Pattaya is all flashing neon and blaring music down even the smallest soi, an assault on the senses. Places like the South Pattaya pedestrian area, "Walking Street," are lined with open-air watering holes with bar girls luring each passerby: The nightlife finds you in this town with an imploring, "You, mister, where you go?" Go-go bars are everywhere and red-light "Bar Beer" joints are springing up as fast as local officials can close them down. The city is a larger version of Bangkok′s Patpong complete with "Boyz Town," a row of gay go-go clubs in south Pattaya.

If the sex scene is not your thing, there are a few spots without the sleaze. Hopf Brewery, 219 Beach Rd. (tel. 03871-0650), makes it′s own fine brand of suds and their in-house Hopf Band plays everything from old Herb Alpert tunes to newer jazzy sounds. Shenanigan′s is a fun Irish bar hangout at the Royal Garden Complex (near the Marriott), with the front entrance on Pattaya 2nd Road (tel. 03871-0641) and Henry J. Bean′s (on the beach near the Amari Hotel; tel. 03842-8161) has a live band and a light, friendly atmosphere.

The town′s campy cabaret shows are touristy good fun. Pattaya′s most beautiful Katoeys (transsexuals) don sequined gowns and feather boas to strut their stuff for packed houses nightly. Both Tiffany′s (464 Moo 9, 2nd Rd.; tel. 03842-9642) and Alcazar (78/14 Pattaya 2nd Rd., opposite Soi 5; (tel. 03841-0505) have hilarious shows much like those in other tourist towns in Thailand. The biggest disco, Palladium (78/33-35 Pattaya 2nd Rd.; tel. 03836-1376), is a cavernous dance hall with pulsing music, karaoke, and snooker.