Familiar places and specific well know area's in Pattaya.
Some of these places you no doubt know if you have been to this fantastic city. There may be some questions for you about what and where, but for those of you who have been here longer and/or live here and/or still live here they will be familiar images.
This place has undergone a true metamorphosis in the last few decades, in every way. To name a few examples such as the buildings, many have been demolished, half demolished, are empty, half built, well built but empty and so I can still go on. This is about the buildings but the whole infra structure I have seen change since I came here 35 years ago.
Soi 8 Thai female kebab seller in Pattaya.
I have to start somewhere and this was a very familiar place to me in the 1990s. The famous female kebab vendor who stood in Soi 8 at night. For years I bought from this nice Thai woman delicious shoarma sandwiches, rolled in silver paper and a napkin wrapped around it. Sometimes I would arrive late and not like the fact that she sold out so early, a top stall.
For example, the roads, experienced that the directions changed. Soi Bua Khao started as a dirt road with many potholes and you could only go one way, from south to north. Back to South you had to go via the Pattaya 2nd Rd. This road, which was already paved, changed several times, then one direction to south, then one direction to north, then again a two-lane road as is normal. The same goes for Beach Road, most of us know that this road along the beach is one way traffic from the North to Walking Street in the South.
Anyway, at some point, probably also for the fixed routes that the 'Songthaews' drive, in other words the Blue cabs it is easier that there is a fixed pattern.
A kind of gravel like ground of Soi Bua Khao and that riding on your moped you could see the Pattaya 2nd Rd and in some places even the sea, that was also true for the other side where you could just see the Third Road, it was just a little road which was between these two big roads. A road with nothing at all, no hotels, no buildings the only building you could see from the South if you drove to the North was the Leng Kee building, where already then the little restaurant was and with old Thai apartments above it.
Thai construction workers in a truck.
A normal sight, whether to demolish or build, you've seen it for years, trucks full of dozens of contruction workers. To and from the company locations where work needs to be done, a normal sight for years.
At that time there were quite a lot of tourists but no people from India or Russians, you did have indies but those were the owners of the Tailor shops where you could buy a cheap tailored suit or have a nice silk blouse made to measure. From the late 80's until about 2003/2004 it gradually got busier and busier, then slowly decayed into everything.
Big Al's Mexican food seller Soi 3 in North Pattaya.
And who doesn't know 'Big Al' the Mexican taco vendor who was always at Soi 3, when I ended up at the Atlantic bar and hopped from bar to bar it was always to get a nice spicy taco at 'Big Al', delicious those spicy Mexican tacos, a top time and nice places and good food there in the burt of Soi 3.
The nineties were the busiest, you could walk over the people in Walking Street, the famous streets 2 and 3 in North Pattaya, Naklua was always packed, streets 7 and 8 always full and driving a moped was impossible. Now everything is gone, all demolished for hotels, too bad, too bad.
Many nice places are destroyed by the bulldozers, many places where I now drive by and think to myself: "There I sat at a nice beer, what a time I have experienced there" But yes, times change, places change and of course so do the people.
Well know, now destroyed toilet in the 90's, Soi 3 in North Pattaya.
A familiar toilet, especially for those who visited the old location, upstairs the Atlantic bar and Cherry, downstairs some other nice bars and 'Big Al' and then around the corner into the little Soi to pee for 3 Baht, what times these were.
Demolishing complex on Soi 2, North Pattaya.
Demolishing and destroying a place where I often came with pleasure, that hurt and still hurts. Next to the building where you can get relaxation massages, Soi 2 in North Pattaya. Also the little street where Lek had her business, the well known Honey Pot, the Classroom and later Lek's Classroom. I had a lot of fun in this street, at the bars and in the businesses, I think back of it with nostalgia.
Another era ends, Soi 7 & 8.
Goodbye Soi 7, bought by the 'Flipper Group' to make more hotels, another nostalgic street gone.
They were the most famous and fun bar streets.
Soi 7 and Soi 8 were, in my opinion, the most fun streets in the 1990s and at the beginning of this century. At that time it was very busy, cozy and full of beautiful Thai ladies, both on the streets and behind the bars. But unfortunately, it is no longer there, with a lot of melancholy and very good memories I look back on the time that I had fun there until early in the morning, fortunately we had no closing times then, what a nice time that was.
How it looks when the well know U Too bar shut down.
This is very sad to see, one of my favorite places to waste my time. A cozy place with dancing girls and lots of hospitality from the three owners; Dean, Rob and Kevin. Unfortunately everything had to be demolished and the landlord did not extend the lease contract in early 2011, the well run business had to be closed. It is with great nostalgia that I often think back to the great evenings I had there. U Too was really a very special place where there was no second one in Pattaya.
Building up the demolished area between Soi 4 and Soi 5 on the Pattaya Sai Song.
This was October 2011, the site of one of the nicest entertainment complexes; the U Too bar at the Pattaya second road. Everything was demolished a few months earlier and then this was built in its place, a real shame, it was a very nice place to entertain yourself. When it was demolished, I never visited this place again, only drove by it when I was heading north.
And it was really busy every evening and night,
It was customary to leave early to eat or sit at a bar, everything was just occupied, so many people were there then. Every bar had it right and no complaints about patronage. That also applies to the street traders, who were everywhere, whether it was the well-known rose or Thai souvenirs, sweets or chewing gum, copy watch sellers, sunglasses, you were offered all kinds of things, they walked by the dozen and they just stood one after the other waiting their turn until they could offer their wares to you.
