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Pattaya
: History |
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Pattaya's name originated from the
march of Phraya Tak (later King Taksin) and his followers
from Ayutthaya to Chanthaburi just before the fall of
the former capital to the Burmese invaders in 1767.
When Phraya Tak's army arrived at the vicinity of what
is today's Pattaya, he encountered the troops of Nai Klom
who tried to intercept him. But when the two leaders met
face to face, Nai Klom was awed by Phraya Tak's dignified
manner and his army's strict discipline. And he surrendered
without a fight. The place the two armies confronted each
other, was later called Thap Phraya, which means the Army
of the Phraya. This was changed to Phatthaya, which happens
to mean the wind blowing from the southwest to the northeast
at the beginning of the rainy season. Today the spelling
of the name has been simplified to Pattaya.
For the past centuries, Pattaya was a small fishing village
almost cut off from the outside world. But a big change
occurred on 29 April 1961 when the first group of about
100 American servicemen who would join the Vietnam War
arrived in Pattaya for relaxation. Soon, the sleepy Pattaya
became Thailand's premier and most successful beach resort
which annually attracts hundreds of thousands of pleasure-seeking
visitors. Fishermen's huts along the beach were replaced
by a full range of accommodations from super deluxe hotels
to bungalows and mini-pocket guesthouses. Fishing vessels
were adapted to become tourist boats. And the quiet powdery
golden beaches are frequented by swimmers and sunbathers
from various parts of the world. Places of nighttime entertainment
have also sprung up and are popular among international
tourists. |
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