Thailand for farang

Pattaya

I think Pattaya is the most famous and infamous city of Thailand at the same time. I actually like pattaya. Although if people ask me ‘Will it be like I think it will be?’ I say ‘Yes’ even without asking how they are picturing it. I always figure they are talking about the sex industry. I know it is not something most Thai people are proud of but it’s existing and quite difficult to avoid it if you go to the center of Pattaya.

I like going there because it’s always been part of my life. I used to go there when I was a little kid. My family used to own the Marines with the cabaret show in Walking Street (now they own the Simon Cabaret Show in Phuket). My dad accualy met my mom in the Marines Pattaya.

Pattaya

These are pictures of me in Pattaya as a kid. The quality isn’t good. These pictures are about 25 years old. In the first one I’m holding a baby monkey in Walking Street. There was nobody complaining about animal abuse back then and it was more rare to find people exploiting animals. Below that was our regular hotel which was located in Soi 8, which was a known girls bar street back then (and nowadays still is). The ones at the right are both at Jomtien Beach, where I still like to go. Fun fact : I’ve always wondered why there were so many guys in thongs (the g-string not flip-flops). According to a friend there is a gay section where I usually go. I don’t mind, hope they don’t as well.

But back to the presence of the sex industry. In Walking Street Pattaya there’s just no denying. The girls, who sometimes have numbers on their body somewhere, are dancing around poles on the bar counters in bars lit with pink neon lights. Girls and ladyboys are yelling to come have a drink to all the sexy handsome men. People grab your arm and ask you if you want to go to a ping pong show. People asking if you want a massage and showing you an obscene price list.

You can easily go to Walking Street to sit and have a drink in those bars though. As a couple nobody bothers you (I can’t speak for singles or groups of men). The girls are nice and really friendly. They are just trying to make a living. I bet a lot of them have a good reason.

Pattaya-sunset

If the sky is clear there are stunning sunsets to behold. And after the sunset there are many entrepreneurs showing their goods on the seawall to open to negotiation. There’s a boystown in Soi 13/4. And many other fun and special things to experience in Pattaya. The city never sleeps!

What I like a lot about Pattaya is that there is a lot activities for kids. I think Pattaya is suitable to travel with kids. You don’t have to take them to Walking Street. Dylan absolutely loves oging to Pattaya and so do we.

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