As we headed to Pattaya we were told about how big of a tourist attraction it is and how we need to be careful. These words did not give enough justice to just how different Pattaya is. The hotel we were staying at was full of people from other countries, especially people from India, and as we sat on the beach I noticed most of the people in Pattaya were from other countries as well. Being in Pattaya made me feel the most unsafe I had felt here in Thailand. The foreigners would stop and watch us as we walked. Some of them even took pictures of us without our consent.
During our one night in Pattaya a few of us decided to go out to a bar. We finally managed to find one place that was semi cool there was even karaoke. As we sat and drank our beer I noticed quite a few young Thai women hanging around older white men, and when the women started dancing on stage the older men started taking pictures and videos of them. At one point a guy even started singing and dancing with one of these women and I noticed he had a wedding ring on.
Seeing what these women have to do for money really made me realize how privileged I am. These girls have to do things that I would never consider so they can send money to their family. I felt sorry for these girls, but most of all I was angry with those men. How could anyone use a person in that way and be okay with it. I am glad I got to experience this part of Thailand, but I would never suggest going to just Pattaya if someone wanted to go to Thailand. The northern part of Thailand is where the real culture is.
Now I’m not saying Pattaya is a bad place to go. The beach there is beautiful, and there are so many water activities to do. The seafood is a must as well. They catch fresh fish from the ocean daily just make sure it is cooked in front of you so you don’t get sick. One thing to make sure of though is to have enough sun screen. The sun in Thailand is much different than the sun in Minnesota many of us got burnt. Overall it was a great experience and I wouldn’t mind going back as long as I can go to northern Thailand as well.