BANGKOK, 30 June 2007 — “Welcome to Thailand, sir,” the cab driver said as I headed to Lebua At State Tower, a five-star deluxe hotel, from Bangkok’s new nine-month-old Suvarnabhumi (golden land) airport, described as the second largest in the world.

“This is a land of smiles,” he said. As we neared the destination, he said: “Sir, this is also the land for massages that you can rarely have anywhere else.”

“And yes, if you need a massage please call me up and I will take you around,” driver Abby said as he handed over his contact number.

After checking into the hotel, a bellboy assisted me into my room on one of the higher levels. While leaving, he said: “Sir, if you need a massage, just contact me on this number.”

Within minutes there was a knock on the door and there was a hotel assistant offering me a bottle of mineral water. “This is complimentary,” he said and did not fail to notice two complimentary water bottles that were already provided in the room.

“You can have the best of massages here and if you need one please let me know,” the young Thai said.

For a moment I wondered whether Thailand flourished in tourism all because of massages. I soon discovered that it has much more and better tourist attractions, aside from its ongoing efforts to become a hub for MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions) industry in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region.

Pattaya, about a couple of hours drive from Bangkok on Sukhumvit Highway via Bangna, Bangpakong, Chonbury and Sri Racha toward the east coast, excels in entertainment, especially at dusk. With its best known beaches, the city completely transforms itself into “the place” for nightlife with a number of massage parlors and a fine selection of Thai food including seafood and steaks with traditional Thai country music. Many of them also serve Chinese, European and Italian food varieties, and also pizza and pasta. The city’s main artery becomes colorful with shops, eateries and other places screaming with “best massage” signboards.

“Visit the world’s best and biggest massage parlor with experienced masseurs,” a young man shouts outside one such center. Others have similar and other offers including facial treatments, mini day packages, body treatments, etc.

There is also a Thai massage development school here. This “first school of Eastern Thailand” offers health services ranging from foot massage, traditional massage, aromatherapy massage and a herbal compress with Thai herbs.

Often referred to as the “Gold Coast” of Thailand because of its golden sand, Pattaya, 147 kilometers from the capital city is one of Asia’s premier beach resorts with world-class water sport and golf facilities.

More Than Just a Night Destination

As many people are starting to discover, Pattaya is more than just a night destination with exotic shopping areas and beaches. Even this city excels in exhibition and convention halls at its various resorts., one of them being the picturesque Royal Cliff Beach Resort, a five-star resort comprising four hotels with 1,100 rooms.

The climate is tropical and warm all year-round. Monsoon winds are sometimes accompanied by rain. However, it can be very hot from March to June. From July to September, the temperature ranges from 32 to 38 degrees and it is cool from November to February, a vendor said with a smile.

Travel around Pattaya is most convenient by minibus. Motorcycle and car rentals are also easy to find. Boat trips to nearby islands are quite frequent.

Most notices are in English and Thai, and some signboards are in German and even Russian languages.

In the past, Pattaya never extended beyond the four-kilometer stretch along the sea called Beach Road. Of course, today the city is more than this road, although it still remains the heart and soul for visitors. And once one visits the Beach Road, everything else is just a bonus. This area is bordered on one side by about 100 hotels, bars and restaurants and by the beach on the other. And this made it a good spot for us to jumpstart our exploration.

Tour of Europe and Asia

While the whole stretch is one long entertainment district, it is in South Pattaya that one can still find a glimmer of what gave Pattaya its legendary afterdark reputation. As soon as the sun sets, South Pattaya starts to swing. Traffic comes to a halt and scores of stalls and vendors emerge to do brisk business from ruby and sapphires to tailors cajoling customers for a suit. Music starts blaring from bars and stores, and stretches out to beaches.

“Want to tour Europe and Asia in less than a day,” a tour operator asked. It is Mini Siam. Located on the outskirts of Pattaya at Sukhumvit Road is the place to go, he said. Its highlights mock models of 31 famous European landmarks and 56 popular tourist spots in Asia. In a display of miniature artistry, the craftsmen of Mini Siam showcase a host of intricate works that extol the Thai mastery of details. Every sight is something to behold and appreciate.

Mini Siam offers not only selected tourist sites, but it has succeeded in bringing about the effect of real travel through a panorama of miniature world-famous edifices and monuments.

Here, we began our itinerary at the Eiffel Tower and took a side trip to the Arc de Triomphe, both of which are pride of Paris. There is also the grandiose Palais de Chaillot, also known as the Trocardeo.

Visitors can photograph themselves with Johann Strauss as he renders a melodious waltz with his violin. We then crossed the Tower Bridge of England, viewed the magnificent Gothic masterpiece Cologne Cathedral and the magic of Rome’s Trevi Fountain, aside from the fascinating replica of the Angkor Wat of Cambodia.

The miniature world landmarks are spread over an exquisitely landscaped garden.

For a group of Asian journalists who were on a visit to tour Thailand’s MICE industry, the Pattaya experience was both relaxing and educational.