Pattaya Info CD

History of Pattaya

Welcome to Pattaya

Pattaya Beach is located on the Gulf of Thailand 150 kilometers southeast of the kingdom’s capital city Bangkok. The beach resort is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world today and each year over four million visitors enjoy the uniqueness of the Resort City. In the travel industry Pattaya is notorious for having the four “S’s” of sun, sand, sea, and sex with the last “S” being the most controversial. Some have embraced this reputation while others are embarrassed but whatever your feelings it’s Pattaya Beach today. This information CD will not dwell on this side of Pattaya because we feel Pattaya has a lot more to offer but it is there and if it’s your first time in Pattaya you’re in for a visit you’ll never forget.

Pattaya Beach was once a small fishing village on the Gulf of Thailand until the Vietnam War. With the war came thousands of American GIs looking for a place to get away from the death and destruction that wars bring and so Pattaya Beach became an official R&R center for the U.S. military forces in Vietnam. The GIs were flown into U-Tapao airport, which was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their use at the time. Shortly there after hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues grew quickly to meet the demand of this large influx of free spenders and their money.

By the late seventies Pattaya Beach was already a thriving resort community just in time to meet the unforeseen boom of tourism in the mid seventies with the first groups of European tourists that has escalated ever since. In the mid eighties the wealth of the Middle East oil fields brought a new wave of Arab tourists to the resort. The tide of tourists seamed to turn again in the early nineties when the Japanese discovered business in Bangkok and golf in Pattaya Beach. By the mid nineties another tide of tourists washed ashore from Russians and other eastern European countries that were all part of the communist block that didn’t permit their citizens to travel. Now the tide is turning again with an appearance of tourists from China and other Asian countries like Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. This should provide be a thriving tourist industry well into the twenty-first century unless the recent effects of terrorism cause disruptions.

Pattaya Beach is a palm-fringed sandy bay with a pleasant view of tropical islands on the horizon. Along the coast nearby are cliffs and other beaches like Jomtien to the south and Noclua to the north. In all there are nearly fifteen-kilometer of beaches while inland, the area is rich in agricultural products including sugar cane, pineapple, tapioca, fruits, and fast growing trees and bamboo.

Pattaya Resort to Industrial Center

Recently the status of Pattaya has been changing from a tourist resort to a business center as the area grows with the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Region operations of four light industrial estates, with a seaport, and modern loading and transport facilities. Five international schools have opened nearby and there are now four major international hospitals in Pattaya alone. There are three shopping centers while several large supermarkets have branches in Pattaya and a number of international department store chains have opened shopping malls in the area. Even the Pattaya Orphanage has been asked to stop raising pigs since Pattaya is no longer considered a rural district.

The Royal Thai Developmental Program for the Eastern Seaboard has transformed the region into a modern transport and heavy to light industrial manufacturing center making this area the fastest growing of all the developmental zones in Thailand. This rapid industrial expansion has lead to many expatriates coming to the area so there has been a resent building boom and many multi-national companies have made large-scale investments in the region.

Twenty kilometers north of Pattaya is the deep-sea port at Laem Chabang with its six modern cranes and cargo transport systems designed to handle the largest container ships in service today. With even more expatriate workers moving into another major industrial complex under construction at Map Ta Phut near Rayong thirty kilometers to the south Pattaya is well situated to be a major business center serving these two giant industrial complexes. Around Chonburi just north of Pattaya are a number of private industrial estates for light industry that are also coming into operation or expanding. The Royal Thai Navy is also extending this development with its largest and most modern seaport just fifteen kilometers south of Pattaya Beach at Sattahip. This region has become of major importance in the development of Thailand as a Newly Industrialized Country and will help to lead the Kingdom into what looks to be a bright economic future.

Finally for Pattaya Beach tourism still plays a leading and significant role in the life and economy of the resort. The largest Resort City in all of Asia Pattaya Beach provides the highest standard of hotel accommodations while restaurants in the city feature a delicious variety of foods from every corner of the world.

The resort is also being noticed and becoming more popular for its water sport and the facilities these sports demand. Currently Pattaya is one of Thailand's most popular diving centers with fascinating diving sites that offer various coral species and a wide variety of tropical fish to see. The area is also a paradise for golfers that currently offers twenty-eight internationally PGA rated golf courses within an hour’s drive of Pattaya Beach.

