Pattaya City Profile

Pattaya City is a somewhat tacky resort town – the Hollywood Boulevard of Thailand – full of foreign tourists and sailors from the nearby naval base, many of whom are looking for (and finding) short-term lovers.

The area’s seafood is excellent, but fairly expensive. If you miss food such as Tex-Mex or pizza, or want to see Thai boxing as you sit at a bar, you’ll find it in Pattaya.

Despite its lack of traditional culture, there’s a beautiful beach near Pattaya City, and teaching here might appeal to teachers who want to live in a smaller town reasonably close to Bangkok. To avoid the sex scene, Jomtien Beach-area guest houses are recommended.

Population

105,000

Location

Pattaya is a city on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, in Chonburi Province. It is a three-hour bus or train trip from Bangkok.

Weather

Pattaya’s weather is similar to Bangkok’s, with the highest temperatures in April, and the most rain falling from May to October.

Transportation

It is possible to get to Pattaya by bus or train, but not by air. For local trips along the beach, take a cheap songtaew.

Places of Interest

There are hundreds of restaurants, shops, discos, brothels, and even a transvestite cabaret in Pattaya. The beach is beautiful, but ask about current water quality before swimming.

Diving and snorkeling are popular at one of the four small islands off shore; however, hiring a boat to get there could easily cost more than US$50. Waterskiing, windsurfing, and parasailing are also available.

Safety

The most important safety measure you can take in Pattaya is to avoid sexually transmitted diseases. AIDS and other STDs are rampant in brothels all over Thailand, and are spreading through the rest of the population quickly.