Pattaya and the Culture Ministry launched a new mobile app to highlight cultural attractions in the city that offers many hotels and little culture.
Called Treasure Trip Pattaya, the app is the third developed by Plot Agency Co. Previous apps covered Chiang Mai and Songkhla. The trilingual app – Thai, English and Korean – is available for free on the Apple AppStore and Google Play store.
Pattaya Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome and Chai Nakornchai, director-general of the ministry’s Department of Cultural Promotion, officially launched the app Dec. 3 with local tourism officials, administrators and community leaders.
Sonthaya claimed the app aims to promote “cultural tourism routes” in Pattaya showcasing history, learning centers, museums, artist houses, temples and restaurants.
In fact, a look at the app quickly shows it’s little more than a hotel-booking app. There are no top-level sections for history, learning centers or any subject the mayor mentioned. Instead, there are sections for transport, hotels, restaurants and shopping. One section, entitled “Experience” lists attractions such as Walking Street and Pattaya’s ladyboy cabarets, which are closed.
A smaller section does list activities, such as five cooking classes, Chinese temples (which are, in fact, Thai), “national parks” that are, in fact, not national parks but city parks or privately operated tourist attractions. The “culture and handicraft” page lists just five items.
As usual, the hype and PR spouted by Pattaya officials outstripped reality. But the app is free, so there’s no downside to downloading it.
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