cavanami Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Thailand's Sin Cities Struggle to Survive the Economic Downturn http://www.huffingtonpost.com/van-winkles/thailands-sin-cities-stru_b_7805096.html Pattaya is a hellhole. Granted, I stayed there 10 years ago, but Thailand’s pleasure dens aren’t known for their reformation and rehabilitation. If anything, I imagine this particular seaside town has gotten seedier and scummier, with drugs and prostitution around every corner, and thugs eyeing up tourists like midnight snacks. Economic downturns certainly don’t help such situations. When has a moral interzone ever shrugged off its iniquity when the clientele goes even further downscale? That’s exactly the issue in Pattaya, where hotels are “struggling to survive†due to “Chinese travel agents†pushing for reduced room rates. The issue is the city’s reliance on Chinese tourists, who were actively courted in recent years to make up for the loss of European and Russian visitors. Which makes complete sense. The past years have seen Goa explode as Russia’s favorite hedonist hotspot, and well-heeled Europeans find better bargains closer to home. Those euros that still come into Thailand are diverted to the islands, favored by youngsters on gap years and fleeing flat economies at home. If they do somehow wind up in Pattaya, 22-year-old British yobs aren't exactly high-end hotel guests... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Nothing like an on the spot report from someone who hasn't been there in 10 years. Maybe I should report on Sydney, since I haven't been there since the 1980s. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YimSiam Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 The article/blogpost sucks - a simple "Pattaya occupancy down with economy" would suffice. But it does remind me that very frankly I personally have NOT been doing my part to rescue the Thai maidens and the economy they live in during these dark days! Makes me feel a little bit guilty. Makes me feel like booking a flight (I'd almost even book Thai, to do my patriotic duty for the nation - but not while there are other airlines still flying, I'm afraid...). Booking a hotel - and not an international chain! Booking local! Is LK Metro still a local deal? I kind of liked them when I ended up there by accident last time - I'd do it again. And bringing cash to inject dollar by dollar into that suffering economy. Doing it charity style - like by buying drinks with high margins, bar fines, shadow economy deals - the kind of thing where little-to-none is siphoned off by international blood-sucking middlemen like Marriot, Visa, and so on... Never fear, Thailand! I will do my part! Now, where's my calendar... No time to lose! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 You had better start swimming or you will sink like a stone ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baa99 Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Fewer Greek tourists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexi Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Patts may have had some sort of charm a few decades ago....now its rather difficult to find anything good to say about the place.Seemed to be booming though when I was last there ( March this year ) with new condos going up all over the place,not to mention the hundreds of new retail outlets in the malls.As for the nightlife,I`m still trying to work out how some of the go-gos make a profit after paying all the staff wages and rent,with kee-neow punters like myself only spending 80 bt.on one happy hour beer per establishment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 " Maybe I should report on Sydney, since I haven't been there since the 1980s. " Yes why not, but there again, I know you would do current research beforehand on Sydney, and it would be pretty accurate, unlike the guy above who was in Pattaya only ten years ago ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 " I'm still trying to work out how some of the go-gos make a profit after paying all the staff wages and rent,with kee-neow punters like myself only spending 80 bt.on one happy hour beer per establishment " There not .... A German friend of mine having lived in Pattaya for 27 years, and once an active player himself, knowing most of the owners as friends of the go go establishments in Walking Street tells me they are struggling with no profit and very high rents. .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baa99 Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 ... but they make it up on volume! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pom Michael Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 According to the Post, Pattaya has about 2,000 hotels with 136,000 rooms. If I had to guess, I’d say half are whorehouses. So, good luck Pattaya. I'm no prude, but you're getting what you deserve. What is this ? Ok, he is a blogger - so his opinion of something he knows nothing about matters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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