A beach vendor watches quietly as a lone foreigner sips from a coconut — one sale made, but the worry in her eyes says it’s not enough. PATTAYA, Thailand – The sun still scorches. The roads are slick with monsoon drizzle. But what’s biting hardest in Pattaya this week isn’t the weather — it’s the strengthening Thai baht, which many say is putting fresh pressure on local businesses and driving tourists to think twice before spending. Thursday morning, the baht opened at 32.59 to the dollar, stronger than the previous day’s close of 32.70. Market analysts expect it to fluctuate between 32.40 and 32.70 throughout the day. The recent appreciation comes after a series of disappointing U.S. economic reports — including weaker-than-expected private sector job growth and a contraction in the U.S. services PMI, which dropped to 49.9, below the 50-point threshold that signals expansion. The weakening of the U.S. dollar, coupled with falling 10-year U.S. bond yields and rising global uncertainty, has further boosted gold prices — which in turn supports the baht’s strength. Investors are also adjusting expectations for the U.S. Federal Reserve to potentially cut interest rates three times this year, up from earlier forecasts of just two cuts. Back in Pattaya, though, the economic theory translates into daily hardship. “Everything is more expensive now for foreigners,” said one bar owner on Soi Buakhao. “My regulars are complaining about the baht — they used to tip more, stay longer. Now they drink slower and leave earlier.” Beach vendors echo the sentiment. Santi, who sells 80 baht fruit shakes near Pattaya Beach, said, “Farang say it’s too expensive now. They don’t buy like before. Before, five or six a day. Now? Two.” Even longtime beach operators are feeling the squeeze. “I sit here all day with ten empty chairs,” said an older woman renting out sunbeds along the beach. “They ask the price, then walk away. No one wants to pay 100 baht anymore. And I sell maybe one or two coconuts — some days, none.” Wet season weather hasn’t helped, with fewer people lingering outdoors. “It’s hot and wet at the same time — and quiet,” one motorbike taxi driver said. “We wait long time for customers. Then, when they come, they say price too high.” The recent currency shift also comes amid ongoing concerns about rising costs in Pattaya overall — including everything from food and drink to hotel rates and entertainment. Many European visitors who once stayed for months are now cutting their trips short or considering cheaper destinations like Vietnam or Cambodia. “Pattaya isn’t cheap anymore,” one long-term tourist said. “It’s Thailand’s exchange rate that decides if I stay — not the women, not the beach, not the nightlife.” Even within the local expat community, there’s a growing divide between those who have adjusted and those who are rethinking their future here. “I love Thailand, but when the euro gets weaker and the baht keeps getting stronger, it just doesn’t add up,” said a retiree from Germany. “I might go back to Europe this year instead of renewing my visa.” As the baht climbs and the tourists tighten their wallets, Pattaya is learning a hard truth: even paradise can price itself out of reach.