Pattaya going downhill!

[Naam]

4 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

I lived in Las Vegas off and on since 1975.  It was at one time the fastest growing city in the US.  They were constantly building new roads and highways.  Unlike here....

 

Plus, when they were built, they were made for future growth.  Way to big for the needs at the time, but perfect for what the future required.  As you say, zero city planning here.

 

in my view Pattaya's chaos is its charm which i am watching for nearly 43 years. if i want infrastructure as well as law and order i'll go and live in the prison environment of my home country where they tell me that my gardener is not allowed to mow the lawn on weekdays between 14.00 and 1600 hours, where (not too long ago) the national phone company can raid my home and punish me for not having installed their phones or using "illegal" sockets and plugs, where the police respectively a court takes my driver's license for a year when i drive 200km/h on a deserted road whereas the Pattaya policeman asks me "what motor Papa, can look?"

 

Thailand means freedom, little hassles are easily compensated using some printed paper

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

When I came here 6 years ago, traffic was nothing like this.  They need to focus on infrastructure, like many national capitol cities of 10m+ people do in other countries.

 

Not much in developing, particularly Asian, countries, though. Lack of planning has been the norm and hardly exclusive to Pattaya. By the time a big project is started, it's already quite late and will only mean improvement for a short while. For example, the Bangkok BTS stimulated more development; traffic is about as bad as it was before the BTS.

 

When The Authorities attempt to do anything for the infrastructure, even if a mere road resurfacing, it's greeted w/ the usual chorus of sneers as well as loud complaints from the peanut gallery about any disruption it causes to very important schedules. Third Road, for example, was initially criticized as unneeded, useless, and merely a racetrack. (!) It was firmly predicted never to have any traffic lights at the major intersections, 'cause The Authorities are morons.

 

For some, sneering at new construction then becomes their raison d'être, indulged on every irrelevant occasion possible. (TVF Poster New Construction Syndrome) Benefits of a completed (well, what passes for completed) project are entirely drowned out in laments for how wonderful things were before the project.

 

What we have is case of damned if they do, damned if they don't.

 

 Poster WinnieTheKhwai, who has more sense than most, is one of the few who by time of The Promenade had it right and even half-predicted The Tunnel:

 

I think it dawned on them [City Hall] pretty late that Pattaya was going to be a BIG city. One of the biggest in the country, after Bangkok. . . . Currently Pattaya is probably up there in the top 3 of biggest cities outside of Bangkok. (Subject to what anyone would want to define as being 'Pattaya' . . .) [speaking of tunnels in Chiang Mai] That needs to happen in Pattaya too; all major intersections on Sukhumvit need tunnels and/or flyovers.
    --WinnieTheKhwai, on 19 Apr 2013 - 06:21

 

Our experts have always offered us no end of brilliant solutions, starting in Pattaya Mail before there was a TVF. They've never helped. Nobody likes the increased traffic and parking problems of course. And many of us do miss much of Old Pattaya--which lacked cellphones and internet BTW. But we also like the benefits that development has brought and accept the tradeoff without whining. In the meantime, the essence of Old Pattaya is still there for the getting.

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, JSixpack said:

 

Not much in developing, particularly Asian, countries, though. Lack of planning has been the norm and hardly exclusive to Pattaya. By the time a big project is started, it's already quite late and will only mean improvement for a short while. For example, the Bangkok BTS stimulated more development; traffic is about as bad as it was before the BTS.

 

When The Authorities attempt to do anything for the infrastructure, even if a mere road resurfacing, it's greeted w/ the usual chorus of sneers as well as loud complaints from the peanut gallery about any disruption it causes to very important schedules. Third Road, for example, was initially criticized as unneeded, useless, and merely a racetrack. (!) It was firmly predicted never to have any traffic lights at the major intersections, 'cause The Authorities are morons.

 

For some, sneering at new construction then becomes their raison d'être, indulged on every irrelevant occasion possible. (TVF Poster New Construction Syndrome) Benefits of a completed (well, what passes for completed) project are entirely drowned out in laments for how wonderful things were before the project.

