Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Pattaya shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Pattaya offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Pattaya at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Pattaya? Wrong! If the Pattaya is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Pattaya then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Pattaya? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Pattaya and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Pattaya wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Pattaya then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Pattaya site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Pattaya, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Pattaya, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

image:Jomtien Beach.jpgimage:Pattaya_seawall_view.jpg

Pattaya (, ) is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand (), about 165 kilometre southeast of Bangkok located within but not part of Amphoe Bang Lamung in the province of Chon Buri province. The city of Pattaya is a self governing special municipal area which covers the whole tambon Nong Prue and Na Kluea and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. It is located in the heavily industrial Eastern Seaboard of Thailand zone, along with Si Racha, Laem Chabang, and Chon Buri. However, it remains mostly a tourist city, with very light industry. It is one of the largest centers of tourism in Thailand, with some 5.4 million visitors arriving in 2005. The vast majority of tourists that visit Pattaya are male, in groups or on their own, due to the town's world-famous sex industry, in which girls and men of many ages are available as companions for, by Western standards, very cheap prices. The town also offers many luxury hotels, beautiful (though somewhat polluted) beaches, friendly people, excellent shopping, reasonable prices and a wide variety of nearby tourist attractions.

However, Pattaya is second only to Bangkok in high rise buildings, as many condos for foreign residents are built, and has a modest skyline.The city's economy benefits from its relative proximity to Bangkok, as opposed to other tourist destinations.

Stats The city had 101,378 registered inhabitants in 2007. This figure excludes the large number of Thais who work in Pattaya (many come and go for tourism related work) but remain registered in their hometowns, and many long-term expatriate visitors. Including non registered residents, the population numbers around 300,000 at any given time.It covers 22.2 km².

Climate Pattaya enjoys a tropical wet and dry climate, which is divided into the following seasons: warm and dry (November to February), hot and humid (March to May), and hot and rainy (June to October). The most comfortable time of year coincides with the peak tourist season, which is over the Christmas and New Year's Day period.

History Pattaya was simply a small fishing village until it was discovered as a beach resort by Bangkok residents in the 1960s. Soon thereafter, American servicemen from all over South East Asia, including the U.S. Air Force base at U-Tapao International Airport in neighbouring Rayong province began using the area for "rest and recouperation" (R&R), causing a huge boom in Prostitution in Thailand. When the Americans left following the end of the Vietnam War, the city fell into a crisis. However, modern mass tourism, particularly single men looking for companionship, from Europe and America, brought a new lease of life to Pattaya.

The rapid growth of tourism brought about many negative consequences, such as petty crime and prostitution. In 1976, the Pattaya City Act was passed by the Thai legislature, making Pattaya a self-administrating municipality governed by a Council-manager government. However, many argue that this administration system has drawbacks (for example, the mayor may disagree with the city manager). Critics have recommended abolishing the system.

In recent years the city has pushed hard to clean up its image and family-focused entertainment is increasingly available, however the core sex-industry has ensured that Pattaya retains its position as one of the world's most renown party destinations. In 2005, more than 35,000 hotel rooms were available in Pattaya and it has seen a large increase in family tourism in recent years, thanks to efforts to present a more wholesome image. Pattaya is an especially popular vacation destination for families from Russia, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Pattaya also has a large international expatriate population, especially Briton and resident Russians, and many services meet international standards.

Beaches Pattaya Beach Pattaya Beach is situated along the central city in close proximity to shopping, hotels and bars. The over-abundance of jet-skis and speedboats has contributed to the pollution of the water along the beach, as has the practice of dumping sewage in the ocean. The section of beach from Central Road (Pattaya Klang) south to the harbor is adjacent to the core of Pattaya's abundant nightlife area, hence it is less family-oriented than the North Pattaya, Na Klua and Jomtien beaches.

