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77-572: The first event was held in Pattaya , Thailand on January 25, 2014. The promotion has since held over 20 events each year. The first event in Pattaya, Thailand on January 25, 2014 included super fights and a 4-man kickboxing tournament with Andrei Kulebin , Petsanguan Luktupfah, Guo Dongwang and Umar Semata . After the inaugural event the promotion has held events in Thailand two more times. On June 7, 2015 it

154-500: A Kunlun Fight venue in Tongling . 71 KCL events were held during the first qualification season between September 22 and December 31, 2018. In its present format, the league begins in March with 16 teams split into 2 groups for a regular season. The highest scoring teams from both groups proceed to a knockout phase that culminates with the final event at the end of the year. In 2019 the league

231-537: A database for post-2017 domestic violence incidents. According to the All-China Women's Federation , it was the first time a Chinese municipality has enacted such a database. The system was to be launched July 1 that year. The vice president of the Yiwu chapter of the federation, Zhou Danying, stated that in many cases an abusive partner reveals this trait post-marriage. The impetus was an increase in such incidents during

308-658: A decade. On 4 November 2023, Pattaya was awarded the Integrity and Transparency Assessment award for the highest development category. The award was presented by the National Anti-Corruption Commission to Poramet at Government House in Bangkok. Pattaya has a tropical wet and dry climate , which is divided into the following seasons: hot and dry (December to February), hot and humid (March and April), and hot and rainy (May to November). The municipality has

385-470: A distinct urban core. On China's administrative strata it is a sub-prefecture level city. It has under its jurisdiction 15 towns and eight villages, which covers 1,102.8 square kilometres, 100 square kilometres of which are urban area of 700,000 people (2010 estimate). There has been talk of merging the Yiwu and Jinhua areas into a single municipal zone or economic entity, but this plan has yet to make its way into any formal discussion. The city, in 2020 opened

462-492: A dozen air routes to cities including Beijing , Guangzhou , Shantou , Weifang and Shenzhen . The Zhejiang - Jiangxi Railway and Hangzhou - Jinhua Expressway passes through the city, making Yiwu an important local transportation hub. By train it is less than three hours from Shanghai . "Yiwu, 300 kilometres away from Shanghai, is the largest market of commodity wholesales in the world where various foreign buyers go to place orders", according to 'Chinese Figures Astonishing

539-450: A fertilizer for their own lands or made into feather dusters for exporting. This "Sugar-For-Chicken Feathers" tradition had become part of Yiwu culture. As the trading population grew larger, the earliest wholesale markets emerged in Yiwu around 1700s. After the founding of People's Republic of China in 1949, the free market was once considered capitalistic and hence officially suppressed, forcing Yiwu people to continue their trade secretly. It

616-523: A large Indian community , which mainly speaks Tamil. Pattaya, on the Gulf of Thailand, is approximately 160 kilometres (99 mi) south of the city of Bangkok in Bang Lamung District , Chonburi Province . The city of Pattaya is a special municipal area which covers the whole tambon Nong Prue (Nongprue) and Na Kluea (Naklua) and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. Bang Lamung township which forms

693-427: A month of the completion of the restoration of the first 400 m of Pattaya Beach, the work was "seriously damaged" by flooding. The beach is the first in the country to use imported sand to compensate for coastal erosion. An official said, "...the longer it is left without the flood damage being repaired, the worse it will get." Phra Tamnak Hill is on the south side of Pattaya and is popular for its viewpoints and

770-566: A number of notable figures in literature, art, military, education and engineering. Among these were Chen Wangdao , China's first translator of the Communist Manifesto ; Wu Han , historian and former deputy mayor of Beijing ; Zhu Zhixi, the engineer who harnessed the Yellow River ; Zhu Danxi, one of the four distinguished doctors of the Jin and Yuan Dynasties; Zong Ze, a well-known general from

847-469: A pivotal role in bolstering the local economy. The continuous growth in the sector, particularly driven by foreign interest in condos, contributes significantly to employment, from construction to property management. Increased property transactions also generate substantial revenue through taxes and fees, further enhancing the city's fiscal health. During 2020-2022, Pattaya witnessed a limited number of new projects, resulting in high absorption rates. Notably,

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924-404: A population of 119,532 residents (2019), while the city ("Greater Pattaya") has a population of 328,961 (2021). Most of these people counted are Thai, with most migrant populations not recognized, although migrant workers are increasingly regularized due to foreign pressure. Some details of the census remain complex, as even indigenous Thais without nationality are not being recognized. Therefore,

