Pattaya Information

Obviously when you travel to another country things will be different to your own. Thailand is not just another country. It’s a different culture. You may offend people unless you know what to avoid. Also, practical things taken for granted at home are different here. This section contains Pattaya information that will make your first visit much easier.

This section has two pages. To view the next page, use the ‘Next’ link at the bottom of the page to get more Pattaya information. Clicking anywhere else and you will leave this topic.

What to expect

If you have yet to travel to a country with a different culture than your own, Thailand will be an eye-opener. Things you take for granted at home don’t exist or are done to a different standard. For example, smells are different and not always pleasant due to things like the drainage system. Also, watch your step as you may fall down an unmarked hole in the pavement. You will discover that if something goes wrong, Thais can’t run to the court to have someone else take responsibility for their inattention or apathy.

After the initial shock, you will come to appreciate what Thailand has to offer. The fact that you are not wrapped in cotton wool often brings about a feeling of freedom. Political correctness has only made very short inroads into Thailand.

In Pattaya, you will see, hear and feel things that will remain with you for a long time.

The thing that will stay with you for the longest time will be the beauty and character of the Pattaya ladies. The experience of having nubile women screaming and waving at you to get your attention is something that every man should experience at least once.

Budget

The budget of visitors to Pattaya varies enormously. It is really up to you how much you spend. Some people get by on a budget of 2500 Baht a day after paying for accommodation, while others spend 10s of thousands of Baht daily.

Those on low budgets tend not to drink or only do so at the cheapest places. Taking ladies ‘short time (short time means an hour or two) helps reduce costs.  It is not advisable to try to stick to a budget this tight. It is your holiday, and you should be out to make the most of your time.

At the other end of the scale are the ‘one-week millionaires.’ These people spend big. They buy many drinks for the ladies and customers in bars (‘ringing the bell’ – this will be explained in the next section). Also, they may take more than one lady a day and eat at expensive restaurants. Giving large tips to the ladies in bars is another way to spend up big.

A perfect time can be had on a budget between these two extremes. Limiting the number of drinks you buy others will cut your expenses enormously. There is nothing wrong with only buying drinks for yourself and the lady you are talking to in a bar. Don’t feel obliged to buy many drinks for her ‘friends’. Likewise, eating delicious local food will cut costs.

For a good trip, an adequate budget is between 5,000 and 7,000 Baht a day after accommodation costs. As this is your first trip keeping some extra funds available would be advisable. You don’t want to spend your last few days in the hotel because you went over budget a little.

Money

People have different ideas of how to take their spending money to Thailand. The viable options are cash and ATM cards.

Do not buy Thai Baht before you go to Thailand. The rate you will get for your currency in Thailand will be significantly more. Any currency can be changed at the airport. A currency exchange is never far away in Pattaya.

Taking cash is very convenient but is not without risk. If you lose the cash, it is gone. Using other options to bring your spending money from home is better. It is a good idea to have a small amount of cash to convert to Baht easily. It is best to bring the currency of the country you are from. This will save you from converting your currency to an intermediate currency resulting in higher costs. If you are coming from the US, bring larger denomination notes as you will get a slightly better rate, and be aware that notes produced in specific years are not easy to change due to counterfeit notes.

In Pattaya, you are never far from an ATM. They accept the same cards are anywhere else in the world. Your bank and the Thai bank will dictate fees payable on ATM transactions. Thai banks charge a 220 Baht fee for using a foreign ATM card. Your bank may also have fees, and they can be hefty. Before leaving home, contact your bank and check what their fees are. At the same time, inform them that you will be travelling internationally.

If you find your bank’s fees unpalatable, consider travel money cards. These cards require you to deposit funds into them and work the same way as a debit card. The fees charged for this service may be less than your home bank. They will still attract the same ATM fee in Thailand. I would suggest looking at the card offered by Wise.

While off-topic, if you think you will be travelling to Thailand regularly, consider opening a local bank account. This is more complex than it should be, but it provides a very convenient and economical avenue to access funds for your trips. Wise provides rapid transfers with low fees and a reasonable exchange rate.

Warning 1: credit card fraud is very high in Thailand. It is a good idea never to use your card to pay for anything in Thailand. If you must, do not let them take the card out of your view. Also, inform your bank before you leave home if you plan to use your card in Thailand (either for payment or ATMs). Many people have had a stop put on their cards because they neglected to inform their bank.

Warning 2: when using ATMs, be very careful to retrieve your card. Thai ATMs return cards after dispensing cash.

ElectricityThailand electrical plugs

Thailand uses 220 Volts at 50 Hertz. Two plug types are found in Thailand: the US two-prong plug and two round-prong plug standard in Singapore.

If you wish to bring appliances to Thailand, you must first check that they are compatible with the voltage. Many portable appliances are now dual voltage, meaning they can use 100 – 240 Volts. They can also work with different frequencies. Laptop computers should have no problems in Thailand but check on the transformer to ensure they can use 220 Volts.

Communicating

Good mobile internet is available in Thailand. If you have a GSM phone that accepts a SIM card, you can use it in Thailand. If your phone is locked to a network, you can get it unlocked at little cost.

