Fifty years ago Pattaya was a sleepy little fishing village, dwarfed by her neighbors to the North, Na Klua, 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 American efforts in the area! providing bases, manned by thousands of young America 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 advantage 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 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 Na Klua, took place in 1976 and the government promulgated the Pattaya City Act in 1978, there by joining Na Klua and Pattaya to form the fifth local government municipality. Thus was Pattaya City born, and thus, with an ever - increasing influx of visitors and residents from the burgeoning surrounding industrial estates, has she developed into what she is today.

Pattaya currently integrates the delights of a  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.

The heat in Thailand intensifies once the month of April comes. People of old were wise enough to initiate the Songkran festival to cool themselves off from the heat and celebrate it as the Thai New Year. In the central region, the festival is usually held on the 13th, l4th and 15th of April while in the East there is a difference as the water throwing activities commence on the l6th or 17th, 18th or 19th known as "Wan Lai" (Flowing Day).

Pattaya City holds its Wan Lai festival annually on April 19th with activities such as water pouring for the elders, processions and the fun of dowsing and another with water, a time for Thais and foreigners alike.  usually held at the middle of April to promote tourism and Pattaya's reputation. Floral floats are paraded along the streets. The Miss Pattaya Beauty contest is held as well as traditional aquatic sports competitions and construction of sand castles. A spectacular fireworks display takes place on the beach and fire crackers are also set off. Simultaneously, there are arts and cultural performances, exhibitions and souvenirs for sale. is held in Chon Buri during October every year. The water buffalo is one of the mainstays in the life of a Thai farmer, but in this annual event it is put to more amusing uses than ploughing the local fields, such as buffalo races and contests pitting buffalo and man. Beauty contests add to the fun a festival that attracts crowds from nearby seaside resorts.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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