Pattaya has undoubtedly changed its image in the last decade and can now genuinely claim to be a family-orientated resort. While this is good on the one hand as we have undoubtedly seen an increase in the TOTAL number of tourist coming to the city, it seems to have impacted heavily on the numbers of western tourists. We often hear from many bars, restaurant and other business owners that these were the group of people that spent the most money, but is that true?
Was Pattaya Really Better Before?
In reality, it probably depends very much on your viewpoint. If the bar scene was what you came to Pattaya for, then yes it probably was better before, but now the city has cleaned up its image. Western restaurant and bars are closing at an alarming rate, with many owners forced to return to their home countries such as the UK. Most want to take their Thai partners with them usually on either a UK Tourist Visa or a UK Spouse Visa.
Other Factors
Of course, other factors have influenced Pattaya and indeed Thailand’s popularity, including:
- The strength of the Thai Baht and relative weakness of the Pound indegenerique.be
- A crackdown on Thai visas making it harder for retirees in particular to stay
- A feeling of being unwanted
- Cheaper alternatives
- And, the controversial answer that is given by many “Thai greed”
If you remember Pattaya from before there is a good chance that you did prefer it used to be, but if you are a relative newbie, the chances are that you love the new Pattaya as, after all, it is all you will have ever known. Love it or hate it, Pattaya still attracts millions of tourists from around the world each year.
How can Thai Visa Express Help?
Thai Visa Express is a team of professional immigration consultants who are always ready to assist you with your UK visa application in Thailand. We have over 15 years of experience dealing with UK visas & immigration daily, and we are regulated by the Office of Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) in the UK. We offer a free 30-minute consultation from one of our designated caseworkers, contact us today.