Pattaya lies 150km to the southeast of Bangkok, less than two hours by road, and stretches for some 15 km along the Eastern Seaboard, taking in the neighbouring area of Jomtien. Thailand’s largest resort, it shares the coast with traditional fishing villages, other resorts such as Bang Saen and Rayong, new industrial centres, the towns of Chonburi and Sri Racha, and the port and naval base of Sattahip. Pattaya Beach is a palm-fringed, sandy bay with a view of coral islands on the horizon. Nearby are other cliffs and other bays, while inland, the region is rich in agricultural products including sugar cane, tapioca, rubber, and fruit trees.
Pattaya is now a city in its own right, with its own mayor and its own administration. This is not all due to tourism. The government development program for the Eastern Seaboard has transformed the region and this rapid industrial and commercial expansion has led to many expatriates coming to live in the area. There is a new deep-sea port at Laem Chabang, 20 km north of Pattaya with a vast industrial estate and another development zone at Map Ta Phut near Rayong to the south. Pattaya City is well located to be a major business centre serving these two giant industrial communities. There are five international schools and four international hospitals in the area not to mention all the golf courses and other leisure facilities.
Pattaya and Jomtien have something for everyone – whether it be world-class watersports, awesome shopping facilities, great international schooling, superb dining or simple beach-life lapping up the year-round climate. Nowhere in Thailand offers this range of opportunities with established infrastructure, proximity to Bangkok and incredible value for money – living in Jomtien or Pattaya is a fraction of the price of other resort locations in Thailand!
All of the infrastructure around Pattaya and Jomtien is seeing massive investment. There is road-widening, water pipe laying, electricity upgrading and all manner of building work. This is all in preparation for the biggest single change in the history of the area since it was upgraded from a sleepy fishing village during the Vietnam War. The new Bangkok International Airport is now only an hour away in it’s new location at Suvarnabhumi, on the main road out of Bangkok towards Pattaya. With this we are now seeing new motorways, talk of the first casino in Thailand and high speed ‘maglev’ trains planned from Pattaya to Bangkok in only 18 minutes! There has never been a better time to invest in this very exciting area in an already enchanting country.