Pattaya is dead

[balo]

Makro is packed. Tesco South Sukhumvit was the busiest I've ever seen. Incredible. Traffic has been bad for several days on Sukhumvit.

I tried to look for parking space for the car inside Big C Xtra today , no chance , had to park outside. It's very crowded here right now. Can't remember last time it was so busy.

Balo, when you say it really crowded here, do you mean crowded inside Big C and Tesco, or Pattaya is packed with tourists?

Dennis noted that around 6pm is not a good time to take a drive from Jomtien to Pattaya even during summer months. Do you think roads are jammed right now because of all the 2 week tourists decided to rent a cars in order to drive around for fun?

Groups of Indian men renting a nice mini van to cruise around Pattaya in the middle of the day, and popping in Big C to stock up household products for coming week.

Who do you think is clogging the roads? Visiting Russian holiday makers and families rent a Toyota, in order to drive to the beach and back to hotel, and maybe drive to go shopping at Tesco?

And to buy what, what are the 2 week package tourist buying in Tesco, I wonder. Toilet paper, dish washing liquid, laundry detergent? They could get all that in 711, but they prefer fun of Pattaya traffic!

Maybe they buy groceries for all the cooking they'll be doing in their hotel rooms. You know, owen roasted pork for Christamas, and baking Ginger Bread for New Years Eve. If its one thing Europeans like to spend their annual 2 week holiday in a beach resort, its renting a car in Pattaya, driving it from their hotel in Jomtien to Tesco in Pattaya, and cooking and baking in a hotel room, in beach resort in perfect weather +30C days lol.

But Big C and Tesco being crowded and full of tourists explains why traditional tourist areas are quiet, Beach Rd and Walking St especially. They are all at Big C, and Tesco!

If you want to call long stay visitors for tourists then why not ? They have arrived you know, Scandinavians, Germans,French, Brits and even some Russians to escape the winter months, I would say around 50% of the customers at Big C Xtra were foreigners. Yes,you will also find some of them in the summertime, but now its high season, right ? No, I dont count tourists at WS , last time I looked it was packed.

[JHolmesJr]

While they have ruined Pattaya as a monger's paradise, banishing the bars to dangerous Buakhao....

Buakhao isnt dangerous, its just a grotty little street full of low rent bingo players whose only upside to life is on viagra.

[Flanno]

Well if it is no longer paradise for sex tourists and sexpats (or mongers as one sexpat calls them) then that is a bonus for most of us. Pattaya will always have a risqué side to it but it doesn't have to be over the top! You only have to look around you at this time of the year to see the types of undesirables that places like Pattaya and Patong attracts. It's why I much prefer to be up north over Christmas/New Year.

[KarenBravo]

Well if it is no longer paradise for sex tourists and sexpats (or mongers as one sexpat calls them) then that is a bonus for most of us. Pattaya will always have a risqué side to it but it doesn't have to be over the top! You only have to look around you at this time of the year to see the types of undesirables that places like Pattaya and Patong attracts. It's why I much prefer to be up north over Christmas/New Year.

Up north? Is that where all the other prudes and snobs go?

[tropo]

Well if it is no longer paradise for sex tourists and sexpats (or mongers as one sexpat calls them) then that is a bonus for most of us. Pattaya will always have a risqué side to it but it doesn't have to be over the top! You only have to look around you at this time of the year to see the types of undesirables that places like Pattaya and Patong attracts. It's why I much prefer to be up north over Christmas/New Year.

Seriously, if you were out last night in Pattaya you'd have had a hard time spotting foreigners. It was a sea of millions of Thais enjoying the NYE celebrations. There certainly is no feeling of being swamped by what you call undesirables. Most of your concerns are in your head and probably make you feel better about your decision to be "up north over Christmas/New Year".

Edited January 1, 2016 by tropo

[craigt3365]

Well if it is no longer paradise for sex tourists and sexpats (or mongers as one sexpat calls them) then that is a bonus for most of us. Pattaya will always have a risqué side to it but it doesn't have to be over the top! You only have to look around you at this time of the year to see the types of undesirables that places like Pattaya and Patong attracts. It's why I much prefer to be up north over Christmas/New Year.

Seriously, if you were out last night in Pattaya you'd have had a hard time spotting foreigners. It was a sea of millions of Thais enjoying the NYE celebrations. There certainly is no feeling of being swamped by what you call undesirables. Most of your concerns are in your head and probably make you feel better about your decision to be "up north over Christmas/New Year.

