Pattaya

Pattaya พัทยา
Pattaya City, เมืองพัทยา
Seal
Location of Pattaya on the Gulf of Thailand
Pattaya
Coordinates:
Country	Thailand
Province	Chonburi
Mueang	Mueang Pattaya
Government
- Type	Self-administrating municipality
- Mayor	Ittipol Khunplome
Area
- Total	22.2 km2 (8.6 sq mi)
Population (2007)[1]
- Total	104,318
- Density	4,699/km2 (12,170.4/sq mi)
	Registered residents only
Time zone	Thailand (UTC+7)
ISO 3166-2	TH-S
Website	www.pattaya.go.th

Mueang Pattaya surrounded by Amphoe Bang Lamung in Chon Buri Province.

Pattaya (Thai: พัทยา, พัทยา, RTGS: Phatthaya) is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 165 km southeast of Bangkok located within but not part of Amphoe Bang Lamung (Banglamung) in the province of Chonburi.

The city of Pattaya is a self governing municipal area which covers the whole tambon Nong Prue (Nongprue) and Na Kluea (Naklua) and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. It is located in the heavily industrial Eastern Seaboard zone, along with Si Racha (Sri Racha), Laem Chabang, and Chon Buri (Chonburi).

Pattaya is also the center of the Pattaya-Chonburi Metropolitan Area, the conurbation in Chonburi Province.

History

Pattaya's name evolved from the march of Phraya Tak (later King Taksin) and his army from Ayutthaya to Chanthaburi. This took place before the fall of the former capital to the Burmese invaders in 1767.

When his army arrived at the vicinity of what is now Pattaya, 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. He then surrendered without a fight. The place the two armies confronted each other was 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 city is officially known as Pattaya.

For centuries, Pattaya was a small fishing village. But a change occurred on April 26, 1961, when the first group of about 100 American servicemen who were fighting in the Vietnam War arrived in Pattaya for relaxation. From this beginning, Pattaya became a popular beach resort which now attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors. Fishermen's huts along the beach were replaced by resort hotels and retail stores, including Asia's largest beachfront shopping mall,^[2], the CentralFestival Pattaya Beach Mall.

Demographics

The city (Mueang) had 104,318 registered inhabitants in 2007. But like Bangkok Metropolis, that figure excludes the large number of people who work in Pattaya but remain registered in their hometowns, and many long-term expatriate visitors. Including non-registered residents, the population numbers around 300,000 at any given time. Other estimates put the figure as high as 500,000.^[1]

Physical geography

Pattaya, located off the Gulf of Thailand, is approximately 145 km south of the city of Bangkok, surrounded by Bang Lamung District.

The city of Pattaya is a special municipal area which covers the whole tambon Nong Prue (Nongprue) and Na Kluea (Naklua) and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. Bang Lamung township which forms the northern border of Pattaya covers parts of the tambon Bang Lamung (Banglamung), Nong Pla Lai and Takhian Tia. Bang Sali is on the southern border of Pattaya.

"Greater Pattaya" occupies most of the coastline of Banglamung (one of the eleven districts that comprise Chonburi Province). It is divided into a larger northern section which spans the areas to the east of Naklua Beach (the most northern beach) and Pattaya Beach (the main beach) plus the Buddha Hill headland (immediately south of Pattaya Beach), and a smaller southern section covering the area to the east of Jomtien Beach (which lies directly south of Buddha Hill).

Administration

Pattaya city has been administered under a special autonomous system since 1978. It has a status comparable to a municipality and is separately administered by the mayor of Pattaya city who is responsible for making policies, organizing public services and supervising all employees of Pattaya city administration.

Climate

Pattaya has a tropical wet and dry climate, which is divided into the following seasons: warm and dry (November to February), hot and humid (March to May), and hot and rainy (June to October).

Beaches and islands

The Pattaya Bay Area is one of Asia's largest beach resorts and the most visited city in Thailand after Bangkok. This panorama overlooks Bali Hai pier and the core of the city.

