History of Pattaya

Pattaya’s history stretches back several hundred years, although its most significant development away from its status as a simple fishing community was seen in the period following the Vietnam War.

Early days

The name Pattaya is believed to have been derived from that of a prominent Thai figure called Phraya Tak, who later became King Taksin. Phraya Tak and his followers reportedly marched from Ayutthaya to Chanthaburi just prior to the former capital falling into the hands of the Burmese in 1767.

The story holds that Phraya Tak arrived in the region we now know as Pattaya and was met by Burmese troops led by Nai Klom. When the two leaders met, Nai Klom is said to have been in awe of Phraya Tak and his army, and subsequently surrendered without any conflict ensuing. The site where the Thai and Burmese forces met was later dubbed Thap Phraya, meaning ‘Army of the Phraya’, and this was later changed to Phattaya, which curiously enough refers to the wind blowing southwest to northeast at the onset of the wet season.

Recent times

For a long time, Pattaya was nothing more than a small village, earning its fortunes off the abundant fishing opportunities provided by its coastal proximity. The Vietnam War however changed all this; American soldiers arrived in 1961 with an agenda of relaxation, and the seeds of its present booming sex trade were initially sown.

The serenity of the village rapidly gave way to the buzz of tourist activity and the fisherman’s huts that had for so long been characteristic of the coastal areas were knocked down to make way for a variety of holidaymakers’ accommodation.

The 1980s and ‘90s saw the most rapid periods of development, as influxes of tourists from European countries helped shape the local infrastructure. Things changed still more as a general rise in popularity of Andaman coastal destinations brought the wealth of Russian, Eastern European and Arab nationals to Pattaya.

With such a large western contingency residing in the town, the locals quickly realised the money to be made from the holidaymaking industry, and within no time, tourism was established as Pattaya’s number one industry.