Spot on. We did the length of Jomtien Beach last night about 1AM. Absolutely packed with mainly young Thais having a great time. Lots of fun...and lots of traffic! LOL

[Seligne2]

I have never seen Pattaya busier than now , but I have only lived her permanently since 2013 . I used to live in Bangkok and that was a nightmare at times.

Maybe it was better in 2010 . But lots of people around every day, I have to fight my way through the traffic, BIG C lots of people every day , same Tesco , most bar sois are packed at night.

Last night I went to Pratumnak hill to exercise , it took me 15 minutes in the car to drive 200 meters from the intersection. Crazy!

Sorry, but I had to laugh at the thought of you driving somewhere to exercise!

[dennis123]

Jomtien beach was really packed yesterday afternoon, I walked all the way down to the police station - 7/11 corner, obviously there were foreigners but I'd guess 80%+ was Thai.

First I was sitting in Bamboo bar, next to police station, around 8pm I was the only customer, wow, than I moved back home for some quick sex and redress and after we went to Big Kiss bar in Jomtien complex, there were some friends of the owner and one holiday foreigner that I know for a few years now, We were the only customers. That really shocked me, by the time I went walking through Jomtien complex I was so incredibly drunk that I can't remember if any of the other bars were much busier.

As I wrote before, last year the boys were complaining that the real high season only happens for two weeks a year, well right now it is those two weeks that they mentioned so I'm afraid even this short two weeks peak season doesn't exist anymore. Just a bit more busy than low season but that's about it. Personally I can't be bothered about that as I developed a dislike for gay visitors lol.

[Jip99]

Jomtien beach was really packed yesterday afternoon, I walked all the way down to the police station - 7/11 corner, obviously there were foreigners but I'd guess 80%+ was Thai.

First I was sitting in Bamboo bar, next to police station, around 8pm I was the only customer, wow, than I moved back home for some quick sex and redress and after we went to Big Kiss bar in Jomtien complex, there were some friends of the owner and one holiday foreigner that I know for a few years now, We were the only customers. That really shocked me, by the time I went walking through Jomtien complex I was so incredibly drunk that I can't remember if any of the other bars were much busier.

As I wrote before, last year the boys were complaining that the real high season only happens for two weeks a year, well right now it is those two weeks that they mentioned so I'm afraid even this short two weeks peak season doesn't exist anymore. Just a bit more busy than low season but that's about it. Personally I can't be bothered about that as I developed a dislike for gay visitors lol.

Sounds like you are still drinking tonight!

[thaibeachlovers]

While they have ruined Pattaya as a monger's paradise, banishing the bars to dangerous Buakhao....

Buakhao isnt dangerous, its just a grotty little street full of low rent bingo players whose only upside to life is on viagra.

Of course it's dangerous. There are NO pavements and you have to walk in the street while speed crazed idiots race past. Nearly been maimed/ killed by stupid drivers several times.

No one is asking you to go there, but you seem intent on being offended by it.

[thaibeachlovers]

Well if it is no longer paradise for sex tourists and sexpats (or mongers as one sexpat calls them) then that is a bonus for most of us. Pattaya will always have a risqué side to it but it doesn't have to be over the top! You only have to look around you at this time of the year to see the types of undesirables that places like Pattaya and Patong attracts. It's why I much prefer to be up north over Christmas/New Year.

For the life of me I fail to understand why the faux righteous continue to go to Pattaya, then complain that it has naughty bits. It has been "naughty" for longer than they have known that Thailand exists, but still they come and them moan, moan, moan about it. Why don't they PO to Hua Hin or some other place without the elements they don't like? No, like a bunch of Mary Whitehouses they just have to live there and constantly be offended,

Truly, truly sad people.

[thaibeachlovers]

The rich don't come here??

Who drives all the Porsche's, big Bens and Bimmer's then and there are quite many +8000baht per night hotels here.

We were out riding the scooter this afternoon, Pattaya beach road was packed, real packed and the same on Jomtien.

Loads of people on the beach, perhaps app 65-75% Thais.

Looking forward to Monday the 4th Jan 2016, nice and quiet again and the schools opens again.

Who drives all the Porsche's, big Bens and Bimmer's then

The Thais do. Plenty of rich Thais in Bkk. But this thread is about farang tourists to Pattaya. Farang tourists don't drive cars in Pattaya.

