Pattaya พัทยา
Pattaya Beach
Seal
Location of Pattaya on the Gulf of Thailand
Pattaya
Coordinates: 12°55′39″N 100°52′31″E / 12.9275, 100.87528
Country	Thailand
Province	Chon Buri
Government
- Type	Self-administrating municipality
- Mayor	Niran Watanasartsathorn
Area
- Total	22. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj Chonburi (ชลบุรี) is a province ( changwat) of Thailand. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 2 km² (8. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 6 sq mi)
Population (2007)[1]
- Total	104,318
- Density	4,699/km² (12,170. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 4/sq mi)
	Registered residents only
Time zone	Thailand (UTC+7)
ISO 3166-2	TH-S
Website: http://www.pattaya.go.th/

Pattaya (Thai: พัทยา, RTGS: Phatthaya) is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand (12°55′39″N, 100°52′31″E), about 165 km southeast of Bangkok located within but not part of Amphoe Bang Lamung in the province of Chon Buri. UTC+7 is a Time zone used in Laos Thailand Cambodia Vietnam ISO 3166-2TH is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to Thailand. Thai (th ภาษาไทย, transcription: phasa thai, transliteration:; pʰāːsǎːtʰāj is the national and The Royal Thai General System of Transcription ( RTGS) is the official system for rendering Thai language words in the Latin alphabet. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Gulf of Thailand (or Gulf of Siam) is a gulf that borders but is not part of the South China Sea ( Pacific Ocean) The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (krūŋtʰêːp máhǎːnákʰɔn) or Krung Thep ( for short is the Capital, largest Bang Lamung (บางละมุง is a district ( Amphoe) in the southern part of Chonburi Province, Thailand. Chonburi (ชลบุรี) is a province ( changwat) of Thailand.

Meaning the 'south-west monsoon wind" and correctly pronounced "Putt-tuh-YAH" not "Patt-EYE-uh", it ranks as one of the most successful beach resorts in the world, with some 5. 4 million visitors arriving in 2005. Increasing numbers of tourists come from the former Soviet Union and East Asia.

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. Tambon (ตำบล is a local government unit in Thailand. Below District ( Amphoe) and Province ( Changwat It is located in the heavily industrial Eastern Seaboard zone, along with Si Racha, Laem Chabang, and Chon Buri. The Eastern Seaboard of Thailand is an emerging economic region and despite its low profile plays a key role in Thailand 's economy especially since the 1997 Asian Financial Amphoe Si Racha (also Sri Ratcha Si Raja is a district in the province Chonburi, Thailand. Laem Chabang (แหลมฉบัง is a township ( Thesaban tambon) in Chonburi Province, Thailand. Chonburi (ชลบุรี) is a province ( changwat) of Thailand. However, it remains mostly a tourist city, with very light industry.

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.

Pattaya is also the center of the Pattaya-Chonburi Metropolitan Area, the conurbation in Chonburi Province. Pattaya-Chonburi Metropolitan Area (เขตนครพัทยา-ชลบุรี is a conurbanation in Chonburi Province of Thailand.

Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 3 Climate 4 Beaches 4.1 Pattaya Beach 4.2 Jomtien Beach 5 Islands 5.1 Ko Lan 5.2 Island groups 6 Transportation 7 Economy 7.1 Tourism 7.2 Shopping 7.3 Nightlife 7.4 Property 7.5 Health Care 8 Creative Arts 9 Expat Community 10 Crime 11 Media 12 See also 13 References 14 External links

History

Pattaya was simply a small fishing village until it was discovered as a beach resort by Bangkok residents in the 1960s. Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (krūŋtʰêːp máhǎːnákʰɔn) or Krung Thep ( for short is the Capital, largest Soon thereafter, servicemen from all over Southeast Asia, including the United States Air Force base at U-Tapao in neighbouring Rayong province began using the area for "rest and recreation" (R&R), causing a huge boom in prostitution. For the military use of the facility see U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield U-Tapao International Airport, also spelled Utapao and Rayong province (ระยอง is a province ( changwat) of Thailand. R&R, Military slang for rest and relaxation (or rest and recreation is a term used for the free time of a military man in the US military or UN Volunteers Prostitution in Thailand first was mentioned in the West in reports by European sailors visiting what was then called Siam as early as the 16th and 17th centuries When the Americans left following the end of the Vietnam War, the city fell into a crisis. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia However, modern mass tourism, particularly single men looking for companionship, brought a new lease of life to Pattaya.