1001-574: A red card is a disqualification. -60 kg (-132.3 lb) -70 kg (-154.3 lb) 84 kg (185 lbs); division was formerly 79 kg (175 lbs) until 2017 77 kg (170 lbs); division was formerly 75 kg (165 lbs) until 2017 Pattaya Pattaya is a city in Eastern Thailand , the second-largest city in Chonburi province and the eighth-largest city in Thailand . It

1078-403: A similar route was inaugurated connecting Yiwu to Tehran , Iran. In 2017 a freight train service started operating between Yiwu and Barking Rail Freight Terminal, London, UK. According to the Yiwu customs office statistics, the total of 65 container trains left the city for Europe and Central/Western Asia in 2015, with 5,242 TEU of cargo being imported or exported. Jinhua Rail Transit

1155-412: A sizable Chinese Muslim and Korean population, mostly working in the import and export businesses, as well as a very small Jewish population also in those businesses. It also has a large Christian church and a thousand years old Buddhist temple, Jingju Temple . Yiwu is also known as the "sock town" as annually it produces over three billion pairs of socks for Wal-Mart , Pringle and Disney . Yiwu

1232-419: A third of plant equipment was found to be 40–50 percent worn out. The system treats waste from a 36 km portion of Pattaya, or 68 percent of its urban area. Earlier plans to increase treatment capacity to 135,000 m were never implemented and existing plants were allowed to fall into disrepair. Pattaya uses more than 200,000 m of water a day, but claims to only discharge about 70,000 m a day. The discrepancy

1309-600: A yearly 70 kg world championship tournament. In 2014 the inaugural 16-man tournament was won by Dzianis Zuev who defeated Victor Nagbe in the final. For 2015 the tournament was expanded to 64-man and Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong emerged as the champion from a field of fighters including multiple kickboxing champions and highly ranked fighters such as Marat Grigorian , Enriko Gogokhia , Enriko Kehl , Davit Kiria , Murthel Groenhart , Andy Souwer , Yodsanklai Fairtex , Dzhabar Askerov , Superbon Banchamek , Amancio Paraschiv , Chingiz Allazov , Aikpracha Meenayothin and

1386-406: A yellow card forfeits 25% of the fight purse and earns a 1-point deduction, a red card is a disqualification. ◾ Mixed martial arts rules: Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts ◾ Muay thai rules: knees are allowed to the body, legs and the head, throws and clinch are allowed, elbows are allowed to the body, legs and head, a yellow card forfeits 25% of the fight purse and earns a 1-point deduction,

1463-474: Is a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Jinhua in Central Zhejiang Province , East China . As of the 2020 census, the city had 1,859,390 inhabitants and its built-up (or metro) area, joined with that of the neighboring Dongyang , was home to 2,947,340 inhabitants. The city is famous for its light industry commodity trade and vibrant market and as a regional tourist destination. Yiwu

1540-427: Is about 120 kilometres (75 mi) by road from Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), the country's largest international airport. By road, it is accessed from Sukhumvit Road and Motorway 7 from Bangkok. Pattaya is also served by scheduled flights via U-Tapao International Airport (UTP) which is 45-minute drive south of the city. A passenger-only ferry service from Pattaya to Hua Hin began operation on 12 January 2017 and

1617-429: Is also known as China's number one producer of fashion jewellery as firms are based in Yiwu as there are many factories making unbranded jewellery and the amount of warehouses that are available to store the goods in. The Guyue Bridge , a stone arch bridge built in 1213, is one of the few existing bridges of that era. This town is the ancestral home of singer Wang Leehom , current Kuomintang leader Eric Chu and

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1694-568: Is at the center of the Pattaya-Chonburi Metropolitan Area (a conurbation in Chonburi Province with a population of 1,000,000), which forms the third largest metropolitan area in Thailand. The name Pattaya evolved from the march of Phraya Tak (later King Taksin ) and his army from Ayutthaya to Chanthaburi , which took place before the fall of the former capital to Burmese invaders in 1767. When his army arrived in

1771-474: Is divided from Pattaya by Thepprasit Road, the southern route into Pattaya city. It consists of high-rise condominiums, beach side hotels, bungalow complexes, shops, bars, and restaurants. Offshore islands include three "near islands": Ko Lan (main island), Ko Sak , and Ko Krok , 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from the shore of Pattaya. The "far islands" are Ko Phai (main island), Ko Man Wichai , Ko Hu Chang and Ko Klung Badan , located offshore further west of

