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If you think pattaya is dead now .. check out this


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28 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

The difference though is that your pound in 1984 went a lot further than it does today.

How much were you paying for a beer or for a barfine, 30baht and 1000LT I suspect.

 

Beers were never that cheap, especially in Pattaya, seem to recall 45-50 baht for Carlsberg. Money went further yes, a good exchange rate helped. Barfines weren't that high, I recall Misty's were pilloried for putting them up to 500 baht. All BFs were LT. Girl got 500-1000. 

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2 hours ago, madmen said:

How can they survive when selling pints for 150 when all around them Thai bars selling tallies for 70 baht 24/7

They survived just fine for years when there more punters in Pattaya who liked air conditioned comfort and 150 baht was the two or three quid it was a few years ago rather than the four quid it would be now.

 

Very few bars around them are open 24/7 a day. They almost all shut at 3 am or earlier if no punters are about. 

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1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Beers were never that cheap, especially in Pattaya, seem to recall 45-50 baht for Carlsberg. Money went further yes, a good exchange rate helped. Barfines weren't that high, I recall Misty's were pilloried for putting them up to 500 baht. All BFs were LT. Girl got 500-1000. 

In 1984 there was no Carlsberg in Pattaya. Nor Tiger, San Miguel, Chang or Leo. The only two bottled beers generally available were Singha and Kloster which is German.

 

Rather than the GIs it was the Germans who really put Pattaya on the map.

 

 

 

 

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57 minutes ago, yogi100 said:

In 1984 there was no Carlsberg in Pattaya. Nor Tiger, San Miguel, Chang or Leo. The only two bottled beers generally available were Singha and Kloster which is German.

 

Rather than the GIs it was the Germans who really put Pattaya on the map.

 

 

 

 

Quite right, Carlsberg arrived around 2000 and boy was I glad. Kloster had been my prior saviour to get me away from the Singha that made my head pound! I recall a poster advert with Rod Stewart for Kloster. 

When I was first coming yes, there were a lot of Germans and our arrival likely aggravated them. How the tides turn. 

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Soi Cowboy 1979, bar fine B150 just introduce since Cowboy started by having to hire staff which came begging for work from old style Mamasan's, who was usually from their home province.

B150 all night or till you took her back.

B25-B30 for local bottle beer Singah/Kloster, Amarit was on draught.

 

john

Understood Pattaya was cheaper but never went until early 80's.

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4 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Beers were never that cheap, especially in Pattaya, seem to recall 45-50 baht for Carlsberg. Money went further yes, a good exchange rate helped. Barfines weren't that high, I recall Misty's were pilloried for putting them up to 500 baht. All BFs were LT. Girl got 500-1000. 

If you knew where to go you could easily get a beer for 30 baht. Gogo's in Pattaya/BKK were more expensive mind you.

When I said barfine, I meant the girl+BF. 1000 would usually do it.

 

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9 hours ago, shdmn said:

People who own british pubs...lol.  Seems like there are a few here who have some sort of business interest that caters to them the way some are acting like it's the end of the world.

Not the end of the world, but end of mass tourism from Britain, at least for some time. 

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7 hours ago, yogi100 said:

There might be some fancy Amari and Ozo hotels and various condo blocks being built but who is going to pay good money to stay in them, they won't be cheap. And who is going to pay to fly thousands of miles and sometimes half the way around the world to get there.

 

These projects must have been started some time ago before the GBP and other currencies went down the gurgler.

 

Ex pats and holiday makers of all nationalities are considering going elsewhere in the future and as word gets around about how expensive Pattaya has become others will do likewise.

 

Pattaya is hardly the sort of place that's going to attract the Monte Carlo crowd is it.

 

Especially when they start hearing about strict visa requirements  and respectable holiday makers getting refused entry at the airport.

 

Two things have always attracted people tp Pattaya and one of them is value for money. As the other attraction gets more expensive which it is doing what will Westerners, not just the British want to go there for. 

 

It's unlikely to be for the crystal clear sea or the pristine beach.

