Pattaya marked its 38th year of cityhood with a merit-making ceremony attended by public officials, soldiers and residents.
Acting Mayor Chanapong Sriviset presided over the Nov. 29 ceremony to pay respects to honorary city father King Taksin the Great.
Prayers were said for the Earth Mother Goddess at the entrance of Pattaya City Hall. Attendees then moved to the King Taksin monument, to honor the monarch adopted by the city as its founder.
A wreath then was laid for Parinya Chawalitdhamrongkul, the former deputy interior minister, who donated 10 rai of land for Pattaya City Hall’s construction on Nov. 23, 1980. Parinya first came to Pattaya in 1948 and helped develop Pattaya, Naklua, Nongprue and Banglamung as tourist destinations. He died in 2005.
Pattaya came into being with the Pattaya City Administration Act of 1978. Before that the area was known as Naklua Sanitation District, established in 1956, which was expanded to South Pattaya in 1964 with a manageable area of 22.2 sq. kilometers.
As Pattaya grew, the government issued the Pattaya City Administration Act of 1978, dissolving Naklua Sanitation District and Pattaya City was born. The city has been administered under a special autonomous system of city management since November 29, 1978.
