Stickman Readers' Submissions March 22nd, 2011

Angeles City – Taking Over From Pattaya?

I have been to Angeles City more than I have been to Pattaya, and all my visits to Angeles have been after my last visit to Pattaya. I never found the need to go back to Pattaya after having been to Angeles. My first trip to Angeles was in 2004 and since
then the town has changed a lot, really quite a lot. It was great in 2004 and I enjoyed it immensely. It was great in 2010 and I loved the experience that year also. Yes, the beer, ladies, drinks, hotel room rates, bar fines, food, transport….
all of it has gone up (and the US dollar has gone down!!), but the fun factor remains the same. The attitudes of some of the girls have deteriorated over the years. The ones that know they are in demand for their youth, good looks and nice bodies,
but the general attitude of the average girls is the same…. very pleasant. And they all speak English!!

On the price / costing front, I have been keeping a record of how much it cost me each year (from 2004 to 2010) to visit Angeles. It cost me US$ 93 per day (not including airfare) in 2004 when the $ was 55 pesos. In 2010 it cost me US$ 175
per day (not including airfare) and the $ was 44 pesos. I think it was a fabulous deal in 2004, low prices combined with a strong dollar. US$ 175 per day is not cheap, so it does not make it economical to make a trip to SE Asia for a period less
than 2 weeks due to the airfare, which has also gone up, although slower than other costs. One thing looks certain, prices in Angeles will go up and the US dollar will get weaker.

He Clinic Bangkok

The Pattaya I remember is prior to 2003. The beer bars were great, good pricing for Singha and ladies drink. The women had a great attitude. I avoid the good lookers and popular ones, therefore no comments on that category. The less than
5 times I went out with the good looking ones was a below average experience. I thought it is best to avoid them, whether in Angeles or Pattaya or anywhere else. I also had a problem getting into one of the bars in Pattaya. They said it was for
‘Members Only’. I presume they wanted only those who they perceived would spend a large amount in there. The guys outside asked me for my passport!! I guess they wanted only men from certain countries. I could have been one from
one of those countries, but maybe I didn’t look like one. Why waste time and argue when there are so many other options available? I just moved on.

What has changed in Angeles over the years other than the prices? I think it has become more sex tourist friendly. There are a lot more food options, different types of restaurants and cuisines. I even saw an Indian restaurant, perhaps as
a response to the ever prospering Indians who are traveling the world more than ever. There are more hotels, varying in room rates. The bar fines also vary a great deal, from 1000 pesos going upwards. There is something for everybody’s
budget.

While Pattaya seems to be trying to attract families and shed itself of the reputation of being a sex tourist destination, Angeles seems to be getting more sex tourist friendly. A certain part of Fields Avenue (the strip having a lot of adult
oriented clubs) is cordoned off during the evening and night and no vehicular traffic is allowed. There have been raids in the bars because of reports of underage girls inside, but the tourists have been left unharmed. I was in Angeles when one
of those raids occurred last year. The police simply asked the patrons to leave the club, nothing else.

CBD bangkok

A lot of new clubs have taken the place of old ones. They have been renovated, modern music systems and lighting installed, have improved seating arrangements and great climate control. Clubs like Atlantis, Dollhouse and Crystal Palace not
only have the girls, but also choreographed dances by some of the girls. While far from professional quality, they are great fun to watch. Usually one or two girls in each of those routines are really good at dancing. A visit to those and similar
clubs is always a must on my itinerary.

Over the years I have seen a big increase in the number of tourists from Korea. I also see the number of Indians on the rise. As the Asian economies improve, the Chinese will not be far behind. Real estate development projects, lots, condos,
hotels, shopping malls, all are on the rise in and around Angeles. Every time I go to the mall (I think it is called SM Clark) I am stopped at the kiosk operated by a local realtor handing me fliers to invest in or buy property. When I first visited
in 2004, it was a dirty, dusty city with roads in bad condition. A lot has changed since then. The famous Santos Street (known as Blow Row) was a narrow, badly maintained lane. Now it is a rebuilt concrete road with hotels and condos on either
side.

Unless there is a dramatic rise in prices or a radical change in government policies aimed at crushing sex tourism in Angeles, I bet that Angeles will surpass Pattaya in about 5 years as the favored destination for sex tourists. Within minutes
of Fields Avenue, there is a special economic zone for industry where many international companies have set up shop. The business visitor too has a convenient place to relax in the evenings and enjoy the company of women. Who wouldn’t look
forward to that? Business with pleasure!



Stickman's
thoughts:

I have never been to Angeles so I cannot comment with any authority, but what I hear is that the girls are sweeter and you're more like to get the girlfriend experience there. It's also said to be cheaper, as far as girls and drinks go. But from what I have heard, in pretty much every other respect, Pattaya is trumps.

The one thing you touch on which is going to make things interesting is the economic development of countries like China, India and those in Eastern Europe. I expect that the number of horny men visiting the likes of Pattaya and Angeles to soar in years to come which will change the vibe and the atmosphere of the bar areas very much.

Eventually – and it's hard to see when this will be, but we're probably talking around 10 years from now – the demand from foreign men for cheap sex will exceed the supply. Basic economics tells us what will happen to the prices when that time comes! At that point, the industry as we know it will change forever. Some will dismiss this, but of course this is exactly what's going to happen. The "product" is so good, that men the world over are going to want to experience it. That's why you should enjoy it now WHILE YOU CAN!

nana plaza