 

What we have is case of damned if they do, damned if they don't.

 

 Poster WinnieTheKhwai, who has more sense than most, is one of the few who by time of The Promenade had it right and even half-predicted The Tunnel:

 

I think it dawned on them [City Hall] pretty late that Pattaya was going to be a BIG city. One of the biggest in the country, after Bangkok. . . . Currently Pattaya is probably up there in the top 3 of biggest cities outside of Bangkok. (Subject to what anyone would want to define as being 'Pattaya' . . .) [speaking of tunnels in Chiang Mai] That needs to happen in Pattaya too; all major intersections on Sukhumvit need tunnels and/or flyovers.
    --WinnieTheKhwai, on 19 Apr 2013 - 06:21

 

Our experts have always offered us no end of brilliant solutions, starting in Pattaya Mail before there was a TVF. They've never helped. Nobody likes the increased traffic and parking problems of course. And many of us do miss much of Old Pattaya--which lacked cellphones and internet BTW. But we also like the benefits that development has brought and accept the tradeoff without whining. In the meantime, the essence of Old Pattaya is still there for the getting.

 

 

 

Third Rd, LOL.

 

I was there when they built it, and I don't remember anyone saying it wasn't needed.

Unfortunately, though it was built through a building devoid zone, they didn't make it wide enough for the traffic even back then and didn't allow for future expansion.

Judging by Pattaya and where I live now, planning is not considered to be important, if it is even considered at all.

[morrobay]

3 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

When I came here 6 years ago, traffic was nothing like this.  They need to focus on infrastructure, like many national capitol cities of 10m+ people do in other countries.

 

This is the factor alot here are not getting.  Change is expected but in the last about 8 years the negatives have been overboard  : The Beach walkway disaster, ( including Jomtien) the mass touring business, with the bus problem,  all these yellow and green meter taxis everwhere making a mess where they park, like the plastic trash dump across 2nd rd. from Centric condo.  And I dont know how much some businesses have lost because  of  these  guys hanging out there. The minivans from hell .Bookstores closed up and motorbike and tatoo shops replacing them. Motorbikes everywhere now.

The bali high to  lighthouse point path  mess , the marina disaster.

And to call a spade a spade there are too many Thais visiting and moving to Pattaya.

All this ^ in the last 8 years. 

Regarding the facts on empty condos and shop houses ? The laws of supply and demand ( in terms of prices) do not yet seem to apply in Pattaya.

Again- something very fundamentally went wrong about 8 years ago that set alot of negative change in motion.

And the essence of old Pattaya, yes the girls are still here and coming.

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Third Rd, LOL.

 

I was there when they built it, and I don't remember anyone saying it wasn't needed.

 

 

By this time you should know not to trust your memory. Good thing I'm here to remind you, eh. Pay attention.

. . . a Grand Prix track . . . . At the moment there is no evidence to suggest that traffic lights will be installed. The fourth solution, and the one most likely to be adopted, is to do sweet nothing! First come first across, and where is the nearest hospital? . . . What on earth is the point of the new Third Road? (Apart from providing the local idiots with a race track.) It ends in a full stop at the Crystal Beach which hardly anyone wants to visit. . . .

     --Oliver W. Minto, "What to do about Third Road junctions," Pattaya Mail, Vol. V No.11 Friday 14 March 1997 - 20 March 1997

[bkk6060]

5 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

When I came here 6 years ago, traffic was nothing like this.  They need to focus on infrastructure, like many national capitol cities of 10m+ people do in other countries.

It definitely is not a "planned community". The problem is where they going to go?  Same with BKK only worse.  You cannot widen 2nd road or Sukhumvit.

[JSixpack]

5 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

It definitely is not a "planned community". The problem is where they going to go?  Same with BKK only worse.  You cannot widen 2nd road or Sukhumvit.