Most sections of the beach are covered by rented deckchairs run by local beverage vendors during daylight hours so finding an available spot of sand is rather difficult and also unadvisable due to the poor condition of the beach.(Visitors are advised to avoid the beach after dark. Although the Beach Road itself is busy and brightly lit, some criminal elements find the unlit beach useful as a cover for their activities and the local police target this area in various ongoing clampdowns.)

Jomtien Beach image:Jomtien Tower.jpgJomtien Beach is divided from the main part of Pattaya by Pratumnak Hill, just south of the city. In contrast to Pattaya Beach, Jomtien is a popular spot for family vacationers and watersports enthusiasts. Jomtien is essentially a residential area with beachside hotels, bungalow complexes, condominiums and restaurants. A wide array of watersport activities can be found, including jet-skis, para-sailing and small sail boat (Hobie Cat) rental. Dongtan Beach, just past the Avalon Beach Resort in Jomtien, is known as the gay beach, and is busy every day of the year.

Jomtien's most visible landmark is the 56-story Pattaya Park tower, part of the Pattaya Park entertainment complex which also features a water park, roller coaster, monorail and children's activities. This may soon be overshadowed by the proposed 91-floor Ocean 1 ("O1") TowerPattaya Today, The tallest building in Thailand coming, 1 August 2006, accessed 8 Nov 2006.. With an overall height of 367 meters, it would be the tallest building in Thailand and one of the tallest residential buildings in the world FAQ at www.ocean1tower.com, accessed 8 Nov 2006.. The Jomtien district is already home to one of the largest resorts in Asia, the 4000+ room Ambassador City Jomtien.

Islands Ko Lan Ko Lan () is a small island situated 7.5 km west of Pattaya. Ko Lan is accessible by speedboat and ferry. The ferry departs hourly, and is a 45-minute ride costing just 20 baht each way. Speedboats are more expensive, but can reach the island in less than 15 minutes. Ko Lan has several beaches, which are known for their cleanliness, relaxing atmosphere, soft white sand, and crystal-clear water.

Island groups Off Pattaya there are two small island groups, the "Near Islands" (Ko Sak, Ko Krok) located close to the northern shores of Pattaya, very near Ko Lan, and the "Far Islands" (Ko Rin, Ko Man Wichai, Ko Hua Chang, and Ko Badan), located offshore directly west of Pattaya. These islands, especially the "Far Islands", are the primary scuba diving destinations in and around Pattaya.

Transportation Pattaya is served through U-Tapao International Airport which is 45 minutes drive from the city. Also served by Sukhumvit Road and Motorway 7. Until recently the only transport within town were private songthaews. However, a public bus service has begun in 2006. Intercity transport is usually through one of two bus stations, one for Bangkok and one for other destinations, although busses commonly stop anywhere in Thailand.

Other attractions image:Nong Noogh Garden(1).jpg

Other activities include golf at the area's many golf courses, and there are 21 golf courses within 1 hour of Pattaya, kart racing, visiting the construction site of an elaborate private wooden temple known as Sanctuary of Truth, and different theme parks and zoos such as Mini Siam, and Elephant Village.

The private Sri Racha Tiger Zoo features several hundred tigers and thousands of alligators as well as some other animals. It has often been criticized for the animals' living conditions, and a worker was killed by tigers in 2004 Zoo worker mauled to death by tigers in Thai zoo, accessed 8 Nov 2006.. There was a major Avian flu outbreak at the zoo later that yearThe Nation, Sri Racha Tiger Zoo: 60 more may be culled, October 29, 2004..

The Vimantaitalay tourist submarine takes customers underwater to see corals and marine life just a few kilometers offshore. There are many boat trips from an hour to all day trips available, mostly leaving from Bali Hai Pier, near Walking Street, Pattaya.

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden is located some 15 kilometers east of Pattaya. The 500-acre site has well maintained botanical gardens and an orchid nursery. Moreover the facility has lively cultural shows in a Thai village setting. In addition trained chimpanzees and elephants are seen at the garden.

