PATTAYA, Thailand – Numbers alone can’t tell the full story. While tourism arrivals in Pattaya remain strong on paper, long-term visitors and foreign tourists are quietly rethinking their stays as the Thai baht continues to strengthen. At 31.87 baht per dollar on Monday morning, the currency’s persistent climb is quietly reshaping the city’s once-affordable image.
Beachfront cafés, rental shops, and nightlife venues remain bustling, but for many, the cost of a simple night out—or even a day on Jomtien Beach—has crept higher than expected. Foreign visitors describe the city as “expensive for what it offers,” a sentiment rarely heard just a year ago. One couple, soaking up the sun while squinting against the midday glare, lamented that a few drinks and snacks now cost nearly double what it would back home.
The strong baht has hit Pattaya’s long-term residents particularly hard. Retirees who once relied on favorable exchange rates for their monthly expenses now find themselves recalculating budgets. The high cost of groceries, restaurant meals, and services—combined with a baht that continues to show little sign of easing—has fueled a quiet exodus of those who once considered the resort city an affordable paradise.
Local businesses are feeling the strain too. Many vendors on Soi Buakhao and Jomtien Beach have seen sales drop despite the continued flow of tourists, as higher prices and currency pressures discourage casual spending. Even attractions such as water parks and cultural tours have reported cautious booking patterns, as visitors hesitate to commit amid rising costs.
Economists warn that unless the baht stabilizes, Pattaya risks losing its appeal not just to budget travelers but also to long-term visitors whose spending sustains much of the local economy outside peak holiday periods. “It’s not the women or their smiles anymore—it’s the exchange rate that decides whether I stay or go,” said one long-term visitor, encapsulating a growing concern among the city’s foreign community.
The irony is striking: Thailand’s macroeconomic stability and strong currency—hailed as signs of resilience—are undermining the very tourism engines that support cities like Pattaya. For a destination built on affordability and accessibility, the baht’s strength is a silent but powerful deterrent. Unless measures are taken to ease the pressure on foreign spending, Pattaya risks being a city full of tourists—but none willing to spend freely.