 

Eventually things will become so intolerable by Thai standards, as they did in BKK, and so much business lost due to gridlock that people will actually demand and use mass transit. Then it'll be implemented. Many here may not live long enough to see it, however.

[Peterw42]

Everyone complaining about the traffic and no planning or building of infrastucture. Have you noticed the big half kilometer tunnel being built. It is the cause of most of the traffic problems at the moment, Suk rd is 1-2 lanes each way. Suk rd gets full, pattaya south, central and north roads cant empty onto Suk rd, gridlock. Get rid of the buses and open the tunnel, things would be great.

[craigt3365]

4 hours ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

GDP of about US$ 6K per person makes Thailand a poor, i.e., "Third World," country. Can you provide a list of countries with similar GDP figures that have great road transportation infructure. I'd be very curious to know.

PPP is probably a better stat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita

 

I was just in Turkmenistan, the roads in the capital are amazing.  I was in Belarus last year.  The highway they've created to the new airport is amazing, as are the roads in the capital.  I was just in Azerbaijan, the roads the capital are fantastic.  China is below Thailand and if you've ever been there, you know the roads are quite good.  Traffic in Beijing is a bit tough though.  Jordan has some really good infrastructure.  At least what I could determine from my 2 weeks there.

 

No doubt Bangkok is a big city, but as we all know, they do a terrible job of civil planning.  No arguing about that.

[craigt3365]

4 hours ago, Naam said:

 

in my view Pattaya's chaos is its charm which i am watching for nearly 43 years. if i want infrastructure as well as law and order i'll go and live in the prison environment of my home country where they tell me that my gardener is not allowed to mow the lawn on weekdays between 14.00 and 1600 hours, where (not too long ago) the national phone company can raid my home and punish me for not having installed their phones or using "illegal" sockets and plugs, where the police respectively a court takes my driver's license for a year when i drive 200km/h on a deserted road whereas the Pattaya policeman asks me "what motor Papa, can look?"

 

Thailand means freedom, little hassles are easily compensated using some printed paper

Understood.  But after some time, the chaos isn't quite as charming for some of us.  I loved the ability to drink tap water in Georgia and Armenia.  To have roads with really nice sidewalks, and very good bars and restaurants.  Selling 500ml jugs of good beer for 60B.  Sadly, the weather isn't as good.  But beautiful countries.  And they have cheap labor...and corrupt cops also!

 

Off to Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia next month.  Great vineyards!

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

Off to Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia next month.  Great vineyards!

 

No go-go bars or soapies! Forget it.

[yogi100]

9 hours ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

GDP of about US$ 6K per person makes Thailand a poor, i.e., "Third World," country. Can you provide a list of countries with similar GDP figures that have great road transportation infructure. I'd be very curious to know.

 

You're sitting at a computer or a device that can access the internet. You can probably satisfy your curiosity yourself in a few minutes if the information is available.

 

You know what they say, 'if you want something doing it's best to do it yourself rather than expecting others to do it for you'.

[Rimmer]

Off topic posts removed, topic is about Pattaya not Albania

[pepi2005]

Okay guys, all points taken .... I agree that construction is part of a city's growth, of course it is!

 

What puzzles me again and again though - and I've been a visitor of Pattaya since almost 15 years - is that there doesn't seem to be much longterm planning involved in most things going on here. Considering that it is one of the largest cities in Thailand, this makes me speechless.

 

Just take a look at China, Singapore, even Malaysia and Indonesia - great public transport, infrastructural planning, regulations on construction that are actually enforced, *consideration of quality of living and tourism* (public parks / preservation of green spots, viewpoints, allowed heights of new buildings etc.), planning of pipes/electricity/Internet etc. (mostly below earth), flooding protection --- wherever you're looking at, Pattaya's city administration has failed in each and every of these aspects.