Other attractions in Pattaya: The Million Years Stone Park and Pattaya Crocodile Farm, Elephant Village, Pattaya Park Beach Resort Water Park and Funny Land Amusement Park, Siriporn Orchid Farm, Underwater World Pattaya (world class aquarium), Alankarn cultural show, Sriracha Tiger Zoo, Bottle Art Museum, Mini Siam, Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, and Walking street pattaya.

Some tourists take daytrips to nearby Rayong for beautiful beaches, as well as Koh Samet island.

Shopping image:Thailand 06-07 019.jpgIn recent years, new shopping malls, outlet stores and jewelry stores have opened up, which has helped in increasing the length of stay of visitors to the city. Among the shopping malls are:

At least one other new large mall is under construction.

Pattaya has many large home improvement stores including Home Mart, HomeWorks, Home Pro, Kanyong and True Value.

The closest department store to Pattaya is Robinson's, located about 30 minutes away in Sri Racha.

There are several large nightly markets in different parts of town.

Nightlife and Prostitution Pattaya is renowned for its nightlife, which caters primarily to foreigners. While some of this is unrelated to Prostitution in Thailand, the central Pattaya Beach Area is known as a destination for Sex tourism (alongside several districts in Bangkok and Phuket). While prostitution is technically illegal in Thailand, it is widely tolerated.

The city has literally hundreds of beer bars, go go bars, and night clubs/discotheques. Virtually all of these are venues for meeting working men or women. The nature of commercial sex varies widely; the standard system of "bar fines" is the most common, but there are many exceptions. Most notably, discos and nightclubs are venues for freelancers, independent sex workers unaffiliated with a commercial establishment. There are also several large massage parlours.

Since the "social order" crackdown of 2004, there are very few sex shows (such as the Ping pong show) although they can sometimes still be found. Depending on the enforcement climate, go go dancers may be seen fully nude, topless or in bikinis on different days or weeks.

Muay Thai (Thai boxing) matches aimed at tourists can be seen at many of the open air beer bar complexes.

Another important, but understated aspect of Pattaya are the foreign restaurants. Often run by expats, most offer quality food at prices far below those found in Bangkok, Samui or Phuket.

The Boyztown, Sunee Plaza, and the Jomtien Complex areas are famous for their many gay nightclubs, cabarets and go-go clubs. Pattaya probably has the largest concentration of establishments catering to the gay community in Thailand. Many specialize in certain types of hosts (slim, muscular, effeminate), while others have a broad range of men available.

Pattaya is known for its cabaret revues featuring kathoeys (male-to-female Transgender), with Alcazar and Tiffany's being the largest and most elaborate. There are a few kathoey bars around Walking St. and nearby (e.g. Jenny Star Bar)

Crime Historically, Pattaya has had comparatively high levels of crime, sometimes attributed to organised crime in, and preying on, the sex industry as well as the easy availability of tourist cash in a country that had a per capita Gross National Income of US$2,750 in 2005.In recent years, Pattaya has served as a hideaway for foreigners with connections to organized crime in their home countries, and dozens of Thais have been murdered in gang-related disputes.The Nation, Costa del Crime, November 7, 2005. The authorities are also increasingly cracking down on under-age sex workers and their clients and a number of high profile arrests have been made in recent years. It is not unusual for tourists to be robbed, either by room breakins, snatch and runs, or by sex workers. In 1996, a six-member gang was arrested for repeatedly robbing tourists that had been drugged by prostitutes.

Visitors are more likely to encounter petty crime, usually limited to pickpocketing and confidence tricks, particularly in and around major tourist areas such as Jomtien and Pattaya Beaches and on the "baht buses". To help curb this problem, a special Tourist Police division has been established to aid foreign tourists (farang) who are victims of crime.

Pattaya, along with the rest of Thailand, is also known for its abundance of pirated DVD, Music and software. Such vendors can be found anywhere along main tourist areas, having their own booths or simply approaching customers in bars and restaurants and on the beaches.

