Pattaya hosts many cultural events throughout the year, mostly Thai festivals, but the calendar is ever expanding and now includes the internationally flavoured Pattaya Music Festival along with several other shows and concerts. The state of the art Alangkarn Theatre puts on spectacular nightly Thai cultural shows updated with lasers and pyrotechnics. The city also hosts a number of modern and traditional art galleries with regular openings of new exhibitions.

Less than two hours drive away, Bangkok, with its many world-class venues offers international standard cultural events, including touring Broadway and West End shows, the Bangkok Philharmonic Orchestra along with visiting orchestras, opera companies, chamber music ensembles and famous guest performers.