PATTAYA, Thailand – As another low season rolls into Pattaya, long-time visitors and locals alike are raising familiar concerns — dwindling value, high prices, and the steady erosion of what once made this beachside city Southeast Asia’s most accessible escape. If ever there were a time for the city to rethink its approach, it’s now.
Pattaya should be the place to visit in the off-season. The weather softens, crowds thin, and the city has a chance to show a more relaxed, authentic side. But instead of offering incentives, slashing prices, and attracting budget-conscious travelers from around the world, many businesses appear to be doing the opposite.
“It’s the only country I’ve ever been to where in low season they put the prices up,” said one frequent visitor. “That’s Thai greed for you.”
This sentiment isn’t new — and it’s becoming louder. In countries like Vietnam or the Philippines, a $25 hotel room and a $5 hot plate of food is still the norm, particularly in cities like Da Nang or Cebu. But Pattaya? A beachfront room now easily hits double that, and basic restaurant fare is creeping into the 200–300 baht range. Visitors can’t help but compare: if Vietnam can deliver clean, safe accommodation and delicious meals for a fraction of the price, why can’t Thailand?
“Maybe get back to $25 hotel rooms and $5 meals — like we used to,” another visitor suggested. “Instead, we’re checking in every 30 or 60 days and paying more for less.”
Frequent immigration check-ins, rising service charges, and the ever-strengthening Thai baht (now hovering at 42–43 baht to the pound, down from 75 just a few years ago) are further souring the deal for long-stay travelers. Many feel Thailand is making it harder, not easier, to spend money here.
Some even argue Pattaya today feels “more like Mumbai than Pattaya,” referencing not just the crowds but the shift in the city’s cultural and commercial tone. Right or wrong, there’s a clear perception that certain tourist demographics — particularly large groups from India and Russia — have changed the city’s atmosphere.
“It’s those two nationalities that have driven tourists away,” one comment bluntly claimed. “Don’t be scared to call them out.”
Another added, “It will clear out this year’s deadwood until, sadly, next year’s deadwood takes over.”
Yet Pattaya still survives — and will continue to. It’s been reinventing itself for decades. Some claim it never had a set of standards to begin with — “Where the money comes from doesn’t matter,” said a veteran expat. “It will evolve again over the next 10 years.”
If Pattaya wants to thrive — not just survive — in the years ahead, it needs to win back the long-term visitors and tourists who used to call this city a bargain paradise. That starts with smarter pricing, visa flexibility, and a genuine commitment to value. Want to attract families? Then make it affordable, make it clean, and make it welcoming beyond Tree Town and Walking Street.
Because right now, many are looking elsewhere. Some are heading to quieter places like Ko Chang and Ko Samui. Others are skipping Thailand entirely.
And until the exchange rate improves and common sense returns to pricing strategies, they may not be coming back.
