Pattaya, Thailand just can’t seem to shake its reputation as a hub for sex tourism and prostitutes in Thailand. Whether one seeks girls, boys or “third sex” ladyboys, Pattaya is among the most notorious spots in Asia for prostitution.
To make matters worse, Pattaya’s hyper-commercial city center and (comparatively) dingy beaches make it a bottom-tier leisure destination in a country known for endless sugar-sand shorelines and shallow, glassy waters. For many a Thai, its only redeeming quality tends to be its location near Bangkok — but the overabundance of foreigners raises prices so much he or she would be better off splurging on a flight to Phuket or Koh Samui.
So, does Pattaya have any redeeming qualities for prospective visitors who aren’t sex tourists?
How Pattaya Became a Sex Tourism Hub
Pattaya's skyline suggests an innocent, idyllic destination.
In a word, yes: Pattaya boasts plenty of attractions, both within and just outside its city limits, which offer entertainment, relaxation and recreation for families, retirees and any traveler for whom snagging a Thai lover is low on the list of priorities.
Scenic Koh Lan island, for example, with its electric-blue waters, massive coral reefs and colorful town center, hearkens back to a time when Westerners along Thailand’s southern coast were the exception rather than the rule, a trend which began as the Vietnam war was coming to a close.
Celebrated tour guide Pattanavadee Nantanamanee, who has been covering the Pattaya market for more than 30 years, offered me her perspective on the matter.
Pattaya isn't just for sex tourists, as its incredible sunsets prove.
“At first,” Nantanmanee (who goes simply by Patty) explained, “the American G.I.’s would simply stay in the homes of local people in Pattaya, which was only a small fishing village at that point.”
After only a few years, she went on, enough soldiers stayed (and married young Thai girls and women) that the foreign-born population of the region became large — its reputation soon followed suit.
Sex Tourism in Pattaya
Ironically, this statue pays homage to the Thai naval heritage in Pattaya, not as its capital for sex tourism in Thailand.
Today, the city side of Pattaya’s Sukhumvit beach road is the scene of a massive wave of new construction, including a Hilton Hotel set to open next year, several upscale, next-generation food court concepts and a healthy smattering of medical, dental and spa facilities. But on the other side of the street, a decidedly seedier business dominates.
On "Girl Street" in central Pattaya.
By day, the implications of the arrangement aren’t as obvious. As might be expected in any tourist town in southeast Asia, a healthy mix of Westerners — locals called them farang — and Thais of all ages and social backgrounds colors the landscape in a chaotic, alternating pattern which makes it hard to discern prostitutes from fruit sellers, casual beachgoers from calculating Thailand sex seekers.
When night falls, however, the cards are laid more bare. Near the water, older farang select young girls, men — and the so-called “third sex” in-between — like items from a take-out menu, with new Thai sex workers taking the places of the old when they depart the area almost as fast as the men — some of them cunning, some of them simply curious — replenish their own populations.
“Ladyboy,” the politically-incorrect but nonetheless universal moniker given to Thailand’s cross-dressers, transgendered and the wide range of those in-between are a particularly interesting case. Thai ladyboys are present in huge numbers both along the sea and as the central attraction of an entire sub-soi along Pattaya’s walking street, famous mainly for its go-go bars.
“Other” Things to Do in Pattaya
Many sexy tourists in Thailand are on the D/L.
Like Koh Lan and its family-friend beaches, the city of Pattaya offers legitimate ladyboy entertainment (in the form of “Tiffany’s Show” and others like it). Gender-benders of all ages can be found working “real” — in other words, non-prostitution — jobs in restaurants, retail stores and even banks throughout the urban area.
But just as “they” are said to come if you build it, so to must construction be undertaken if too many of “them” show up.
Foreigners who seek sex in Thailand have a multitude of choices.
A 60-something European who comes to Thailand for sex (and who preferred to remain anonymous) explained his draw to Pattaya. “When I walk down the streets in my country, nobody looks at me. My wife and I haven’t had sex for years–and she’s fine with that. When I’m here, all of a sudden I’m somebody. Of course, I have to pay for it — nothing in life is free. But all tourists go to their destinations so that they can spend money and get exactly what they want in return. I just happen to come to Pattaya to fuck.”
The man, who was at the dental clinic with his Thai prostitute girlfriend when he gave his comment, went onto explain that unlike some other farang in Pattaya, he prefers to stick to a single woman, as much for convenience as for his own health. “I send her to the hospital to get tested when I return and periodically throughout my stay. I want to look out for her, of course, but I do it mostly for my own peace of mind.”
The Downside of Sex Tourism in Pattaya
Romance, anyone?
Unfortunately, safety is not always the top priority — or a consideration at all — for Pattaya’s countless sex tourists. Along the beach road, “Boy Street,” “Girl Street” and “Ladyboy Street” alike, police officers must closely monitor the transactions that occur to limit foul play — and outright violence against sex workers in Thailand, which has also been known to occur.
On the upside, it’s still easy to observe Pattaya’s notorious illicit trade without participating it. An evening walk up and then down the aforementioned pedestrian street is a veritable visual feast — the costumes, advertising techniques and salient solicitations (from buyers and bidders alike) alone are enough to keep you as stimulated as a Bangkok night market or Chiang Mai temple tour.
Even if you don't come to Pattaya to have sex, it's difficult to avoid Thai sex tourism altogether when you're there.
Indeed, at the end of the day, Thailand’s sex tourism industry is as necessary as it is evil, as unavoidable as it is overreaching. Whether you personally like it or not, it is a visible, vital component of contemporary Thailand’s international brand — and it is likely here to stay, as long as lovesick foreign men and cash-hungry young Thais have anything to say about it.
About The Author
Robert Schrader is the author of 255 posts on Leave Your Daily Hell.
Robert founded Leave Your Daily Hell in 2010 so that other travelers would have an entertaining, reliable source of information, advice and inspiration at their fingertips. Robert has traveled to more than 36 countries since he got his first passport stamp in 2005. Want to travel more often? Subscribe to email updates today!
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