I'd like to invite you to Pratumnak, one of the formerly most beautiful spots in Pattaya - green, great 360° views, cool and clear air at evenings -, today, Buddha hill has partially been cleared, a large number of trees cut down, and replaced by ugly shop houses and I think there will be tennis courts right underneath the temple? The fantastic view has been destroyed by high-rise buildings very, very close to the hill and another one planted right in the middle of Koh Larn view (OneTower). The company doing road construction for the city must be extremely incompetent to say the least: IF Pattaya's numerous potholes ever get filled, they often are with some soft tar that builds bumps after a few days of sunshine and heavy tourist buses. Even most of the roads in Cambodia's major cities are world-class today compared to that.

Also, I can't see what will happen with the increasing number of completely empty (and some even abandoned) condominium buildings. So many of these 'ghost buildings' are spread all over the city and makes it more ugly than it has to be.

 

I always admired the longterm thinking of Asians, but there doesn't seem to be any trait of this part of the Asian mindset in Thais ... or should we say: Thai politicians. Sad really.

Since a few years, this made me start  to think that Thailand still attracts tourists DESPITE the horrible deaths and killings of tourists, the ripoff and blackmailing stories many websites and even Youtubes are full of, and DESPITE the increasing ugliness of it's major cities' streets, walkways, polluted beaches and remaining 'green' spots. So many chances wasted just because of greed and lack of long-term thinking.

[JSixpack]

Quote

What puzzles me again and again though - and I've been a visitor of Pattaya since almost 15 years - is that there doesn't seem to be much longterm planning involved in most things going on here. Considering that it is one of the largest cities in Thailand, this makes me speechless.

 

Huh? Your speechlessness makes me speechless. Never, ever been much planning; the lack thereof has been a classic source of whining among farang since forever. It's entirely normal here. If it's not puzzling to Thais, why should it be puzzling to you? 

 

Quote

Just take a look at China, Singapore, even Malaysia and Indonesia - great public transport, infrastructural planning, regulations on construction that are actually enforced, *consideration of quality of living and tourism* (public parks / preservation of green spots, viewpoints, allowed heights of new buildings etc.), planning of pipes/electricity/Internet etc. (mostly below earth), flooding protection --- wherever you're looking at, Pattaya's city administration has failed in each and every of these aspects.

Huh? Only in some alternative universe. China, Malaysia, and Jakarta are notorious for gridlocked cities. In fact Jakarta has the dubious distinction of having the world's worst traffic. Try Manila or Ho Chi Minh. Singapore is an exception for obvious reasons; comparing Singapore to Pattaya attests to wildly unrealistic expectations.

 

And you aren't giving any credit for the infrastructure work Pattaya has carried out; the tunnel work is ongoing now.

 

What Asian countries carefully preserve are in general monuments and areas immediately around them important for political and religious-political control. Pyongyang is such a perfect model for you because of a complete absence of a free market.

 

Quote

I'd like to invite you to Pratumnak, one of the formerly most beautiful spots in Pattaya - green, great 360° views, cool and clear air at evenings -, today, Buddha hill has partially been cleared, a large number of trees cut down, and replaced by ugly shop houses and I think there will be tennis courts right underneath the temple? The fantastic view has been destroyed by high-rise buildings very, very close to the hill and another one planted right in the middle of Koh Larn view (OneTower). The company doing road construction for the city must be extremely incompetent to say the least: IF Pattaya's numerous potholes ever get filled, they often are with some soft tar that builds bumps after a few days of sunshine and heavy tourist buses. Even most of the roads in Cambodia's major cities are world-class today compared to that.

 

Nobody's ever come to Pattaya for fantastic views except of women. Or for used bookstores, whose decline was recently lamented.

 

Sometimes our snowflakes do encounter a pothole or two. But potholes hardly unknown elsewhere. Check out the 10 Worst Pothole Cities in America. Visit Potholes.co.uk: . . . potholes estimated to cause as many as 1 in 10 mechanical failures on UK roads and costing motorists an estimated £730 million every year . . . . Incompetency!

 

I've hit a few myself over the years but lived through the experience.They get filled eventually and roads get resurfaced accompanied by the loud chorus of sneers from the many engineers in the TVF Dept of Road Construction, who always predict it will quickly wash away  and wheels will be destroyed "because they won't level up the drains." Thai morons!

