Comments on: Three of a Perfect Pattaya Pair

By: Talen

Talen — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:21:07 +0000

Close Rick, actually they were down the road a bit further on Pattaya Klang.

I have also sat at the Jasmine Mansion and whiled away an afternoon drinking beer and watching the Top Charoen women as they work…I actually went in and got my contacts there too…the optometrist is a very beautiful woman.

By: SiamRick

SiamRick — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:17:44 +0000

I believe those two Top Charoen shops are across from the Jasmine Mansions, on soi Buakao? If not, no matter. When I stayed there a couple of years ago, I sat outside the hotel with a coffee (shhhh, it’s code for “beer”) and stared at a Top Charoen and an independent optical shop, wondering if I would actually witness a customer entering one. Gave up on that and simply watched the pretty shop clerks watch the world go by.

Can’t say I’m a big fan of Pattaya, but I may visit there in December for a night or two just to get it out of my system.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:04:48 +0000

It is the same in Malaysia and Brunei. When one shop is successful, someone else plants another one right next door. .-= Catherine´s last blog ..Interviewing Successful Thai Language Learners: Terry Fredrickson =-.

By: Talen

Talen — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:58:33 +0000

Martyn, if you ask most people they don;t even know where Pattaya is or what goes on there..but they tend to think of all of Thailand as a den of iniquity.

I think it is changing pretty fast though. Many bars have disappeared from Beach road and soi’s 7 & 8. The powers that be are striving for the Asian and Russian tourist dollar so I don’t think it will be long before the bar scene is pushed back beyond second road at the least.

I think you and Mike may be right about the copycat angle but having 3 optical places together and two of them being the same shop is even past the Thai way of thinking.

By: Martyn

Martyn — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 07:58:06 +0000

You are right about Pattaya having everything, but the problem it has is convincing tourists just that. Pattaya is known as the worlds number one sex spot and many people don’t go there because of that. The resort has so much more to offer aside from sex and really is a good destination choice with its entertainment, cosmopolitan food, sport and a growing choice of day trips.If you haven’t tried it then don’t knock is my way of thinking.

I think Mike has got it right with the copycat angle on the doubling up of franchises etc. The bars that don’t seem to make money but are always there are in a lot of cases run by falang who are happy to drink, eat and sleep at their bar and if they lose $400 dollars a month in the bad times then that’s cheap going for a month in Pattaya. Their pension covers more than that. A tourist spends one hell of a lot more.
.-= Martyn´s last blog ..Coconuts Keep Falling =-.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:15:19 +0000

This particular concept of Thai life baffles me too. Even in our small village you get identical shops (what they sell) next to each other.

I was once told that the Thais love to copy ideas, an example of this is if you add something to your home. Perhaps its the same with businesses?

I fancy many of the ma&pa stores survive on a few Baht profit a day. Mind you in Prachuap I always wonder why the Tesco Express is right next to a 7/11!
.-= Mike´s last blog ..Thai Toilet Massage =-.