The rapid growth of tourism brought about many negative consequences, such as pollution and petty crime. A misdemeanor, or misdemeanour, in many common law legal systems is a "lesser" criminal act In 1976, the Pattaya City Act was passed by the Thai legislature, making Pattaya a self-administrating municipality governed by a Council-manager government. In the council-manager form of government an elected city council (typically between five and 11 people is responsible for making Policy, passing Ordinances voting Appropriations 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 renowned 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. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel Despite these efforts, Pattaya's sex industry is the city's raison d' etre. Pattaya is an especially popular vacation destination for families from Russia, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well Pattaya also has a large international expatriate population, especially British and Russian residents. An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries

Demographics

The city had 104,318 registered inhabitants in 2007. But that 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. An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing Including non-registered residents, the population numbers around 300,000 at any given time. Other estimates put the figure as high as 500,000. ^[1]

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 period. New Year's Day is the first day of the Year. On the modern Gregorian calendar, it is celebrated on January 1, as it was also in ancient Rome (though

Weather averages for Pattaya
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average high °C (°F)	30. 7 (87)	31. 0 (88)	31. 8 (89)	32. 9 (91)	32. 4 (90)	31. 6 (89)	31. 3 (88)	31. 1 (88)	31. 0 (88)	30. 6 (87)	30. 4 (87)	29. 9 (86)
Average low °C (°F)	23. 0 (73)	24. 3 (76)	25. 4 (78)	26. 4 (80)	26. 5 (80)	26. 5 (80)	26. 0 (79)	26. 0 (79)	25. 1 (77)	24. 2 (76)	23. 4 (74)	22. 2 (72)
Precipitation mm (inches)	13. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric 7 (0. 5)	12. 0 (0. 5)	52. 5 (2. 1)	61. 6 (2. 4)	154. 6 (6. 1)	149. 9 (5. 9)	87. 0 (3. 4)	98. 6 (3. 9)	217. 1 (8. 5)	242. 6 (9. 6)	82. 8 (3. 3)	6. 4 (0. 3)
Source: World Weather Information Service[2] Nov 2007

Beaches

Pattaya Beach

Pattaya Beach is situated alongside the city centre, close 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. Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability disorder harm or discomfort to the physical systems or living organisms they are in Sewage is the mainly liquid Waste containing some solids produced by humans which typically consists of washing water Feces, Urine, laundry waste and other The section of beach from Central Road (Pattaya Klang) south to the harbor is adjacent to the core of Pattaya's abundant nightlife area, and hence 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.

During nighttime a few deckchairs remain operated and drinks can be ordered at the south end (near walking street) of the beach.

Jomtien Beach

Jomtien Beach (Thai: หาดจอมเทียน) is divided from the main part of Pattaya by Pratumnak Hill, just south of the city. Jomtien is a section of Pattaya, a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand about 165 km southeast of Bangkok in the province of Chon Thai (th ภาษาไทย, transcription: phasa thai, transliteration:; pʰāːsǎːtʰāj is the national and In contrast to Pattaya Beach, Jomtien is a popular spot for family vacationers and water sports enthusiasts. The following is a list of surface water sports; these are sports which are performed atop a body of water 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, parasailing and small sail boat (Hobie Cat) rental. Jet Ski is the Brand name of Personal watercraft (PWC manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd Parasailing also known as parascending is a recreational activity where a person is towed behind a vehicle (usually a boat while attached to a specially designed Dongtan Beach, just past the Avalon Beach Resort in Jomtien, is known as the gay beach, and is busy every day of the year. It is very popular location for vendors of all types to solicit their services or goods.

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. See List of waterparks (for a list of all waterparks in the world A waterpark is an Amusement park that features waterplay areas such The roller coaster is a popular Amusement ride developed for Amusement parks and modern Theme parks LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first A monorail is a transportation system based on a single beam The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system or the vehicles travelling on such a beam or This may soon be overshadowed by the proposed 91-floor Ocean 1 ("O1") Tower^[3]. 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^[4]. The Jomtien district is already home to one of the largest resorts in Asia, the 4000+ room Ambassador City Jomtien. The Ambassador City Jomtien is large resort at Jomtien Bay near Pattaya, Thailand, with "over 4210 rooms".