1848-499: Is on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand , about 100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast of Bangkok , and has a population of 328,961 as of 2021. Pattaya City ( Thai : เมืองพัทยา , RTGS :  Mueang Phatthaya , pronounced [mɯ̄a̯ŋ pʰát.tʰā.jāː] ) is a special local government organization area within Bang Lamung district and has a population of 119,532. It covers

1925-504: Is operated by Royal Passenger Liner. By road, the journey takes five to six hours. The ferry shortens travel time to about two hours, subject to sea conditions. The ferry cruises at 27 knots on the 113 km journey across the Gulf of Thailand with a maximum passenger capacity of 150 persons. Larger ferries carrying up to 260 people may be added to the service later. Ferries capable of carrying vehicles are projected for 2020. In November 2018, Hua Hin deputy chief Chareewat Phramanee confirmed

2002-497: Is served by bus services from Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit) and the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai), connecting to Pattaya's main bus terminal on Pattaya Nuea (North Pattaya Road) near Sukhumvit Road. There are two airport bus services. The 389 Bus (airportpattayabus) service connects Pattaya with Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). It uses modern, air-conditioned buses, and takes around 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours to reach

2079-476: Is technically illegal but tolerated in most cities, including Pattaya. The city's vast numbers of host bars , gogo bars , massage parlours , saunas , and hourly hotels, serve foreign tourists as well as locals. This is especially prominent on Walking Street as well as other areas around the city. Efforts have been made to clean up the city's image. Yiwu Yiwu ( simplified Chinese : 义乌 ; traditional Chinese : 義烏 ; pinyin : Yìwū )

2156-502: Is the entrance to Walking Street . The beach, which used to be 35 m wide, suffers from erosion and in some places was reduced to a width of only two to three meters. A 429 million baht beach restoration scheme was implemented in 2018. It will take 360,000 m of sand from Ko Rang Kwian offshore to increase the beach width to 50 m. Without intervention Pattaya will likely see its beaches disappear in roughly ten years according to Chulalongkorn University researchers. Within

2233-466: Is unexplained. Once treated, there are no tests to measure water quality before it is dumped back into the sea, which may account for foul water discharges. Pattaya is at the center of Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). Investments totaling more than 1.5 trillion baht (US$ 45 billion) are flowing into EEC infrastructure projects: airports, deep-sea ports, high-speed railways, autoroutes. The result will enhance Pattaya's accessibility. According to

2310-433: The tambons of Nong Prue and Na Klua and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. Pattaya City has grown into all adjacent sub-districts and accounts for the largest population percentage in the district, making it de facto a part of the "Pattaya-Bang Lamung-Jomtien" area, otherwise known as "Greater Pattaya". The city is in the industrial Eastern seaboard zone, along with Si Racha , Laem Chabang , and Chonburi . Pattaya

2387-546: The Bang Lamung district , forming the "Pattaya-Bang Lamung-Jomtien" area (727 km²), also known as "Greater Pattaya", though the commonly used term to describe the urban area is simply Pattaya. Changes in population and area size are regularly revised by the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning and the Chonburi Provincial Administrative Organization . Pattaya is part of

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2464-602: The COVID-19 pandemic . In July 2020, Yiwu became the first city in China to allow residents check their partners' domestic violence records, aimed at reducing incidents of domestic violence . Subdistricts: Towns: Yiwu has the world's largest small commodities market. The Yiwu market developed and managed by Zhejiang China Commodities City Group Co., Ltd. (Public, SHA:600415). Yiwu's China Small-Commodity Market has for six consecutive years topped China's 100 top open markets and

2541-505: The Song dynasty who resisted aggression by the State of Jin ; and the ancestors of Wang Leehom , a famous singer. Yiwu is located 100 km (62 mi) south of the city of Hangzhou , the provincial capital. The nearest city to Yiwu is Dongyang . The area, as in most of the province of Zhejiang, is in a mountainous region. Yiwu is part of the greater Municipal region of Jinhua , although it has

2618-467: The Vietnam War . In 2018, Pattaya was the 18th most visited city in the world with 9.6 million tourists, and 3rd most in Thailand, after Bangkok (24.1 million) and Phuket (10.5 million). Pattaya has derived part of its reputation as a tourist destination due to the sex industry and the resulting nightlife, and this notoriety has influenced the city's evolution in many ways. Prostitution in Thailand