Health Care Many foreign tourists come to Pattaya for dental and medical care, for first class treatment at reasonable prices. Large hospitals in the area include Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, Pattaya International Hospital, Banglamung Hospital, and Pattaya Memorial Hospital.

Expat Community in central Pattaya.Due to the large number of foreign residents, Pattaya boasts several Expatriate clubs which have regular monthly or weekly meetings.

Media Pattaya has several foreign language newspapers, most come out weekly. The English newspapers include Pattaya Mail, Pattaya Today, Pattaya People. Additionally, there are French, Norwegian, German, Russian and Japanese publications. There are several English language cable t.v. programs with news and video reports from Pattaya. There are also several tourist magazines, most of them come out monthly. One of the best known of these is the EYE Magazine.

Trivia The Pogues mention Pattaya Beach in their song House of the Gods on the album Hells Ditch

See also

References External links



image:Jomtien Beach.jpgimage:Pattaya_seawall_view.jpg

Pattaya (, ) is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand (), about 165 kilometre southeast of Bangkok located within but not part of Amphoe Bang Lamung in the province of Chon Buri province. The city of Pattaya is a self governing special municipal area which covers the whole tambon Nong Prue and Na Kluea and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. It is located in the heavily industrial Eastern Seaboard of Thailand zone, along with Si Racha, Laem Chabang, and Chon Buri. However, it remains mostly a tourist city, with very light industry. It is one of the largest centers of tourism in Thailand, with some 5.4 million visitors arriving in 2005. The vast majority of tourists that visit Pattaya are male, in groups or on their own, due to the town's world-famous sex industry, in which girls and men of many ages are available as companions for, by Western standards, very cheap prices. The town also offers many luxury hotels, beautiful (though somewhat polluted) beaches, friendly people, excellent shopping, reasonable prices and a wide variety of nearby tourist attractions.

However, Pattaya is second only to Bangkok in high rise buildings, as many condos for foreign residents are built, and has a modest skyline.The city's economy benefits from its relative proximity to Bangkok, as opposed to other tourist destinations.

Stats The city had 101,378 registered inhabitants in 2007. This figure excludes the large number of Thais who work in Pattaya (many come and go for tourism related work) but remain registered in their hometowns, and many long-term expatriate visitors. Including non registered residents, the population numbers around 300,000 at any given time.It covers 22.2 km².

Climate Pattaya enjoys a tropical wet and dry climate, which is divided into the following seasons: warm and dry (November to February), hot and humid (March to May), and hot and rainy (June to October). The most comfortable time of year coincides with the peak tourist season, which is over the Christmas and New Year's Day period.

History Pattaya was simply a small fishing village until it was discovered as a beach resort by Bangkok residents in the 1960s. Soon thereafter, American servicemen from all over South East Asia, including the U.S. Air Force base at U-Tapao International Airport in neighbouring Rayong province began using the area for "rest and recouperation" (R&R), causing a huge boom in Prostitution in Thailand. When the Americans left following the end of the Vietnam War, the city fell into a crisis. However, modern mass tourism, particularly single men looking for companionship, from Europe and America, brought a new lease of life to Pattaya.

The rapid growth of tourism brought about many negative consequences, such as petty crime and prostitution. In 1976, the Pattaya City Act was passed by the Thai legislature, making Pattaya a self-administrating municipality governed by a Council-manager government. However, many argue that this administration system has drawbacks (for example, the mayor may disagree with the city manager). Critics have recommended abolishing the system.

In recent years the city has pushed hard to clean up its image and family-focused entertainment is increasingly available, however the core sex-industry has ensured that Pattaya retains its position as one of the world's most renown party destinations. In 2005, more than 35,000 hotel rooms were available in Pattaya and it has seen a large increase in family tourism in recent years, thanks to efforts to present a more wholesome image. Pattaya is an especially popular vacation destination for families from Russia, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Pattaya also has a large international expatriate population, especially Briton and resident Russians, and many services meet international standards.

