Pattaya is not really a port, however it owes it's existence totally to the need
for US Service Men to have a place for rest and recreation from the early days
of the Viet Nam conflict. In 1952 there were perhaps a total of 52 families
plying their efforts at fishing. Now it is one of Thailand's premier Beach
Resorts and a huge metropolis in it's own right. Pattaya is a political
subdivision of the province of Chonburi.
The prevailing religion is Buddhism. My first experience with Pattaya came
after the 1979 Hostage Crisis while I was aboard the USNS NAVASOTA. I
would then see it again two more times. The USNS WALTER S DIEHL
called at Pattaya after supporting operation Desert Storm in 1991. I
think that the next time I saw Pattaya would be while I was aboard USNS
GUADALUPE. You will notice the speed boats lined up at the shore line.
These fast craft not only serve the tourist trade but also ferry crew
members from ship to shore. There was a standing order from the
THAI ADMIRALTY that whenever US SHIPS called that hotels had to provide
a lodging discount. So we would pay usually no more than $28.00 US for a
5 star hotel room that would normally run $100.00 plus stateside. It may
seem to the average observer that Pattaya is like any beach resort town
in the US. If you assumed so you stand corrected because Pattaya never
allowed building on the beach itself , hotels had to build on the land
side of the road allowing total public access of the beach. It is
unfortunate but Pattaya got hit by the great Tsunami . Now for all those
that are reluctant to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America and think that you have that right do not presume that
you have that same liberty when visiting Thailand. When you go to watch
a movie there is a short trailer in which you must stand to honor the
King failure to do so even for foreigners is a crime in Thailand. It is
a shame that we no longer require the salute to the Star Spangled banner
in movie theaters here in the US. Back in the day when electrician
mates and IC electricians had the duty we had to start off with the Star
Spangled banner with the nights first movie. I have not seen that
practice in our theaters since I was a child. However I did see it in
the Philippines and Canada .
The last time I saw Pattaya there was a crazy 50'ish
European Lady walking down the strand with it all hanging out for the
world to see. While Pattaya is a place where young ladies seek the
company of men and vice a versa they would never expose themselves like
this in Public.
