Pattaya Reports

[QUOTE=LightMan1988;2779725]Folks returning to Pattaya after 3 years. Some questions.

1) Is Rasputin still open?[/QUOTE]Out getting some exercise this morning.

[QUOTE=ExpatAmerican;2794243]Street taxis are available but forget about the meter. Minimum 200 B to go anywhere within city limits.[/QUOTE]Meanwhile, meter from Bangkok airport 1099.

[QUOTE=ExpatAmerican;2794243]Street taxis are available but forget about the meter. Minimum 200 B to go anywhere within city limits.[/QUOTE]Opps. Forgot the pic.

[QUOTE=ExpatAmerican;2794243] Street taxis are available but forget about the meter. Minimum 200 B to go anywhere within city limits.[/QUOTE]To this day I have yet to ever get a Pattaya taxi to turn on a meter.

[QUOTE=Explorer8939;2794182]Bolt taxi is barely functional in Pattaya now. Sometimes you have to wait 30 minutes to get a ride.

There simply aren't enough drivers to handle the current load. Too many customers.[/QUOTE]Hmmmm. About a week ago I used Bolt in North Pattaya and it was quick, easy, and cheap. This was about 4 km north of Soi 6. My first ride was at about 18:00 and my second ride was at about 22:00. No problem either time. Thailand is totally different when you get away from the red light areas, which apparently applies to transportation.

The prior night was before I had the Bolt App. I used taxi to get to and from the red light district. I had no complaints with taxi, but it was a little more expensive, I think I paid 150 baht for each 4 km taxi ride.

I haven't tried out this app in Pattaya but I know it works. Fares are not fixed by the app. Instead the app gives you a ballpark figure which you may accept or modiy (a kind of auction). Waiting times are bound to be the same as in Bolt though. Still, worth a try.

[QUOTE=Expat American;2794243]Not just that. In the evening it takes 45 min to go 2 km so unless the Bolt happens to be around the corner, it takes far too long to get there. Street taxis are available but forget about the meter. Minimum 200 B to go anywhere within city limits.[/QUOTE]

I rode with Bolt today morning from Jomtien Beach to Big C Pattaya Klang, then back one hour later. One-way fares were between 70 and 80 Baht. I guess the high rates and high waiting times have more to to with the traffic jams on Beach Rd, 2nd Rd and Soi Bukhao than with anything else. If drivers can circumvent those, fares go back to normal. Also, I wouldn't put it past Taxis to intimidate Bolt drivers in central Pattaya. A Bolt driver may not consider picking you up, say on 2nd Road outside Soi 6, because Bolt drivers know Taxis are parked in ambush there. If you can't secure a ride on Bolt or if your rides gets cancelled at short notice, look around for green and yellow thugs, they may be the reason for what is happening.

My buddy said there are a lot of Russians on Beach Road. He got one yesterday for 1000 baht. He thought it would be trouble, but turned out to be a good experience.

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2794308]My buddy said there are a lot of Russians on Beach Road. He got one yesterday for 1000 baht. He thought it would be trouble, but turned out to be a good experience.[/QUOTE]Anyone else seeing Russians streetwalking or freelancing in Pattaya?

I have been looking for such in Phuket, so far without any real visible signs of it.

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2794308]My buddy said there are a lot of Russians on Beach Road. He got one yesterday for 1000 baht. He thought it would be trouble, but turned out to be a good experience.[/QUOTE]In the past, "Russian" ladies working Beach road are usually from central Asia. To me, most looked more Turkish than Russian, and they spoke Russian with a strange accent.

Strangely, I did a central Asian lady in Moscow (from Uzbekistan), and she looked Thai, not Turkish, and certainly not Russian.

So, you think your Pattaya bargirls really loves you?

One bargirl posts photos of me on her Facebook every day. You would think that maybe she likes me.

But no, she has a Farang boyfriend who pays her 20,000 baht and gives her gold. So, maybe she likes him.

