''high Season'' 2006.. Big Busy Or Big Bust?

[Pdaz]

I've been living here 10+ plus years now and have noted the huge changes to Pattaya and its demographics in that time.. Every year the high season looms.. more bars, more GoGo's, less girls, less punters? There are far more ''upmarket'' venues in Pattaya now Coyote girl bars, fine dining establisments and more GoGo's.. There are are also far more resident expats and retirees here.. But most of th businesses previously relied on ''high season'' and the two week milionaire types.. but are there still plenty of these guys coming to Pattaya.. or are the bulk of the people you see in Walking St just window shopping Chinese and former soviet union types.. only looking but not spending? Prices have shot up for everything from barfines to condo's.. the days of a great looking girl being happy with 500baht have gone along with a modest 2 bed 2 bath bungalow for 650,000..

Anyhow what about this year..papers reperted a 20 - 50% decline in pattaya tourism this high season.. don't know how they came by their figures but what do you think?

Opinions please...

[tropo]

Anyhow what about this year..papers reperted a 20 - 50% decline in pattaya tourism this high season.. don't know how they came by their figures but what do you think?

Opinions please...

Not that my method is very scientific, but I ride my motorcycle all over the show most days of the year and took a very long ride today, including a cruise around sunset all the way to the end of Jomtien beach and it doesn't seem any busier than back in October or November.

I've also heard reports that cheap accommodation is still readily available (600 baht and under) all over the place even this week.

Edited December 29, 2006 by tropo

[libya 115]

I think that there has been quite a lot of negative publicity this year; the military coup, the American who was deported, the murders etc.

Many of my friends are avoiding the Christmas and New Year period and are coming late Jan and early Feb. Maybe more busy then?

[britmaveric]

Masses of russians will show up in January - almost guarantee it. It was a bloody zoo last Jan.

Edited December 29, 2006 by britmaveric

[hughden]

I go windsurfing on Dongtan beach and normally have to wade through endless Russians to get to the water. This year the beach is noticeably less littered with them than in previous years. I have also noticed that the bikinis the Russian girls are wearing are 28% smaller than last year; presumably an indicator of something.....

[Viking]

I was in Pattaya for October and November and I normally can’t stand Pattaya for more than a few weeks but as I was almost “alone” it was relaxing and interesting so I stayed a lot longer then normal. I have been in and out of Pattaya since 86 but never have I seen it so empty of tourists. The autumn is perhaps not the high season but I think the glory days of Pattaya are over.

“Joe, Jim and Mike” the real estate investors will tell us differently off course!

Viking

[dgoz]

Not a high season IMO.

Way down on previous years.

[Casanundra]

With the exception of Xmas eve and probably this new years weekend when everyone tends to pack out the main shopping centres I would say that Bonking Bangers has been very quiet indeed. The high season began in Oct/Nov and although it's now the end of Dec, I would still say that it's very quiet compared to previous years.

[PATTAYAPUNTER]

Now in new year's eve weekend, I can confidently say there's tons of punters in town and the girls aren't as hungry (for me) as they were in previous months. This means I'll start my diet tomorrow or at least for another week.

[chiang mai]

I've been living here 10+ plus years now and have noted the huge changes to Pattaya and its demographics in that time.. Every year the high season looms.. more bars, more GoGo's, less girls, less punters? There are far more ''upmarket'' venues in Pattaya now Coyote girl bars, fine dining establisments and more GoGo's.. There are are also far more resident expats and retirees here.. But most of th businesses previously relied on ''high season'' and the two week milionaire types.. but are there still plenty of these guys coming to Pattaya.. or are the bulk of the people you see in Walking St just window shopping Chinese and former soviet union types.. only looking but not spending? Prices have shot up for everything from barfines to condo's.. the days of a great looking girl being happy with 500baht have gone along with a modest 2 bed 2 bath bungalow for 650,000..

Anyhow what about this year..papers reperted a 20 - 50% decline in pattaya tourism this high season.. don't know how they came by their figures but what do you think?

Opinions please...

And by way of a contrast..... Chiang Mai is heaving with tourists, all the hotels are full and it's almost impossible to get a flight to/from BKK without a few days wait. BUT, nary a Western tourist to be seen.

[Ulysses G.]

'chiang mai' date='2006-12-30 08:17:28' post='1054098']And by way of a contrast..... Chiang Mai is heaving with tourists, all the hotels are full and it's almost impossible to get a flight to/from BKK without a few days wait. BUT, nary a Western tourist to be seen.

Exactly..., Chiang Mai is full of Thai tourists who don't tend to spend a lot of money.