Beaches Pattaya Beach Pattaya Beach is situated along the central city in close proximity to shopping, hotels and bars. The over-abundance of jet-skis and speedboats has contributed to the pollution of the water along the beach, as has the practice of dumping sewage in the ocean. The section of beach from Central Road (Pattaya Klang) south to the harbor is adjacent to the core of Pattaya's abundant nightlife area, hence it is less family-oriented than the North Pattaya, Na Klua and Jomtien beaches.

Most sections of the beach are covered by rented deckchairs run by local beverage vendors during daylight hours so finding an available spot of sand is rather difficult and also unadvisable due to the poor condition of the beach.(Visitors are advised to avoid the beach after dark. Although the Beach Road itself is busy and brightly lit, some criminal elements find the unlit beach useful as a cover for their activities and the local police target this area in various ongoing clampdowns.)

Jomtien Beach image:Jomtien Tower.jpgJomtien Beach is divided from the main part of Pattaya by Pratumnak Hill, just south of the city. In contrast to Pattaya Beach, Jomtien is a popular spot for family vacationers and watersports enthusiasts. Jomtien is essentially a residential area with beachside hotels, bungalow complexes, condominiums and restaurants. A wide array of watersport activities can be found, including jet-skis, para-sailing and small sail boat (Hobie Cat) rental. Dongtan Beach, just past the Avalon Beach Resort in Jomtien, is known as the gay beach, and is busy every day of the year.

Jomtien's most visible landmark is the 56-story Pattaya Park tower, part of the Pattaya Park entertainment complex which also features a water park, roller coaster, monorail and children's activities. This may soon be overshadowed by the proposed 91-floor Ocean 1 ("O1") TowerPattaya Today, The tallest building in Thailand coming, 1 August 2006, accessed 8 Nov 2006.. With an overall height of 367 meters, it would be the tallest building in Thailand and one of the tallest residential buildings in the world FAQ at www.ocean1tower.com, accessed 8 Nov 2006.. The Jomtien district is already home to one of the largest resorts in Asia, the 4000+ room Ambassador City Jomtien.

Islands Ko Lan Ko Lan () is a small island situated 7.5 km west of Pattaya. Ko Lan is accessible by speedboat and ferry. The ferry departs hourly, and is a 45-minute ride costing just 20 baht each way. Speedboats are more expensive, but can reach the island in less than 15 minutes. Ko Lan has several beaches, which are known for their cleanliness, relaxing atmosphere, soft white sand, and crystal-clear water.

Island groups Off Pattaya there are two small island groups, the "Near Islands" (Ko Sak, Ko Krok) located close to the northern shores of Pattaya, very near Ko Lan, and the "Far Islands" (Ko Rin, Ko Man Wichai, Ko Hua Chang, and Ko Badan), located offshore directly west of Pattaya. These islands, especially the "Far Islands", are the primary scuba diving destinations in and around Pattaya.

Transportation Pattaya is served through U-Tapao International Airport which is 45 minutes drive from the city. Also served by Sukhumvit Road and Motorway 7. Until recently the only transport within town were private songthaews. However, a public bus service has begun in 2006. Intercity transport is usually through one of two bus stations, one for Bangkok and one for other destinations, although busses commonly stop anywhere in Thailand.

Other attractions image:Nong Noogh Garden(1).jpg

Other activities include golf at the area's many golf courses, and there are 21 golf courses within 1 hour of Pattaya, kart racing, visiting the construction site of an elaborate private wooden temple known as Sanctuary of Truth, and different theme parks and zoos such as Mini Siam, and Elephant Village.

The private Sri Racha Tiger Zoo features several hundred tigers and thousands of alligators as well as some other animals. It has often been criticized for the animals' living conditions, and a worker was killed by tigers in 2004 Zoo worker mauled to death by tigers in Thai zoo, accessed 8 Nov 2006.. There was a major Avian flu outbreak at the zoo later that yearThe Nation, Sri Racha Tiger Zoo: 60 more may be culled, October 29, 2004..

