggest success story in Pattaya right where it is. Most of the customers there are tourists who don't drive. It needs to be in the center of the tourist zone, not in some isolated and quiet area. People have been anticipating it's downfall since it first opened in January 2009 (some were too afraid to enter the building, expecting it to collapse. There were whole threads dedicated to this subject LOL)... but it is doing just fine and it's still my favourite place in Pattaya.

It seems to me many are hoping that Pattaya will suffer a catastrophic downtrend. I don't see it. There's new skyscrapers going up all over town. I've endured "doom and gloom" posts on this forum for 10 years. It's just not happening, no matter how much you guys wish it.

It's still the place to be in Thailand (for expats) and nowhere else comes close.

Decades of suffering, LOL. There are broken pavements in Pattaya that were broken 20 years ago. The only thing that changes is the buildings and the prices.

Central should have been built in Jomptien because that is the more upmarket area and has a far superior beach.

It needs to be in the center of the tourist zone, not in some isolated and quiet area.

Have you ever been to Jomptien? It's hardly quiet and isolated.

Pattaya should have been left to the mongers and not try to make it an upmarket destination.

The so called 5* hotels you refer to are all resorts that have everything on site, not requiring guests to venture into the broken disaster that is Pattaya in search of entertainment.

Perhaps you haven't noticed but most of the customers at Central were Russians and Thais from Bkk. Pattaya was well served with the Royal Garden and Big C, No need for more malls.

What has tourists that don't drive have to do with anything? Hundreds of baht buses running all day and most of the night.

It seems to me many are hoping that Pattaya will suffer a catastrophic downtrend.

Count me in on that. I want to see the greedy despoilers suffer.

There's new skyscrapers going up all over town.

Yes, but how many are occupied? There is a highrise bubble happening right now.

[tropo]

As one that has frequented Pattaya for over 20 years, I can say Pattaya has always been a disaster, but that was fine as it kept the families away and left Pattaya as a cheap and cheerful place for grownup guys.

Unfortunately, businessmen and politicians had stars in their eyes of Pattaya becoming a high end destination, hence inapropriate constructions like Central ( should have been built in Jomptien ), the attrocious new beach walkway, the stupid parking building at Bali Hai, the ghastly high rise at Bali Hi and the grotesque marina. All without doing a thing to improve the roads, the drainage or the scams.

Hopefully they will have been badly burned now and such excrescences will not be repeated

Cities don't grow up like that. It takes decades of suffering through growing pains to improve infrastructure, and Pattaya is no exception. It's an evolutionary process.

People don't seem to grasp the fact that there are many 5 star hotels in Pattaya - all doing good business. Pattaya is not the disaster so many are touting. It's a very interesting place with a huge variety of entertainment options for all types of tourists.

Central should have been built in Jomtien? Seriously? It's the biggest success story in Pattaya right where it is. Most of the customers there are tourists who don't drive. It needs to be in the center of the tourist zone, not in some isolated and quiet area. People have been anticipating it's downfall since it first opened in January 2009 (some were too afraid to enter the building, expecting it to collapse. There were whole threads dedicated to this subject LOL)... but it is doing just fine and it's still my favourite place in Pattaya.

It seems to me many are hoping that Pattaya will suffer a catastrophic downtrend. I don't see it. There's new skyscrapers going up all over town. I've endured "doom and gloom" posts on this forum for 10 years. It's just not happening, no matter how much you guys wish it.

It's still the place to be in Thailand (for expats) and nowhere else comes close.

Decades of suffering, LOL. There are broken pavements in Pattaya that were broken 20 years ago. The only thing that changes is the buildings and the prices.

Central should have been built in Jomptien because that is the more upmarket area and has a far superior beach.

It needs to be in the center of the tourist zone, not in some isolated and quiet area.

Have you ever been to Jomptien? It's hardly quiet and isolated.

Pattaya should have been left to the mongers and not try to make it an upmarket destination.

The so called 5* hotels you refer to are all resorts that have everything on site, not requiring guests to venture into the broken disaster that is Pattaya in search of entertainment.

Perhaps you haven't noticed but most of the customers at Central were Russians and Thais from Bkk. Pattaya was well served with the Royal Garden and Big C, No need for more malls.

What has tourists that don't drive have to do with anything? Hundreds of baht buses running all day and most of the night.

It seems to me many are hoping that Pattaya will suffer a catastrophic downtrend.

Count me in on that. I want to see the greedy despoilers suffer.

There's new skyscrapers going up all over town.

