Pattaya Businesses non-Bar -How are they doing ?

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Gaybutton
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Re: Pattaya Businesses non-Bar -How are they doing ?

Post by Gaybutton »

Jun wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 9:51 pm there are an awful lot of farang & Chinese in there.
This time I can fully agree with your post. I'm certainly not trying to say all the businesses are doing just as well or better than before, but they're not hurting either.

The businesses designed to cater to Chinese tourists and farang tourists are hurting, no question about that. The shopping malls, grocery stores, mom & pop shops, etc. - they were not built to cater to Chinese and farang tourists. They were built to cater to local Thai residents and they are doing quite well. It's not that these places aren't full without tourists. They are full. It's only that with tourists they're fuller.

I wish those who doubt what I'm saying could come here to see for themselves, but obviously that's still a long way off.

Firecat69 is definitely right on one thing - businesses that cater primarily to gay farang are in real trouble. They were going through very hard times long before Thailand closed the doors on tourism. Now without tourists and having to rely mainly on local expats, that situation is much worse and, quite frankly, I'm worried about whether Pattaya's gay scene can survive at all if it is going to be a long time before tourists can start coming again. Even if Thailand opens up to farang tourists this afternoon, I'm wondering how many gay farang will even go to Pattaya any time soon or how much money they'll spend once they get there. Businesses catering to gay farang are there to make a profit. They're not there to break even, just barely squeak by, or operate at a loss. Gay expats do go to the places that are open, but not all of us. I, for one, won't even set foot in Boyztown because of the prices they charge - and I'm not alone in that. Even some who do go have said the bars, particularly the go-go bars that are open, don't have all that many boys and seeing the same few boys over and over again is getting boring to the point that some have stopped going very often or even at all.

I don't dispute that Pattaya's gay scene is in serious trouble and I'm not so sure that once tourists can start coming back there will still be much of a gay scene to come back to.
Up2u

Re: Pattaya Businesses non-Bar -How are they doing ?

Post by Up2u »

Speaking as a Pattaya resident, the economy is a mixed bag. Businesses depending on foreign tourism are not doing well with many on life support(e.g., the massage parlors, night markets, Walking Street, Soi Buakhao, BT, Sunee, beach concessions and blue shirts except on Thai holidays). I believe the Jomtien Complex will be a survivor but the go-go bars simply do not have enough expats to keep many afloat. With that said the government's efforts to expand domestic tourism seem to be working. This last holiday weekend traffic was a mess, the beaches crowded just like the good old days. You can go to a Tesco, Makro, Big C,Foodland and they are doing quite well but not 100%. Went to Bangkok for four days last week. Our hotel, the Grand Hyatt Erawan, had few guests (no foreign tourists or business people obviously). The transit was crowded and dinner at Italian Osteria was packed with loads of Thai young people dining and partying. The mall traffic is way down with no foreign tourists. Gaysorn Plaza is empty and the Louis Vuitton closed. No crowds at the Grand Palace or Wat Pho. We were the only customers at Arno's on Sukhumvit but the Arno's at T21 Pattaya was doing much better. Several of my favorite restaurants in Pattaya are now closed because of covid-19. I am happy I am living here and would fear returning to the USA.
gera

Re: Pattaya Businesses non-Bar -How are they doing ?

Post by gera »

I just talked to my bf. Yesterday he went to see movie in Central (Korean action movie Peninsula). He was the only one watching it. Villa supermarket is within easy walking distance from our condo. He frequently goes there:almost no customers. Traffic on second road was very light when he walked from condo to cental.I asked him to take some pictures next time he is going to a big mall. If he does, i will post it here. Every year 10 million foreign tourists visits Pattaya. To suggest that their absence does not effect major venues like hotels and big malls would be inaccurate (to put it very mildly). Thailand is in the state of deep recession (around minus 10 percent of GDP expected this year) and it is a big question for how long the country can proceed in this way. After all , it can lead to substantial social disturbances. By no means I am trying to undermine what is posted by expats in this thread. it is just another angle of the overall picture...
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Re: Pattaya Businesses non-Bar -How are they doing ?

Post by Gaybutton »

gera wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2020 10:32 am By no means I am trying to undermine what is posted by expats in this thread.
I never thought you were. Evidence - real evidence - tells the story. Guesses by people who are not here and not in close contact with people who live here are meaningless.

Meanwhile, what difference does it actually make? I doubt many gays want to go to Pattaya for reasons that have nothing to do with the gay scene. My guess is most people reading this topic are not really very interested in other businesses. It's just fun seeing us arguing about it.
firecat69

Re: Pattaya Businesses non-Bar -How are they doing ?