 

Of my friends one regular visitor has decided to forego his regular November trip and an ex pat chum is currently in Vietnam checking it out.

    Yes, you used that argument before--these projects must have all been already in the pipeline sometime ago.  Doesn't really fly.  Projects like Ozo--still under construction--or the Amari all-suites addition just finished--could have easily been cancelled or postponed.  The new Grande Centre Point 2 I mentioned hasn't even started construction so no reason it couldn't be shelved if there is no longer a tourist base to support it.  More likely, the company is happy with the numbers Grande Centre Point 1 is producing. 

     Even if there are fewer Westerners coming to Pattaya, the slack is being made up--and then some--by more visitors coming from other countries.  Your regular visitor friend who has decided not to come is being replaced by my wealthy regular visitor friend from Hong Kong who comes about 3 times a year, stays at Amari or Dusit, and will likely book one of the new suites at Amari next time he comes.  

      

 

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7 hours ago, jacko45k said:

One man's positive is another's naysaying. (If condos and big buildings signify progress, heck, off to Singapore or Hong Kong). And actually, that is where we are heading, aspirations, Savile Row suits and mucky underwear. 

   Well, positive or negative, I think the large investment in a lot of new, nice buildings and big projects by a number of different companies and developers does give some evidence a city is not dying or dead.  

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9 hours ago, Centra said:

Been coming to Pattaya for 16 years in March and Sept. Know many bar owners and expats and they were telling us how bad it was before we got here. What has got us is the vibe is gone, walking around between 11 pm and 1 am and its like going out at 8 pm. Girls use to call out or try and drag you into a bar when it was quite (low season) and its just flat. What got me was crossing 2nd road at 1 pm and not a car moving, I had time to pull my camera out take a photo one way then the other and back the other way again, I have crossed that road all hours of the day and night properly a 1000 times and never has it been empty.

Haven't been to walking street yet but between Central road (pattaya klang) and Tukcom (south Pattaya rd) hardly any Indians (seen more in the past) have seen some Chinese mostly in 2 and 4s one group trying to get the yellow and blue taxi's on beach rd to turn the meter on they tried 3 before I got them a baht bus 200 baht (taxi asking 500 baht). Having just done 3 days in Bali 5 in Malaysia and 7 in Vietnam the taxi systems are more even in pricing.

 

Over the last couple of years people that we travel with aren't coming (cost or no work) people we use to met up with from lots of different countries are now only coming once a year or every 2nd year. We are now limiting our time 10 days down from 30 as we are getting more value for our money in other Asian countries.

There is a photo at Kiss food with a row of high chairs, this has been a big turn off for me over the last couple of years catering for kids. And Thai's bring there kids to work from 7-11 to Go Go's. and cleaners Hotels letting kids run around hotels while there working. Where they pulled the 7-11 down at the corner of soi Bouhkoa and soi Lengkee the workers dress appropriately most had safety gear and there was a woman (well dressed) standing in the middle with a baby on hip looked like she was visiting her boy freind. First few years visiting  Pattaya never saw a Thai kid.

2nd road 1 pm.jpg

2nd road 2.jpg

2nd road 3.jpg

Food hall.jpg

Kiss alley 12.20.jpg

Kiss Hi chairs.jpg

Soi 13 11pm.jpg

Soi 13.jpg

Soi Buakhoa 10pm.jpg

Soi bukoua 2 pm.jpg

Soi Bukoua 10pm 2.jpg

Soi cut throught.jpg

Soi new plaza.jpg

     These days a lot of the new tourists are in central to north Pattaya, Wong Amat, and Naklua.  And, this will likely be even more so in the future.

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10 hours ago, Centra said:

Been coming to Pattaya for 16 years in March and Sept. Know many bar owners and expats and they were telling us how bad it was before we got here. 

 

 

It is quieter than any September of past 14 years. Starbucks right now, 9pm. There are almost no Westerners to be seen around Beach Rd.

IMG_20190930_210741.jpg

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Lol, you guys are funny.  I walk down a lot of those sois where these pictures were taken daily.  That is NOT at all what's it's like right now.  Were you walking down there at 6am or something?  Lol.