Yes, but how many are occupied? There is a highrise bubble happening right now.

(OK, I'll follow your lazing posting style then)

Decades of suffering, LOL. There are broken pavements in Pattaya that were broken 20 years ago. The only thing that changes is the buildings and the prices.

Sorry you couldn't grasp my point. By decades I didn't mean 20 years. Most cities in the world have taken centuries to reach their current level of development, and they're still broken.

Yes, but how many are occupied? There is a highrise bubble happening right now.

In my area of Pattaya the new condo developments are doing well and fill up quickly. Real estate has always been about: location, location, location. My next door neighbour is a condo developer from UK, and he's on his 3rd project in 5 years. Sorry to say, but he's doing very well - they're 100% sold before completion. Some might not do so well, but most do fine.

The so called 5* hotels you refer to are all resorts that have everything on site, not requiring guests to venture into the broken disaster that is Pattaya in search of entertainment.

LOL. Hilton is on the Royal Garden Plaza site and Hilton is on the Central Festival site, so yes, you're right about those. Guest don't have to venture out if they don't wish to, but most do. That's why they come to Pattaya.

Have you ever been to Jomptien? It's hardly quiet and isolated.

I've been there a few times in my 10 years here - isn't the immigration office there? My bank is there too. I live on the border of Jomtien/Pattaya. It's a matter of comparison. Quiet and isolated compared to Pattaya.

Perhaps you haven't noticed but most of the customers at Central were Russians and Thais from Bkk. Pattaya was well served with the Royal Garden and Big C, No need for more malls.

I only go to Central about 3 times a week. I haven't noticed that most customers are Thai and Russian because that is not true - which proves you seldom go there. Tops Central is a very busy supermarket with people from all over the world and my wife made a comment recently that she doesn't see many Russians around these days. We went to one of the expensive hair salons there on a Wednesday, and there were up to 12 people in their at one point - none where Russian or Thai. Sorry, I didn't ask what their nationalities were.

Royal Garden Plaza was a dump when Central opened in January 2009 and has only improved since then out of necessity to compete with Central. If you think Big C is good enough as a mall, then we're not on the same page as far as mall are concerned. Central is the ONLY true mall in Pattaya. It's also has the ONLY department store in Pattaya.

(You mentioned you're a visitor? Are you only a visitor? If so, I understand you may not like nice shopping malls because you have them in your own country, but for people like me who live here full time, we really like them)

Central should have been in Jomtien? That's absurd! What name should they have given it? One day when Jomtien grows up they may put a mall down there but most tourists are in Pattaya and Central is like an oasis for many who enjoy the reprieve from the summer heat.

May I ask, are you still a frequent visitor here? I would imagine, going by your posts, that you would no longer want to suffer here.

Edited August 12, 2015 by tropo

[morrobay]

This is really about not being on the same page. I guess if you like big malls then happy with Central.

Royal Garden was fine for me and it was nice just to walk up to the theaters to see a film

instead of going through a maze of escalators and floors by a bunch of screaming kids playing computer games and a bunch of "mall people ".

Royal Garden used to have a Bookazine book store too. In fact there used to be more bookstores around Pattaya. Now there are more tatoo and motorbike shops.

By the way its not valid to talk about Jomtien being or not being in the center of anything regarding Central Festival being built there.

Because that in itself would completely change and increase the flow of tourists into Jomtien

Edited August 13, 2015 by morrobay

[thaibeachlovers]

As one that has frequented Pattaya for over 20 years, I can say Pattaya has always been a disaster, but that was fine as it kept the families away and left Pattaya as a cheap and cheerful place for grownup guys.

Unfortunately, businessmen and politicians had stars in their eyes of Pattaya becoming a high end destination, hence inapropriate constructions like Central ( should have been built in Jomptien ), the attrocious new beach walkway, the stupid parking building at Bali Hai, the ghastly high rise at Bali Hi and the grotesque marina. All without doing a thing to improve the roads, the drainage or the scams.

Hopefully they will have been badly burned now and such excrescences will not be repeated

Cities don't grow up like that. It takes decades of suffering through growing pains to improve infrastructure, and Pattaya is no exception. It's an evolutionary process.

People don't seem to grasp the fact that there are many 5 star hotels in Pattaya - all doing good business. Pattaya is not the disaster so many are touting. It's a very interesting place with a huge variety of entertainment options for all types of tourists.

