[ahtecklim]

Pattaya has changed. From day one of my arrival ; which is when Pattaya already has a seedy reputation , it has changed beyong recognition.

In 2005 there was no Bell Service and a trip from Bangkok took 2hr30mins AT LEAST along the old highway. Since then they have built TWO highways leading to Pattaya from the new airport as well as the capital. 90mins is the norm nowadays

A monger trip was usually Bangkok then a short time in Pattaya for those who know the place. These days it is not uncommon for anyone to bypass Bangkok all together.

Seediness was evident all over the place. Underaged girls and boys although not widespread , can still be seen easily walking hand in hand with punters. These days no so. The thai police has done a good job.

Cost were a whole lot cheaper then off course due to inflation as well as market forces. A basic aircon room above a bar on Pattayaland cost under 300B. These days? 500-600B. A 3 star hotel room would cost about 800 ; these days 1000-1500B low season. Barfines were low. Happy group barfines were 400B. FYI Happy group recently raised their BFs to 800B

The new agogos spread to Soi Baukow was inevitable. TQ , Tims , Buffalo etc has seen their good days and survive till today. Back then Pattayaland was THE place to be rather than Walking Street. Kittens , Misty , Playschool (?) was a must visit as part of the circuit despite its closeness to the Boyz! These days , Misty has moved , Kittens is gender confused and the school is a shadow of itself.

There are still good and cheap places to hide in pattaya to lepak your day away but the Singaporean hectic lifestyle makes most of us uncomfortable in these environments. I would love to nurse a 75B beer in an agogo while the blazing sun sets even if it was baby elephants dancing rather than sitting in an kopitiam trying to use wechat to pick up a PRC chick. But this it the life we live!