Is Pattaya dead?

[glasswort]

If Pattaya is dead or dying why do developers and the like continue to build condos, hotels and restaurants? I look out of my window and see two large, Korean I am told, restaurants under construction. These restaurants are to generate cash for the construction of hotels at the same locations.Someone must know something that we do not.

[prk888]

why are buildings still going up in Pattaya ? is there corruption in Pattaya ? Does that put lots of paper cash into pockets/handbags ?

If you had lots of silly, funny money floating around what would you do with it ?

[Ulic]

The only time Pattaya is dead is between 6am and noon.

Seriously, I don't go out too much but when I do the bars have the usual low season crowd.

Movie places have the same numbers, (not many except for Wednesday) My regular

chicken Doner guy says it was slow, but has now picked up and is very busy for him. (LK Metro)

That said the breakfast crown at I-Rovers is down but that is more likely the Baht-Buster going

from 99 baht to 129 baht. It was busy at night when I go to watch the F1 qually and race.

Way down on Russians at my condo complex (Park Lane) but the weekend is busy with more

of a Bangkok crown. The night market on beach road in Jomtien is as busy as this same

period in the past. Restaurants and bars open and close. The natural business cycle.

[Straight8]

Good for those on the hunt.. wider selection without the competition, you can be a star in a empty bar, with all the girls to you and your mate/s.

[Rimmer]

A post has been removed:

26) The Bangkok Post and Phuketwan do not allow quotes from their news articles or other material to appear on Thaivisa.com. Neither do they allow links to their publications. Posts from members containing quotes from or links to Bangkok Post or Phuketwan publications will be deleted from the forum.

[sawadee1947]

Incase you didn't notice recent terrorist events in Bangkok,failing global economies and the such has led to a significant decrease in tourist numbers in Thailand.

The bombing alone was purported to cause a loss of some 64 billion baht from falling tourist numbers alone.

Oh and it's low season also.

decrease in tourist numbers in Thailand.

did I miss latest news? Last week the Tourist Minister said he expects more than 30 Millions this year. And of course numbers are rising......! Was he joking???

[ToddinChonburi]

How can you miss all the tourist buses, I counted 15 at Silver Lake Winery on Saturday morning.

[Friendly Stranger]

It might be low season but in 24 years I have not seen it so quiet on beach road,I know the main bars there are busy ,but they always are,always have been ,people watchers sit there

Maybe it's just that there are so many more new businesses in and around the surrounding area that have out stripped the number of visitors that are coming. In other words, still more ppl, but more venues constructed making it seem there are less visitors. I took the scenic route in my explanation.

Edited September 14, 2015 by Friendly Stranger

[scubascuba3]

I wonder if chinese numbers will drop following the great fall of China

[Mudcrab]

just drink piss and bang as much as you can, that's what I do. I start at 9 o'clock every morning.

Wow!!!!....I bet your bum is sore........

[kg1947]

Went to a place in soi-7 , the street is dead , but the ladydrink is 170.- baht , YES that's right !!

looks like when business is SLOW , RISE THE PRICE . Just kill another potential customer .

[DoctorB]

Not really; depends where you go and when.

Went out to Walking Street midnight on Saturday, despite slight rain. Visited 3 go-gos, one was heaving and the other 2 were well patronised; had a great night out in fact. September has never been a particularly good month tourist-wise. I've been coming June - September for the last 23 years and it honestly seem no different, except that in the early 90s there were about 10 go-go bars, now there are 70+, and simple maths would suggest that customers are are a bit more spread out. But the really good ones still have the punters.

Despite the nay-sayers here is still nowhere on earth quite like Pattaya for a fun night out.

[balo]

If you look at the traffic Pattaya is not dead, just some western tourists missing , but no worries the Chinese are here, just follow the line of buses......

Edited September 14, 2015 by balo

[FiveStarVagabond]

Pattaya is going through a slow period, no more Russians due to the Rouble crash, Chinese slowing down firstly because of the double whammy of Shanghai share market meltdown, and the fact 9 million citizens were encouraged by their government to borrow to buy shares, guess how they feel now? Second cause, the Bangkok bombing has added to the slowdown.

There were no Chinese tourists or boats at the beach this morning due to the high winds, however they will be back tomorrow. Any time you want to see what is happening on Beach Rd just check out my webcam overlooking the beach, bookmark this link. http://fivestarvagabond.com/pattaya-webcam/

I'm also of the opinion military rule does nothing to encourage people to come, it just makes them nervous & wary and causes them to look at other SE Asian destinations.

The perennial jet ski scam publicity simple adds to the above, unlike 15 or 20 years ago with Twitter & YouTube negative publicity goes around the globe in a heartbeat.

It's interesting my comments were removed earlier because I quoted a Bangkok Post article, yet only last week The post used a YouTube video of mine on the explosion and fire on Pratumnak hill. They never asked permission and never gave me credit, I do notice Thai people seem to get credit if their content is used. Just another case of double standards, just saying.............

