Chon Buri – The Nearest Seaside Retreat
Chonburi,
Bangkok’s nearest seaside town, is located on the eastern
coast of the Gulf of Thailand, only 80 kilometers from Bangkok.
The area boasts abundant natural resources, which are highlighted
by delightful beaches, local colors, traditions, delicacies and
fresh seafood. This is a popular resort among Bangkokians who
seek the nearest escape from hectic weekly schedules as Chon Buri
has something for everyone. In addition, Chon Buri is the center
of the Eastern Seaboard Development Project, with its industrial
parks and fishing villages.
Pattaya
Pattaya – A Traveler’s Paradise
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.
Pattaya Facts
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.