Central should have been built in Jomtien? Seriously? It's the biggest success story in Pattaya right where it is. Most of the customers there are tourists who don't drive. It needs to be in the center of the tourist zone, not in some isolated and quiet area. People have been anticipating it's downfall since it first opened in January 2009 (some were too afraid to enter the building, expecting it to collapse. There were whole threads dedicated to this subject LOL)... but it is doing just fine and it's still my favourite place in Pattaya.

It seems to me many are hoping that Pattaya will suffer a catastrophic downtrend. I don't see it. There's new skyscrapers going up all over town. I've endured "doom and gloom" posts on this forum for 10 years. It's just not happening, no matter how much you guys wish it.

It's still the place to be in Thailand (for expats) and nowhere else comes close.

Decades of suffering, LOL. There are broken pavements in Pattaya that were broken 20 years ago. The only thing that changes is the buildings and the prices.

Central should have been built in Jomptien because that is the more upmarket area and has a far superior beach.

It needs to be in the center of the tourist zone, not in some isolated and quiet area.

Have you ever been to Jomptien? It's hardly quiet and isolated.

Pattaya should have been left to the mongers and not try to make it an upmarket destination.

The so called 5* hotels you refer to are all resorts that have everything on site, not requiring guests to venture into the broken disaster that is Pattaya in search of entertainment.

Perhaps you haven't noticed but most of the customers at Central were Russians and Thais from Bkk. Pattaya was well served with the Royal Garden and Big C, No need for more malls.

What has tourists that don't drive have to do with anything? Hundreds of baht buses running all day and most of the night.

It seems to me many are hoping that Pattaya will suffer a catastrophic downtrend.

Count me in on that. I want to see the greedy despoilers suffer.

There's new skyscrapers going up all over town.

Yes, but how many are occupied? There is a highrise bubble happening right now.

(OK, I'll follow your lazing posting style then)

Decades of suffering, LOL. There are broken pavements in Pattaya that were broken 20 years ago. The only thing that changes is the buildings and the prices.

Sorry you couldn't grasp my point. By decades I didn't mean 20 years. Most cities in the world have taken centuries to reach their current level of development, and they're still broken.

Yes, but how many are occupied? There is a highrise bubble happening right now.

In my area of Pattaya the new condo developments are doing well and fill up quickly. Real estate has always been about: location, location, location. My next door neighbour is a condo developer from UK, and he's on his 3rd project in 5 years. Sorry to say, but he's doing very well - they're 100% sold before completion. Some might not do so well, but most do fine.

The so called 5* hotels you refer to are all resorts that have everything on site, not requiring guests to venture into the broken disaster that is Pattaya in search of entertainment.

LOL. Hilton is on the Royal Garden Plaza site and Hilton is on the Central Festival site, so yes, you're right about those. Guest don't have to venture out if they don't wish to, but most do. That's why they come to Pattaya.

Have you ever been to Jomptien? It's hardly quiet and isolated.

I've been there a few times in my 10 years here - isn't the immigration office there? My bank is there too. I live on the border of Jomtien/Pattaya. It's a matter of comparison. Quiet and isolated compared to Pattaya.

Perhaps you haven't noticed but most of the customers at Central were Russians and Thais from Bkk. Pattaya was well served with the Royal Garden and Big C, No need for more malls.

I only go to Central about 3 times a week. I haven't noticed that most customers are Thai and Russian because that is not true - which proves you seldom go there. Tops Central is a very busy supermarket with people from all over the world and my wife made a comment recently that she doesn't see many Russians around these days. We went to one of the expensive hair salons there on a Wednesday, and there were up to 12 people in their at one point - none where Russian or Thai. Sorry, I didn't ask what their nationalities were.

Royal Garden Plaza was a dump when Central opened in January 2009 and has only improved since then out of necessity to compete with Central. If you think Big C is good enough as a mall, then we're not on the same page as far as mall are concerned. Central is the ONLY true mall in Pattaya. It's also has the ONLY department store in Pattaya.

(You mentioned you're a visitor? Are you only a visitor? If so, I understand you may not like nice shopping malls because you have them in your own country, but for people like me who live here full time, we really like them)

Central should have been in Jomtien? That's absurd! What name should they have given it? One day when Jomtien grows up they may put a mall down there but most tourists are in Pattaya and Central is like an oasis for many who enjoy the reprieve from the summer heat.

May I ask, are you still a frequent visitor here? I would imagine, going by your posts, that you would no longer want to suffer here.

I'm not a frequent visitor now, but I visited not long ago, after which I posted about the disastrous collapsing walkway. I also visited Central several times.

