It started off as nothing more than a small fishing village on the Gulf of Thailand. Its long sweeping bay was dotted with a few boats and shacks where the villagers lived. Then a group of 500 American soldiers stationed at a military base in Nakhon Ratchasima were driven to Pattaya on June 29, 1959, for a week of rest and relaxation (R&R). They rented several houses at the southern end of the beach from a prominent local, Luang Sunthorn, thus opening a Pandora’s box for this sleepy fishing village.

Word spread among American soldiers stationed in the region and Pattaya quickly become a hot alternative destination to the concrete sprawl of Bangkok. GIs had put Pattaya on the map as the best beach destination to unwind and indulge.

Full story: Bangkok Post

CHAIYOT YONGCHAROENCHAI