General Information

Introduction
Pattayais 147 kilometers southeast of Bangkok, and faces the Gulf of Thailand. Pattaya is Asia's premier beach resort, and caters with equal appeal to Pattaya's relaxing tropical ambience is synonymous with every ingredient for memorable holidays.
Theme and amusement parks, offbeat museums and lush botanical gardens offer numerous forms of leisure activities and cultural entertainment for all family members.
And after dark, Pattaya offers all the allure and magic of a truly vibrant nightlife with a spectacular variety of restaurants, night clubs, bars, discotheques, cocktail lounges and carbarets.
Pattaya can be brash, bold, beautiful and bucolic, and offers everything an authentic international beach resort can.

Transportation
Pattaya can be reached in a comfortable 2 and half hour drive along Sukhumvit Highway via Bang Pakong, Chonburi and Srirach. And one can also avoid Chonburi by opting for State Highway 36 (new route - Chonburi - Pattaya - Rayong). or motorway from Bkk. (Rama 9 Rd. Chonburi)

Air - conditioned and non - air - conditioned coaches regularly leave from the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai) and Nothern Bus Terminal (Morchit) on kampaengphet Road throughout the day.

Departure times and fares may be obtained by telephoning the Eastern Bus Terminal (02-3929829) for air-conditioned coaches and 3912504 for regular coaches and the Nothern Bus Terminal at 02-5378055 for air-conditioned coaches.

The State Railways of Thailand offers daily train service departing Bangkok’s Hua Lumpong Station at 6.55 a.m. Tel 02-2237010, 2237020. The journey takes about 3 hours and a half.

Travel within the resort
Travelling around Pattaya is most convenient by mini-buses that continually ply the Beach Road and Pattaya 2nd Road in counterclockwise circuits. Fares are 5 Baht per person per ride, fares beyond main bag one negotiable.

Those who wish to be independent and explore Pattaya’s surrounding countryside and beaches at leisure, can hire motorcycles, jeeps or cars. The Visitor is advised to shop around and consult local tourism publications, for different companies offer different prices and conditions.

History
Fifty years ago Pattaya was a sleepy little fishing village, dwarfed by her neighbours-to the North, Naklua, to the South, Rayong. Its only claim to fame being that it had, in the 13th century, been a resting place for the battle forces of the great King Narai during his campaign to oust the Burmese invaders. From that overnight bivouac, Pattaya derives its name.
Then came the Vietnam war and incursion of more benign foreign troops. Thailand supported the Americans efforts in the area by providing bases, manned by thousands of young Americans requiring rest and recreation.

How is it possible to fix the date of an historical trend? Whilst Pattaya had achieved some popularity with a few adventurous souls who braved the rough road from Bangkok to take adventage of the crystal waters, great diving and soon following them, beach bars and restaurants,let us take the time when, on the 29th June 1959, four or five transport trucks loaded with American G.I.'s arrived in the village of Pattaya on leave from their base at Nakhon Ratchasima. On arrival in Pattaya they rented houses belonging to Phraya Sunthorn which were along the southern end of Pattaya Beach, now know as the "Strip" The marines stayed for about a week and returned to the base. Having had a great time in Pattaya with the friendly residents, they spread the word. A new group of marines kept arriving periodically and the village geared up to cater to their every need. This can be considered as the birth of Pattaya as a tourist resort.

Pattaya continued to grow in popularity at such a rate with both Thai and foreign tourists, that the local government could not cope with the administration. Administrative and infrastructure combination with Naklua, took place in 1976 and the government promulgated the Pattaya a City Act in B.E. 2521 (1978), there by joining Naklua and Pattaya to form the fifth local government municipality. Thus was Pattaya City born, and thus, with and ever-increasing influx of visitors and residents from the burgeoning surrounding industrial estates, has she developed into what she is today.