Jomtien beach can be reached by songthaew taxi. A songthaew ( Thai สองแถว literally "two rows" also known in English as a baht bus, is a passenger vehicle in Thailand and A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of Public transport for a single passenger or small group of passengers typically for a non-shared ride There is a direct route or a switch Songthaew at the 2nd road intersection near walking street. Songthaew fares from within Pattaya to Jomtien will be 20 baht for foreigner person while Thai people only need to pay 10 baht for the same ride. A motorbike taxi will take people there for 60 baht.

Islands

Ko Lan

Ko Lan (Thai: เกาะล้าน), or Coral Island, is a small island situated 7. Thai (th ภาษาไทย, transcription: phasa thai, transliteration:; pʰāːsǎːtʰāj is the national and 5 km west of Pattaya. Ko Lan is accessible by speedboat and ferry. See also Merchant ship A ferry is a form of transport usually a Boat or Ship, used to carry (or ferry) passengers and 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. This place is also known to for its exotic fishes.

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 about 1½ hours, or 120 km by road from Suvarnabhumi Airport. Suvarnabhumi Airport (ท่าอากาศยานสุวรรณภูมิ pronounced /sùwannápʰūːm/, also known as (New Bangkok International Airport Pattaya is also served through U-Tapao International Airport which is 45 minutes drive from the city. For the military use of the facility see U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield U-Tapao International Airport, also spelled Utapao and By road, it is served by Sukhumvit Road and Motorway 7 from Bangkok. Sukhumvit Road (ถนน สุขุมวิท or National Highway, is a major Highway in Thailand, it is also a major surface road of Bangkok and other The Thai motorway network (thทางหลวงพิเศษระหว่างเมือง is an intercity Motorway network that currently spans 145 kilometers Intercity transport is usually through one of two bus stations, one for Bangkok and one for other destinations. Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (krūŋtʰêːp máhǎːnákʰɔn) or Krung Thep ( for short is the Capital, largest

Until recently the only transport within town were private or shared songthaews and taxi via motorbike. A songthaew ( Thai สองแถว literally "two rows" also known in English as a baht bus, is a passenger vehicle in Thailand and However, a public bus service has begun in 2006, and a metered taxi service began in late 2007.

Economy

Tourism

Other activities include golfing at the area's many golf courses, and there are 21 golf courses within 1 hour of Pattaya, go-cart 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. Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden is a Botanical garden and tourist attraction at kilometer 163 on Sukhumvit Road in Chonburi Province, Thailand. For other meanings see Kart (disambiguation Kart racing or karting is a variant of Open-wheel Motor sport with Sanctuary of Truth (ปราสาทสัจธรรม is a giant wooden temple featuring contemporary fantastic religious art currently being built in Pattaya

The private Sri Racha Tiger Zoo features several hundred tigers and thousands of alligators as well as some other animals. The Sriracha Tiger Zoo is a zoo in Pattaya, a city in the Chonburi Province of Thailand, about 60 miles from Bangkok. It has often been criticized for the animals' living conditions, and a worker was killed by tigers in 2004^[5]. There was a major bird flu outbreak at the zoo later that year^[6]. For the H5N1 subtype of Avian influenza see H5N1. Avian influenza, sometimes Avian flu, and commonly Bird flu refers

The Vimantaitalay tourist submarine takes customers underwater to see corals and marine life just a few kilometers offshore. A submarine is a Watercraft that can operate independently below water as distinct from a Submersible that has only limited underwater capability There are many boat trips from an hour to all day trips available, mostly leaving from Bali Hai Pier, near Walking Street.

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden is located some 15 kilometers east of Pattaya. Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden is a Botanical garden and tourist attraction at kilometer 163 on Sukhumvit Road in Chonburi Province, Thailand. 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. Chimpanzee (often shortened to chimp) is the common name for the two extant Species of Apes in the Genus Pan. Elephants ( family: Elephantidae) are large land Mammals of the order Proboscidea.