2695-473: The "army of the Phraya". Thap Phraya was later changed to Phatthaya , which means 'the wind blowing from the southwest to the northeast at the beginning of the rainy season'. Following World War II, entrepreneur Parinya Chawalitthamrong saw the potenial of investing in Pattaya and donated some land to the governing administration. Pattaya City Hall would later be constructed on this land. A fishing village until

2772-630: The "near islands". Ko Rin lies offshore to the south-west, south of Ko Phai group. The names "near islands", "far islands", and "Coral Island" are used for marketing purposes only and do not correspond to any naming conventions of the island groups and are not shown on maritime charts published by the Hydrographic Service of the Royal Thai Navy . In June 2016, the Regional Environmental Office reported that, "The sea water along

2849-458: The 1960s, tourism began during the Vietnam War , when American servicemen began arriving on R&R (rest and relaxation). One large group who arrived from a base in Korat on 29 June 1959 and rented houses from Phraya Sunthorn at the south end of the beach, on what is now known as the "Strip", are credited with recommending Pattaya, whose fame spread by word of mouth . On 29 November 1978, Pattaya

2926-537: The 2014 tournament winner Dzianis Zuev . The 2016 tournament was won by Superbon Banchamek , who also beat the winner of the previous tournament Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong in the quarterfinals. The 2017 tournament champion was Marat Grigorian who beat the 2016 tournament winner Superbon Banchamek in the final. The 2018 tournament was won by Davit Kiria . The 2019 tournament was intended to be held on 31 December 2019 in Wuzhishan City , Hainan , China , but

3003-458: The Pattaya-Chonburi Metropolitan Area, a conurbation of the urban areas of Chonburi , Si Racha and Pattaya. The total population of this area is 999,092, making it the third largest metropolitan area in the country after Bangkok and Chiang Mai . A growing community of foreign retirees lives in Pattaya. The Thai Immigration Bureau has a special visa category for foreigners over the age of 50 who wish to retire in Thailand. The city also has

3080-571: The Rao Rak Pattaya party which won the 2022 mayoral election led by Poramet Ngampichet, who has served as mayor ever since. During the COVID-19 pandemic , Pattaya's economy suffered greatly due to travel restrictions restricting tourism. From the 2010s through to the 2020s, Pattaya attempted to shift public perception of it being a sex-city to a more family-friendly location. Bars which were friendly towards pedophiles in Sunee plaza were closed, and

3157-541: The TCC estimating the number of tourists visiting the EEC region to rise to 46.7 million over the next few years, one and half times the current 29.8 million visitors. Pattaya projects include developing a tram in the city and building a bigger cruise terminal, as well as new tourist attractions: a water park, an ice dome, cultural markets, Thai boxing gyms, theaters, and conference halls. All are under development. "We aimed to get rid of

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3234-538: The Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) the EEC investments, the U-Tapao International Airport and the high-speed train that will link three major airports to Pattaya, will make Pattaya the heart of the eastern region. The TCC view is that, "Plenty of attractions...will lure lots more foreign and domestic tourists in the future." Better connectivity will reduce both the cost and time to travel to Pattaya, with

3311-651: The Waterfront Suites and Residence condominium near the Bali Hai pier, which became controversial. His approval later led to his arrest in 2023 over corruption. Following the 2014 coup, the National Council for Peace and Order appointed two mayors until in 2018 when the Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha appointed Sontaya Kunplome , brother of Itthiphol, as mayor. Mayor Sontaya went on to form

3388-695: The World', joint report from the United Nations, the World Bank and Morgan Stanley. The city was ranked first among county-level cities In "the 2004 Most Favourite Chinese Cities of Domestic and Foreign Public in 2004". China Commodity City (CCC), the large wholesale market of Yiwu, was honored by the UN , the World Bank and Morgan Stanley amongst other world authorities in 2005 as the "largest small commodity wholesale market in

3465-639: The airport (Level 1 between Gate 7 & 8) to the Pattaya Bell office at the North Pattaya Intersection, and then provides transfers to local hotels. Buses from a terminal on Sukhumvit Road near Pattaya Klang (near the Central Pattaya intersection) connect Pattaya with many destinations in the north-east region (i.e. Isan). City and suburban services are mainly provided by songthaew , popularly nicknamed "baht buses" or "blue taxis". Pattaya