The Vimantaitalay tourist submarine takes customers underwater to see corals and marine life just a few kilometers offshore. There are many boat trips from an hour to all day trips available, mostly leaving from Bali Hai Pier, near Walking Street, Pattaya.

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden is located some 15 kilometers east of Pattaya. The 500-acre site has well maintained botanical gardens and an orchid nursery. Moreover the facility has lively cultural shows in a Thai village setting. In addition trained chimpanzees and elephants are seen at the garden.

Other attractions in Pattaya: The Million Years Stone Park and Pattaya Crocodile Farm, Elephant Village, Pattaya Park Beach Resort Water Park and Funny Land Amusement Park, Siriporn Orchid Farm, Underwater World Pattaya (world class aquarium), Alankarn cultural show, Sriracha Tiger Zoo, Bottle Art Museum, Mini Siam, Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, and Walking street pattaya.

Some tourists take daytrips to nearby Rayong for beautiful beaches, as well as Koh Samet island.

Shopping image:Thailand 06-07 019.jpgIn recent years, new shopping malls, outlet stores and jewelry stores have opened up, which has helped in increasing the length of stay of visitors to the city. Among the shopping malls are:

At least one other new large mall is under construction.

Pattaya has many large home improvement stores including Home Mart, HomeWorks, Home Pro, Kanyong and True Value.

The closest department store to Pattaya is Robinson's, located about 30 minutes away in Sri Racha.

There are several large nightly markets in different parts of town.

Nightlife and Prostitution Pattaya is renowned for its nightlife, which caters primarily to foreigners. While some of this is unrelated to Prostitution in Thailand, the central Pattaya Beach Area is known as a destination for Sex tourism (alongside several districts in Bangkok and Phuket). While prostitution is technically illegal in Thailand, it is widely tolerated.

The city has literally hundreds of beer bars, go go bars, and night clubs/discotheques. Virtually all of these are venues for meeting working men or women. The nature of commercial sex varies widely; the standard system of "bar fines" is the most common, but there are many exceptions. Most notably, discos and nightclubs are venues for freelancers, independent sex workers unaffiliated with a commercial establishment. There are also several large massage parlours.

Since the "social order" crackdown of 2004, there are very few sex shows (such as the Ping pong show) although they can sometimes still be found. Depending on the enforcement climate, go go dancers may be seen fully nude, topless or in bikinis on different days or weeks.

Muay Thai (Thai boxing) matches aimed at tourists can be seen at many of the open air beer bar complexes.

Another important, but understated aspect of Pattaya are the foreign restaurants. Often run by expats, most offer quality food at prices far below those found in Bangkok, Samui or Phuket.

The Boyztown, Sunee Plaza, and the Jomtien Complex areas are famous for their many gay nightclubs, cabarets and go-go clubs. Pattaya probably has the largest concentration of establishments catering to the gay community in Thailand. Many specialize in certain types of hosts (slim, muscular, effeminate), while others have a broad range of men available.

Pattaya is known for its cabaret revues featuring kathoeys (male-to-female Transgender), with Alcazar and Tiffany's being the largest and most elaborate. There are a few kathoey bars around Walking St. and nearby (e.g. Jenny Star Bar)

Crime Historically, Pattaya has had comparatively high levels of crime, sometimes attributed to organised crime in, and preying on, the sex industry as well as the easy availability of tourist cash in a country that had a per capita Gross National Income of US$2,750 in 2005.In recent years, Pattaya has served as a hideaway for foreigners with connections to organized crime in their home countries, and dozens of Thais have been murdered in gang-related disputes.The Nation, Costa del Crime, November 7, 2005. The authorities are also increasingly cracking down on under-age sex workers and their clients and a number of high profile arrests have been made in recent years. It is not unusual for tourists to be robbed, either by room breakins, snatch and runs, or by sex workers. In 1996, a six-member gang was arrested for repeatedly robbing tourists that had been drugged by prostitutes.