 

Just came back from beach road.  It's quite active as always.  It's funny how some guys are determined to paint this place like it's some ghost town right now...lol.  Beach road walk is probably less busy because of the construction.  Also because a lot of people are spending more time up around N. Pattaya road.  So things are a little more spread out now.  

 

Also Starbucks at 9pm?  Are you kidding me???

 

Here is a picture of 3rd road overpass taken today.  It's like out of some dystopian future movie or something.  Pattaya is doomed I tell ya.  Doomed!

 

 

78421-iccbnojlmx-1515237809.jpg

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and meanwhile one of the biggest building companies , (with a brain) has stopped building phrases on a huge project, as no one has come forward with deposits, and another company are offering deals where buyers have paid deposits then find the banks will not lend them the mortgage, i think a lot of these new builds are going to get their fingers burnt once the projects are finished

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18 minutes ago, whitemouse said:

It is quieter than any September of past 14 years. Starbucks right now, 9pm. There are almost no Westerners to be seen around Beach Rd.

 

That statement is 100% grade A nonsense.  NOTHING could be further from the truth.

 

I also find it funny you pick Starbucks at 9pm of all places and at that time...lol!  Surprised they are even opened that late.  It must be real close to closing time around then.

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26 minutes ago, shdmn said:

That statement is 100% grade A nonsense.  NOTHING could be further from the truth.

 

I also find it funny you pick Starbucks at 9pm of all places and at that time...lol!  Surprised they are even opened that late.  It must be real close to closing time around then.

ok, 9.49pm now, here is the view.

 

Evenings is when people visit it, mostly, SB is open until midnight. 

If 9pm doesn't work for you, let me know when is good for you! I get up at 2pm.

 

 

IMG_20190930_214914.jpg

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10 hours ago, shackleton said:

Well its taken 3 years so far and nothing achieved 

if Boris can get get Brexit done October 31st 2019

its proberly going to take minimum 2 years  for things to 

Improve 

I am trying to put a positive spin on this for the future 

 

If Brexit takes place on 31st October, particularly with no deal, in my opinion, it will take a lot longer than 2 years for the GBP to rebound. 

 

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9 hours ago, yogi100 said:

And how much was a Briton getting paid for weeks work then. 

I was on about 120 quid.

My point being, the spending power of the GBP was higher then. 

 

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the greedy Thai landlords that have continually raised rents to a point where Pattaya / Thailand has out priced themselves in the region. 

 

Those ridiculous rents are passed on to the consumer, and tourists can now buy the same product, in a nearby country, for a quarter to a third of the price, with clean beaches, and better infrastructure on offer, as well as sex.

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13 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

What do your base your opinion on? 

Many things from the divorce bill cost of around 40 million GBP, to job losses, tariffs, brain drain, labor shortage, the possibility of the break up of the UK, rising taxes, the loss of investment from not being in the single market, rising cost of living, higher import costs.  These are just to name a few. 

 

Don't ask me what I base these on because it's been well discussed and documented by experts over the last few years, although, no one knows 100% for sure how it will turn out.

 

It could take a generation, or longer, for the UK to recover. 

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54 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

and meanwhile one of the biggest building companies , (with a brain) has stopped building phrases on a huge project, as no one has come forward with deposits, and another company are offering deals where buyers have paid deposits then find the banks will not lend them the mortgage, i think a lot of these new builds are going to get their fingers burnt once the projects are finished

Clearly we are in a global slowdown.  Smart companies are looking for 'any' land for the next economic phase, but not adding more inventory yet.  No hysteria or doomsday, unlike some of the bar-stool economists on this forum.  There is a reason that 90% of investors lose money.  They are fools, and should not be investing.  Leave that to the other 10% of us.  ????

 

 

 

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1 minute ago, RoadWarrior371 said:

Clearly we are in a global slowdown.  Smart companies are looking for 'any' land for the next economic phase, but not adding more inventory yet.  No hysteria or doomsday, unlike some of the bar-stool economists on this forum.  There is a reason that 90% of investors lose money.  They are fools, and should not be investing.  Leave that to the other 10% of us.  ????