Pattaya Beach at sunset.

The main sweep of the bay area is divided into two principal beachfronts. Pattaya Beach is parallel to city centre, and runs from Pattaya Nuea south to Walking Street. Along Beach Road are restaurants, shopping areas, and night attractions.
Jomtien Beach in the southern part of the bay area is divided from Pattaya beach by the promontory of Pratumnak Hill. It consists of high-rise condominiums, beachside hotels, bungalow complexes, shops, bars, and restaurants. On weekends, it becomes increasingly crowded, with many Thai visitors coming from Bangkok. It offers of watersport activities such as jet skis, parasailing and small sail boat hire.

Pattaya Beach

Offshore islands include the "Near Islands", Ko Larn (main island), Ko Sak and Ko Krok located 7 km from the western shores of Pattaya Ko Larn, or "Coral Island", Mu Ko Phai, the "Far Islands", Ko Phai (main island), Ko Man Wichai, Ko Hu Chang and Ko Klung Badan, located offshore further west of the "Near Islands", and Ko Rin, located offshore to the southwest, south of Mu Ko Phai. Some of the islands in the group are accessible by speedboat in less than 15 minutes and by ferry taking about 45 minutes. The names "Near Islands", "Far Islands" and "Coral Island" are used for touristic purposes only and do not correspond to any naming conventions of the island groups and are not shown on maritime charts published by the Hydrographic Service of the Royal Thai Navy. Many of the islands have public beaches and offer scuba diving activities.

Transportation

Road

1. By the Bangkok-Chonburi-Pattaya Motorway (Highway No.7) The motorway is linked with Bangkok’s Outer Ring Road., (Highway No. 9) and there is also another entrance at Si Nakharin and Rama IX Junction.
2. By Bang Na-Trat Highway (Highway No. 34) From Bang Na, Bang Phli, across the Bang Pakong River to Chonburi there is a Chonburi’s bypass that meets Sukhumvit Road., (Highway No. 3, passing Bang Saen Beach, Bang Phra to Pattaya.

Central city roads

• Pattaya 1 Road (Beach Road): runs along the beach.
• Pattaya 2 Road: (Second Road) runs approximately 400 meters parallel to Pattaya 1 Road.
• Pattaya 3 Road: (Third Road) this is Pattaya’s outer-ring road which connects North, South and Central Pattaya.
• Pattaya Tai: (South Pattaya Road) runs from Beach Road to Sukhumvit Highway)
• Pattaya Klang: (Central Pattaya Road) runs from Beach Road to Sukhumvit Highway)
• Pattaya Nuea: (North Pattaya Road) runs from Beach Road to Sukhumvit Highway)
• Tappraya Road: connects Pattaya 2 to Jomtien Beach Road.
• Thepprasit Road: connects Tappraya Road to Sukhumvit Highway.

Rail

A daily service operates between Pattaya and Hualumphong Station in Bangkok.

Bus

Pattaya is served by frequent bus service from Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal (Morchit) and the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai). Buses from a terminal on Sukhumvit Highway near Pattaya Klang connect Pattaya with many destination in the Northeast (Isan).
City and suburban services are mainly provided by Songthaew (public passenger pick-up vehicle), popularly nick-named "baht-buses" or "taxis". A new bus service which connects Pattaya with Suvarnabhumi Airport is located on Tappraya Road near the intersection of Thepprasit Road. The cost is around Bt.110, and features modern air-conditioned buses. It takes around 1½ hours to reach the airport.

Taxis

There are some metered taxis, and air-conditioned vans operate for private hire from some hotel car-parks. Popularly nick-named ‘baht-buses’ in Pattaya, songthaews are the most popular mode of public transportation. The cost is 10 baht for any distance on a regular route, but much higher if asked to go to a designated destination. Motorbike taxis generally operate in the town and suburbs, and are mainly used by locals for short distances.

