Why isn’t Pattaya more like Bangkok?
So my friend’s have been on at me for a while now to take a trip up to Bangkok for a day or two, so I chose Valentines day of all day’s to escape the missus and make my way up there.
First thing to mention has got to be the traffic. Bangkok is well know for the traffic being a nightmare, and it certainly was just that, a nightmare! That is one area that Pattaya wins, although it does seem to be getting worse here too these days.
Unfortunately for Pattaya, that’s where the good news ends.
Arriving at my serviced apartment which I had booked for the night, close to Asoke, I was greeted with a friendly smile and a traditional wai. I checked in, hassle free, my bag was carried up to my room for me, at which point I tried to offer a tip, only to be refused. Yes you read that correctly, the young man politely told me that any tips I wish to leave should be given on check out to the main reception. They are shared out from there on a daily basis to all staff members equally.
I had booked a 1 bedroom suite, very spacious with a large living room space, small kitchenette, and a spacious bedroom with a fantastic view of the city. The cost for this room, 1,000 Baht per night. I can confidently say that the same room in Pattaya would be at least double the price.
It was a quick change around in the room before heading out with my friends, straight to Khaosan Road, which is a place I have been before and hold fond memories of.
By this time the traffic had eased and it was a only a short ride in a taxi to get there. The cost, 75 Baht. What I do like about Bangkok is that all the taxi’s run on the meter, no matter what, and you never get the feeling that the driver is trying to rip you off.
We arrived at Khaosan Road at around 12:30am and unlike Pattaya, which seems to be running out of tourists, the place was bouncing, as you can see from the picture. People might have the impression that it’s busy because it is cheap, but I can assure you that this is most definitely not the case as it certainly isn’t cheap, although not overly expensive either.
A Heineken from an outdoor bar will set you back roughly 100 Baht, whilst inside the clubs it is closer to 150 Baht. Not too dissimilar from Pattaya prices.
The whole vibe of Bangkok is different too. In Pattaya, does anyone else get the impression people are very money orientated?
In Bangkok, the people, both locals and foreigners seem to be a lot more genuine. I am certainly no expert on this subject and maybe I was just lucky and hit a good night.
This article may come across as a bit of dig at Pattaya, but that is certainly not what it is supposed to be. I live in Pattaya and at the moment, am still happy living here. Pattaya does have it’s good points too and of course that old saying of “the grass is always greener…..” will never go away.
But I can’t help but compare the two cities and how I wish Pattaya was just a little bit more like Bangkok is.