Visitors are more likely to encounter petty crime, usually limited to pickpocketing and confidence tricks, particularly in and around major tourist areas such as Jomtien and Pattaya Beaches and on the "baht buses". To help curb this problem, a special Tourist Police division has been established to aid foreign tourists (farang) who are victims of crime.

Pattaya, along with the rest of Thailand, is also known for its abundance of pirated DVD, Music and software. Such vendors can be found anywhere along main tourist areas, having their own booths or simply approaching customers in bars and restaurants and on the beaches.

Health Care Many foreign tourists come to Pattaya for dental and medical care, for first class treatment at reasonable prices. Large hospitals in the area include Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, Pattaya International Hospital, Banglamung Hospital, and Pattaya Memorial Hospital.

Expat Community in central Pattaya.Due to the large number of foreign residents, Pattaya boasts several Expatriate clubs which have regular monthly or weekly meetings.

Media Pattaya has several foreign language newspapers, most come out weekly. The English newspapers include Pattaya Mail, Pattaya Today, Pattaya People. Additionally, there are French, Norwegian, German, Russian and Japanese publications. There are several English language cable t.v. programs with news and video reports from Pattaya. There are also several tourist magazines, most of them come out monthly. One of the best known of these is the EYE Magazine.

Trivia The Pogues mention Pattaya Beach in their song House of the Gods on the album Hells Ditch

See also

References External links





Thailand vacations - luxury villas Pattaya Thailand
Provides luxury villas and rental homes for in Pattaya Thailand.

Pattaya hotels Thailand - hotel info, online booking
Pattaya is 147 kilometers southeast of Bangkok, and faces the Thai Gulf. It is Asia's premier beach resort, and caters with equal appeal to families, couples and ...

Pattaya Hotels. Save More on Cheap Accommodation in Pattaya
Pattaya hotels and accommodation - cheap, fast and secure reservation service provided by HotelClub Pattaya

Pattaya Jungle Bungy Jump - Thailand
Pattaya Jungle Bungy Jump located at Jomtien Beach near Pattaya in Thailand ... Its in the news. Pick up a Pattaya guide and follow the map of Pattaya to Thailand's best bungy jump ...

Pattaya Walking Street
Pattaya Crazy is the Newbies Guide to Pattaya, Thailand. Pataya Crazy | Newbies Guide to Pattaya is for the first time traveler or for the seasoned veteran. Lots of information ...

PATTAYA HOTELS, hotels in pattaya, Online Booking for Hotels in ...
Provides guide to city hotels, activities, and restaurants.

Pattaya Property : Property in Pattaya Thailand - Condos, Houses Land ...
The biggest real estate agents in Pattaya with properties in Pattaya Thailand for Rental & Purchase

Pattaya-Revealed.com - Powered by vBulletin
Pattaya's number one internet discussion forum ... Welcome to the Pattaya-Revealed.com forums. We are an independant Pattaya forum not run by any commercial establishment.

Pattaya holiday apartments - Holiday rentals in Pattaya - Book direct
A summary of holiday villas to rent in Pattaya, Thailand. Find holiday accommodation in Jomtien Beach, East Pattaya, Jomtien and Chon Buri from our holiday rentals website and book ...

Pattaya hotels Thailand - Travel guide to Pattaya :: pattaya.sawadee ...
Pattaya hotels Thailand: Travel guide, pictures of beaches, hotels and resorts of Pattaya bay. Pattaya hotels and travel guide Thailand. Pattaya, Rayong and Koh Samet hotel ...

 

Pattaya



 
Copyright © 2008 Hintcenter.com - All rights reserved.
Home | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
All Trademarks belong to their repective owners. Many aspects of this page are used under
commercial commons license from Yahoo!