It's really no big deal for me as we all get used to different rules for Farangs, anyhow due to the BKK Post unauthorized use of my video I received over 5000 hits in 48 hours, (which earned me $1.50) here it is if you want to see it, https://youtu.be/3H1ZMF85F2A

[ozyjon]

The tourist season has just ended in Europe,

the beaches are thinning out and most people

are back to work, back-to-school is in full swing

the mercury has fallen by 5 degrees, so it's

nose to the grindstone, the party is over.

[ggt]

As long as there is beer and puzzy galore...Pattaya will not die...IMHO

[spidermike007]

And the TOT is predicting 30 million tourists this year. Do they just make this stuff up? Business is down throughout the country. Same with Samui. Same with Phuket.

[Tolley]

Considering all the negative publicity and general political unreat over the last few years the tourism industry has held up remarkably well.

Thailand has always been able to get tourists back with low airfares and cheap hotels as a counter to all the negatives but for how long they can sustain this is another matter.

Pattaya in particular is about as quiet as I have seen it over the last 10 years or so before the advent of mass tourism.

Is it the new norm? Or is it just a one of only time will tell.

[JESSVANPELT]

Exactly the same now as it has been for the past ten years, Slow season is low season and no body comes until it gets cold in the European countiries etc. come November to March it will fill up as it usually does.

Keep i mind things have spread out more over the years so you may nt see all the activity in the same places as before.

good luck!

[misterphil]

Its quiet because I'm at work and out of the country.

It'll pick back up when all the sexy girls know I'm back in town.

[LennyW]

And the TOT is predicting 30 million tourists this year. Do they just make this stuff up? Business is down throughout the country. Same with Samui. Same with Phuket.

Yeah, but you wouldn't want to listen to anything a telephone company says regards tourist numbers.

[onemorechang]

And the TOT is predicting 30 million tourists this year. Do they just make this stuff up? Business is down throughout the country. Same with Samui. Same with Phuket.

Yeah, but you wouldn't want to listen to anything a telephone company says regards tourist numbers.

They could be more accurate

[spidermike007]

And the TOT is predicting 30 million tourists this year. Do they just make this stuff up? Business is down throughout the country. Same with Samui. Same with Phuket.

Yeah, but you wouldn't want to listen to anything a telephone company says regards tourist numbers.

Of course i meant TAT, but not sure it makes any difference. Except that the TOT is a far more professional and capable organization. And less political too.

[Thunderbirds20]

The huge influx of Russians, (that has ebbed somewhat with the devalued Rouble, but you would never know it where I live in Jomtien), and the hordes of herds of Chinese are filling the streets, but not the shops, bars or restaurants. The Thai Government seems to be discouraging Farang that put money in the economy and encouraging Russians and Chinese that do not. This is why there is hardly anyone in the shops, bars and restaurants now! Well done Thailand! You screwed yourself big time this time

[spidermike007]

The huge influx of Russians, (that has ebbed somewhat with the devalued Rouble, but you would never know it where I live in Jomtien), and the hordes of herds of Chinese are filling the streets, but not the shops, bars or restaurants. The Thai Government seems to be discouraging Farang that put money in the economy and encouraging Russians and Chinese that do not. This is why there is hardly anyone in the shops, bars and restaurants now! Well done Thailand! You screwed yourself big time this time

When the current government ministers were not working in government, they were building third stage rocket boosters for NASA, winning Nobel Peace prizes and getting recognition worldwide for their great achievements and contributions to mankind.

[craigt3365]

Just back from a long walk up and down N. Pattaya Road. I'm amazed at how many shop houses are closed down and either for rent or sale. Quite a few closed businesses also.

Was at Bangkok Bank in Tesco, Suk and Thepprasit. Nary a customer. I was walking about for almost 1 hour and never saw anybody go in. I've been there previously when it was standing room only! Many times like that....

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

The low season could account for the fewer people in the shops, malls and restaurants. However, I believe that's hardly the whole story. Today at the Tuesday-Friday market on Buakhao, the coffee shop terrace in the hotel at the north end had loads of empty tables. Used to be, a few months ago, you could not find a chair inside or out. I go to Benjamit cafe a lot on non-market days. These days it's shockingly mostly empty. A couple of inside tables and several outside tables are occupied but the vast interior was empty. It's very popular with the Euro crowd. A few months ago it was usually packed. I remember sometimes arriving and departing because there was no room.

Up on Naklua, I went to Anton's a couple of times a week. There'd often be 4-6 inside tables and many of the front standup chairs occupied. The last few times (before the recent move) say over June, July and early August, mine and one other table would be occupied. It's maybe no wonder Anton's abandoned that big space and moved inside soi 27. (By the way, was there today. It appears to be fully functional and looks nice.)

I'm sure some of you have heard of Cactus John, longtime proprietor of Cactus go-go bar in Soi Cowboy. His latest (infamous) newsletter, largely unquotable here, finds him wondering why theres so little business. He wanders next door and comes back with the conclusion: "#!#!*^! is it slow!" He's given to high hyperbole but it's usually spot on.

[gk10002000]

ah Soi Honey. Used to be a decent street. Now it is like walking in shadows