Pattaya
is nestled along a picturesque bay on the East Coast of the Gulf
of Thailand, roughly 170 kilometers southeast of Bangkok.
From a fishing village in the 1960's, Pattaya
has emerged as the favorite Southeast Asian vacation center. A fascinating
escape where tourists, holiday makers and vacationers from around
the world unfold an incomparable array of possibilities to unwind
during an exotic holiday beach vacation.
Unlike other beach resorts, where natural surroundings are used
as magnets to attract tourists, Pattaya
makes an all-out attempt to provide the best of everything. Here,
“everything” means everything a tourist can imagine while on holiday:
recreation, entertainment, sports, sightseeing and fun. To put it
simply, Pattaya
is a paradise for everyone, as it has a variety of attractions suitable
for all types of visitors. This is the place where you can fill
your day, from dusk to dawn, with endless activities, or you may
choose to do nothing at all and relax.
The Past
Pattaya's
name was originated from the march of Phraya Tak (later known as King
Taksin the Great) and his followers from Ayutthaya to Chanthaburi
just before the fall of the Ayutthaya Kingdom to the Burmese invaders
in 1767.
When Phraya Tak's army arrived in the vicinity of what is Pattaya
today, he encountered the troops of Nai Klom who tried to intercept
him. When the two leaders met face to face, Nai Klom was awed by Phraya
Tak's dignified manner and his army's strict discipline, thereby surrendering
without a fight. The place where the two armies confronted each other
was later called Thap Phraya, which means the Army of the Phraya.
This was later changed to Phatthaya, which happens to mean the wind
blowing from the southwest to the northeast at the beginning of the
rainy season. Today the spelling of the name has been simplified to
Pattaya.
For centuries, Pattaya
was a small fishing village almost cut off from the outside world.
But a big change occurred on 29 April 1961 when the first group of
about 100 American servicemen who would join the Vietnam War arrived
in Pattaya
for relaxation. Soon, sleepy Pattaya
became Thailand's premier and most successful beach resort, which
annually attracts hundreds of thousands of pleasure-seeking visitors.
A full range of accommodations from super deluxe hotels to bungalows
and mini-pocket guesthouses replaced fishermen’s huts along the beach.
Fishing vessels were adapted to become tourist boats and swimmers
and sunbathers from various parts of the world frequented the quiet
powdery golden beaches. Places of nighttime entertainment have also
sprung up and are popular among international tourists.
The Present
Pattaya
currently integrates the delights of a 1st class beach resort, city-like
dining, shopping and night entertainment facilities with more than
300 assorted hotels, thousands of shops, restaurants and bars. In
addition, there are an array of sports and recreational activities
including beaches, golf courses, tennis courts, go-kart, gyms for
working out, weight lifting and Thai-boxing gear. Pattaya
offers a broad range of things to do. During the day, one may enjoy
riding elephants or driving humble automatic mini-bikes, monstrous
motorcycles, or even monster multicolored convertible Jeeps. Others
go for shooting firearms, scuba diving and surfing, deep-sea fishing,
speed boats, scooters, water-skiing, parasailing, or aerial sports
such as gliding ultra-lights and flying motor-propelled gliders.
On the other hand, at night, there are restaurants, bars, theaters,
cabaret shows, night clubs, bowling halls, billiard & snooker
clubs, exotic erotic shows, discos, sauna & massage parlors,
not to cite its absolutely incredible shopping which is available
non-stop both day-and-night.
This exotic beach resort welcomes approximately 5 million visitors
a year. The friendly and hospitable Thai nature boosts its promotion,
frequently bringing back the repeat visitors and constantly increasing
the number of newcomers.
Pattaya
city is located on the eastern coast of the country at latitude
13? N and longitude 101? E in the area of Chon Buri province. It
is 147 kilometers from Bangkok
and lies parallel to Sukhumvit Road on its east and the coastline
on its west. Pattaya
occupies an area of 208.1 sq. km. that is divided into 53.44 sq.
kilometers of land and 154.66 sq. kilometers of islands and sea.
Its coastline is 15 kilometers long.
Pattaya
has a plain on the coast with some high mountains to the south.
The area on the east slopes down towards the sea on the west.
Administration
Pattaya
City has been administered under a special autonomous system since
1978. It has a status comparable to that of a municipality and is
administered separately by the mayor of Pattaya
City, who is responsible for making policies, organizing public
services, and supervising all employees of Pattaya
City Administration.
