Monday 22 March 2010

The Pattaya window into Thailand

We enjoyed a brief and impromptu one night stay in Pattaya last week.

The weather was fantastic and we love to be around the beach (and in a nice hotel) so the break is always a welcomed one.

That said, for me, Pattaya has a self-life of around 24 hours. Any longer in the city and I will start to go crazy. I love the sea air but a number of things make Pattaya a land where normality is amiss.

In Pattaya, universal logic is reversed...the older and fatter you are, the more appealing men are to the local women.

At least, that is based on my evidence during day time hours.

At night, if you are male, with a regular-ish pulse and walking (walking sticks and other assitance permitted) then any women will come after you, even if you happen to be out with your wife and young son.

Then there is good old Jonny Foreigner (not referring to myself, I hope) who is living the lap of luxury here on a month long holiday.

Jonny (me) overheard Jonny (one of them) talking to the internet cafe/travel agent manager about his business back at home (Australia, if you're interested).

He's got a lot of "boys" doing things for him...apparently...while business is going great, so great that he can afford to spent a little time out here with "my girl" (his, of course).

There's not a lot to say about this, the self-deluded, chest puffing 50 something year old who is clucking around trying to impress the none-too-interested man working the shop desk.

They say a sucker if born every minute but I'm sure the statistics from Pattaya have pushed this up for a minute. I'm not how catchy the 'a sucker is born every two minutes when we ignore the data from Pattaya, Thailand' phrase sounds?

If Pattaya is expats' window into Thailand, no wonder so many expats living out here are so f*cked up.

As for the guys sporting the 'good guy go to hell, bad guy go to Pattaya, Thailand' t-shirt...there's not a great deal I have to add.

I do love the sea air by the way.

7 comments:

Steve said...

See that's why I've never made it to Pattaya. I keep thinking I should and then I read something about the town and it always makes me reconsider. I'm sure the sea breeze IS nice, but there are so many other downsides that I always go elsewhere for my sea breeze :>)

Unknown said...

Why'd you bother. There's absolutely nothing original in this post.

Pity you didn't notice that:
- non millionaire's can play millionaire's golf around Pattaya
- you can eat in quality restaurants for a fair price
- shopping is excellent if you know where to go
- it's great stop off on the way to the islands
- brilliant nightlife if you want it and I don't mean go-go's.

No all you saw was fat guys with young girls. Yawn. Wish I had a pound.......

Talen said...

There is no doubt those things exist in Pattaya but staying for one night doesn't a Pattaya make.

You can choose to exist in the fat sex tourist lifestyle or you can enjoy all the city has to offer , which is quite a lot. From Gardens and temples to museums and all manner of entertainment that doesn't include nude or near nude Thai girls.

Pattaya is changing and anyone that has spent any significant time there will tell you this age of sex tourism is coming to an end...not completely but the main force now are the Chinese, Korean, Indian and Russian tourists who are spending money .

New hotels, condo's restaurants and entertainment are springing up and taking over the old beer bars and go go's on beach road.

Still much fun to be had in Pattaya it just depends on how you choose to perceive it.

Jon said...

@Steve,

Thanks for the comment. I think Pattaya is still a town worth visiting but, for me personally, there is a definite shelf-life.

@Ed,

As an expat living in Pattaya you, no doubt, have a different opinion of the place to me.

Yes, the shopping is great, lots to do during the day, nice hotels, etc but (and this is clearly labelled a rant) "for me" personally, I go a little crazy after longer than a day or two there.

We visit fairly regularly, so clearly I enjoy my time there (I never said otherwise) but I couldn't live there.

I'm not a particularly big fan of most farang people in Thailand particularly the types that tend to frequent Pattaya.

Feel free to throw me that pound...quick as possible before the exchange rate drops lower still.

@Talen,

Very much agree that a night in Pattaya doesn't maketh the city (we have spent a number of longer vacations there, btw) but, again to repeat my point, this is just my person opinion and rant.

Clearly there is a lot going on with the place, perhaps 5 years ago as a single lad without a kid I'd have felt differently. As it stands, most of the foreigners there (not just talking about the old fellas with women) make me feel a little embarrassed to be farang.

Penang Blogger said...

Jon has highlighted the reason I don't like Pattaya. It's not because I don't like attractive prostitutes, the sea, shopping or eating. It's because Pattaya attracts swathes genuine scum-of-the-earth foreigners coming for R&R, to the point that it's almost surreal. It's like a competition to behave the most obnoxiously.
Nice for a short break, not somewhere I'd want to live.

Plus I hate golf.

Jon said...

Nick,

Thanks for summarising succinctly, btw I like golf...when I have the time :D

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