Having visited Pattaya since early 90s and lived there for over a year I think I know something about the place.

I would love to still be living in Pattaya.

You might have missed it, but the Russians are leaving, which is why you may not have seen any. Just because TWELVE people were in a hairdressers does not mean it is in the right location. The real money is in Jomptien, though you may have missed it as you obviously don't know Jomptien well, other than immigration.

Central should have been in Jomtien? That's absurd! What name should they have given it?

Well, they could have called it Central Festival, LOL.

FGS Jomptien is a 10 minute baht bus ride from Pattaya not the other end of Thailand.

No shopping malls in my country, and I like them, but I don't like it in Pattaya as it encourages families and rich people which ruins Pattaya and puts the prices up.

RG Mall was always OK, unless you have rather high standards, which makes me wonder why you'd be living in Pattaya as the whole place is a dump, despite Central. Pattaya doesn't need a department store. It survived without one for decades.

[thaibeachlovers]

This is really about not being on the same page. I guess if you like big malls then happy with Central.

Royal Garden was fine for me and it was nice just to walk up to the theaters to see a film

instead of going through a maze of escalators and floors by a bunch of screaming kids playing computer games and a bunch of "mall people ".

Royal Garden used to have a Bookazine book store too. In fact there used to be more bookstores around Pattaya. Now there are more tatoo and motorbike shops.

By the way its not valid to talk about Jomtien being or not being in the center of anything regarding Central Festival being built there.

Because that in itself would completely change and increase the flow of tourists into Jomtien

I loved going to the cinema in RG Mall too. 50 baht .

The midnight show was an adventure, as one never knew if one was going to see the whole movie, as sometimes they cut the end off to go home. Gotta love Thailand .

[tropo]

I'm not a frequent visitor now, but I visited not long ago, after which I posted about the disastrous collapsing walkway. I also visited Central several times.

Having visited Pattaya since early 90s and lived there for over a year I think I know something about the place.

I would love to still be living in Pattaya.

You might have missed it, but the Russians are leaving, which is why you may not have seen any. Just because TWELVE people were in a hairdressers does not mean it is in the right location. The real money is in Jomptien, though you may have missed it as you obviously don't know Jomptien well, other than immigration.

Central should have been in Jomtien? That's absurd! What name should they have given it?

Well, they could have called it Central Festival, LOL.

FGS Jomptien is a 10 minute baht bus ride from Pattaya not the other end of Thailand.

No shopping malls in my country, and I like them, but I don't like it in Pattaya as it encourages families and rich people which ruins Pattaya and puts the prices up.

RG Mall was always OK, unless you have rather high standards, which makes me wonder why you'd be living in Pattaya as the whole place is a dump, despite Central. Pattaya doesn't need a department store. It survived without one for decades.

You might have missed it, but the Russians are leaving, which is why you may not have seen any

Now you're just being ridiculous (or insulting)... have I missed that the Russians are leaving? We're talking tourists here and it's not that they are leaving, it's that they're not arriving, but even you, an infrequent visitor, should know that August is summertime in Russia and typically not their favoured time to visit Pattaya. Let's see it through another high season and revisit this topic as it's too early to tell.

Just because TWELVE people were in a hairdressers does not mean it is in the right location.

Yes, but once you know the facts you'll understand that it is in exactly the right location. The owner has been in the hairdressing industry for 20 years and was located in the Big C Extra mall and worked in the busiest upmarket hairdressing salon in Pattaya, until he decided to open his own salon in Central. Upmarket salons need to be in upmarket malls, not in cheap family malls like Big C.

The point was that he's busy selling expensive haircuts in the low season in Central. This is one small example of how the roof isn't falling down in Pattaya just yet, and quite relevant to this thread.

Each to their own. Some people like shopping malls, some don't. I was quite content until Central arrived in January 2009. Now I'm more content as I also visit RG and the other malls.

The real money is in Jomptien, though you may have missed it as you obviously don't know Jomptien well, other than immigration.

The sarcasm escaped you - I know Jomtien very well. Your comment is proof how little you know about the area. There's real money everywhere, but shopping mall developers always put their money where it will make the most profit, not where some occasional visitors think it should be because they don't like the traffic.

Pattaya/Jomtien/Naklua are very young. Not too many decades ago Pattaya Beach and Jomtien Beach would have been nearly the same. In the development of any new city, sooner or later one area gains prominence and becomes the center of town... and in time the central area expands outwards. Jomtien will grow up over time and then you can start complaining about it and suggest that Central Mall should have been built in Na Jomtien, then Bang Saray and so on...