Look, we really, really understand, from your first post, that Pattaya offends your delicate aesthetic sensibilities. Got it, man. But that offense going to continue and will likely get even worse. How does it affect you personally that some buildings are supposedly empty or abandoned? Nightmares? Thoughts of a balcony swan dive? Is it your business? Pattaya has always had such, even right on Beach Road; it's never made any measurable difference to the circus of Pattaya. Me, I just continue on living as usual, still enjoying the place.

 

Quote

I always admired the longterm thinking of Asians

LOL. This has gotta win the TVF Most Ridiculous Statement Of The Day award.

 

We haven't listed ALL the whines yet. Hasn't somebody been cheated by a baht bus driver recently? Anybody got horrid black feet from walking on the beach? Shudder! Rat sightings?

 

 

 

[OMGImInPattaya]

On 8/14/2016 at 5:21 PM, craigt3365 said:

PPP is probably a better stat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita

 

I was just in Turkmenistan, the roads in the capital are amazing.  I was in Belarus last year.  The highway they've created to the new airport is amazing, as are the roads in the capital.  I was just in Azerbaijan, the roads the capital are fantastic.  China is below Thailand and if you've ever been there, you know the roads are quite good.  Traffic in Beijing is a bit tough though.  Jordan has some really good infrastructure.  At least what I could determine from my 2 weeks there.

 

No doubt Bangkok is a big city, but as we all know, they do a terrible job of civil planning.  No arguing about that.

No doubt the countries you list may have better road infrastructure...I note a couple are large oil producers so I guess there's plenty of money for roads. In addition, the countries you cite have very low populations and population densities (except China) and that probably accounts for the lack of traffic congestion no matter what the state of their road networks.

 

As for China, they have certainly made a modern road and overall transportation network a priority...while in Thailand, sorry to say, they've chosen to devote their energy to 15 years of political infighting and conflict.

[OMGImInPattaya]

1 hour ago, JSixpack said:

 

Huh? Your speechlessness makes me speechless. Never, ever been much planning; the lack thereof has been a classic source of whining among farang since forever. It's entirely normal here. If it's not puzzling to Thais, why should it be puzzling to you? 

 

Huh? Only in some alternative universe. China, Malaysia, and Jakarta are notorious for gridlocked cities. In fact Jakarta has the dubious distinction of having the world's worst traffic. Try Manila or Ho Chi Minh. Singapore is an exception for obvious reasons; comparing Singapore to Pattaya attests to wildly unrealistic expectations.

 

And you aren't giving any credit for the infrastructure work Pattaya has carried out; the tunnel work is ongoing now.

 

What Asian countries carefully preserve are in general monuments and areas immediately around them important for political and religious-political control. Pyongyang is such a perfect model for you because of a complete absence of a free market.

 

 

Nobody's ever come to Pattaya for fantastic views except of women. Or for used bookstores, whose decline was recently lamented.

 

Sometimes our snowflakes do encounter a pothole or two. But potholes hardly unknown elsewhere. Check out the 10 Worst Pothole Cities in America. Visit Potholes.co.uk: . . . potholes estimated to cause as many as 1 in 10 mechanical failures on UK roads and costing motorists an estimated £730 million every year . . . . Incompetency!

 

I've hit a few myself over the years but lived through the experience.They get filled eventually and roads get resurfaced accompanied by the loud chorus of sneers from the many engineers in the TVF Dept of Road Construction, who always predict it will quickly wash away  and wheels will be destroyed "because they won't level up the drains." Thai morons!

Look, we really, really understand, from your first post, that Pattaya offends your delicate aesthetic sensibilities. Got it, man. But that offense going to continue and will likely get even worse. How does it affect you personally that some buildings are supposedly empty or abandoned? Nightmares? Thoughts of a balcony swan dive? Is it your business? Pattaya has always had such, even right on Beach Road; it's never made any measurable difference to the circus of Pattaya. Me, I just continue on living as usual, still enjoying the place.

