Thread: What planet is this guy on? (from Pattaya Mail Letters)

Another inconvenient truth

Editor;

Anyone that knows Pattaya prior to the internet has no illusions as to what attracts people to Pattaya; it was the guaranteed promise of the 3 S’s sun, sea and sex.

Other destinations can offer the first two but cannot guarantee the third; Pattaya can and does. The internet communication boom around the year 2000 launched Pattaya into a huge period of expansion as the word was out and people from everywhere wanted to find their fantasy fulfillment for most and the realization of a dream for some.

Foreigners led the way in creating new condos and housing estates of a quality never seen before to accommodate the droves of people ready to retire or set up house with their loved ones, have children, etc. From this a whole support industry was created in furniture, electrical goods, DIY stores, supermarkets, hospitals, car showrooms, etc., in fact everything that is needed to support a thriving society and thousands of new jobs were created for locals and people from underprivileged areas also.

It should also be noted that thousands of these “sex tourists” had decided to keep a connection with their loved ones and were transferring often large sums monthly and also providing lump sums for building houses in Essan and elsewhere thereby creating a thriving invisible export. Just go to any village in the northeast and you will spot the farang house.

Everything was going swimmingly well with the illusion being provided that much of this wealth was being generated from the expansion of the eastern seaboard. This is indeed true to a point but I believe that Chonburi and Bang Saen get more of a benefit from that source. The expansion in these areas has been equally phenomenal but no-one is going to retire to Chonburi.

Towards the end of 07 when the Thaksin government had seen the writing on the wall they decided mischievously to remind everybody that you cannot own land in Thailand and that the companies people had been advised by their lawyers to form to hold their land and houses were not really legal and that nominees were not acceptable and transfers could be a problem. That day the housing and to half an extent, the condo market died and is flat dead to this day.

The current military government has done nothing to change this situation; no long lease arrangement, no foreign ownership of small plots, nothing. The sad thing is that although nothing has radically changed the confidence is destroyed. The result is empty stores, construction layoffs, resulting in a spin off of job losses in every area of business. Job losses = poverty = crime.

To make matters worse we have seen increased visa controls sending tourists and residents in droves to other countries, coupled with a baht going through the roof making it impossible for many to afford to come to Pattaya, resulting in empty hotels on a scale unseen ever.

Some see the answer in family orientated holidays, so suppression has been applied to the nightlife industry even to the point of censoring articles in local papers on what is good and bad in this area. Looking at Pattaya as a family destination, it would be possible to say orient Jomtien Beach as a family area but then what about the beach? The sea is polluted and the beach bar owners appear to be regimented by the same rules which insist on Victorian deck chairs and ragged parasols with little or no services beyond the vendors who are now banned. Why not encourage some competition here and raise the standard and allow cushioned sun beds and services the same as all leading destinations in the world? Do those in control ever go and look at the competition?

I love this town and hate to see it deteriorate unnecessarily by bad decision or no decision. It is what it is, a bit tacky, doesn’t always work properly but it is also exciting, sexy, and most of all fun. I implore government local and national to remember what Pattaya is, embrace it and make the decisions that will give prosperity back to this unique and fabulous city.

Richard Franklin


***No mention of Western Union or MoneyGram, no mention of the illegal Cambodian labourers who toil day in day out, building these "dream housing estates", absolutely no mention of any of said farangs getting fleeced, ripped off, shot, robbed or murdered by Thai husbands of these "loved ones"

Originally Posted by DJ Pat

I implore government local and national to remember what Pattaya is

They will never admit what Patters is.
Remember the politician who came to investigate alleged prostitution ?
No evidence of prostitution could be found

Originally Posted by DJ Pat

no long lease arrangement

Arai wah?

30 years is long enough to see most residents of Pattaya to see their days out.

Patters is great holiday spot, even better place to live (everything one needs is there) Far superior than BKK any day.

good sense of humour, brit!

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Patters is great holiday spot, even better place to live (everything one needs is there) Far superior than BKK any day.

Pattaya, Where the dateless go to meet the desperate.

Originally Posted by peterpan

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Patters is great holiday spot, even better place to live (everything one needs is there) Far superior than BKK any day.

Pattaya, Where the dateless go to meet the desperate.

Replace pattaya with thailand and you might have something.

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Patters is great holiday spot, even better place to live (everything one needs is there) Far superior than BKK any day.

Typical thaivisa.com posters response.

Originally Posted by DJ Pat

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Patters is great holiday spot, even better place to live (everything one needs is there) Far superior than BKK any day.

Typical thaivisa.com posters response.

Typical DJ Pat response!!!