Pattaya Beach a Cleaner City

The continued increases in tourism and rapid industrial growth have brought their problems just like any major resort city in the world today. The boom in construction has overtaxed the infrastructure causing roads, sewerage, and even water supplies to be sometimes inadequate. The sea and beaches were polluted and litter in the streets is still a constant eyesore. Early on the city management this is aware of this problem and a campaign has been under way for the past five years too clean-up the city and the environment. City Hall along with local service organizations has backed this emphasis on the environment so the effect is starting to take shape and be seen. New roads are under construction while water purification plants are put into operation and sewerage is being installed along the roads in the city while many streets are being widened or improved.

People are now being encouraged to dispose of litter sensibly and recycling is just now starting to take root. More litter baskets are appearing along the streets and disposal units are now operating along the beaches on regularly scheduled bases. Besides the current clean up campaign the Royal Thai government has approved a developmental fund of nearly 1 billion baht for the province of Chonburi. More than half of this budget will be spent on water purification resources and the construction of roads and bridges in the province.

One negative stereotype-type that’s attached itself to Thailand and applies to Pattaya Beach is its reputation as a place where sex is readily available. Currently this can not be denied but unless you deliberately seek a sexual experience there’s really no problem. This liberal attitude may give the visitor that this society is wide open. Nothing could be further from the truth, as you’ll find the average Thai person to be very shy and conservative young or old. Their attitude is more the Asian philosophy of “live and let live” then the approval of prostitution. Pattaya and its image are set to improve but it will still take time. Meanwhile, you can be perfectly happy living in Pattaya Beach and not be aware of this going on, as the Asian physic is very good at not seeing or hiding the obvious.

Pattaya - Cosmopolitan yet Truly Thai

Pattaya has expatriate residents but it’s essentially an international tourist resort and the city is expanding rapidly so many Thais have moved here to work from other parts of the Kingdom but they haven't abandoned their traditional culture. Everywhere in the resort amidst the razzle-dazzle of neon lights you’ll see evidence of underlying cultural beliefs and customs. It’s all part of the unique charm of Pattaya Beach, the Kingdom, and its People

This section is an introduction to Thai customs and gives you useful information on history, the monarchy, culture, religion, politics, and behavior. There are also helpful suggestions of do's and don'ts, so you can find out how these customs have arisen and why they are important to Thai people. You may also avoid giving offence to someone accidentally.

The Thai community is friendly and very tolerant towards tourists and expatriate also known as “farangs”. If you show respect and interest in their customs they are most appreciative and you will gain in mutual understanding and friendship.

Even before you speak Thai you’ll be able to get-by with most Thai people in and around Pattaya because they’ve become used to farangs and will always try to be friendly. Many of the signs and notices are written in Thai and English while most vendors are used to non-Thai customers and are ready with a smattering of English, German or even a little French and a calculator.

However the biggest thing that will make your visit a happy one and get you accepted in any situation is a simple smile. When all goes wrong don’t get mad, just smile. You’ll see the Thais do it all the time. You may enjoy the lively bargaining of the bazaars but always remember that it’s done lightheartedly and never get upset about a high price, just walk away. If you don’t want to barter then there are many stores in Pattaya with a Western style of shopping you can go to.

Some of the more common taboos are never point the sole of your shoe or foot at anyone. Never pat or touch the top of someone’s head and females should never touch a Buddhist monk. If you go to a religious temple or Wat always be respectful and wear the proper clothing. No shorts, tank-tops or sandals because it’s felt that it's disrespectful to show your skin at a temple. Remove your shoes when you enter the actual shire area and always remember to leave a little money in the poor box.

A handshake is the way Westerners say hello or good-bye but a Wai is used in Thailand. It’s also very important how you give a Wai. A good, respectful Wai is given with both hands flat together and the tips of the fingers are about an inch away from the tip of your nose. A younger person gives a Wai to an older person as a sign of respect. It is not customary for an older person to Wai a younger person unless that younger person holds a position of respect.

Without doubt the most important thing to remember in Thai society is never under any circumstances should you show your anger or be excessively loud. Being loud in this society is considered a sign of a lack of education or being backwards. Always try to stay calm and cool no matter what happens. If you get mad or loud to get your way then don’t expect to get your way here. The only thing that happens when you get loud or mad is that other people won’t do what you want and you end-up looking like a fool.

These are just a few tips on how to get along while you’re in Thailand. There are a lot more but the best thing to remember is that you’re the foreigner here. They have their own way of doing thing and their own values so don’t try to impose your values on them. Just set back, observe and learn. Maybe it will teach you something new or the fact that there many to do things.