Pattaya History – The Changing Face of Pattaya
Pattaya wasn’t always bars, beers,
international shopping centres and 5-star real estate developments! In fact, at one point in history dinosaurs would have roamed the land that is now known as Walking Street. Although the city does seem to change year upon year in rapid speed, it took decades for Pattaya to become what it has become in the modern world. At one time in the not too distant past, Pattaya was just a peaceful fishing village without any Pattaya condo developments at all… I know that’s hard to believe.
The Pattaya we know and love today began to form in the 1960s when the American Army decided to use the village as a place of Rest & Relaxation during the Vietnam War. Word spread fast, and when the Thai people found out there was money to be made, flocked to Pattaya to offer their hospitality and services to the soldiers, which resulted in hundreds of girls from the impoverished North-Eastern regions to await the boats landing in what was then clear blue waters of Pattaya. This period of time changed the face of Pattaya forever and was the catalyst for the Pattaya of the future.
Within a 15-year period to 1978, Pattaya had already achieved a city-like status and had become a hive of activity, offering one of the most unique and exciting holiday destinations to a fledgeling world holiday market that was beginning to form in Europe. This period saw the construction of the city’s first resorts such as Pattaya Palace, Orchid Lodge (Amari), Tropicana, Merlin (today the Hard Rock), Siam Bayshore, Asia, and the Royal Cliff, which signalled the real beginning of the holiday market on a commercial level. These were followed by franchise style eateries, a multitude of bars and restaurants and the first development of Walking Street.
Moving into the 1980s, Pattaya was also beginning to attract families with the construction of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club and a bowling alley at the Royal Cliff Resort that offered a more family-style atmosphere. By this point, the sex-tourism industry had really taken off in a commercial way and was the cornerstone of Pattaya’s holiday scene.
Although Walking Street had existed in the 1960s, it was now really beginning to form, with lots of fast-food joints such as Pizza Hut appearing, alongside a cacophony of bar establishments.
The 1990s saw a massive boom in the Pattaya real estate market, with new villa and apartment developments popping up around the city to cater for large amounts of foreign residents that were now making Pattaya their home. The Pattaya property scene really has grown from strength-to-strength since then, now known as the most dynamic real estate market in the country.
Since the 1990s, Pattaya’s image has evolved even more, with more focus now on family holidays with a multitude of family-style attractions popping up in and around the city, making the city a true holiday destination for all manner of people from across the world.
The Pattaya condos for sale market is currently the most desirable in SE-Asia and offers a wonderful choice of villas and apartments available for all budgets and desires. If you are looking to purchase a Pattaya property, at My Pattaya Condo, we have the best prices due to our relationships with the city’s major developers, which allows us to pass on the amazing value for money prices onto you. Please click here to find an affordable Pattaya condo for sale.
