By Jan Schauseil
Prior to the 1950s, Pattaya was little more than a quiet fishing village along the Gulf of Thailand. Its long sweeping bay was populated only by a few boats and beach shacks where the villagers lived. When residents of Bangkok and a handful of neighbouring soldiers began spending their weekends in Pattaya during the 1960s, this beach town began its transformation into a major seaside resort destination.
Pattaya bay before the highrises came
Pattaya bay before the highrises came
In the early days, only a few of the wealthier Thais came to Pattaya to enjoy the sea and sand, which at that time was still clean and uncluttered. They bought small beach cottages to use as weekend retreats and helped encourage the locals to open little seafood restaurants. But soon after their ‘discovery’ of Pattaya, the war in Vietnam brought an entirely different crowd to its quiet beaches.
It all started when a group of 500 American soldiers stationed at the military base in Korat were driven to Pattaya on 29th June 1959 for a week of rest and relaxation (R&R). They rented several houses at the southern end of the beach from a prominent Thai, Lord Sunthorn, thus opening Pandora’s Box for this sleepy fishing village. Despite their short stay, the GIs had a great time and raved about the place. The word spread among other American soldiers stationed in the region and Pattaya quickly became a hot alternative to the concrete sprawl of Bangkok.
Even before the start of the Vietnam War, American GIs had put Pattaya on the map as the best beach destination to unwind and indulge. But when large numbers of troops began to arrive at the neighbouring Ban Sattahip Air Base in 1968, things really picked up in Pattaya. Also known as U-Tapao International Airport, the army base at Sattahip was heavily staffed and used by the US Air Force throughout the Vietnam conflict.
Sattahip is also the site of Juksamet Port, the home of the Thai Royal Navy’s largest naval base and one of Thailand’s few deep-water ports. Between the air and naval bases, there were thousands of soldiers living in and passing through Sattahip. Since the military bases are just 90kms from Pattaya, GIs flocked to the beach resort in droves whenever they had an R&R break. The first hotel, called the Nautical Inn, opened in 1960 and is still in business today. In 1964 the first bar was opened in the Nova Lodge Hotel, which is also still open.
American GIs on R&R from Vietnam were the first tourists
American GIs on R&R from Vietnam were the first tourists
As the Vietnam War raged on during the late 1960s and early 1970s, hundreds of American GIs were airlifted into U-Tapao air base on a daily basis for their R&R. Nearly all of these soldiers headed straight to Pattaya, where a boom town of partying, prostitution and escapism developed. Coming right out of a war zone, one can only imagine the state of mind these soldiers were in when they arrived in Pattaya. Fighting an intense physical and psychological guerilla war in Vietnam created a genuine need for total escapism.
To fulfill these soldiers’ needs, an entire resort and entertainment industry emerged from the humble foundations of a fishing village. Thais from all over the country, but especially from Issan, moved to Pattaya to work in this booming and indulgent atmosphere. In the early days, a hotel room cost about 50 cents and a lady companion not much more. The GIs spent their earnings freely and the Thais happily raked them in.
At the southern end of the beach a ramshackle spot called the Marine Bar opened and soon became the hub of Pattaya’s growing red-light district. As fast as the American GIs were being shipped into Vietnam to fight, this hedonistic neighbourhood expanded. Soon Pattaya jokingly earned a reputation for I&I (intoxication and intercourse). Vast numbers of drinking holes, nightclubs and girlie bars opened to cater to the swarms of young GIs who arrived in a seemingly endless flow.
Despite its deserved reputation as an unbridled party nexus, Pattaya wasn’t only about sex, drinking and drugs. At its heart it was still a beach town and the sea and sand also played a big role in the soldiers’ R&R. The first scuba diving shop opened during this period, providing an underwater escape for many servicemen and their families. Some of the first commercial diving in Thailand was done right off the shores of Pattaya among its pretty coral reefs. The clean sandy beaches, clear waters and coral reefs provided plenty of outdoor recreation to balance the night-time activities. Visitors could rent ski boats, work on their tans and take long swims in the calm sea.
When the Vietnam War came to a close in 1975, the fortunes of Pattaya fell into a brief slump. With all the soldiers gone, many of the bars, clubs and workers were forced into early retirement. Rival beach destinations had begun to emerge along Thailand’s endless coasts, offering a distinctly different scene to that which Pattaya was famous for.
In just thirty years this coastal area was entirely developed into a city
In just thirty years this coastal area was entirely developed into a city
Yet the town endured, boosted by a new wave of hedonistic visitors from around Asia, India and Russia. Pattaya was officially named a city in 1978 and began to market itself to a broader range of tourists. After the Vietnam War, many servicemen stayed in Pattaya. They married Thais, opened bars and restaurants, and kept the spirit of the American GIs alive.
Today, thousands of American soldiers still come to Pattaya every year to participate in a joint Thai-US military exercise known as Cobra Gold. Although the circumstances are different than they were in the 1970s, many of the GIs still head right to the heart of infamous Pattaya where things haven’t actually changed that much.
