Pattaya Thailand Essentials

Walking Street is probably the most famous or notorious  entertainment area in Pattaya.  It’s long time iconic sign to the entrance has been replaced by a new digital jumbo screen.  Most of the day it shows advertisements to the passing tourists.  At the opposite end of Walking Street near the Bali Hai Pier is the old traditional style signage.  Hopefully they’ll keep this around, I quite like the old looks.

After spending a few weeks in Pattaya Thailand recently I had a chance to witness the much talked about traffic signals that they have put up on Beach Road and Second Road.  I was elated when I first heard about them.  I had always been surprised that with the number of tourists they get every year, and the number of road fatalities, that something like this had never been put into place before.  It was always like a real life game of Frogger trying to cross the street.  Only in this game of Frogger, it is real people that get squished.  Three lanes of traffic coming straight at, and the idea of pedestrians having the right of way had never crossed the Thai’s minds.

I thought these traffic signals would be just the ticket, that was till I saw them in action.  If you have never been to Thailand before, you have to realize that there aren’t really any traffic laws, they are more of suggestions.  And these new traffic signals don’t seem to be adhered to any better.  On any number of occasions, I found that some of the traffic would stop, and some would just plow on through.  But I’ve got more than a few trips to Pattaya under my belt at this point, and I looked at the road crossing with extra caution.  However, for people that come from a country that expects traffic to stop at a traffic signal – they may not think to keep their eyes on the oncoming traffic to make sure they know to stop.  It can be very dangerous.

I think a large part of this is due to educating a people on something they are not familiar with.  This is Pattaya, not the US or UK.  Not everyone sits in front of the tv all day absorbing information (not that that is a good thing either).  The way the Thai’s have chosen to educate the Pattaya drivers was through signs above the road, and a roving truck blasting messages out in Thai over the load speaker.  It’s a tough marketing campaign, and if there are no penalties, like police handing out tickets, it is going to be tough to enforce.

While I was there they took another iniciative.  They placed traffic police at each crosswalk.  When the signal cam on them entered the road with flags and whistles instructing the drivers to stop.  On more than one occasion I saw some drivers even speed past the traffic police for a near miss.  Very dangerous.

So if you are visiting Pattaya, you are best advised to still be on your guard when crossing the street – even at a designated crosswalk with a traffic signal.  It is going to take a while to educate the driving public.  Even still, there is still danger with the drivers on the roads in Pattaya.

Found this funny tourism video for Pattaya while I was surfing away on the interwebs.  Gave me a bit of a chuckle.

I’ve been traveling to Thailand for the past 3 years.  It is something I can say I truly enjoy.  I’ve fallen in love with the country, the culture, and the people.  People back in the U.S. don’t quite understand it.  All they know is what they’ve seen on some tv show like dateline or 20/20.  There is much more to the country than that.  This November will be my 5th trip in four years.  I usually try and get there for two weeks every November, and one year I was lucky enough to squeeze in a second trip. Though it was to short and not that enjoyable – but that is a story for another time.

I really look forward to my trip every year, and this time it is no different.  But I’ve come under some financial strain the last couple months that make me wonder if I should cancel or proceed as planned.  I’ve had to buy a new car and do some home repairs that have put my debt levels at an uncomfortable position that I’m not sure I’ve really ever been at before.  But I’ve purchased my tickets and hotel rooms already, so the only outstanding item I need to worry about is cash for those two weeks.  I can manage, but it still leaves me with an uncomfortable feel with the trip only 6 weeks away.

It kind of sucks having to worry about money, and if you are doing the right thing when you are taking a vacation.  But to me, I work to live, I don’t live to work and my vacations are almost a sacred thing to me.  Those two weeks helps me recharge and refocus myself so that I can make it another year.  One day I hope to be free from the chains of working for someone else.  I’m working on a few projects now that I hope will benefit me in the future, but for now this is my reality.  So debt be dammed, I’m heading to Thailand.

I usually spread myself around on my two week adventures.  Some time in Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya.  This trip it is straight on to Pattaya.  I’ve booked in at a fabulous hotel on Soi Diana called the LK Renaissance.  It is a great hotel and well worth a look if you are going to be staying in Pattaya.  Their are cheaper places out there, but this is one of the nicer hotels I’ve stayed at which is so close to downtown.

I’ll be traveling alone, as I often do these days.  But to me that is a misnomer.  I get there by myself, but I meet plenty of great people, and hook up with some friends, so I am far from alone.  I actually enjoy  getting the chance to meet new people, and I can tell you this, Pattaya is full of interesting characters.