These street vendors are loved bij the Thai ladies.
They sell animals toys, they walk through all the nightlife streets looking sharp, especially if they see a foreigner with a Thai girl, these vendors know they will almost certainly sell a bear, monkey, a Tweety or something else they can show off. Almost all Thai girls want them, as much as they can get.
What I also didn't like at all were the elephants that passed the bars with their attendants who kept poking the poor animals by the ears with a kind of pickaxe. I hated it but that was also because I was sitting at a bar on Third Road in 1995 and an elephant got angry and ran into the next door restaurant, cut through a wall and injured several people, one of whom later died. I've never sprinted so hard to the adjacent building where I went to the second floor.
Just deal with animals, value them and let them live, and the same goes for the drugged tigers waiting for you to sit next to them for a photo. These situations are not for me, I love animals too much and luckily you haven't seen this in the streets of Pattaya for years. Those terrible animal acts.
Vendors and beggars are still there, but watch out and don't be tempted quickly, they all work together, it's a large group of criminals in my eyes, and the young children are the victims of that. It was no different on the beach, I easily found the cigarette seller, three packs of Marlboro for 100 Baht at the time. And what I really liked was the Thai boy who walked by with a special box with donuts and banana bread, not to mention the fruit and 'Kai Tom' the eggs saleswomen. All the others with their souvenir junk, don't look at, don't react, don't talk, pretend you're stupid and they will walk on by themselves.
Some of the many Pattaya and Jomtien Beach vendors.
I have seen it change, that it was simply forbidden, that for example the beach masseuses on the beach had to wear name plates and that nothing could be sold on the beach anymore. And you saw it coming, when there was another razia from the police and that the souvenir sellers just ran into the sea out of desperation. I laughed so much, it's actually too sad for words, but the police absolutely did not go into the water, so the persistent wins, but it was always hilarious to see.
I digress a bit from the actual topic, but that doesn't really matter. I try to show you some of the places and things I encountered in this beautiful city. You will probably recognize something from your own insight and experiences from what you have seen here.
Hanging red car at the left side, entrance Walking Street.
A familiar face, an apparition you could not overlook as you walked down the 'Walking Street'. On the left side on the wall, at the beginning of this entertainment street, this beautiful red car hanging there, what a beautiful sight that was.
Beautiful vans as selling cars.
I didn't sit there often but it's a good and excellent idea, transforming those beautiful vans in such a way that you can turn them into a cocktail bar, for example, or sell other kinds of drinks with some tables in front of the van, i mean a small terace to sit down and relax. It really gives a cozy atmosphere to the street situation. I saw them very often at one point and in almost every place there was room for them in Pattaya.
Pattaya Beer Garden.
This nice place located just before Walkingstreet on the right and is a simple restaurant with a bar with plenty of freelancers. Especially in the early evening, a cozy place to sit on the outdoor terrace overlooking the sea, where there is always a gentle breeze to cool you off in the tropical temperatures.
Many "Newly in love couples" can be found here, enjoying the sunset over a meal or a cool drink. A nice hassle free place to make new friends. It was a place with no bar girls, no lady drinks, no bar fines and no ladyboys.
Oriental Star Seafood Market Restaurant.
The floating restaurant in the sea off South Pattaya beach. An adventure for a romantic dinner cruise in the middle of the sea.
Round pool table Soi Leng Kee.
You really had to know this place, unfortunately I don't remember the name. It was in Soi Leng Kee about twenty years ago. You could find it if you drove from Soi Bua Khao towards the Pattaya 3rd road. There was a nice place there with a round billiard table. This business was about in the middle of the street and on the left. It was also a cozy place to play pool which was certainly not easy.
Three different fun places.
These were/are three different places where you can have a good time in the afternoon, but also in the evening. The 'Bliss Lounge' on the Pattaya Third road, just off Soi Bongkot, the 'Easy R-Con Bar', on a nice bend on Soi Bua Khao and a great place to watch everything go by. And a place that most will know, 'My Friend You Bar' in Soi Yodsak, also known as Soi 6.
Walking Street Pattaya 1992.
Over the 35 years that I have been visiting Pattaya and have also lived there for a very long time, the changes from the late 1980s to early 2022 can really be seen. What a lot has changed in this beautiful nostalgic place that has a distinct title in my mind. This was the famous Walking Street thirty years ago in 1992.
Some well known areas and places in Pattaya.
Walking Street: a famous nightlife area known for its bars, clubs, and go-go clubs.
Pattaya Beach: a popular spot for sunbathing and swimming.
Jomtien Beach: a quieter alternative to Pattaya Beach, known for its water sports and seafood restaurants.
Buddha Hill: a viewpoint offering panoramic views of the city.
Pattaya Park: an amusement park with a tower offering views of the city, a water park, and a variety of rides and attractions.
Floating Market: a traditional Thai market where vendors sell goods from boats.
Sanctuary of Truth: a wooden temple featuring intricate carvings and sculptures.
Pattaya Memorial Hospital: a well-known hospital in Pattaya.
City Hall: the local government office.
The Redemptorist School for Boys: A Catholic school.
Night Bazaar: a bustling market selling everything from clothing to souvenirs.
Art in Paradise: a 3D art museum where visitors can take photos with the art exhibits.
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden: a large botanical garden featuring a variety of plants and flowers, as well as cultural shows and elephant performances.
These are some of the popular places in Pattaya, but there are many more areas and attractions to explore in this city.