3542-545: The airport. The trip from the airport (Level 1 Gate 8 at the Arrival Hall) to the bus terminal in Pattaya, makes three stops at North, Central, and South Pattaya intersections before going to their last drop off point, the office on Thappraya Road (near Jomtien). It can take longer if many hotel stops are negotiated along Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya. The other bus service is the Bell Travel Service (Coach 36) which goes from

3619-584: The amount of gogo bars on Walking Street declined. However, a 2023 documentary by Deutsche Welle , which has been banned in Thailand, resurrected concerns around Pattaya's sex industry and its association with child prostitution. The documentary is around a German tourist who is claimed to have paid ฿‎1 million to return to Germany and escape charges. The claims resulted in PM Srettha Thavisin launching an investigation headed by Surachate Hapkarn . The documentary has been described by local media as having

3696-427: The busy central Pattaya beaches is of poor quality and could endanger human and marine life." Pattaya produces on the order of 450 tonnes of solid waste per day. The city spends more than 300 million baht on waste removal and disposal annually. On average it pays 1,600 baht to process each tonne of garbage. Significant volumes of rubbish are allegedly dumped into the sea by tour boats. In July 2017 Pattaya Beach

3773-619: The census population currently does not represent the total figure. As with the Bangkok Metropolitan Region , registered population figures issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO) and the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) hardly capture the scope of the urban transformation that has occurred over time, especially with the economy being dependent on the large numbers of casual Thai workers who work in

3850-430: The city yet remain registered in their hometowns, the employment turnover from and to the capital, as well as seasonal farm migration. Migrant workers from neighboring nations, and many long-term expatriates who reside in the city as retirees, self-employed, or contracted are traditionally not counted. There has never been a reliably published figure for the total population in Pattaya, but its thought to be quite large (on

3927-506: The city's treasury. That represents more than 70% of Pattaya's total income for the year. The city's leadership plans to reduce Pattaya's reliance on tourism to 60% by 2025 by transforming itself into "Neo Pattaya", an international business center. Key to the plans are infrastructure improvements: 9.5 billion baht for flood management projects and upgrading sewage treatment plants to handle 130,000 m of waste per day, up from 67,000 m per day in 2019. Pattaya's thriving real estate market plays

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4004-652: The company at over 350 million USD, making Kunlun Fight the most valuable combat sports company in China. Prior to B+ round of financing in Q1 2017 the company was reportedly valued at over 500 million USD. Multiple Kunlun Fight branded gyms and event venues exist like the Kunlun Fight World Combat Sports Center in Beijing and the Kunlun Fight Stadium in Tongling , Anhui , China . Kunlun Fight holds

4081-463: The current Chief Executive of Macau Ho Iat Seng . Yiwu is the terminal for a number of long-distance international container trains. At 8,111 miles, the Yiwu-Madrid container train route can be viewed as the longest goods railway line in the world. Shipping containers moved along this route travel from China via Kazakhstan , Russia , Belarus , Poland , Germany , France to Spain . In 2016,

4158-959: The events. Started in 2016, a 3rd tier series of events with a mix of professional and amateur fights. Some current broadcasters include Jiangsu Television and ByteDance platforms Douyin and Xigua Video . Some past broadcasters include Fox Sports Asia and Kix in various countries in Asia, RMC Sport 4, Fight Network , FightBox in multiple countries internationally, Workpoint TV in Thailand, HKSTV in Hong Kong and Taiwan (2016), Anhui Television in China (2017) and Eurosport . In 2017 Kunlun Fight MMA events were broadcast monthly in China on CCTV-5 . Kunlun Fight mostly holds fights under kickboxing rules, but also under MMA rules. Some Muay Thai , Boxing and Lethwei fights have also been held on Kunlun Fight events. ◾ Kickboxing rules: no clinch for survival, active clinch with knees, no throws, no elbows,

4235-405: The ferry service, suspended due to low tourist numbers during low season, would be up and running again for high season between Hua Hin and Pattaya, a 2.5-hour journey for 1,250 baht on a catamaran with a maximum capacity of 340. Pattaya city has been administered under a special autonomous system since 30 October 1978. It has a status comparable to a municipality and is separately administered by

4312-416: The mayor of Pattaya city who is responsible for making policies, organising public services, and supervising the city's workforce for an area that covers 53.4 square kilometers and consists of four subdistricts, 18 villages ( muban ). Once a fishing town, Pattaya first boomed as an R&R destination for US servicemen stationed at nearby former USAF base at U-Tapao , or other US bases in Thailand during