Air

Pattaya is about 1½ hours, or 120 km by road from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Bangkok international hub. By road, it is accessed from Sukhumvit Road and Motorway 7 from Bangkok. Pattaya is also served (very limited) through U-Tapao International Airport which is 45 minutes drive from the city.

Tourist destinations

Attractions

The Wat Khao Phra Bat temple overlooking Pattaya Bay features a Buddha statue more than 18 meters tall.

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden

Pattaya Park Tower.

Birds Eye View, from Pattaya Park Tower, Pattaya city.

The Sanctuary of Truth.

Once a fishing town, Pattaya first boomed as an R&R destination during the Vietnam War and developed into a family-orientated seaside destination. Foreign tourism to Thailand as a whole in 2007 amounted to 14.5 million visitors.^[4]

Activities include playing golf (21 golf courses within 1 hour of Pattaya,) go-kart racing, and visiting different theme parks and zoos such as the Elephant Village, where demonstrations of training methods and ancient ceremonial re-enactments are performed daily. The private Sri Racha Tiger Zoo features tigers, alligators, and other animals in daily shows. The Vimantaitalay tourist submarine offers trips underwater to see corals and marine life just a few kilometers offshore. Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden about 15 kilometers south of Pattaya is a 500-acre (2.0 km²) site of botanical gardens and an orchid nursery where cultural shows with trained chimpanzees and elephants are presented.

Other attractions in Pattaya include The Million Years Stone Park, Pattaya Crocodile Farm, Pattaya Park Beach Resort Water Park, Funny Land Amusement Park, Siriporn Orchid Farm, Underwater World Pattaya (world-class aquarium), the Thai Alangkarn Theater Pattaya (cultural show), Bottle Art Museum, Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, and Underwater World, an aquarium where there is a collection of marine species in the Gulf of Thailand including sharks and stingrays. Khao Phra Tamnak or Khao Phra Bat is a small hill located between South Pattaya and Jomtien Beach that provides a panoramic view of the city of Pattaya and its crescent bay. The hill is topped by Wat Khao Phra Bat, a temple, and the monument of Kromluang Chomphonkhetudomsak, who is regarded as the “founding father of the modern Thai navy.” The Sanctuary of Truth is a large wooden structure constructed in 1981 by the sea at Laem Ratchawet, that was conceived from the vision that human civilization has been achieved and nurtured by religious and philosophical truth.

Mini Siam is a miniature model village which celebrates the heritages of Thailand with replicas of the most famous monuments and historical sites including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Democracy Monument, Bridge over the River Kwai, and Prasat Hin Phimai. Models of the Tower Bridge of London, Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty and Trevi Fountain are also displayed in the section called “mini world." Wat Yanasangwararam Woramahawihan is a temple constructed in 1976 for Somdet Phra Yanasangwon, the present Supreme Patriarch and later supported by His Majesty the King. Within the compound of the temple are a replica of the Buddha’s footprint, and a large Chedi containing the relics of the Lord Buddha.

Activities

Bungee jump

Bungee jumping is provided in Jomtien Beach.

Leisure flying

Sport and leisure flying and lessons are available.

Horse riding

There are several facilities that provide training in riding, cross-country jumping and polo.

Motor sports racing

There are facilities which provide a cart circuit with separate lanes for professionals and amateurs. The Asia Cross Country Rally starts in Pattaya on 7 August 2010

Fitness and sports

Artificial cliff climbing, boxing, yoga, squash, tennis court, etc., are offered at several locations.

Massage

Many kinds of massage are available including Thai massage, foot massage, oil massage and reflexology massage.

Diving

A popular destination in Pattaya for diving is the wreck of the Hardeep which was sunk by the allies in the Second World War. The wreck lies on its starboard side at a maximum depth of 26 meters. Other popular dive destinations near Pattaya include the islands of Ko Rin, Ko Larn, Ko Man Wichai, Ko Hu Chang, Ko Khrok, Ko Sak, and the wrecks of HTMS Khram and HTMS Kut.