 

LOL. This has gotta win the TVF Most Ridiculous Statement Of The Day award.

 

We haven't listed ALL the whines yet. Hasn't somebody been cheated by a baht bus driver recently? Anybody got horrid black feet from walking on the beach? Shudder! Rat sightings?

 

 

 

You're killing it  

 

I almost lost my lunch laughing when he mentioned good infrastructure and Indonesia/Jakarta in the same sentence  

[craigt3365]

35 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

No doubt the countries you list may have better road infrastructure...I note a couple are large oil producers so I guess there's plenty of money for roads. In addition, the countries you cite have very low populations and population densities (except China) and that probably accounts for the lack of traffic congestion no matter what the state of their road networks.

 

As for China, they have certainly made a modern road and overall transportation network a priority...while in Thailand, sorry to say, they've chosen to devote their energy to 15 years of political infighting and conflict.

That's one thing I've never understood.  I've spent 6 months traveling around China.  For the most part, the roads are pretty good.  Nice sidewalks, well maintained, etc.  Still a massively corrupt country like here, but somehow, money makes it into the infrastructure.

 

The countries I listed have smaller populations.  But a few have big cities.  They seem to have done better than here.  Though I attribute that to the planning that went on when they were under Russian control. 

[OMGImInPattaya]

18 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

That's one thing I've never understood.  I've spent 6 months traveling around China.  For the most part, the roads are pretty good.  Nice sidewalks, well maintained, etc.  Still a massively corrupt country like here, but somehow, money makes it into the infrastructure.

 

The countries I listed have smaller populations.  But a few have big cities.  They seem to have done better than here.  Though I attribute that to the planning that went on when they were under Russian control. 

In China's case, heavy spending on infrastructure has the added benefit of soaking up allot of relatively unskilled labour. A high priority for the Chinese government is stability and having low unemployment is a major component of this. Thailand almost has the opposite problem...too little labour for large scale public infrastructure projects.

 

However, I will say that in my driving travels around The Kingdom, the highway and secondary road network is extensive, in good repair, and in many places quite new. So obviously allot of planning and investment has been done in allot of places. The major cities and resort areas, as in many countries, will always be a bit short of their needs when it comes to enough roads however.

[craigt3365]

8 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

In China's case, heavy spending on infrastructure has the added benefit of soaking up allot of relatively unskilled labour. A high priority for the Chinese government is stability and having low unemployment is a major component of this. Thailand almost has the opposite problem...too little labour for large scale public infrastructure projects.

 

However, I will say that in my driving travels around The Kingdom, the highway and secondary road network is extensive, in good repair, and in many places quite new. So obviously allot of planning and investment has been done in allot of places. The major cities and resort areas, as in many countries, will always be a bit short of their needs when it comes to enough roads however.

Sorry, but my experience of a lot of driving around Thailand is the opposite.  The main down to Samui is terrible.  The roads from here to Ubon to Nakhon Phanom are terrible.  Especially if you get off the main roads.  At times, we could barely make 40km/hour!  We do about 2 months of driving around every year.  And we never drive at night.  A death wish for sure.

 

Heck, the roads around here are terrible!

[OMGImInPattaya]

7 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Sorry, but my experience of a lot of driving around Thailand is the opposite.  The main down to Samui is terrible.  The roads from here to Ubon to Nakhon Phanom are terrible.  Especially if you get off the main roads.  At times, we could barely make 40km/hour!  We do about 2 months of driving around every year.  And we never drive at night.  A death wish for sure.

 

Heck, the roads around here are terrible!

That hasn't been my experience but I've not been to those particular places. I agree that driving at nite, for a variety of reasons, in not for the faint of heart.

[blackrabbit]

Pattaya is in a very confused state of mind. She's an living entity herself, not a city.

 

All the silliness about converting it to some family friendly tourist spot etc. should stop right away.

 

There are lot's of better places for families with children and non swinging couples to go play with sand and hats. 

