Western Tourists Shun Pattaya

[Jun]

What Jomtien needs is a few more facilities.
For example, it has:
1 No Boots or Watsons.
2 No PROPER supermarket. OK, there is the place next to the bus station, but if you want something as basic as a litre of UHT milk, they don't have it.

With all the apartment blocks going up, what are they waiting for ?

Incidentally, they dug up the beach path for about a mile down Jomtien beach during high season & it wasn't finished by June.
So instead of a nice shady beachside walk, tourists had to walk on the other side of the road on a narrow pavement in the sun. Now if the objective is to keep tourists coming back, why do that ?
There's nothing to stop them digging up a very short section of the path at any one time.

As for Vietnam, if you're after a gay scene, it's not an option.
For the people who want nice coastal resorts with no gay scene, Vietnam has better options than Pattaya.
As for Saigon, well I can't stand the place.

[Gaybutton]

No PROPER supermarket

There was supposed to be one. Close to Tapphraya on Thepprasit there was going to be a Foodland. That was several years ago. Clearing the lot began but soon stopped before any building even began. I believe the huge Foodland sign is still there.

There has never been any resumption of the work or an explanation as to why it was halted.

It does seem appropriate and profitable for a good proper supermarket to be built in Jomtien, especially with all the residential construction. However, I know of nothing in the works or where such a supermarket would be built. Not very much vacant lot availability now. For the foreseeable future, it looks like the only proper supermarkets anywhere near Jomtien will still be the supermarkets along Sukhumvit.

If nothing else, the supermarkets do offer online ordering and delivery.

[Jun]

For the foreseeable future, it looks like the only proper supermarkets anywhere near Jomtien will still be the supermarkets along Sukhumvit.

That's a very good walk & I've seen no evidence of a reliable public transport system heading in that direction.
For those living in Jomtien with a car and/or bike, no problem. However, as far as I can tell, your average western tourist does not hire a car.

I mostly get my supplies in Pattaya. The Tops across the road from Jomtien Complex is probably the best option in Jomtien.

[Gaybutton]

I've seen no evidence of a reliable public transport system heading in that direction.

There is none. To shop at those supermarkets those who don't have their own transportation would have to use hired transportation such as Bolt. It would be a hell of a long walk from Jomtien, much too long for most, not to mention the walk back carrying an armload of groceries.

The market at the bus station is Food Mart (not to be confused with Foodland). Most basics are available there. They certainly don't carry the variety found in the huge supermarkets, but at least it is easy for most in Jomtien to get there.

One minor plus in Food Mart's favor. They carry an excellent variety of fresh breads - even more and better than Villa Market.

[Dodger]

The market at the bus station is Food Mart (not to be confused with Foodland). Most basics are available there. They certainly don't carry the variety found in the huge supermarkets, but at least it is easy for most in Jomtien to get there.

Foodmart was, and still is, one of my favorite super markets in town. For years I hung my hat within walking distance (View Talay & Chateau Dale) and did all of my shopping there and rarely had a hard time finding what I was looking for. They don't have a selection like the mammoth Villa Market but it always sufficed. And being right across the soi (Tapphraya Rd.) from JC makes it extremely convenient.

IMO...that area of Jomtien has the most to offer, especially for the gay farang wanting to be close to the action. It has everything one needs within a short stroll,. i.e., gay beach, restaurants, fast food, barbers, dentists, clinics, pharmacies (several), and of course +25 gay bars within stumbling distance.

If it wasn't for my preference for a more serene environment...cleaner air...cleaner water for swimming, etc., that's where I'd be living now.

[Jun]

IMO...that area of Jomtien has the most to offer, especially for the gay farang wanting to be close to the action. It has everything one needs within a short stroll,. i.e., gay beach, restaurants, fast food, barbers, dentists, clinics, pharmacies (several), and of course +25 gay bars within stumbling distance.

The 30+ gay bars swing it in favour of Jomtien plus all the boys on the apps. That's a really big factor. That's why I don't go to Hua Hin or some other coastal resort.

However, I have to go to Pattaya to get really basic stuff like UHT milk, which is needed to make my probiotic yoghurt.
The Thai vegetarian restaurant in Jomtien closed and turned into another ****ing cannabis shop.

[Gaybutton]

My guess is when they are talking about a decline in foreign tourists, they are probably referring mostly to Chinese tourists. I do spot Chinese tour buses, but only a tiny fraction of them compared to previous years. The tourist industry is probably complaining about that, but personally I have no objections . . .
__________________________________________

Confidence declines as foreigners avoid Thailand

by Kuakul Mornkum

September 29, 2025

The tourism confidence index for the third quarter of 2025 is grim after it dipped year-on-year, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand.

This quarter, the index was 66 out of 100, down from 70 in the previous quarter and 68 in the third quarter of 2024.

The survey, conducted between Aug 15 and Sept 16, involved 740 tourism operators, 450 Thai tourists and 310 foreign tourists.

The report highlighted several challenges that have hindered sentiment in the industry during the quarter, including a sluggish economy, the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, a decline in Chinese travellers, and baht appreciation.

The projection for foreign arrivals was downgraded to 33.1 million for this year from the previous forecast of 33.3 million made in July.

This level represents a 6.7% drop from last year and a 17% decline from 2019, the peak year for foreign arrivals.

According to the report, the confidence index for the fourth quarter is projected to be 72, another decrease year-on-year.

Tourism confidence in five of the seven regions -- northern, eastern, Bangkok, central and northeastern -- dropped from last year, with the capital reporting the steepest decline, falling from 83 to 68 in the third quarter.

Among Thai travellers, 15% of respondents plan to travel abroad in the fourth quarter, with 18% each in that segment planning to visit Vietnam and China, while 15% are planning trips to Japan.

Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said the agency plans to organise various festivals such as Loy Krathong and New Year countdown events to enhance sentiment in the tourism sector.

She said TAT wants to drive growth in long-haul markets, including the Middle East, Europe and the Americas. However, the Chinese market sagged due to travellers' concerns over safety, which TAT said it was addressing.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/ge ... d-thailand

[Jun]

They need some joined up thinking here.

What's the point having TAT to promote tourism and at the same time, having measures that inadvertently discourage tourism ? Such as the poor immigration experience that some of us reported at DMK.
For a novelty, they could just try making things easy.

They might start by surveying tourists & asking why we come to Thailand, what we like & what we dislike.

Relying heavily on China seems high risk. My impression is that much of the population can be easily led. So if the Chinese government decides to promote domestic tourism, that's going to be successful.