 

 

 

So, now's the time for you to buy a cheap bar / restaurant / guest house in Pattaya, and sit back and wait for the next "economic phase."  Right?  ????

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39 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Many things from the divorce bill cost of around 40 million GBP, to job losses, tariffs, brain drain, labor shortage, the possibility of the break up of the UK, rising taxes, the loss of investment from not being in the single market, rising cost of living, higher import costs.  These are just to name a few. 

 

Don't ask me what I base these on because it's been well discussed and documented by experts over the last few years, although, no one knows 100% for sure how it will turn out.

 

It could take a generation, or longer, for the UK to recover. 

I have an open mind on the subject. There is a school of thought that it is the uncertainty which is harming the economy, and that decisive action either way could see the GBP rebound.

 

 

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7 hours ago, yogi100 said:

They survived just fine for years when there more punters in Pattaya who liked air conditioned comfort and 150 baht was the two or three quid it was a few years ago rather than the four quid it would be now.

 

Very few bars around them are open 24/7 a day. They almost all shut at 3 am or earlier if no punters are about. 

Your being silly and splitting hairs. Let me rephrase ,opened 19/7 , feel better now? by the way those bars have been losing money for  5 years, surely your not dumb enough to believe they folded because of just one low season...right? Any idiot can make business plans just based on the good times

 

And the Thai bars continue to prosper ..ain't rocket science

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9 hours ago, newnative said:

   Well, positive or negative, I think the large investment in a lot of new, nice buildings and big projects by a number of different companies and developers does give some evidence a city is not dying or dead.  

It is changing, it will become something new. It wants to become like Singapore, which is successful but sterile. New buildings is what Thailand does, take a look around Buakhao, many bar 'For Sale' signs, yet go into Tree town, a new bar complex. T21 built at great expense, so was Harbor Mall which is devoid of customers most days. Pattaya is a City you cannot get into, traffic queues on Hwy 7 into town, at every Sukhumvit junction, and the 3 main arteries into town stationary and partially blocked by parked vehicles. Hard to see the infrastructure investment beyond a tunnel and burying of cables, and a Beach Road looking like a bomb site, as it has done for the last decade. 

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9 hours ago, shdmn said:

That statement is 100% grade A nonsense.  NOTHING could be further from the truth.

 

I also find it funny you pick Starbucks at 9pm of all places and at that time...lol!  Surprised they are even opened that late.  It must be real close to closing time around then.

I agree, what nut drinks coffee at 9pm, I would never get to sleep when I was tucked in at 10. 

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22 hours ago, newnative said:

     Nice to start the day with a joke.  '...the final nail in Pattaya's coffin'.  55555.  No coffin that I can see--let alone any nails in it.  Quite laughable that you think Pattaya's robust growth these past years has been because of British tourists and now that the Pound is sinking Pattaya will, too.

     In reality, the growth continues.  Several new, large condo projects have been announced to join those already under construction.  Amari's all-suites hotel addition is done and the new Ozo Hotel next door is nearing completion.  Several hotels are remodeling and adding features--such as A-01 on Beach Road.  The city itself is finally doing some infrastructure work.

     Recently I mentioned that in Wong Amat near Cape Dara an old low-rise resort on a large tract of land has been bulldozed and cleared.  Drove by yesterday and saw construction fences going up and a sign announcing 'Grande Centre Point 2.  From the photo it's a large high-rise hotel resort project.  I guess Grande Centre Point at T21 is doing so well--even though Pattaya is apparently near death--that another hotel is on the way.  If posters can tear themselves away from Soi 6 and Walking Street they'll see there's a lot positive going on.  

Would I be correct in assuming your involved in Pattaya real estate? Building condominiums and hotels is one thing selling or renting them is another. I have been known to visit Pattaya and my rule of thumb is the hotel I stay in has been charging the same room rate for close to 10 years and at a guess it's only 35% occupied. Bangkok is awash with empty hotels and condominiums too.

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