4389-522: The northern border of Pattaya covers parts of the tambon Bang Lamung (Banglamung), Nong Pla Lai and Takhian Tia. Bang Sare (Bang Saray) is on the southern border of Pattaya. "Greater Pattaya" occupies most of the coastline of Banglamung (one of the eleven districts that make up Chonburi Province). It is divided into a larger northern section which spans the areas to the east of Naklua Beach (the most northern beach) and Pattaya Beach (the main beach) plus Phra Tamnak Hill (often called "Buddha Hill" because of

4466-634: The number increasing as the city grows. The sea water along central Pattaya beaches is of poor quality even in the absence of sewage spills and "could endanger human and marine life", the regional environmental office has said. They deemed sea water quality near central Pattaya beaches as "poor" and deteriorating. They judged water quality near Na Klua in North Pattaya, South Pattaya, Ko Lan, and Jomtien Beach as "fairly good". The city has considered expanding two water management plants to increase capacity for better treatment of wastewater prior to discharge into

4543-561: The ocean. The water treatment plant in Soi Wat Nongyai after expansion would be able to treat around 130,000 cubic metres of waste water a day, up from 80,000 cubic metres at present. The expansion was never implemented. In November 2018, the Pattaya City Council approved 188 million baht for the repair of its six wastewater treatment plants. Installed in 2000, the plants can accommodate 65,000 m of wastewater per day. More than

4620-409: The order of half a million people ) given the ubiquity and sheer number of migrant workers. Pattaya additionally has a massive population inflow from short stay tourism, with its 2000 hotels and 136,000 rooms available as of 2015. Throughout the years, the municipality (Pattaya City) has outgrown its municipal borders (53.5 km²) and now reaches into all neighboring subdistricts ( tambon ) within

4697-501: The potential of hurting Pattaya's industry which has been recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Pattaya has frequently suffered from flooding, especially during the monsoon season . Torrential rain on 27 August 2021 left many important roads under water, with water reaching up to two metres deep in some areas. Pattaya City officials called the August flooding as the worst flood for Pattaya in

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4774-522: The previous [seedy] image of Pattaya and try to promote a new image to show that Pattaya is a place for everyone with diversity of new tourist attractions," said an official of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). He said that the EEC would make Pattaya more competitive compared with other popular Thai beach destinations such as Phuket and Ko Samui , with cheaper transport costs. Fourteen million visitors in 2018 contributed 239 billion baht to

4851-589: The rise of many mosques and Middle Eastern restaurants. In conjunction with Zhejiang China Commodities City Group Co Ltd., the Yiwu city government developed a successful business-to-business e-commerce platform (Yiwugo.com) to facilitate sales of local products. The GDP reached 52 billion yuan (US$ 7.6 billion) in 2009, an increase of 9% from 2008, and the per capita GDP reached 71,457 yuan (US$ 10,461). The per capita urban disposable income reached 30,841 yuan and rural pure income 12,899 yuan, increasing 7.4% and 8.5% respectively. Its 4C-grade airport has over

4928-582: The second and third quarters of 2023 saw a remarkable uptick in condo launches, significantly elevating sales. In 2023, Pattaya maintained its lead in condo transfers to foreigners, surpassing Bangkok with proportions of 41.7% and 37.5%, respectively. This outperformed the average rates of 30.8% and 48.8% from 2018 to 2022. A daily service operates on the Eastern Line of the State Railway of Thailand between Pattaya and Hualumphong Station in Bangkok. Pattaya

5005-499: The temple (Wat Phra Yai) on top of the hill. Pattaya Park and Pattaya tower are at the south end of Phra Tamnak Hill and the Pattaya Exhibition And Convention Hall (P.E.A.C.H), is positioned at the north end of Phra Tamnak Hill. In recent years, Phra Tamnak Hill has gained in popularity because of its more natural environment, nicer beaches, and its convenient location between Jomtien and Pattaya city. Jomtien

5082-427: The temples on top of the hill) headland immediately south of Pattaya Beach, and a smaller southern section covering the area to the east of Jomtien Beach (directly south of Phra Tamnak Hill). The main sweep of the bay area is divided into two principal beachfronts . Pattaya Beach lies parallel to the city centre, and runs about 2.7 km long from Pattaya Nuea (North) south along the coast to Pattaya Tai (South) which

