Walking Street Pattaya is the epicenter of what is probably the largest commercial sex zone on the face of the Earth and in the history of the world. Until the late 1960's, Pattaya, about 70 miles southeast of Bangkok, was a sleepy fishing village. Then the Vietnam War brought tens of thousands of young male American military personnel to a dozen or so bases in Thailand, including a large air base near Pattaya called U-Tapao. Always on the lookout for R&R entertainment, young American soldiers, airmen and sailors started hanging out at a few small beach bars in tiny Pattaya. Thais, who are very enterprenural and quick off the mark, immediately understood that more bars, clubs and girls for more young American soldiers, airmen and sailors meant more money. And so began Pattaya as a center for nightlife. By the end of the Vietnam War, there were several hundred bars, clubs and "entertainment" venues in Pattaya, mainly along Beach Road but also extending into a pedestrian-only area called Walking Street. After the war ended and the American soldiers, airmen and sailors disappeared, the era of Jumbo Jets and cheap air travel arrived. European, Australian and American men began arriving in Pattaya by the hundreds of thousands. More bars, clubs, "entertainment" venues and more bargirls, ladyboys and even rentboys. And more money, a lot more money. Then the internet provided quick information and communication, ATM's provided endless cash, mobile phones became easy contact points and Viagra allowed for infinite desire. More hundreds of bars, clubs, "entertainment venues", hotels large and small. Then on top of the first wave of Europeans, Australians and Americans, hundreds of thousands of Japanese, Koreans, Taiwanese, Singaporeans. Then millions of Russians, followed by millions of Chinese, millions of Arabs, Iranians and finally, millions of South Asian males from India. Until Pattaya became the huge nightlife spectacle it is today with tens of thousands of bars, clubs and "entertainment" venues, over ten million visitors per year and hundreds of thousands of sex workers to service them all. Mainly from Isan/NE Thailand but also from Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. On a Friday night, there might be over a hundred thousand tourists, mainly male, just on Walking Street. From every country in Asia and every country on Earth. Neon density, high velocity, powerful audio systems playing dozens of overlapping music tracks. Cheap hotels, great food, tropical air, the beach, the Gulf of Thailand. And in every direction slim, cute, smiling girls, hungry ladyboys and rentboys.