Post by firecat69 »

Gaybutton wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2020 6:59 am
Jun wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 9:51 pm there are an awful lot of farang & Chinese in there.
Firecat69 is definitely right on one thing - businesses that cater primarily to gay farang are in real trouble.ure that once tourists can start coming back there will still be much of a gay scene to come back to.
Nice of you to say I was right about something. But I don't remember posting a single thought about the Gay Scene. I posted my experience at Arno's at Prime meal times where we were the only customers and this was just prior to the Lock Down I believe. I mentioned there were people milling around the Malls but with no shopping bags . This was my experience in 2 different Malls in Pattaya and the same at MBK in Bangkok. I mentioned that I thought all beach concessions ( not necessarily Gay, along with what they might offer in rentals had to be hurting although honestly I never went to the beach. Just common sense .

I also mentioned once again there were many short time apartments available for me both from experience in Airbnb and various View Talay buildings . Whether there are less then there used to be I cannot comment. I had many choices for my 3 night stay despite the Law that you constantly mention as short term apartment rentals not being allowed.It is Thailand and in many cases what the Law is is not necessarily what happens. I spent most of my stay in Bangkok and made 3 day trips to Pattaya for Dentist visits in addition to the 3 night stay at View Talay 6 . My dentist had to close his office shortly after I left thailand for safety reasons due to the pandemic. Thankfully for him , I believe he and his Doctor wife are quite well off.

I have no personal experience in Pattaya after the lock down but I am quite sure it is easy to look at things through Rose Colored glasses no matter where you are. I live in Atlanta . I have a nice Condo and a nice Car and thankfully enough money. I stopped going to malls when I discovered Amazon.

I did have some favorite restaurants and for the most part they are closed down . All the office workers now work from home so what used to be disgusting traffic on 8 lane highways is now a pleasure to commute on. Which reminds me I certainly did not see any reduction in traffic on highways in Thailand and , keeping in mind my visit was just before the shutdown.

I would guess but only a guess that most restaurants on Beach Rd in Pattaya are closed down or barely surviving along with concessionaires on the beach. I recognize this is not an area you probably frequent since you live on the Dark Side. But common sense tells me thousands who used to work on that street have lost their jobs most of which have nothing to do wit the Sex Scene Gay or Straight. Again common sense tells me this has to be the case in other areas of Pattaya. Directly or indirectly a large % of jobs in Pattaya are either Tourist oriented or support for the businesses that cater to those Tourist businesses.

At any rate the Thai government has done a lot better job in handling the Virus than Idiot Trump has and expats who live in Thailand should be thankful for that!
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Re: Pattaya Businesses non-Bar -How are they doing ?

Post by Gaybutton »

firecat69 wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2020 4:55 pm Nice of you to say I was right about something. But I don't remember posting a single thought about the Gay Scene.
"thousands of Bar Girls and Bar Boys are starving ."

I thought that statement might have a little something to do with the gay scene. I might argue with you about how many you say are starving, but that is really not the point.

I'm not going to argue about the rest of your post. I would only be re-posting what I have already said.
firecat69

Re: Pattaya Businesses non-Bar -How are they doing ?

Post by firecat69 »

At least you are consistent . You never reply to the things you were either wrong about ( short term rentals in Pattaya) or failed to address like the thousands out of work on Beach Rd etc.
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Re: Pattaya Businesses non-Bar -How are they doing ?

Post by Gaybutton »

firecat69 wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2020 9:30 pm At least you are consistent . You never reply to the things you were either wrong about ( short term rentals in Pattaya) or failed to address like the thousands out of work on Beach Rd etc.
And I don't intend to reply now either. Sorry, but you don't get to lure me any further into this. You'll have to argue all by yourself. And since it is perfectly obvious, probably to everyone reading this, what you're going to say in your next post - that also won't work.
firecat69

Re: Pattaya Businesses non-Bar -How are they doing ?

Post by firecat69 »

You are right . When it is perfectly obvious that you are wrong you disengage or change the subject. Have a nice day!
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Re: Pattaya Businesses non-Bar -How are they doing ?

Post by aussie »

Jun wrote: Wed Aug 05, 2020 8:17 pm How are other Pattaya businesses in Pattaya coping in the absence of tourists ?

Top of my list of favourites would be Gafae, the coffee shop near Tuk Com.
Gafae is still open with a few regular customers. Nothing like the packed inside and outside area they had most days before the pandemic.

Restaurants alongside and near Tukcom and at Jomtien Complex are also surviving but sometimes my group are the only customers at 800pm. There is no need to make a reservation unless you prefer a particular table. The Pig and Whistle restaurant at Jomtien has not reopened.

Central Festival and Royal Garden Malls are quiet whenever I visit. The Foodland supermarket and Restaurant at Royal Garden have apparently closed. Big C Pattaya Klang seems to be as busy as ever whenever I go there with expats and Thai customers.

I walk around the sois of Pratumnak and many businesses, especially massage shops have closed because of the lack of tourists.
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