As you note, most of the people on the beach are Thais- it's always been so. Farang tourists don't go to Pattaya for the beach. If they want to swim they go to Jomptien or Koh Larn.

Beach Rd is packed because it has a bottleneck at Walking St and too many baht buses- it has always been so.

Jomptien is packed because all the people from Pattaya are going there for the beach

and there are quite many +8000baht per night hotels here.

Actually very few, the Hilton and ...........................?

Mostly it's resorts that are full of people on package tours.

where in the OP is it mentioned this thread is only about "farang tourists" ?

Oh dear, oh deary me 5555555555555555

From the OP "only a few bars seem to have a few customers this year, the rest of the bars are empty."

How many of those THAI visitors do you see in the barbeers? I'll give you a hint in case you aren't actually in Pattaya- NONE, ZERO, NADA.

Of course this thread is about lack of FARANG visitors. Anybody ever actually been to Pattaya knows it is FULL of THAIS, especially at weekends. So the OP isn't really saying Pattaya is dead, but he is saying there are not many farangs propping up the bars.

[thaibeachlovers]

Oh, dear. Sorry, but you are wrong again. The subject being discussed is whether Pattaya is dead. The number of farang tourists is just one aspect of the discussion.

See my previous reply to Don Mega.

Of course it's about farang tourists. Pattaya is chock a block with THAIS, so how could it really be dead, unless lamenting the lack of FARANGS.

Even if every farang vanished tomorrow, Pattaya would not be dead, it would just be different.

[onemorechang]

Lets face it Pattaya and Jomtien

Is now a big play ground for the Thais,

How things have changed.

[guzzi850m2]

Okay so now we have 15 pages on the subject and can conclude that Pattaya is far from dead since the Thais goes here a lot now.

We shall see on Monday how dead it is when most Thai tourists have left and gone home, the traffic now is very bad and the shopping centers packed.

I think the Thais also goes to Hua Hin during weekends/holidays, they love to go to the beach somewhere for relaxing like the rest of us.

Passed Ambassador hotel the other day and still filled with Russians trying to pass Sukhumvit road which must be hard (and dangerous).

If this development continues, Pattaya will indeed change from being a sex paradise to a more family orientated holiday destination, which is also what Thai officials hope for in the long run.

That would be both good and sad, even as a family man with a kid I don't mind the seedy part of Pattaya which make it colorful.

[onemorechang]

Pattaya will always be be known as a sex resort.

no matter who comes here.

A leopard cant change its spots.

[newnative]

OK, I get it. Now it's all clear. Suddenly, those early puzzling and wacky posts about this being dead and that being dead now make perfect sense. Now I understand how the malls and shopping centers can be packed but dead. How lots of people can be walking around but nobody's there. How the beaches can be busy but deserted. How the restaurants can be full but crying for customers. How the tourist attractions can be active but empty. How condos can be selling but not selling. How...well, you get the picture. Apparently everything's dead, including Pattaya, unless a farang is in the house. And, not just any farang--only the Western farang counts. Everyone else is a ghost. Guess that explains why Papayasalad recently posted that Pattaya is becoming a ghost town.

[tropo]

Pattaya will always be be known as a sex resort.

no matter who comes here.

A leopard cant change its spots.

LOL. A leopard can die and replaced by a pussycat.

Edited January 2, 2016 by tropo

[Rimmer]

Off topic posts removed, the topic is still Pattaya is dead

[onemorechang]

Pattaya will always be Sex Town.

[guzzi850m2]

Pattaya will always be Sex Town.

Y sure about that? I am not so sure how it will all look in say 15-20 years from now on.

But okay you seems to be the expert here, one among thousands here on TV

[onemorechang]

Pattaya will always be Sex Town.

Y sure about that? I am not so sure how it will all look in say 15-20 years from now on.

But okay you seems to be the expert here, one among thousands here on TV

People just love to talk the place up as a family destination.

but sorry mate its sex town, will always be sex town.

People who bring there families to pattaya from a foreign land

are just mad.

I'm so proud of people taking there kids to walking street.

Great stuff mums and dads

That's my opinion and i don't give a toss what you think.

long live soi 6, massage parlours and BJ bars.

The stuff the town was built on and is still known for world wide.

