A seedy seaside town where 'sex is easy' and Brits get battered is set for a facelift. Authorities have set about trying to shed Pattaya's 'sordid image'. On the face of it Pattaya, a city on Thailand’s eastern Gulf, is paradise.
Perfect sandy beaches, sun almost all year round and more bars than a thirsty Brit could shake their stick at. However, the former fishing village has a murky underworld and its reputation is one of a But Bangkok Post is reporting that the city is to undergo yet another transformation in a bid to shed its 'sordid' image. Pattaya tourism operators have reportedly submitted a tourism development proposal to the tourism minister, geared towards family travel and away from sex and illegal gambling.
The Association of Chonburi Tourism Federation (ACTF) recently held a meeting with Tourism Minister Sermsak Pongpanit where they drew up plans with foreign tour agencies from five key markets , Germany, South Korea, China and India. Despite the UK not being focused on, in 2022, 444,432 Brits people visited Thailand, and in the first quarter of 2024, 290,486 British people visited. This makes the UK the largest source of European visitors to Thailand.
City chiefs are aiming for 'more diverse attractions', including beaches, high standard golf courses, cultural sites, meeting facilities and shopping malls. Last month, locals and operators in Pattaya protested against the Thai media labelling their city 'Sin City'. But still, the first port of call for unsuspec.