 

Pattaya is the world's rapidly declining SEX Capital.

 

Only way to save the Pattaya and start bringing her back to her former sexual glory, is for Thailand to give her unique rights and privileges as a special administrative region. 

 

Faces of good citizens of Thailand is saved, and sexual energy is thriving in Pattaya like never before. High end Sexual Wonderland for adults to enjoy.

 

Underage people and chinese buss convoys must be banned from the City.

 

Northern border is the end of Wong Amat, Eastern border Sukhumvit, South border Jomtien Beach around traffic lights, and East border shall be the Sea.

 

Best Regards

[phycokiller]

there is no doubt that Pattaya has been run into the ground, probably one of those things we arent supposed to talk about here, but one good thing about the army intervention is that the family that was running Pattaya for their own personal profit have been removed. the army will be no better but hopefully Pattaya can get a fresh start soon. I realize SE Asia has its problems but Pattaya was in a class of its own

[Stray]

I've never been to Pattaya and must admit, after reading this thread, that I am very, very confused.

 

If the city is on it's last legs (for the past 20 years) and a ghost town full of empty shops and apartments and devoid of tourists, what is it with all of these traffic issues that are being brought up?

 

To my way of thinking, an empty city and traffic jams are not two items that usually occur in the same place.  Regardless of how poorly the roads are planned, set out and maintained, if no one is using the roads, there are no traffic snarls.

 

Instead of counting the number of dark apartments and closed shop shutters, wouldn't a better gauge of the number of nails in Pattaya's coffin be based on how quickly you can cruise through downtown?

[PattayaBoy]

Pattaya is failing. 

 

If you guys living here on ur pension you got little clue.

 

We run businesses here, so I got bit different view on it.

 

Well in 3 years it went from very good to very bad.

 

 

[Berty100]

10 hours ago, phycokiller said:

there is no doubt that Pattaya has been run into the ground, probably one of those things we arent supposed to talk about here, but one good thing about the army intervention is that the family that was running Pattaya for their own personal profit have been removed. the army will be no better but hopefully Pattaya can get a fresh start soon. I realize SE Asia has its problems but Pattaya was in a class of its own

 

 

Nobody has been removed from Cityhall. The tenure of the mayor ended and elections are suspended till after the general election, same as in every other city in Thailand

[PattayaBoy]

2 minutes ago, Berty100 said:

 

 

Nobody has been removed from Cityhall. The tenure of the mayor ended and elections are suspended till after the general election, same as in every other city in Thailand

 

I think they were removed, thats what thais told me

[Berty100]

1 minute ago, PattayaBoy said:

 

I think they were removed, thats what thais told me

 

 

You talk to the wrong people.

 

http://www.pattayamail.com/news/ncpo-replaces-pattaya-mayor-council-june-16-139384

 

The Interior Ministry will appoint an entirely new city council to take over June 16 when the terms of Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and the 24-member legislative panel expires

 

Itthiphol and nearly the entire 24-member council were elected to a second four-year term on June 17, 2012.

[PattayaBoy]

35 minutes ago, Berty100 said:

 

 

You talk to the wrong people.

 

http://www.pattayamail.com/news/ncpo-replaces-pattaya-mayor-council-june-16-139384

 

The Interior Ministry will appoint an entirely new city council to take over June 16 when the terms of Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and the 24-member legislative panel expires

 

Itthiphol and nearly the entire 24-member council were elected to a second four-year term on June 17, 2012.

 

removed or replaced, = gone 

[Berty100]

7 minutes ago, PattayaBoy said:

 

removed or replaced, = gone 

 

 

Are you really that stubborn or do you have reading incompatibilities?

 

June 16 when the terms of Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and the 24-member legislative panel expires.

 

Gen. Anupong Paojinda said the military regime will name 12 new council members to manage the city’s 1.7-billion-baht budget, as no local – or any other type of – elections are allowed under the junta.

 

When the Jubta is gone and elections are allowed again, he will be elected back in the position of Pattaya Mayor.