Pattaya doesn't need a department store. It survived without one for decades.

This is just a silly comment, perhaps for trolling purposes only. Pattaya also survived for centuries as a fishing village too. It's called development mate.

Now I suspect you're a sex tourist with limited needs. Some food carts, cheap hotels and cheap ladies are all you require. Why else do you visit a dump which you incessantly whine about? There are better bargains for people like you - without shopping malls.

Are you from a farm? You have no shopping malls where you live?

[tropo]

This is really about not being on the same page. I guess if you like big malls then happy with Central.

Royal Garden was fine for me and it was nice just to walk up to the theaters to see a film

instead of going through a maze of escalators and floors by a bunch of screaming kids playing computer games and a bunch of "mall people ".

Royal Garden used to have a Bookazine book store too. In fact there used to be more bookstores around Pattaya. Now there are more tatoo and motorbike shops.

By the way its not valid to talk about Jomtien being or not being in the center of anything regarding Central Festival being built there.

Because that in itself would completely change and increase the flow of tourists into Jomtien

Did you just wake up from a long, deep sleep? Bookstores are slowly but surely going out of business everywhere - not just in Pattaya. Most people read e-books these days and real books will soon be relics of the past as the older people who still read them die off. I'm sure once upon a time many people were upset over the demise of the horse and carriage.

Sure, had Central been built in Jomtien it would have increased business in the area - that goes without saying, but it's irrelevant. Shopping malls are built by developers looking for the most profit for their investments - they are not a public service funded by the council, designed to create traffic to quiet areas where some people think they would be more convenient. Would you really presume to know more about making money from billion baht investments than the people who invest this money? There's a reason why those investors are rich. They invest in the best location they can find.

When Jomtien comes of age, it will get its shopping malls. At first small ones, then big ones, at which point many people can start complaining about the demise of Jomtien and so on it goes. Some people call it progress and welcome it, others who can't let go of the past will complain.

Edited August 13, 2015 by tropo

[morrobay]

This is really about not being on the same page. I guess if you like big malls then happy with Central.

Royal Garden was fine for me and it was nice just to walk up to the theaters to see a film

instead of going through a maze of escalators and floors by a bunch of screaming kids playing computer games and a bunch of "mall people ".

Royal Garden used to have a Bookazine book store too. In fact there used to be more bookstores around Pattaya. Now there are more tatoo and motorbike shops.

By the way its not valid to talk about Jomtien being or not being in the center of anything regarding Central Festival being built there.

Because that in itself would completely change and increase the flow of tourists into Jomtien

Did you just wake up from a long, deep sleep? Bookstores are slowly but surely going out of business everywhere - not just in Pattaya. Most people read e-books these days and real books will soon be relics of the past as the older people who still read them die off. I'm sure once upon a time many people were upset over the demise of the horse and carriage.

Sure, had Central been built in Jomtien it would have increased business in the area - that goes without saying, but it's irrelevant. Shopping malls are built by developers looking for the most profit for their investments - they are not a public service funded by the council, designed to create traffic to quiet areas where some people think they would be more convenient. Would you really presume to know more about making money from billion baht investments than the people who invest this money? There's a reason why those investors are rich. They invest in the best location they can find.

When Jomtien comes of age, it will get its shopping malls. At first small ones, then big ones, at which point many people can start complaining about the demise of Jomtien and so on it goes. Some people call it progress and welcome it, others who can't let go of the past will complain.

Progress ?? I suppose you call the new beach walk disaster progress too. And how about big touring business in Pattaya that is running roughshod every where.

So you just keep telling yourself how great "progress" is. .

Right I like walking into a bookstore and scanning hundreds of magazines and books in a matter of seconds. Its not really serious reading. Like when waiting for a film to start.

My first post here was not about the past it was about the disaster and sorry mess Pattaya is today as a result of what you call progress( reckless over development and a degraded infrastructure ) Maybe if you would put down your E book , get out of the mall for a change you would see the real reality, not the virtual one.

At any rate im finished replying to the diatribes. ( we are not on different pages rather different books )

Edited August 14, 2015 by morrobay

[thaibeachlovers]

I'm not a frequent visitor now, but I visited not long ago, after which I posted about the disastrous collapsing walkway. I also visited Central several times.

Having visited Pattaya since early 90s and lived there for over a year I think I know something about the place.

I would love to still be living in Pattaya.