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, Bottle Art Museum, Mini Siam, Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, and Walking Street. Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so

Some tourists take daytrips to nearby Rayong for beautiful beaches, as well as Koh Samet island. Rayong province (ระยอง is a province ( changwat) of Thailand. Ko Samet (เกาะเสม็ด, is an island located in the Gulf of Thailand off the coastline of the Thai province of Rayong, approximately

Shopping

In 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:

• Central Festival, Pattaya Second Road – Indoor mall anchored by a BigC; also has a SF Cinema City branch. SF Group is a movie-theater and entertainment-leisure venue operator in Thailand.

Hypermarkets

• Carrefour, Pattaya Central Road and intersection Pattaya Thai/Sukhumvit
• BIG C, Pattaya Central Road
• Tesco Lotus, Pattaya North Road

Shopping Malls

• Mike Department Store , Beach Road
• Royal Garden Plaza, Beach Road – Three-story indoor mall with a Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum and an SF Multiplex cinema. In Commerce, a hypermarket is a superstore which combines a Supermarket and a Department store. Carrefour SA ( (karˈfur is a French international Hypermarket chain with a global network of outlets Tesco Lotus is a Hypermarket chain in Thailand and China. In Thailand the stores are operated by Ek-Chai Distribution System Co Royal Garden Plaza is an indoor Shopping mall in Pattaya, a holiday resort in Thailand Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so SF Group is a movie-theater and entertainment-leisure venue operator in Thailand. Also has a Sizzler restaurant, Au Bon Pain, KFC, McDonald's, Auntie * Anne's Pretzels, ZEN Japanese restaurant, Swensen's, Haagen Daz, Pizza Company, Delice de France, and a large food court. Sizzler (founded in 1958 is a United States -based Restaurant chain with headquarters in The Marriott Hotel is adjacent.
• The Avenue, Second Road (near Royal Garden) is in the midst of a soft opening with the following either open or their spaces being fitted out: a 22 lane Bowling Alley, Au Bon Pain, McDonalds,Thanachart Bank, 8 Major Cineplex theatres, Boots, McDonalds, California Wow! a major gym/fitness spa (open for subscriptions), Shenanigans, Iberry, Pizza Pizza, 20 Nails Spa, Starbucks, Kasikorn Bank, Bank of Ayudhaya, and a 24/7 Villa Market, which carries imported goods difficult to find in other supermarkets.
• TukCom, Pattaya Tai (South) Road, boasts a large computer/IT complex offering reasonable prices.
• An outlet mall is next to the Tesco Lotus selling discount clothing from many European and American brands.

At least one other new large mall is under construction between sois 9 and 10. .

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.

There are big Thai markets at soi bua kao each Tuesday and Friday.

Nightlife

Pattaya is renowned for its nightlife. The city has hundreds of beer bars, go go bars, and night clubs/discotheques. The term go-go bar refers to a nightclub bar or similar establishment that features topless or fully nude Go-Go dancers The term " Go-go " A discothèque, diskoˈtɛk̚ compare the Spanish "discoteca" is an Entertainment venue or Club with recorded music played by "Discaires" The most famous include Tonys, Marine Disco, X-Zyte, Lucifer, Hammer, Mixx. New clubs and bars are opening all the time. The world famous Walking Street is the center of the Pattaya's nightlife.

Many bars, discos and nightclubs, as well as several large massage parlours, are venues for sex workers. A massage parlor is a business where customers can receive a Massage. Other massage parlors exist which provide traditional non-sexual Thai massages.

Since the "social order" crackdown of 2004, there are fewer sex shows (such as the ping pong shows). "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " A sex show is a form of Pornographic Performance in which customers pay to see live persons appearing performing some type of sexual activity Ping pong shows are a staple of the Thai Sex tourism industry and can be found in the various Red-light districts of Thailand, namely Bangkok Depending on the enforcement climate, go go dancers may be seen fully nude, topless or in bikinis on different days or weeks. A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of However, with the political crisis, there is little incentive to be strict about the former laws.

Muay Thai (Thai boxing) matches aimed at tourists can be seen at several open-air beer bar complexes. Muay Thai ( IPA: /muɑɪtʰɑɪ/ muāitʰāi มวยไทย lit

Boyztown, Soi Sunee Plaza, and the Jomtien Complex areas are famous for their many beer bars, cabarets and go-go clubs catering to a gay clientele. Pattaya probably has the largest concentration of gay oriented establishments in Thailand; many specialize in specific types of hosts (slim, muscular, effeminate, etc. ), while others have a broad range of men available. There is very little in the way of gay nightclubs or bars in the Western sense; the vast majority of places are no different than the venues that target heterosexuals, both feature sexual entertainment.

