Pattaya history can be traced back to 1767 when the march of Phraya Tak took place.

The documented history of Pattaya begins when Phraya Tak who later became known as King Taksin the Great, marched with his followers from Ayutthaya to Chanthaburi. This march was organised just before the fall of Ayutthaya, which used to be the capital of Thailand, to the Burmese who invader Thailand in 1767.

As the army marched they arrived in the location we now know as Pattaya, here they met with the forces of Nai Klom and his army who tried to intercept Phraya Tak and his men. However as the two leaders met it was obvious to Nai Klom that he was out matched by the discipline and manner of the superior forces of Phraya Tak. Nai Klom decided to surrender his position and as such no battle took place.

At this point Pattaya history was being made, as the location where they met was subsequently named Thap Phraya which means “Army of the Phraya”.

This was then later changed to Phatthaya, which has a meaning of “The wind blowing from the southwest to the northeast at the beginning of the rainy season”.

And this was further shortened to just Pattaya, which is now the official name for this amazing city.

The Pattaya history books show that over a period of time Pattaya became a small fishing village, and remained this way for a long time. In fact the history of Pattaya shows that it wasn’t until the 29th April 1961 when the first small group of American serviceman arrived, that Pattaya was changed forever. On this day a few transport trucks arrived from a base in Nakhon Ratchasima, they were loaded with American G.I’s who were here fighting the Vietnam War. These Americans were in search of rest and relaxation, and Pattaya provided them with that. Upon their return to base, word quickly spread about the great time they had in Pattaya, and how friendly the residents were. After this periodically a new group of Americans would arrive with plenty of money to spend, sometimes even from the Naval base in Sattahip, it was at this point that the small village of Pattaya started to make plans to cater for the Americans every need.

This was the birth of Pattaya as we know it today!

As time went on and more fishermen’s huts were replaced with hotels and other accommodation, the fishing boats began to be used for day trips for the tourists. More restaurants and bars slowly started to open, and the beaches began to be frequented by holidaymakers looking for a good time. The nightlife in Pattaya also began to change, with Go-Go bars and entertainment venues opening, fun times were here to stay. Before long this backwater tiny fishing village became an international tourist destination.

And so in 1978 the Government of Thailand granted Pattaya city status, which is now celebrated every year on the 29th of November.

Pattaya as we know it today is so different to the one described from the Pattaya history logs; this sprawling city has so many attractions for everyone that it’s impossible not to find something to suit your tastes. There are a mass of nightlife entertainment complexes and Go-Go bars, an abundance of small beer bars, shopping facilities to suit everyone’s needs including Asia’s largest beachfront shopping center the Central Festival Pattaya Beach, and so much more.

Pattaya as it stands today is without doubt one of Asia’s most popular tourist destinations.


Listed below you will find various links to other pages on this site that may be of interest to you. Why not check them out!

Learn more about Buddhism and the Religion in Thailand

Find out more about the Culture in Thailand

The people of Thailand and what you should know

The King of Thailand

The Government of Thailand

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