Pattaya - The Sin City!

Pattaya is the original "city of sin" though Thai tourism is trying hard to conceal the fact behind crocodile parks, elephant villages, coral islands and Ripleys museums! I mean in which other city would you find "working girls" openly accosting and soliciting single males at every roadside, beach side stall, pub, beach chairs, benches! The most amazing thing about Thai and Pattaya tourism is how they have made it work so efficiently with minimal knowledge of English. But you dont need english to understand what is a Thai massage!

I just returned from a few days trip to Thailand, and Pattaya obviously was part of the itinerary. Every travel agent suggests Pattaya since its cheap, it has the sea and it has all the above attractions.

The visit to Pattaya was an eye opener to say the least. Though it may have seemed almost heaven to my companion to see all the wares on display, one couldnt help but enjoy the unprohibited show and the accompanying joie de vivre! Go-go bars on the street with open entrances (you can watch those svelte pole dancers from outside), the beautiful and "world famous" alacazar show or the ladyboy shows (you cant even begin to guess that the performers are hermophrodites!!!), the line of beach stalls tossing together a home made fried rice, fried chicken, fruits, the beach masseuse going about her job thoroughly & professionally... all those girls...so many of them dressed in all manners of provocation, everywhere. You cant tell one from the other. They are all stick thin, small and God knows how desperate. The lucky ones have landed a fat and rich companion. In fact whereever one looked there was a stocky elderly person with a Thai arm candy in tow, and they formed the most sought after clientele on Pattaya Beach!

And then the massage parlours and the walking street! Parlours were there every 10 yards or show pomising exotic thai massage, body massage, foot massage. Unfortunately my trip was too short and I had a small accident which prevented a massage. but they promised to be delicious for both men and women alike.

Walking Street is where the entire night life of Pattaya is centred. Whatever you get in Pattaya you get better and more in Walking street. it was one walk through bordello! And you get to choose the show and the girls like wares in a vegetable market! Its astounding to say the least. And if you have a taste for exotic you also get black males with g-strings to choose from! But I will leave the seamier underbelly of Pattaya out of discussion.

Pattaya Beach became all that it is famous for mainly during the Vietnam war when the soldiers came to it for recreation. Soon the local populace woke up to the opportunities and the rest is legend. However for a short period after the Vietnam War, the town faced a real crisis with no mainstay tourism with the original clientele back in their country. The town spruced up, provided more facilities and the world woke up to Pattaya.