But no, she has a Thai husband who she supports. So, maybe she really loves him.

I'm not sure. Maybe she loves one of her customers at the bar this week.

The point is not to get emotionally involved with a bar girl. They are great at acting like they are in love. And removing your money.

Yes, during my last trip and while coming back to my room at around 2.30 am saw few CIS chicks who were not picked up in Tony bar as I was there for a pretty long time on my last night. They recognized me and I too recalled seeing them. Not pretty, fat and old. They started calling me Janu Janu, take us; short time long time. I said no as had an early morning flight back to my country. Not pretty chicks but yes I did see them too.

Regards.

[QUOTE=ThaiGoodTimes;2794367]Anyone else seeing Russians streetwalking or freelancing in Pattaya?

I have been looking for such in Phuket, so far without any real visible signs of it.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=XXL;2794303]I haven't tried out this app in Pattaya but I know it works. Fares are not fixed by the app. Instead the app gives you a ballpark figure which you may accept or modiy (a kind of auction). Waiting times are bound to be the same as in Bolt though. Still, worth a try.



I rode with Bolt today morning from Jomtien Beach to Big C Pattaya Klang, then back one hour later. One-way fares were between 70 and 80 Baht. I guess the high rates and high waiting times have more to to with the traffic jams on Beach Rd, 2nd Rd and Soi Bukhao than with anything else. If drivers can circumvent those, fares go back to normal. Also, I wouldn't put it past Taxis to intimidate Bolt drivers in central Pattaya. A Bolt driver may not consider picking you up, say on 2nd Road outside Soi 6, because Bolt drivers know Taxis are parked in ambush there. If you can't secure a ride on Bolt or if your rides gets cancelled at short notice, look around for green and yellow thugs, they may be the reason for what is happening.[/QUOTE]About a month ago the taxi association LOL, guess put so much pressure on the boys in brown Soi 9, there was a crackdown on the Bolt operation there was a major crackdown around Central Plaza that netted a lot of Bolt drivers not having licenses to operate or the vehicle under that license was not the correct vehicle or the insurance was not for commercial purposes but for personal use only thus if the vehicle is in an accident and found to be operating no coverage. To operate under that license. A regular Bolt driver who hangs around my son comes over to the house once a week to play the music they have this one-man band system they seem to get off on for hours. He works on call on the Darkside or to the airport but doesn't venture into town if stopped it is a 2000 baht fine even confiscation of a vehicle same with motorbikes. It seems now along with more people there are fewer drivers servicing into town.

Will be a circus. Sound checks from bands were already on at 5 pm.

All food stalls open. 5 b sushi. 159 b 3 slice person pan pizza. With pineapple California style.

Saw a few Agogo girls including Fahrenheit at 5 pm. A pin up girl there with a cute puppy in a fancy bag cage quoted 3000 b to my room.

Beach road and second road will be a parking lot with the local crowd and usual weekend Bangkok crowd added in. Don't bother getting a taxi or baht bus. You can walk or swim a lot faster.

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2794308]My buddy said there are a lot of Russians on Beach Road. He got one yesterday for 1000 baht. He thought it would be trouble, but turned out to be a good experience.[/QUOTE]Unless this is just a special case of a russian girl having a fling with someone she likes, times indeed are a changing if russians available at same rate as locals. So many russians here now due to the war that not all wealthy, and those who not have to make ends meet somehow. Personally not into russsians at all so won't try even if cheap.

[QUOTE=Knobrm;2794589]Unless this is just a special case of a russian girl having a fling with someone she likes, times indeed are a changing if russians available at same rate as locals. So many russians here now due to the war that not all wealthy, and those who not have to make ends meet somehow. Personally not into russsians at all so won't try even if cheap.[/QUOTE]In Pattaya I have gotten decent looking Russian girls for below 1000 b. I have seen their passport at check in.

And they do okay job.

But something about their demeanor leaves a slightly bad aftertaste.