I can now only sit and wait for the next 6 weeks to fly by, and I know they will.  Time to take myself to the gym for a last minute tune up and clean up my eating and drinking habits.  That is long overdue anyway.  The cash maybe tight, but I’m looking forward to this trip more and more.

The worst is over and order has been restored to Bangkok. So is it safe to travel to Thailand again? The answer depends on a few factors. Truth be told, even with all the coverage on the international television about the protests and violence in Bangkok, if you were not in the main areas of the protest you were still safe, and wouldn’t have known what was going on if not for the TV. Areas like Pattaya, Phuket, and Ko Samui, were not effected by the turmoil of Bangkok at all, except for the curfew.

That being said, things could have taken a turn for the worse and gone to all out civil war had the conditions been different. It is always easy to look back and make a judgment call. I feel that our advice earlier to avoid Thailand for the time being was sound. Looking at the destruction and curfew that took over in most of the country, you got a glimpse of the nastiness that could have been much, much, worse.

For the time being it appears to be safe to travel to Thailand once again. The main storm has blown over. However, the underlying problems still remain. I won’t go into explaining the undercurrents of what is happening there, there are many opinions on that matter, and several posts could be written about it. But knowing that the problem in Thailand is still unresolved, it is best to keep updated on the situation there until your trip or vacation has come and gone. The Bangkok Post website is a good way to get up to date news. As well as the local news websites of your favorite destination of Pattaya or Phuket.

Now, bear in mind, just because the turmoil in the streets of Bangkok has been squashed, doesn’t mean that your government has yet to lift it’s travel advisories. Take a look at your State Departments website to see if their travel advisory is still on. Here are the links to the U.S. and U.K. travel advisories.

Why do you care about travel advisories? The most important reason is travel insurance. Most policies won’t make good on any claims where your government has issued a travel warning about going to Thailand. You need to have insurance when traveling abroad and certainly to Thailand. Accidents happen and you need to be covered. Make sure you check with your travel insurance company about whether you are going to be covered by your policy.

The streets are clear, the curfew is gone (well it’s almost gone and maybe by the weekend), and it is safe to travel to Thailand again. There is still rebuilding that needs to be done, not only the brick and mortar kind, but also the fabric of a country slowly being torn apart. Watch your government’s travel advisories, check your insurance policy, and watch the Thai news sites to keep updated. Things change, and they don’t usually make international headlines till they are on the verge of something nasty.

Overview
The Hard Rock Hotel in Pattaya is one of the prime places to stay on the beach.  Located between Soi 6 and 7 in North Pattaya, it is conveniently located a short baht bus or mototaxi ride from the heart of Pattaya Nightlife.  Although you could walk, the baht bus is cheap and convenient way to get around, and very easy to grab one in front of your hotel.

Located on Beach Road, you can walk across the street to the beach or just lounge around by the pool.  There are many amenities that you would expect to find at any Hard Rock, including the lounge, restaurant, and excellent swimming pool.

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Room Accommodations
There are a variety of rooms available at the hotel.  The Superior and Deluxe are the most reasonably priced.  You can get rooms with queen size beds, but there are also those with doubles, better specify when you book.

If you are looking at something a little nicer, then the Kings Club rooms are for you.  They come with either a city or ocean view.

Like most Hard Rock Hotels, the one in Pattaya is also decorated in the the rock and roll style.  With large paintings of famous musicians as art work in the room.

Amenities

• The Hard Rock Cafe is located on premises.  It has some good food, and live music in the evening.  A great place to grab some food before a night on the town.
• There are also two other restaurants on site.  The Starz Diner which serves a wide range of food, and the Starz Deli, which has New York Style Deli food.
• The eBar is located in the lobby and provides high speed internet for checking your emails.  They also have a suite of computer games available, but I’ve yet to meet anyone that has played them.
• There is a pool on site that is quite large and what you would expect from any Hard Rock Hotel.  A pool bar is available to quench your thirst while sunning yourself in the warm Thai sun.
• There is a well equipped gym for those that wish to get a little exercise while on vacation.  For those that would prefer to pamper themselves, there is a spa so that you can indulge.

Service
The Hotel is well cared for and provides daily housekeeping.  Laundry service is available for a small charge.

Room Rates
This hotel is a little more expensive than some, but you are paying for the name as well as the service and onsite amenities that a lot of other Pattaya Hotels don’t have.
You will find rates ranging from 3,200 – 5,200 THB Around Peak season or about $100 – $160 USD.

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Summary
Overall a good hotel, although a little on the pricier side for my tastes.  It is a good hotel in North Pattaya if you want to stay a bit farther away from the nightlife and craziness that happens closer to walking street.   Though the craziness of Soi 6 is only a block away.