You might have missed it, but the Russians are leaving, which is why you may not have seen any. Just because TWELVE people were in a hairdressers does not mean it is in the right location. The real money is in Jomptien, though you may have missed it as you obviously don't know Jomptien well, other than immigration.

Central should have been in Jomtien? That's absurd! What name should they have given it?

Well, they could have called it Central Festival, LOL.

FGS Jomptien is a 10 minute baht bus ride from Pattaya not the other end of Thailand.

No shopping malls in my country, and I like them, but I don't like it in Pattaya as it encourages families and rich people which ruins Pattaya and puts the prices up.

RG Mall was always OK, unless you have rather high standards, which makes me wonder why you'd be living in Pattaya as the whole place is a dump, despite Central. Pattaya doesn't need a department store. It survived without one for decades.

You might have missed it, but the Russians are leaving, which is why you may not have seen any

Now you're just being ridiculous (or insulting)... have I missed that the Russians are leaving? We're talking tourists here and it's not that they are leaving, it's that they're not arriving, but even you, an infrequent visitor, should know that August is summertime in Russia and typically not their favoured time to visit Pattaya. Let's see it through another high season and revisit this topic as it's too early to tell.

Just because TWELVE people were in a hairdressers does not mean it is in the right location.

Yes, but once you know the facts you'll understand that it is in exactly the right location. The owner has been in the hairdressing industry for 20 years and was located in the Big C Extra mall and worked in the busiest upmarket hairdressing salon in Pattaya, until he decided to open his own salon in Central. Upmarket salons need to be in upmarket malls, not in cheap family malls like Big C.

The point was that he's busy selling expensive haircuts in the low season in Central. This is one small example of how the roof isn't falling down in Pattaya just yet, and quite relevant to this thread.

Each to their own. Some people like shopping malls, some don't. I was quite content until Central arrived in January 2009. Now I'm more content as I also visit RG and the other malls.

The real money is in Jomptien, though you may have missed it as you obviously don't know Jomptien well, other than immigration.

The sarcasm escaped you - I know Jomtien very well. Your comment is proof how little you know about the area. There's real money everywhere, but shopping mall developers always put their money where it will make the most profit, not where some occasional visitors think it should be because they don't like the traffic.

Pattaya/Jomtien/Naklua are very young. Not too many decades ago Pattaya Beach and Jomtien Beach would have been nearly the same. In the development of any new city, sooner or later one area gains prominence and becomes the center of town... and in time the central area expands outwards. Jomtien will grow up over time and then you can start complaining about it and suggest that Central Mall should have been built in Na Jomtien, then Bang Saray and so on...

Pattaya doesn't need a department store. It survived without one for decades.

This is just a silly comment, perhaps for trolling purposes only. Pattaya also survived for centuries as a fishing village too. It's called development mate.

Now I suspect you're a sex tourist with limited needs. Some food carts, cheap hotels and cheap ladies are all you require. Why else do you visit a dump which you incessantly whine about? There are better bargains for people like you - without shopping malls.

Are you from a farm? You have no shopping malls where you live?

I was going to ignore that one, but some things you say................

have I missed that the Russians are leaving? We're talking tourists here and it's not that they are leaving, it's that they're not arriving

You can't extrapolate "leaving" to mean not coming any more? Bit literal are we!

How many people live in/ visit Pattaya? Your claim that because a few visit an expensive hairdresser means business is booming in Pattaya is laughable. Maybe with the up themselves rich, but not for the average Thai or foolish farang that own businesses in Pattaya.

You seem to think I don't like big malls. I love them, but not in Pattaya. I'd be quite happy to take the 10 minutes to go to Jomptien if I wanted to visit one.

You miss my point entirely. It's not about malls or 5* hotels. It's about getting rid of the rich people and the families that are ruining Pattaya and making it just another Phuket or Hua Hin garbage hole for wealthy tourists

shopping mall developers always put their money where it will make the most profit

Tell that to the developers that built Avenues. I was there when it opened, and I could see it was going to fail even then.

Tell that to the developers that built all the ghost buildings in Bkk.

Nothing to do with the traffic.

Are you seriously claiming Pattaya has a better beach than Jomptien???????????

Now I suspect you're a sex tourist with limited needs. Some food carts, cheap hotels and cheap ladies are all you require.

Now you are the troll. You obviously consider yourself as someone with unlimited needs- I could say what I really think, but that might get me suspended.

I am married and live far from the tourist scene.

Why else do you visit a dump which you incessantly whine about?

