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Pattaya

Pattaya, Thailand

The Most Famous Beach Resort on the East
Pattaya is 147 km. southeast of Bangkok and adjoins the Gulf of Thailand. It is Thailand's premier and most successful beach resort which annually attracts hundreds of thousands of pleasure-seeking visitors from all over the world.

Being close to the sea, the adjoining beaches of Pattaya City, from Naklua Bay to Wong Phrachan (Crescent Moon) and Wong Amat beaches in the north down to Jomtien and Na Jomtien beaches in the south, cover a total length of about 20 km. In the past, only the area of Pattaya Bay known as Pattaya beach played an important role in the tourism aspect. But for now, the increasing popularity of tourism in Pattaya has made all of its adjacent beaches so lively as well.

For the past centuries, Pattaya was a small fishing village almost cut off from the outside world. But after its beauty was discovered by the first group of American servicemen from Nakhon Ratchasima in 1961, the sleepy Pattaya gradually became a famous beach resort. Fishermen's huts along the beach were replaced by a full range of accommodations from super deluxe hotels to bungalows and mini-pocket guesthouses. And the quiet powdery golden beaches are frequented by swimmers and sunbathers from various parts of the world.

Moreover, with the recent establishment of the industrial estates of Laem Chabang to the north and that of Map Ta Phut to the south, Pattaya has been developing to be a major business centre and pleasing residence for western expatriates.

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