Editorial: Pattaya’s greed is driving tourists away - Do you agree?

[Gaybutton]

I definitely agree with this part: when incomes shrink due to currency fluctuations or rising costs, Pattaya raises prices to 'compensate'. That has been going on for years and I have been posting about it for years. Not making enough money? Just raise the prices. And that is one of the reasons I stopped going to the bars in favor of the apps.
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Editorial: Pattaya’s greed is driving tourists away while chasing the wrong crowd

By Pattaya Mail

November 23, 2025

Once the go-to paradise for long-term visitors and budget-conscious travelers, Pattaya is now slowly strangling itself with its own brand of overpricing and selective tourism. The city has fractured into nationality clusters, focusing on short-term, high-spending tourists while neglecting the everyday visitor who actually keeps the local economy humming.

From inflated bar fines to overpriced entertainment, Pattaya has become a city where almost every activity comes with a hidden surcharge. Even basic pleasures like dinner or a beer are no longer a simple joy. While some bars advertise cheap beers at 39–50 baht, these are exceptions in a city increasingly defined by “pay to play” policies. For the average visitor, the strong baht combined with arbitrary pricing has made a stay here far less attractive than neighboring Southeast Asian destinations.

Medical and daily costs are still reasonable for those who avoid tourist traps — a routine teeth cleaning for 800 baht, a month of electricity around 700 baht, a tray of driving range balls for 60 baht. But these are the hidden bargains; the city actively markets to tourists who are willing to pay tens of thousands for nightlife indulgences rather than cultivating the kind of visitors who appreciate value and contribute to longer-term economic stability.

Pattaya’s misplaced focus is clear: the city chases transient high-spending tourists, often at the expense of everyday travelers and long-term visitors who form the backbone of its economy. Bars, clubs, and entertainment venues inflate prices for foreign patrons while ignoring the fact that steady, value-conscious visitors sustain hotels, restaurants, and other services year-round.

The logic seems backward: when incomes shrink due to currency fluctuations or rising costs, Pattaya raises prices to “compensate,” alienating the very tourists who would have kept the city vibrant. As a result, many visitors are shifting their holidays to countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, or the Philippines, where comparable experiences come at a fraction of the cost.

The city risks losing more than just tourist dollars. By prioritizing high-spending tourists over consistent, long-term visitors, Pattaya is hollowing out its own soul — replacing charm with greed, community with segregation, and local flavor with artificial exclusivity. Unless the city rethinks who it serves, Pattaya may find that no amount of flashy nightlife or luxury resorts can offset the gradual exodus of the travelers who truly value the destination.

https://www.pattayamail.com/news/pattay ... owd-527188

[Jun]

Pattaya is still an economic place to stay.

However, a certain type of greed drives me away.
For years, I stayed in some well known rental apartments near Tuk Com. Last, year, I booked again, for about 37 days. I was quoted a monthly rate and expected to pay 37/30 of the monthly rate, as previously.
Upon arrival, there was a new guy behind the counter. He informed me I would have to pay 1 month at the monthly rate and 6 days at the far higher daily rate. I considered telling him that I would go elsewhere for the extra 6 days, but realized that was over the new year period, so just paid up, whilst expressing my dissatisfaction.
Now I had been thinking it's about time to start staying in Jomtien, so of course, that motivated me to do something about it. I've not been back there since.
I've been quoted a similar price structure in various View Talay properties and even my current hotel, although I've not yet actually paid a daily rate in the current hotel.

As for drink prices, I see the sign outside "Viper GoGo" or whatever it is says "All beers 69 baht, 7:00 to 9:00 pm". I'd appreciate similar value in the gay bars, but after they pay the rent, the police and whatever other costs, I suspect some barely make money at 90~100 baht per beer. What I do pay is affordable.

[Dodger]

By Pattaya Mail

Once the go-to paradise for long-term visitors and budget-conscious travelers, Pattaya is now slowly strangling itself with its own brand of overpricing and selective tourism.