You OBVIOUSLY haven't read many of my Pattaya posts, or you would know I LOVE Pattaya. It's the greedy up themselves businessmen trying to remake Pattaya into an upmarket destination that I despise. They should all PO to Hua Hin or some other ruined tourist dump full of overpriced hotels and poncy restaurants.

[morrobay]

I'm not a frequent visitor now, but I visited not long ago, after which I posted about the disastrous collapsing walkway. I also visited Central several times.

Having visited Pattaya since early 90s and lived there for over a year I think I know something about the place.

I would love to still be living in Pattaya.

You might have missed it, but the Russians are leaving, which is why you may not have seen any. Just because TWELVE people were in a hairdressers does not mean it is in the right location. The real money is in Jomptien, though you may have missed it as you obviously don't know Jomptien well, other than immigration.

Central should have been in Jomtien? That's absurd! What name should they have given it?

Well, they could have called it Central Festival, LOL.

FGS Jomptien is a 10 minute baht bus ride from Pattaya not the other end of Thailand.

No shopping malls in my country, and I like them, but I don't like it in Pattaya as it encourages families and rich people which ruins Pattaya and puts the prices up.

RG Mall was always OK, unless you have rather high standards, which makes me wonder why you'd be living in Pattaya as the whole place is a dump, despite Central. Pattaya doesn't need a department store. It survived without one for decades.

You might have missed it, but the Russians are leaving, which is why you may not have seen any

Now you're just being ridiculous (or insulting)... have I missed that the Russians are leaving? We're talking tourists here and it's not that they are leaving, it's that they're not arriving, but even you, an infrequent visitor, should know that August is summertime in Russia and typically not their favoured time to visit Pattaya. Let's see it through another high season and revisit this topic as it's too early to tell.

Just because TWELVE people were in a hairdressers does not mean it is in the right location.

Yes, but once you know the facts you'll understand that it is in exactly the right location. The owner has been in the hairdressing industry for 20 years and was located in the Big C Extra mall and worked in the busiest upmarket hairdressing salon in Pattaya, until he decided to open his own salon in Central. Upmarket salons need to be in upmarket malls, not in cheap family malls like Big C.

The point was that he's busy selling expensive haircuts in the low season in Central. This is one small example of how the roof isn't falling down in Pattaya just yet, and quite relevant to this thread.

Each to their own. Some people like shopping malls, some don't. I was quite content until Central arrived in January 2009. Now I'm more content as I also visit RG and the other malls.

The real money is in Jomptien, though you may have missed it as you obviously don't know Jomptien well, other than immigration.

The sarcasm escaped you - I know Jomtien very well. Your comment is proof how little you know about the area. There's real money everywhere, but shopping mall developers always put their money where it will make the most profit, not where some occasional visitors think it should be because they don't like the traffic.

Pattaya/Jomtien/Naklua are very young. Not too many decades ago Pattaya Beach and Jomtien Beach would have been nearly the same. In the development of any new city, sooner or later one area gains prominence and becomes the center of town... and in time the central area expands outwards. Jomtien will grow up over time and then you can start complaining about it and suggest that Central Mall should have been built in Na Jomtien, then Bang Saray and so on...

Pattaya doesn't need a department store. It survived without one for decades.

This is just a silly comment, perhaps for trolling purposes only. Pattaya also survived for centuries as a fishing village too. It's called development mate.

Now I suspect you're a sex tourist with limited needs. Some food carts, cheap hotels and cheap ladies are all you require. Why else do you visit a dump which you incessantly whine about? There are better bargains for people like you - without shopping malls.

Are you from a farm? You have no shopping malls where you live?

And whats up with these strange assumptions about those here for the girls, Ie chang t shirts and pop up noodles ?

There are alot of folks here with money because the availability and options cannot be equaled elsewhere.

It must be a bit of a predicament to be married in a town full of available young women. I could say the same to you : There are better places to be for people like you with shopping malls. How about Malaysia ?

I dont think Im the only one wondering what some married folks are doing here. besides arbitraily arguing.

Edited August 14, 2015 by morrobay

[thaibeachlovers]

I'm not a frequent visitor now, but I visited not long ago, after which I posted about the disastrous collapsing walkway. I also visited Central several times.

Having visited Pattaya since early 90s and lived there for over a year I think I know something about the place.

I would love to still be living in Pattaya.

You might have missed it, but the Russians are leaving, which is why you may not have seen any. Just because TWELVE people were in a hairdressers does not mean it is in the right location. The real money is in Jomptien, though you may have missed it as you obviously don't know Jomptien well, other than immigration.