The hotels and guesthouses are doing fine, but most other businesses are crying.

[calibanjr.]

'chiang mai' date='2006-12-30 08:17:28' post='1054098']And by way of a contrast..... Chiang Mai is heaving with tourists, all the hotels are full and it's almost impossible to get a flight to/from BKK without a few days wait. BUT, nary a Western tourist to be seen.

Exactly..., Chiang Mai is full of Thai tourists who don't tend to spend a lot of money.

The hotels and guesthouses are doing fine, but most other businesses are crying.

UG, you've gotta be right! Tried to find places for friends to stay everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE, from the Plaza/Chedi type places down to something bearable for 500 THB, finally got them set up, but the number of places that were just full astonished me. Now, having gotten out of my recuperation mode and gone to the Duke's for Xmas dinner and having noodled about town for a few days, I agree, doesn't seem like an influx of farangs, at all. Must just be the holiday Thai mobs and maybe that flower show. The other symptom, ridiculous traffic not just at the usual places, but near my house and office, lines of cars at unusual times and places, exceptional year for the Thai Chiang Mai holiday, I guess.

[tropo]

I wade through endless Russians to get to the water. This year the beach is noticeably less littered with them than in previous years.

Talk about national prejudice on this forum. You consider Russians as litter? Why? What SUPERIOR nationality are you?

[Ulysses G.]

It's mostly the flower show.

Every Thai wants to see it and there are no beds left for big, smelly farangs!

[britmaveric]

Now in new year's eve weekend, I can confidently say there's tons of punters in town and the girls aren't as hungry (for me) as they were in previous months. This means I'll start my diet tomorrow or at least for another week.

Not so handsum anymore???

[hughden]

I wade through endless Russians to get to the water. This year the beach is noticeably less littered with them than in previous years.

Talk about national prejudice on this forum. You consider Russians as litter? Why? What SUPERIOR nationality are you?

Not a national prejudice at all. Saying that a beach (or a park, or anywhere) is littered with people is not in any way a demeaning statement towards those people, it just indicates that people are scattered over the area. On Dongtan beach these people happen to be Russian and I was merely observing that there are less of them on the beach than previous years.

I do not consider myself superior to anyone, neither do I consider where I happened to have been born to be of any relevance to the person that I am. But to answer your question; Chechnya

[JacknDanny]

I wade through endless Russians to get to the water. This year the beach is noticeably less littered with them than in previous years.

Talk about national prejudice on this forum. You consider Russians as litter? Why? What SUPERIOR nationality are you?

Not a national prejudice at all. Saying that a beach (or a park, or anywhere) is littered with people is not in any way a demeaning statement towards those people, it just indicates that people are scattered over the area. On Dongtan beach these people happen to be Russian and I was merely observing that there are less of them on the beach than previous years.

I do not consider myself superior to anyone, neither do I consider where I happened to have been born to be of any relevance to the person that I am. But to answer your question; Chechnya

Be careful, a sense of humour is wasted on some people

[tropo]

I wade through endless Russians to get to the water. This year the beach is noticeably less littered with them than in previous years.

Talk about national prejudice on this forum. You consider Russians as litter? Why? What SUPERIOR nationality are you?

Not a national prejudice at all. Saying that a beach (or a park, or anywhere) is littered with people is not in any way a demeaning statement towards those people, it just indicates that people are scattered over the area. On Dongtan beach these people happen to be Russian and I was merely observing that there are less of them on the beach than previous years.

I do not consider myself superior to anyone, neither do I consider where I happened to have been born to be of any relevance to the person that I am. But to answer your question; Chechnya

So you can scan the beach and immediately draw the conclusion that all the people are Russian? That's a great skill you have there.

You're running a fine line here. Saying a beach was littered with people would not be considered prejudice, but saying it was littered with Russians could be.

Edited December 30, 2006 by tropo

[tropo]

Be careful, a sense of humour is wasted on some people

Be carefull, some people are plain dumb and consider everything to be a joke.

[Viking]

Be careful, a sense of humour is wasted on some people

Be carefull, some people are plain dumb and consider everything to be a joke.

Are you drunk or just plain stupid?

Viking

[bmanly]

According to THIS ARTICLE tourist numbers are up by 18% for 2006, maybe Pattaya isn't getting it's fair share of them, dunno.

[Chang_paarp]

According to THIS ARTICLE tourist numbers are up by 18% for 2006, maybe Pattaya isn't getting it's fair share of them, dunno.

That article was generated by the skillful journalists from TAT. In many people's eyes it has a credibility problem. It is a pity there are no reliable sources of information.

