Chon Buri The Nearest Seaside
Retreat
Chonburi,
Bangkoks 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 A
Travelers 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 fishermens 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, 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.