Central should have been in Jomtien? That's absurd! What name should they have given it?

Well, they could have called it Central Festival, LOL.

FGS Jomptien is a 10 minute baht bus ride from Pattaya not the other end of Thailand.

No shopping malls in my country, and I like them, but I don't like it in Pattaya as it encourages families and rich people which ruins Pattaya and puts the prices up.

RG Mall was always OK, unless you have rather high standards, which makes me wonder why you'd be living in Pattaya as the whole place is a dump, despite Central. Pattaya doesn't need a department store. It survived without one for decades.

You might have missed it, but the Russians are leaving, which is why you may not have seen any

Now you're just being ridiculous (or insulting)... have I missed that the Russians are leaving? We're talking tourists here and it's not that they are leaving, it's that they're not arriving, but even you, an infrequent visitor, should know that August is summertime in Russia and typically not their favoured time to visit Pattaya. Let's see it through another high season and revisit this topic as it's too early to tell.

Just because TWELVE people were in a hairdressers does not mean it is in the right location.

Yes, but once you know the facts you'll understand that it is in exactly the right location. The owner has been in the hairdressing industry for 20 years and was located in the Big C Extra mall and worked in the busiest upmarket hairdressing salon in Pattaya, until he decided to open his own salon in Central. Upmarket salons need to be in upmarket malls, not in cheap family malls like Big C.

The point was that he's busy selling expensive haircuts in the low season in Central. This is one small example of how the roof isn't falling down in Pattaya just yet, and quite relevant to this thread.

Each to their own. Some people like shopping malls, some don't. I was quite content until Central arrived in January 2009. Now I'm more content as I also visit RG and the other malls.

The real money is in Jomptien, though you may have missed it as you obviously don't know Jomptien well, other than immigration.

The sarcasm escaped you - I know Jomtien very well. Your comment is proof how little you know about the area. There's real money everywhere, but shopping mall developers always put their money where it will make the most profit, not where some occasional visitors think it should be because they don't like the traffic.

Pattaya/Jomtien/Naklua are very young. Not too many decades ago Pattaya Beach and Jomtien Beach would have been nearly the same. In the development of any new city, sooner or later one area gains prominence and becomes the center of town... and in time the central area expands outwards. Jomtien will grow up over time and then you can start complaining about it and suggest that Central Mall should have been built in Na Jomtien, then Bang Saray and so on...

Pattaya doesn't need a department store. It survived without one for decades.

This is just a silly comment, perhaps for trolling purposes only. Pattaya also survived for centuries as a fishing village too. It's called development mate.

Now I suspect you're a sex tourist with limited needs. Some food carts, cheap hotels and cheap ladies are all you require. Why else do you visit a dump which you incessantly whine about? There are better bargains for people like you - without shopping malls.

Are you from a farm? You have no shopping malls where you live?

And whats up with these strange assumptions about those here for the girls, Ie chang t shirts and pop up noodles ?

There are alot of folks here with money because the availability and options cannot be equaled elsewhere.

It must be a bit of a predicament to be married in a town full of available young women. I could say the same to you : There are better places to be for people like you with shopping malls. How about Malaysia ?

I dont think Im the only one wondering what some married folks are doing here. besides arbitraily arguing.

He'd probably love Penang, full of expensive hotels and shopping malls.

[tropo]

Progress ?? I suppose you call the new beach walk disaster progress too. And how about big touring business in Pattaya that is running roughshod every where.

So you just keep telling yourself how great "progress" is. .

Right I like walking into a bookstore and scanning hundreds of magazines and books in a matter of seconds. Its not really serious reading. Like when waiting for a film to start.

My first post here was not about the past it was about the disaster and sorry mess Pattaya is today as a result of what you call progress( reckless over development and a degraded infrastructure ) Maybe if you would put down your E book , get out of the mall for a change you would see the real reality, not the virtual one.

At any rate im finished replying to the diatribes. ( we are not on different pages rather different books )

Thanks for your "diatribe". It's a shame you don't read or understand what you're replying to, but so many of you are convinced that Pattaya is a disaster zone it's a wonder you're all still here. Many of you live in the past. Anything more than a fishing village is unacceptable. The problem is not Pattaya, but your distorted perception of it.

We'd all be quite happy to see you leave, so we don't have to sift through pages of nonsense about how Pattaya is on its last legs and due to collapse. These type of posts have been running since the inception of this forum in the early 2000's.