[Tammi]

I wade through endless Russians to get to the water. This year the beach is noticeably less littered with them than in previous years.

Talk about national prejudice on this forum. You consider Russians as litter? Why? What SUPERIOR nationality are you?

Not a national prejudice at all. Saying that a beach (or a park, or anywhere) is littered with people is not in any way a demeaning statement towards those people, it just indicates that people are scattered over the area. On Dongtan beach these people happen to be Russian and I was merely observing that there are less of them on the beach than previous years.I do not consider myself superior to anyone, neither do I consider where I happened to have been born to be of any relevance to the person that I am. But to answer your question; Chechnya

Maybe there are less Russians than usual because if they want a clean patch of beach they have to clean it themselves. One morning I came across a Russian lady clearing an area for her party of friends. She had borrowed a rake. Problem is on Dongtan Beach that if you don't want to sit under rows of umbrellas with old men and gays you have to use part of the beach where there are no umbrellas and it seems that nobody is detailed to clean those parts of the beach. I feel very sorry for the tourists standing looking perplexed among the garbage. Also, Thai men sleep on the beach and at every tree there is wet. ? urination. Toilets don't open until 8am. Around the toilet areas the mess is deplorable. Garbage bins are too few and never washed and areas round bins are filthy. The place stinks! If I was a tourist using Dongtan Beach I certainly would not come back again.

Let's hope a new mayor will get this place into shape.

[britmaveric]

Let's hope a new mayor will get this place into shape.

Wishful thinking.....

[think_too_mut]

.. or are the bulk of the people you see in Walking St just window shopping Chinese and former soviet union types.. only looking but not spending?

"High season" with ice cold water?

Blue lipped kids shivering around the play pools that are impossible to stay in for longer than 10-15 minutes.

High season feels more like that people (from freezing places) who had paid their packaged holiday have arrived to consume them.

Ex-Soviets, Chinese (who are not allowed to keep foreign currency and have some pocket money included in their 200$ overall packages) don' spend much.

They don't take rentacars and accommodation better than "Welcome Hotel Jomtien" and similar 1000B "soviet era" venues.

Just last week, after one small rentacar company tried to rip me off ("you know, sir, it's a high season") we found not less than six of them in the area who were all happy to rent toyota vios for 1300B, with delivery.

[jasperblubber2005]

as it has been pointed out, true figures are hard to come by, i think though, if tourism is up the local media will be fed that information but if its down, the powers to be will not discuss the issue.

jasper

[OlRedEyes]

as it has been pointed out, true figures are hard to come by, i think though, if tourism is up the local media will be fed that information but if its down, the powers to be will not discuss the issue.

jasper

Or the powers that be will just massage the figures. More likely.

[rocky]

Now in new year's eve weekend, I can confidently say there's tons of punters in town and the girls aren't as hungry (for me) as they were in previous months. This means I'll start my diet tomorrow or at least for another week.

Not so handsum anymore???

I would guess that us long term styayers will begin to look alot more hansum mid to later Jan 2007,

[CHdiver]

.. or are the bulk of the people you see in Walking St just window shopping Chinese and former soviet union types.. only looking but not spending?

"High season" with ice cold water?

Blue lipped kids shivering around the play pools that are impossible to stay in for longer than 10-15 minutes.

High season feels more like that people (from freezing places) who had paid their packaged holiday have arrived to consume them.

Ex-Soviets, Chinese (who are not allowed to keep foreign currency and have some pocket money included in their 200$ overall packages) don' spend much.

They don't take rentacars and accommodation better than "Welcome Hotel Jomtien" and similar 1000B "soviet era" venues.

Today; you will find Russians all over the Place, up to the 5 star Hotels like Royal Cliff. So the time you just found them in the 1000 Baht Hotels are gone, if you don't know, visit the lobby ore the pool of Royal Cliff, Marriot and so on, you will hear many Russians. It seams you don't go often to 4 and 5 Star Places, so how should you know?

[NanLaew]

I wade through endless Russians to get to the water. This year the beach is noticeably less littered with them than in previous years.

Talk about national prejudice on this forum. You consider Russians as litter? Why? What SUPERIOR nationality are you?

Not a national prejudice at all. Saying that a beach (or a park, or anywhere) is littered with people is not in any way a demeaning statement towards those people, it just indicates that people are scattered over the area. On Dongtan beach these people happen to be Russian and I was merely observing that there are less of them on the beach than previous years.

I do not consider myself superior to anyone, neither do I consider where I happened to have been born to be of any relevance to the person that I am. But to answer your question; Chechnya

Right.... so you are a Russian. Glad that's sorted then