Once upon a time Pattaya was little more than a sleepy fishing village. During the war in Vietnam, American soldiers started spending rest and relaxation time in the town. Enterprising locals started opening businesses to cater to the foreigner visitors. A few bars with available women rose up first. Then more bars came along.
Eventually soldiers returned to their countries with tales of sexy Thai women. Pattaya continued to grow as some veterans returned to the town with their friends. Word got out to wider circles and before long tourists started piling in. Today some male tourists bring their families along. Yet even more guys visit as single men.
Pattaya is world renown for prostitution and that’s a fact. Known as Thailand’s “Sin City” the place has a reputation for bars and bar girls. The city is filled with go go bars, erotic massage parlors, soapy massage parlors, beer bars, blow job bars, gay bars and ladyboy bars. For the last several decades these establishments have been the main draw to the city.
As the popular shirts sold across Thailand so aptly put it: “Good guys go to Heaven. Bad guys go to Pattaya”. The sex industry is the main economic driver of the city. But how long will that last?
Bad boys go to Pattaya
It has become clear that some people do not like the reality of Pattaya as a destination for those seeking sex. But that does not change the fact that it is indeed the truth on the ground. At the same time there has been a marked change in the city over the last couple of decades.
First there was the influx of Russian tourists. The first wave subsided but was followed up by a more recent rise in Russian visitors. Many come as families. Some purchase condos and stay onboard permanently.
The same can be said about the throngs of Chinese tourists that come to Pattaya. The numbers dried up for a couple of years. But now Chinese guests are returning in significant numbers. They often come in groups complete with grandmothers and children. If you’ve been to Pattaya then you’ve probably seen the crowds with their tour leaders.
Countless viral outrages and news reports have also played a part. There were videos of outrageous behavior such as public oral sex. There were reports in mainstream news outlets calling the city “Sex capital of the world“. Then there was investigative reporting with sensual themes that shocked the pearl clutching public.
The responses were as to be expected. A minister proclaimed that the local sex industry would be eliminated. Yet police did an inspection of Walking Street that found “no prostitution“. Some bars were raided. Yet others opened that were raunchier than ever.
While all this was transpiring a whole host of family friendly attractions opened in Pattaya to cater to the “mainstream tourist”. Today you can find everything from shopping malls, amusement parks, temples, farm tours, boat tours, art centers, elephant and tiger encounters, markets, gardens, museums and more in and around the town. These places are open to all. Thought the average Soi 6 regular couldn’t care less about any of them.
Where is Pattaya headed?
Indeed some Pattaya long timers and regulars openly scorn the rise of a “family friendly Pattaya”. Business people and those with local investments seem to have more mixed feelings. That makes sense. If I owned stake in a restaurant or one of the many news malls or apartment complexes I would likely have an interest in seeing more and better off people come to the town. It boils down to simple economics.
Therein lies the rub. There are tens of thousands of sex workers in Thailand. Many hail from impoverished areas and are the main source of financial support for their extended families. While prostitution can be found in every part of Thailand a large concentration of sex workers is based in Pattaya.
Trying to eliminate the sex industry in Pattaya would require incredibly harsh measures and have major impacts on untold numbers of people. It would also make ripples throughout a society where significant numbers of people at various levels of power benefit directly or indirectly from the money being made.
It would also go against the general trend towards liberalization in Thailand. While the country is famous for repeated coups and military dictatorships laws have actually been loosening up in recent years. That is most famously reflected in the decision to legalize marijuana. Weed dispensaries now flourish across the country and most definitely in Pattaya.
No popular mandate for any major crackdown on prostitution in Pattaya seems to exist. Walking Street is still promoted as a major tourist attraction right along with Ripley’s Believe or Not and the Sanctuary of Truth. Most local people accept sex work and many participate in the industry as buyers or sellers. Even those who own hotels and other mainstream businesses must recognize that they too benefit from the crowds of people who visit. Including those who come with a desire to have sex.
Because of this I don’t foresee any extreme changes in the near future. I am no clairvoyant but experience tells me things will continue to gradually congeal around a new normal. Walking Street will remain as a major draw. Some other areas may be toned down or eliminated completely. Most tourist friendly venues will open up in the prime real estate around the beach. Meanwhile the more hardcore action will be focused more in out-of-the-way gentlemen’s clubs and other private venues. Indeed this transformation seems to have already started!
