What Not To Do In Pattaya
Pattaya, Thailand’s well-known red light district, is a popular tourist destination that attracts visitors year round. From bucket lists to first-time travelers, those who visit Pattaya often return again and again for the city’s cheap hotels, friendly locals and affordable nightlife.
So let me reveal a few things tourists should not do if they ever plan on visiting Pattaya and you value your money or your life. If you’re planning a trip there soon, take note of these points first to avoid making the same mistakes that others have made before you.
Do not commit to room prices without knowing the absolutely final price
Pattaya’s hotels often lure tourists in with low prices, but those rates are just an estimate of what you will pay. Without fail, at the end of your stay, they will add on additional fees and charges that increase your bill by a lot more than expected.
These additional costs can be as much as several hundred dollars, which are often related to ridiculous fines for things you never agreed to or knew about. If you see a hotel that has a low price, walk away from it before you commit to anything.
You might be able to negotiate a lower price if you tell them you are not interested in paying the fine that comes with their overpriced room rates.
Do not accept drinks from anyone, especially strangers
As mentioned before, many tourists are fined for things that they never agreed to or knew about. One of the most common fines is for accepting a free drink from someone at a bar or nightclub. This is because those drinks often come with sexual favors, and the management of those places really wants to make sure that you are not involved in that.
If you accept a drink from a stranger, you will be fined thousands of dollars to pay for the “services” that were provided with that drink.
This is a scam that happens often in Pattaya, so do not drink anything that anyone gives to you while out and about.
If someone offers you a drink, simply say no and walk away.
Do not rent a scooter or motorbike unless you know how to drive one
Many tourists rent scooters or motorbikes to get around the city, but many of them have never driven one before. This is dangerous for everyone involved, especially since traffic in Pattaya is terrible. You should at least have some experience with driving a scooter or motorbike before you rent one. If you have never driven one before, you should not rent one.
Tourists who do not know how to drive these vehicles often cause accidents, either to themselves or others. If you have no experience driving one of these scooters, do not rent one. You will likely cause yourself, and others, a lot of pain and trouble.
Do not believe anyone who claims to be an “English speaker” or a “tour guide”
Any person who approaches you in the streets and claims to be an “English speaker” or a “tour guide” is not who they say they are. Many of them are pickpockets or scammers who are trying to separate you from your money. If you want to hire a tour guide, go to a reputable company that provides that service.
Do not just go with the first person who claims to be an English speaker or a tour guide. You will likely end up paying for something that you do not want or need, or you will get ripped off.
Do not think that only women have to worry about being scammed or attacked in Pattaya
Tourists of both genders often fall victim to the scams that take place in Pattaya and some tourists are also attacked while in the city, so do not assume that only women have to worry; everyone should be careful.
Do not walk around alone at night, especially in the red light district, instead take taxis, tuk-tuks or hire a tour guide to walk around with you during the night.
Watch Out for Club Raids
Generally speaking, the police leave clubs alone. After all, it isn’t good business to constantly have the police entering the clubs, shutting down the locations and leaving it closed throughout the duration of the search. However, it is something to keep in mind. The biggest reason a club is raided is in a search for drugs.
Drugs, really of any kind, are illegal in Pattaya. While that may be the case in most other countries, the penalties for not only using drugs but for having drugs on you may be punishable by up to death. So don’t consider using drugs, don’t bring drugs in and avoid being around people who are using drugs.
You may be detained for simply being around those who are using drugs, and you probably don’t want to spend time in a Thai prison. So, if you see any kind of drug use, it is best to just leave and avoid this problem all together.
Massage Scams
As one of the “red light” districts, just about anything you want can be found here. While that might be great for some, it also means the police know you can find anything here too. Walking down the streets, having a girl tell you about a “Thail Massage” is common.
However, in Pattaya, it often implies more than that. If this is something you are considering make sure the price is firm. Some will try to bump the price up as you go. Some may even increase the price after it has started while others may fake a police raid during a massage (you are not doing anything illegal as massages are perfect fine in Thailand).
Others may force you into paying far more to be allowed to leave. This is something that can be difficult to avoid, so just keep it in mind that it is more likely to happen at a “massage” parlor in Pattaya than other locations in the country.
Getting a Taxi or Tuktuk
You can have an incredible time while visiting Pattaya, you just need to make sure and play it safe and smart while visiting. For starters, before going to any destination via a taxi or tuktuk, make sure they know where you want to go and give you a firm price and if they can’t, don’t take them.
Also, if they say the location is closed, it likely is not, they are just scamming you. When using a taxi, only use a taxi with a meter as this is something very important you need to keep in mind wherever you go in Thailand.
Conclusion
These are just a few things tourists should avoid doing if they ever want to visit Pattaya again. Tourists who do these things often end up getting scammed or robbed by those in the city. If you do not want that to happen to you, avoid doing these things before you visit Pattaya.