SIM cards are easy to get. The Thai government passed a law that all SIM cards must be registered and ID recorded at the time of purchase. A SIM card can be bought for as little as 100 Baht with a small amount of credit. Local calls will cost 1 or 2 Baht a minute. Recharge cards can be purchased at all 7-elevens and Family Mart stores that are never far away.

I recommend using either AIS or DTAC. If you will visit regularly and wish to keep the same number DTAC is a good option. With DTAC, once you have used more than 150 Baht, you can extend credit validity for 3 Baht per 30 days up to 365 days. For my information on this service from DTAC see click on Read more on DTAC’s Jaidee Service page.

Climate

Pattaya enjoys a tropical wet and dry climate, which is divided into the following seasons: warm and dry (November to February), hot and humid (March to May), and hot and rainy (June to October). The most comfortable time of year coincides with the peak tourist season, which is over the Christmas and New Year period. Current weather conditions can be found at Pattaya Weather.

The chart below details the average temperatures and rainfall figures for Pattaya.

Pattaya information: climate chart

Getting Around

There are only two options to get around in Pattaya. You will find motorbike taxis everywhere in Pattaya. They are cheap and quick. It is possible to get two passengers on a single bike, but for apparent reasons (i.e. money), the riders prefer only one passenger. Once you get to Pattaya, you will realise that motorbike taxis are a risk to your safety.

The most popular form of taxi is the baht busses. These are small trucks with bench seats on either side of the tray back. They have a covered roof for some protection from the elements but often have open sides. Seating capacity is about ten, but you often see a further two or even four hanging on for grim death (slight over-statement) on the back. Baht busses are a very convenient way to get around. Within central Pattaya, Pattaya baht busthe fare is 10 Baht per person.

The baht busses have routes, but they are not fixed. The main route is the loop starting from the corner of Beach and South Pattaya Road, then north along Second Road to the round-a-bout at the junction of Second and Beach Roads. The route then continues along Beach Road back to the starting point. This route is shown in red on the map below. A slight variation to the route is to turn on Central Road to Beach Road and onto Soi 2. However, if there are passengers on board, these variations are rare.

There is also another route servicing Soi Buakhoa. However, a first-time visitor may not need to use this service. This is marked in green on the map below.

Pattaya baht bus map - click for larger image 

Dual Pricing

Dual pricing is something you will have to get used to. This occurs because farangs (foreigners) are seen as a way of increasing profits. This extends to both private businesses and government departments.  For instance, for entry into national parks, a farang must pay 400 Baht, while a Thai pays 40 Baht. The same occurs at most tourist attractions.

Dual pricing also occurs at bars or, more accurately, discos. Thais will pay about half the price you will pay. If you are entertaining a young lady, you will be expected to pay the farang price for her drinks. This system has advantages as it attracts ladies to these establishments for your pleasure.

Conservative Thais

Despite the prominent prostitution industry in Thailand, Thais generally are very conservative. Showing affection for a member of the opposite sex is frowned upon. Thailand is full of contradictions!

Something that is becoming more common in Pattaya is people walking around topless. Unfortunately, they tend to be males and should not be displaying evidence of their obvious excessive indulgences. You may find the climate in Pattaya hot and humid, but you best respect the local culture.

Stay Polite

In Thai culture, it is insulting to show anger. Thais will always try to smile their way out of problems. Likewise, they will lie if they believe it will make things easier for everyone.

You will come across situations that will anger you. Inefficiencies and general incompetence are common in Thailand. Try not to let it get to you, as it will make your stay more pleasant.

General Warnings

Pattaya is generally safe for a farang if certain rules are followed.

Until you get to know the place a little, you should avoid getting too drunk. Getting too drunk makes you an easy target for anyone looking for easy prey. Thais are pretty honest, but an easy target may be too much to ignore.

You may see conflicts between farangs and Thais and Thais on Thais. In no situation should you become involved. You can very quickly become the target of their anger with unpredictable results. Likewise, do not get into a physical exchange with a Thai, as every Thai in the area will take the side of the Thai despite who is right. Just do not get into any conflict with a Thai. Just smile and walk away.

Thailand is poorer than our countries. As such, you should limit your display of wealth. Don’t flash around cash or wear expensive jewellery. Doing so could make you a target.

Many people think that Thais are unscrupulous, and no doubt some are. However, you will find that some farangs in Pattaya are less than honest. Like anywhere else, be careful whom you are dealing with in Pattaya.

Not All Thais Are Dishonest

Many regular visitors think that all Thais are dishonest. The actual situation is that, in this regard, they are not much different from people at home. There are some unscrupulous people, but generally, most people are honest. However, honest people are more likely to take advantage of opportunistic theft. Be careful with your belongings, and you shouldn’t have any problems.

I will complete this section on a positive. I was sitting in a bar one night (I think it was in Soi 8), and I got a tap on the shoulder. I turned to find one of the bar girls with my wallet in her hand. It had dropped out of my back pocket. Two lessons from this are that at least some Thais are honest, and the second is don’t put your wallet in your back pocket.