Food specialities

Local culinary specialities include chaeng lon, a hand molded, charcoal-grilled small bun of coconut on a stick. Hoi cho, a Chinese delicacy, is Chonburi's famous dish that uses a special kind of sea crab as the main ingredient, and khao lam, a specialty is made with sticky rice, sugar and coconut cream cooked in specially-prepared bamboo tubes. Chonburi has an abundance of fresh seafood and dried fruits. Due to the large number of residents from Isan, north-eastern dishes such as spicy papaya salad (somtum) and spicy sour chopped pork salad (larb) are widely available.

Nightlife

The city and its suburbs have a very large number of bars and night clubs, and some discotheques. Many major hotels also operate restaurants, cocktail lounges, nightclubs and supper clubs which offer food, drinks, music and international entertainment. The Walking Street is a pedestrian area south of the beach and a center for nightlife. Boyztown and Sunee Plaza provide locations for the gay community. Muay Thai (Thai boxing) matches aimed at tourists can be seen at several open-air beer bar complexes.

Mime entertaining on Walking Street

Events & festivals

The Pattaya Songkran festival that takes place each year in mid April differs from the rest of Thailand in several aspects. It is several days lonnger and the event includes beauty pageants, musical performances, cultural shows, fireworks, and water sports competition.
Pattaya International Music Festival is held annually in the month of March. It attracts huge crowds to the different stages along Beach Road and Bali Hai Pier, and presents several styles of music performed by Thai and international artists.

Creative arts

International creative arts include several art galleries. The center of the modern-art scene on the Eastern Seaboard is Liam’s Gallery, which features original artworks by Thai and Western artists.^[5]

Pattaya Players, a troupe of amateur thespians, produces a variety of theatrical productions.

Property

Driven by its popularity as both a holiday destination, and a location for foreign expatriates, Pattaya is an area of extensive property development, including hotels, condominiums, and housing estates. Steadily rising prices of land and buildings have also led to investment and speculation contributing to the growth in the town's economy.

Health care

Large hospitals in the area include Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, Pattaya International Hospital, Banglamung Hospital, and Pattaya Memorial Hospital. Many foreign tourists have dental and medical care in Pattaya, though Bangkok is far more popular as a medical tourist destination.

Populace

Most of the officially-registered Pattaya residents are of Thai-Chinese ancestry. Due to the tourist industry, many people from the Northeast (known as Isaan, the poorest region of Thailand) have come to work in Pattaya, and are counted for census purposes in their hometown.

There is a fast-growing community of foreign retirees living in Pattaya. Thai immigration has a special visa category for foreigners over age 50 who wish to retire in Thailand. Pattaya is attractive to many retirees from Europe and other Western countries not only because of its climate and exotic, easy lifestyle, but also because living costs are a fraction of those in Europe, a major consideration for people on fixed pensions or incomes. While foreigners are not permitted to own land, they are permitted to hold title to condominium units. Many new condominiums sell out the allotted 49% for foreigners while the buildings are being constructed.

Media and communications

Several local foreign language newspapers and magazines are published either weekly or monthly, especially in English and German. The English newspapers include the Pattaya People Weekly, Pattaya Mail, Pattaya Today, and Pattaya Times. Landline telephones, satellite phones, mobile phone systems, internet access (via ADSL), post offices and parcel services are all available in the city.

Local cable TV service are by Sophon Cable and Baan Suan.

Local radio channels include 88.5 FM, 96 FM and 105 FM.

See also

• Walking Street, Pattaya
• Royal Varuna Yacht Club
• Royal Cliff Beach Resort
• Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall
• Ambassador City Jomtien

References

External links

• Pattaya Official Website
• Pattaya City Hall (Thai only)
• Pattaya at the Open Directory Project