Pattaya was once a paradise that tourists flocked to primarily to fulfill their sexual fantasies where money was rarely the object. Most tourists (not all) who visited Pattaya during its heyday spent money hand-over-foot, where even the most budget-conscious travelers spent much more on entertainment than they do now.

There are many reasons for the seismic shift in demographics in Pattaya over the past decade mostly influenced by economic factors and global trends, but there's no doubt that TAT's insistence at creating a new image for Pattaya is what's driving the nail in the coffin.

All TAT's never-ending slew of promotions have done over the past decade is sour Pattaya's image as the sex capitol of the world - first by going after the Chinese market resulting in swarms of tourists who spent very little - while straining Pattaya's internal resources to the max,...followed by the Arabs...and then the Indians, who are turning Pattaya into a slum.

Now that TAT has all-but-destroyed Pattaya's true image we start reading articles about how the businesses are the ones to blame for charging too much. When in reality all that TAT promotions have done is attract tourists with no money in their pockets to scavenge over the bones of what was once a Paradise.

Why Thai night venues charge more money when things are slow has always been a mystery to me as well and doesn't help matters any. Maybe if Thailand followed China's lead and started closing-down on-line dating apps the bars would be back in business again and the prices would drop...who knows? China has apparently banned the two largest gay dating apps, e.g., Grindr and Blue'd. If this happened in Thailand the bar owners would be jumping-for-joy.

[Gaybutton]

no doubt that TAT's insistence at creating a new image for Pattaya is what's driving the nail in the coffin.

I agree. Thailand is worried that the tourism industry is suffering. Meanwhile, if they would get off this absurd "family oriented" kick and tout Pattaya for what attracted so many tourists years ago - as the sex capital of the world, there would be so much money pouring into Pattaya that people wouldn't know what to do with it all. I am still waiting for someone to explain to me what the bad part is about sex and why being thought of as a "sin city" would also be something bad. I am so sick and tired of sex being thought of as bad.

"Sex. I've had it up to here with sex! But not lately . . ."
- Rodney Dangerfield

if Thailand followed China's lead and started closing-down on-line dating apps the bars would be back in business again and the prices would drop...who knows?

Who knows? I do - at least for me. Thailand can't shut down apps that are not based in Thailand. And if they tried to ban access to those sites, anyone can get in with no problem via VPN. Even if Thailand succeeded in closing down the apps I, for one, would still have no interest in returning to the bar scene.

[christianpfc]

Maybe if Thailand followed China's lead and started closing-down on-line dating apps the bars would be back in business again and the prices would drop...who knows? China has apparently banned the two largest gay dating apps, e.g., Grindr and Blue'd.

You got that wrong. China has banned access to most western internet, e.g. Google, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and several gay dating apps (not because they are gay dating apps, but because they come from the west). China has their own equivalents of social media, video sharing, online shopping and online dating. There are several Chinese online dating apps. HeeSay is the international version of Blued. Blued was developed in China.

[Dodger]

.......You got that wrong. China has banned access to most western internet, e.g. Google, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and several gay dating apps (not because they are gay dating apps, but because they come from the west).

Just for clarification: I had no idea why China closed the apps that I referred, only that they had.

[Jun]

HeeSay is the international version of Blued. Blued was developed in China.

HeeSay is a dreadful experience, with next to nothing for free and excessive advertising. Now, when a website has nothing but UGC, they should survive on minimum advertising or modest subscription fees.

I'm bemused by the constant advice on what if might take for others to visit bars, by people who don't visit them.
I do visit the bars, but I'm still not sure that qualifies me to predict the behaviour of others.
One of the busiest bars in Jomtien Complex charges 80 baht per beer, rather than the usual 100. So being less greedy can work, as proven by current trading.
Having friendly and attractive boys usually works too.

Having a group of empty bars in the centre of ths complex does not help. I presume this is excessive greed over rents, as there is no shortage of tenants to fill all the smaller premises and kiosk bars. That's when at least half of the bigger bar units ars empty.