That,s what the world knows pattaya for.

but some people just have no clue,

Edited January 3, 2016 by onemorechang

[talahtnut]

I have been here for 8 straight hi-seasons. I know a beer bar owner on Walking St. / Soi Diamond. Every year has been worst than the one before according to both of us.

I agree, I was out and about Thursday night and it was hardly busy, with some beer bars nigh empty. Are they pricing themselves out I wonder, and the current majority of tourists are elsewhere? If they are asking 90 baht for a beer or more to sit in the heat being bitten by mozzies with 3-4 heavy ladies to look at I think I will drink elsewhere too.

I agree too, and I have an idea that the hot spots are moving about, and possibly away from the centre, where one can find more interesting places with a genuine Thai ambience. Pattaya ain't dead..its just developing and growing up.

[talahtnut]

Pattaya will always be Sex Town.

Y sure about that? I am not so sure how it will all look in say 15-20 years from now on.

But okay you seems to be the expert here, one among thousands here on TV

People just love to talk the place up as a family destination.

but sorry mate its sex town, will always be sex town.

People who bring there families to pattaya from a foreign land

are just mad.

I'm so proud of people taking there kids to walking street.

Great stuff mums and dads

That's my opinion and i don't give a toss what you think.

long live soi 6, massage parlours and BJ bars.

The stuff the town was built on and is still known for world wide.

That,s what the world knows pattaya for.

but some people just have no clue,

Great stuff Sir. Agreed! But families can be catered for in Patters, have you ever heard of the 'Mia mai roo team'? ... tut tut

[ttthailand]

There are a few spots along beach road that are busy during high season with tourists. Also Walking street is always busy at night during high season. A few spots, LK metro as an example, are full of local farangs. The problem is that this is only about 20% of the market. The other 80% is hurting.

[onemorechang]

Great stuff Sir. Agreed! But families can be catered for in Patters, have you ever heard of the 'Mia mai roo team'? ... tut tut

Yep think that goes on as well.

Hay darling im just off back to the hotel, you ok with the kids on the beach for a couple of hours !!!!!!!! nudge nudge wink wink.

Yes pattaya can cater for families but to fly from the other side of the world to here is just mad

better places to go much closer to home than Thailand.

for the families.

Plenty more Thai families here weekends and holidays that,s for sure

[guzzi850m2]

People just love to talk the place up as a family destination.

but sorry mate its sex town, will always be sex town.

People who bring there families to pattaya from a foreign land

are just mad.

I'm so proud of people taking there kids to walking street.

Great stuff mums and dads

That's my opinion and i don't give a toss what you think.

long live soi 6, massage parlours and BJ bars.

The stuff the town was built on and is still known for world wide.

That,s what the world knows pattaya for.

but some people just have no clue,

I too don't give a shit about what you think too, enjoy soi6 and whatever you fancy, I don't care man.

[talahtnut]

Great stuff Sir. Agreed! But families can be catered for in Patters, have you ever heard of the 'Mia mai roo team'? ... tut tut

Yep think that goes on as well.

Hay darling im just off back to the hotel, you ok with the kids on the beach for a couple of hours !!!!!!!! nudge nudge wink wink.

Yes pattaya can cater for families but to fly from the other side of the world to here is just mad

better places to go much closer to home than Thailand.

for the families.

Plenty more Thai families here weekends and holidays that,s for sure

Mmm, Closer to my home?..Grimsby beach in the winter..shiver shiver wink wink.....Corrbliiimey.

Einstein said something like: 2 thing infinite, universe and human stupidity....I conform happily my friend.

[onemorechang]

I too don't give a shit about what you think too, enjoy soi6 and whatever you fancy, I don't care man.

Come on, don't get bent out of shape, it was not meant like that.

I just think pattaya will always be sex town even in 20 years time.

but don't think the place will ever be full of westerners again, like before.

i feel that time has passed now , for many many different reasons.

Loads more Thais, Chinese and possibly more Indians.

but the place will remain sex town even after they have closed all bars on beach road area , it will just relocate to say soi Bakaow area or even a new part of town.

Sex town, it will always be known as , for sure.

Long live the bar scene where ever it ends up in 20 Years time

Edited January 3, 2016 by onemorechang

[Chivas]

Well if Pattaya is dead as far as Farangs are concerned it will become a lot more so over next few days as the Xmas/New Year 2 week millionaires take their leave back to a wet and windy Europe