5159-404: The vicinity of what is now Pattaya, Phraya Tak encountered the troops of a local leader named Nai Klom, who tried to intercept him. When the two met face to face, Nai Klom was impressed by Phraya Tak's dignified manner and his army's strict discipline. He surrendered without a fight and joined his forces. The place the armies confronted each other was thereafter known as "Thap Phraya", which means

5236-620: The world". The counterfeiting industry has been a problem in Yiwu due to the thriving market. In 2005, author Tim Phillips wrote that Yiwu functions as a sort of 'Wall Street' for the counterfeiting industry, providing a vast marketplace where 100,000 counterfeit products are openly traded and 2,000 metric tons of fakes change hands daily.' According to Xinhua , more than 60% of Christmas trinkets worldwide in 2013 came from Yiwu. Yiwu contains an Olympic quality stadium . Many events associated with trade take place in Yiwu City. Yiwu also has

5313-460: Was announced that Kunlun Fight had signed one of the most successful and famous 70 kg kickboxers in history, 2 time K-1 World Max Champion Buakaw Banchamek to an exclusive 6-fight contract. Buakaw has continued fighting in the promotion beyond the original 6-fight contract. In March 2016, Kunlun Fight finished series B financing from Morningside Ventures , IDG Capital Partners and Northern Light Venture Capital . The round of financing valued

5390-566: Was for successive years listed as "China's civilized open market". It has been named as the banner of China's market economy and with a large variety of quality but cheaper commodities. There have been a significant increase in Arab traders since the September 11 attacks , as Middle Eastern businessmen found it difficult to travel to the United States due to visa restrictions. The Arab presence has fostered

5467-417: Was fouled for a week by raw sewage that poured out of a storm drain. City officials blamed the incident on broken pumps and Pattaya's poorly maintained sewage-treatment plant. The environmental ministry declared it would step up enforcement of pollution laws and push Pattaya for better wastewater-treatment efficiency. According to the ministry, Pattaya has 1,047 identified sources of sewage and garbage pollution,

5544-537: Was founded as Wushang City (乌商) in 222 BCE, right before the Qin dynasty . It was renamed Yiwu County in 624 CE. Trade has been historically important in Yiwu since the surrounding area has little arable soil. Even before 1600s, Yiwu men would carry sewing needles, threads, sugar chunks and other small commodities in their bamboo baskets, using a shoulder-pole and travel to surrounding rural villages in exchange for chicken feathers. Chicken feathers could be either used as

5621-545: Was granted city status by the Thai government. In 1978, it also became a special governed city. In 1981, businessman Lek Viriyaphan began constructing on the Sanctuary of Truth which remains unfinished and is entirely made out of wood. In 2004, Nirun Wattanasartsaton became the first democratically elected mayor. In the 2008 mayoral election, Itthiphol Khunpluem became Pattaya's mayor. As mayor, Itthiphol approved construction on

5698-458: Was only after Deng Xiaoping 's economic reform in 1978 did the Yiwu market thrive again, becoming one of the first free marketplaces in PRC's history. The cement boards over a stinky ditch nearby Huqingmen street, set up by the local government as the first marketplace in 1982, later became the present day Yiwu International Trade Mart after 27 years of development. In May 1988 the former Yiwu County

5775-583: Was postponed. The tournament was rescheduled for March, 8 in Wuzhishan City , but the event had to be cancelled due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic ban on live sporting events. The 70 kg tournament was announced to be coming back for 2024. It is scheduled to start April 27 on Kunlun Fight 97 in Beijing. On September 22, 2018, Kunlun Fight launched a new line of 2nd tier events called Kunlun Combat League. The league has 16 teams and fights are fought in 6 different weight classes. The league events are held mostly at

5852-484: Was renamed to Kunlun Combat Professional League (KCPL) and started its first full season on March 16, 2019. The first season was won by team Shenzhen, who beat team Shenyang in the finals held on December 24, 2019 in Yiwu , China . For the 2020 season, the intended March start date for the league was disrupted by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic . The 2020 season was rescheduled to start in mid-May without live audiences present at

5929-400: Was upgraded to a county-level city. In 1995 Yiwu ranked the 47th among China's 100 most powerful counties/cities regarding comprehensive economic strength and in the same year listed as Zhejiang's sole city among the nation's experimental counties/cities of comprehensive reform. In 2001 Yiwu's overall economy ranked 19th of all counties (cities) of China. Yiwu's early culture has given birth to

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