| Thailand’s east coast, unfolding some 150 kilometers from the mouth
of Chao Phraya river to the Cambodian border, is dotted with beach resorts
for all seasons. Pride of the coast is
Pattaya, once a sleepy
fishing village in 1960. Vietnam War in the last decade was a starting point
for Pattaya to spread its beauty and fame to outsiders when thousands of
American troops flooded into its shore and marked her a recreation center
and vacation paradise.
 Less
than two decades, it has been transformed into an international tourist spot
dubbed as the "Jewel of the East Coast." It is filled with modern public
facilities, including local and international banks, malls, hospitals, a
world-class golf
course, variety of sports, international and
local
cuisines and
all kinds of accommodations.
Just recently, Reli Tours and Travel owned by Renato S. Lirio and
Philippine Airlines held a familiarization tour to Pattaya and Bangkok City.
The group is composed of Manuel Luis Molina, Jr. of PAL, Marjorie del
Rosario, Myleen Ofalsa, Annalie Aranilla of Reli Tours; Jeannie Manuel,
International Journey; Nora Ramos, Great Pacific; Lizzette Tamayo, Excellent
Travel; Joeben Oriel, MBO Tours & Travel; Mary Macy Pascual, Asiatica
Travel; Carly Leah Caguindagan, BalyGem; Vivian Obciana, Stars Travel;
Rodilyne Emocling, Rajah Travel; Armel Cabansag, Skyview Travel; Jovita
Dulay, Sans Travel and Kathy Marie Abainza, Trailblazers.
From the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Centennial II, it took
us almost three hours to reach Bangkok’s Don Muang International Airport on
board PR 730. Our host was Kosol Boonma, managing director of KBS Travel and
Intertrade Co. Ltd. in Bangkok.
We were ushered by Pinky, our tour guide, to the waiting bus
and on to Pattaya for almost two hours. Pattaya and other places in
Bangkok like
Chiangmai,
Phuket,
Krabi,
Samui,
Hua
Hin/Cha-Am,
Kanchanaburi,
and
Chaingrai can easily be reached through international roaming with Smart
Communications, Inc. partnered with AIS GSM.
Pattaya offers an impressive range of accommodations to suit all tastes
and budgets. It has deluxe beachfront and cliff-top hotels which maintain
facilities and services at par with the best in Bangkok.
Siam City Hotels and Resorts (SCHR) has two hotels in Pattaya – the Siam
Bayview (where the group was billeted), the Siam Bayshore and the Siam City
Hotel in Bangkok.
Kanala Sukusol, president of SCHR said, "Thailand’s unique charm and
culture play a significant role in each of our three hotels.
Pattaya’s Siam
Bayshore and Siam Bayview accentuate Thailand’s natural beauty and
tranquility while the
Siam City Hotel in Bangkok connects the traditional Thai chain with
contemporary European flare."
Sightseeing includes the Yannasangwararan, a new Buddhist temple
dedicated to the King, the Nong Nuch Park, a 600-acre botanical park reputed
to be the world’s largest orchid nursery. It features cultural performances
and an elephant show where one can see them painting, massaging, playing
basketball, riding a bicycle, among others.
Other places of interest are Mini Siam (replicas of 80 sacred and other
cities around Thailand); the Sanctuary of Truth located at Ratchawet Cape;
Pattaya Watch Tower, the first highest tower and revolving restaurant; Wat
Yan Sangwararam, a royal temple which enshrines a replica of Buddha
footprints, a large stupa where the relics of the Lord Buddha and disciples
are enshrined.
One can go to Pattaya Beach, which is paralleled by a tree-lined
promenade and beach road. The northern part is lined with hotels and
restaurants while the central area is the shopping haven. Located at the
southern is Pattaya’s nightlife destination and walking street.
Transportation within Pattaya is not hard. Wherever you go, you can
always see the Song-thaews, a one-ton pick-up truck with roof, and fare
costing 10-30 baht per person depending on the distance, in Bangkok City,
they use the Tuk Tuk, a three-wheel motorbike and collects 30 baht depending
on the distance. Bargaining prior to boarding is accepted and widely done.
On the second day after lunch, the tour operators went to Bangkok City
and stayed at
Baiyoke Sky Hotel. The hotel is the tallest tower in Bangkok, rising
88storey above its skyline.
It has 673 rooms that provide all the comfort, services and style one
expects of an international hotel.
On the other hand, Eastin Bangkok Hotel boasts of 284 spacious deluxe and
superior rooms, plus suites including a royal and Asian suite for special
guests.
Bangkok, known to the Thai as "Krungthep" (City of Angels), was
established by King Rama I as capital of Siam in 1782.
 No
matter how many times you’ve visited the place before, there is always
something new to discover. A must on the list of tourists is the Golden
Sukhontai Traimit Buddha, the largest in the world. Made of pure gold, it
measures 12 feet by 5 inches in diameter and has a height of 15 feet, 9
inches from the base to the crown, weighing approximately 5 tons.
From here, the group went to see the Temple of the Reclining Buddha or
Wat Po. It is one of the oldest and with the largest number of pagodas (95).
It was built by King Rama I, 200 years ago to provide public education. |