Pattaya is known for its cabaret revues featuring kathoeys (male-to-female transsexuals), with Alcazar and Tiffany's being the largest and most elaborate. A transwoman (also spelled trans woman or trans-woman) is a male-to-female transsexual and the term transwoman is preferred by many such Transgender (trænzˈdʒɛndɚ from ( Latin) derivatives

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

Property

Property is big business in Pattaya, especially property development. Many new buildings have gone up in recent years, and some people think the market might be oversupplied.

Some buildings are put up with little respect for planning permission and a building was recently in dispute due to being too close to the shore line and too close to another condo block.

There is also a market in Villas but its growth is limited due to ownership restrictions on foreigners.

A casino is also being considered for Jomtien area.

Health Care

Large hospitals in the area include Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, Pattaya International Hospital, Banglamung Hospital, and Pattaya Memorial Hospital. Many foreign tourists have inexpensive dental and medical care in Pattaya, though Bangkok is far more popular for as a medical tourist destination. Medical tourism (also called medical travel, health tourism or global healthcare is a term initially coined by travel agencies and the Mass media

Creative Arts

Pattaya's Western creative arts are growing daily as the number of expat residents continues to climb. Art galleries are numerous and other arts oriented programs and organizations are starting to thrive. Among these is the highly successful community theater group entitled the Pattaya Players. The Pattaya Players are a troupe of amateur thespians recently established in January of 2008. The organization was created to provide an artistically adventurous environment that attracts and excites diverse members of the Pattaya community by providing theatrical productions that entertain, inspire and inform. You can visit their website and find out more information at: www. pattayaplayers. org [1].

Expat Community

Due to the large number of foreign residents, a large number of expat retirees, Pattaya boasts several expat clubs which have regular monthly or weekly meetings. An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing

Pattaya has its own masonic lodge, a rotary club, an international school, an English boarding school.

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$7500 in 2005. "Crime syndicate" redirects here For the DC Comics group of villains see Crime Syndicate. Sex industry is the internationalisation of commercial enterprises which supply Sex workers in various capacities 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. ^[7] The authorities also intermittently crack down on underage sex workers and their clients and a number of high profile arrests have been made in recent years.

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", than in other Thai tourist destinations. A misdemeanor, or misdemeanour, in many common law legal systems is a "lesser" criminal act This article is about the crime For the Robert Bresson film see Pickpocket (film. A confidence trick or confidence game (also known as a bunko, con, flim flam, gaffle, grift, scam, scheme To help curb this problem, a special Tourist Police division has been established to aid foreign tourists (farang) who are victims of crime. Farang (in Thai: ฝรั่ง sometimes pronounced falang, is the generic Thai word for a foreigner of European ancestry Officially, foreigners are charged more than locals for most products.

Pattaya, along with the rest of Thailand, is also known for its abundance of pirated DVD movies, music CDs and software. 'Copyright infringement' (or copyright violation) is the unauthorized use of material that is covered by Copyright law in a manner that violates DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is Music is an Art form in which the medium is Sound organized in Time. Racketeering, Money laundering and also trade in bootleg tobacco & alcohol products are rife too. A racket is an illegal business usually run as part of Organized crime. Money laundering is the practice of engaging in financial Transactions in order to conceal the Identity, source and/or destination of Money, Smuggling, also known as trafficking, is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons past a point where prohibited such as out of a building into a Prison Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. In Chemistry, an alcohol is any Organic compound in which a Hydroxyl group ( - O[[hydrogen H]]) is bound to a Carbon

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 television programs with news and video reports from Pattaya. There are also several tourist magazines and nightlife, most of them coming out monthly.

See also

• Prostitution in Thailand
• List of islands of Thailand

References

External links

• Pattaya Official Website
• Pattaya City Hall (Thai only)
• Pattaya Photo Guide - street level panoramic walkthrough
• Map of Pattaya City - from ethailandmap. com
• Pattaya at the Open Directory Project

The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory

---

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic