Friday, October 24, 2008

Pattaya - One Of The Best Destinations In Thailand

Located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, Pattaya today ranks as one of the best destination, apart from the capital city, Bangkok. Among various beach resort of Thailand, this destination is the most closest to the capital city. With a combination of wide beaches, water sports, interesting attractions, sightseeing, shopping, international dining facilities as well as great hotels and resorts in Pattaya, this place has attained a position of favorable tourists' destination.

Pattaya is not known only as a beach resort and for its entertainment, nightlife, and shopping, but in fact is also very popular as a conference, convention, and seminar venue for the business travelers. Other treasure troves that lie in the lap of this scenic beauty land which attract number of travelers include various festivals (Wan Lai Festival, Pattaya Festival etc.) and interesting attractions like Bottle Art Museum, Buddha Hill etc. Hence, each feature of this scenic land of Thailand has enough charm and magnificence to attract you. And to captivate the travelers in a comfortable manner, there are hordes of hotels in Pattaya that cater every budget and taste.

Pattaya also offers an excellent range of eating choices and a wide variety of things to do and see. From golf and horseback riding to bungee jumping, karting and shooting to a wide variety of water sports such as scuba diving, jet-skiing, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing and kite surfing, to lot more can be enjoyed and get involved in at Pattaya.

And apart from these enthralling activities, there is also a wonderful dinning opportunities in the city. The range of food available here is as diverse as the people who flock here. From curbside cuisine and greasy burgers to five-star gourmet, and from schnitzel, falafels and kebabs, to British pub grub, homely Italian pasta and fresh seafood, everything can be found in most of the city's assorted restaurants. However, the true color of this dynamic destination of Thailand comes alive in the evening. Besides these the city is internationally famed for its dazzling nightlife scene especially for its go-go and beer bars. So, even the nightlife in Pattaya gives you a gamut of recreational means to have a blast.

Setting a perfect example of quality and great hospitality, hotels in Pattaya cater your every need with ease and give you moments to rediscover the treasures of life. Besides different kinds of hotels located in various areas, which include business and budget hotels as well as luxurious resorts, the beach hotels of this city has special significance. Pattaya Beach's hotels come in all shapes and sizes, from budget favorites short on frills to five-star luxury resorts that spoil you.

So, with plethora of Pattaya Hotels, guest houses as well as convenient location, along with quick and easy access from the capital city, this Asia's premier beach resort has truly become a popular getaway for the travelers worldwide.

You can make an immediate online booking of any of the hotels in Pattaya and get best hotels deals through AsiaRooms.

Accommodation In Pattaya - Suits Every Pocket

Do you want to spend your next vacations in an exotic manner? And yet you do not want to spend much on the holidays? If this is the case, Pattaya can offer you great solutions for this problem. It is a place which is located in the east of Thailand and is one of the best beach resorts in the world. And it has got something for every one.

Pattaya is a place that boasts off an incredible choice of options for accommodation to fit into everyone's budget. You can find private beaches if you are planning to have a luxurious holiday experience or go for the simple hotels with the facilities of the economy class.

Although, if you want to save money on the accommodation then you need to let go off of the comforts. You can also go for the simple guest houses that just cater to basic necessities. You can go for those hotels, which are located far from the heart of the city. These will cost you less.

However, if you are wiling to spend a good amount of money on the accommodation then you have a great choice to choose from. You should go for those hotels that have a good location and the rooms give you a good view. You can also go for the other luxuries as well. You can find the best located accommodation in Pattaya like one in the heart of the city and enjoy the fun activities of the city with much more convenience.

Now, as Pattaya is a great tourist attraction in Thailand, there are a number of options for accommodation here. You can find a hotel according to your needs and pocket, with ease. Some of the best-known names in Pattaya are Marriott Resort And Spa Pattaya, Dusit Resort, Nirvana Place, and Tim Boutique Hotel etc.

The best way to find a suitable accommodation in Pattaya is to use the Internet. You can easily find out the various accommodation options available in the city for you. There are many sites that offer discount offers on the accommodation bookings. You can find a number of such websites and compare the prices quoted by different services. You can ask for specific luxurious hotels, if you are willing to spend more. On the other hand, you can also find cheap accommodation options.

The Internet is the best platform to find out the best accommodations anywhere. When it comes to Pattaya, you can find various hotels from luxurious ones to simple guest houses. You can find details of specific hotels and guest houses. You can get the star ratings of these accommodations. More than that, you can read the reviews of specific hotels by the people who have had an experience there. This helps you choose your accommodation!

Therefore, it can be concluded that Pattaya is a tourist place that offers accommodation for everybody. So, if you want to have a great time in your next holidays in Pattaya, do have a proper planning as well as to save you a lot of money.

On Vacation? Go to Pattaya

Do you want to go for Vacation ? If you have sometimes May I suggest you the place that will make you happy and relax?

Pattaya is the City of Chonburi located near Bangkok, Thailand (147 km) It's the city of joy & nightlife entertainment . You can always have beer 24 hour a day and sit on the beer counter enjoy drinking with the pretty Pattaya Girl.

Walking Street is the one place that you have to visit once in your life. The place are surrounded with many restaurant, pub & bar.

Especially, Thai food and sea food. it's very delicious and the price is also reasonable. After finished your meal you can sit back, relax or go for a walk to any pub that have live music or the Karaoke night club also available.

During the day times, you can enjoy your sun bahting or there's a lot of attracting place that you should visit such as the mini siam, Royal garden pattaya, Believe it or not by Ripley, Alangkarn Show, Tiffany & Alcaza Show, under water world.

If you want to visit the natural place there's "Suan Nong Nuch Garden" it's very beautiful garden also you can enjoy your life on the beach all day long especially, Jomtien beach it's very quite beach.

Why I suggest you to Pattaya? at this point you might know or not quite sure yet. Another thing that will make you want to go to Pattaya during your vacation is the Accomodation.

There's a lot of Accomodation type you can choose to stay in Pattaya. If you have a lot of times of your Vacation. (mostly do)

I suggest you to stay in the longstay apartment or guest house and bargain them for the best price, Acutally the price will range between 300-500 USD per month(included everything). It will make you save extra money to use for other things rather than paying for the hotel charge rooms and you can enjoy everything exactly the same as one who choose to live in hotel as well as the service.

Till now it's all up to you where you should to go, but for me I think Pattaya is the place to go & visit once in the life times.

For more information about Pattaya Acommodation please visit http://baanleelaone.blogspot.com

Pattaya Hotels - An Oasis of Comfort

If you want to indulge yourself in an adventurous and exciting trip, then soon come to Pattaya. Pattaya is a wonderful city of Thailand, which is located on the eastern glide of the Gulf of Thailand. It has become one of the most visited tourist destinations not only in Thailand but through out the world. Ideally located at a distance of about 165 kilometers southeast of Bangkok, Pattaya is popularly known as a vibrant city of Thailand. There are a large number of places of interests to check out but among them the gorgeous pristine beaches are the most well known. Travelers visiting this city for a vacation or a business tour will not find any trouble to get an accommodation option for themselves. There are a huge number of Pattaya hotels that are equipped with contemporary amenities to suit your needs and requirements.

This city of Thailand is filled with numerous hotels divided into luxury and budget hotels. Hotels in Pattaya offer a fantastic view of the surrounding area and are completely decked up to make your stay a hassle free one. As per your budget and need, you can choose to stay either in the 5-Star or 4-Star or 3-Star or 2-Star, honeymoon hotels or in airport hotels.

When it comes to stay in luxury hotels in Pattaya, you will find they are most comfortable place to live in. Speaking about the luxury hotels in Pattaya, it can be said that they are the finest of all hotels in Pattaya that caters all its guests with world-class amenities and facilities. The facilities include air-conditioner, complimentary newspaper, coffee shop, refrigerator, safe, air conditioner, satellite television, private bathroom, 24 hour front desk, airport transfer, bar, business and conference facilities, disabled facilities, baby sitting facility, non smoking guestrooms, laundry cleaning services, parking, multi-cuisine restaurant and others. The recreational facilities are equally outstanding. You can find swimming pools, fitness centera, games rooms, and libraries in these hotels.

Say for the low cost hotels in Pattaya, even if you don't want to spend abundantly for your stay, the budget hotels of Pattaya are there to offer you the outstanding and top-class facilities without being too expensive. While you come to stay in the budget hotels of Pattaya, you will find that they are the best way to spend your vacations in this exotic place and that too without making your note-case much lighter. The hotels are absolutely clean and roomy where you can only expect to have comfortable rooms with cozy interiors. Most of these hotels serve you with complimentary breakfast and other associated services to ensure a memorable stay.

For more online information on Pattya hotels, please log on to AsiaRooms.

Pattaya, Thailand - A Good Family Vacation Destination?

This question is being asked often by Parents who consider visiting Pattaya with their children but they are unsure because of Pattaya's reputation. Such names as Extreme City, Sin City and others come to mind that might scare parents.

Over the past years the type of tourists visiting Pattaya has changed. Many Russian tourists and eastern Europeans are part of the landscape of visitors now. Pattaya is not only a destination for single men from around the world anymore. Russian couples and families are a large part of the tourism scene.

Pattaya has been known for over four decades for its vibrant and wild nightlife and there is no doubt that Pattaya will always make most of its revenue from the nightlife entertainment areas.

Pattaya's Nightlife and adult entertainment centers are found mostly in Walking Street and between Pattaya Beach Road to second Road. Many bars can be found on third road as well. There are other 'pockets' of nightlife and adult entertainment in some areas of Naklua and Jomtien but by far not as widespread and raunchy.

Jomtien offers a great destination for families and the further east on Jomtien Beach the quieter the beach is and there are hardly any bars. There are wonderful hotels and resorts which are very family friendly and offer everything you can ask for. Water sports like jet skis, windsurfing, parasailing and any water sport you can imagine is available here.

Pattaya has a famous Tiger Zoo, a crocodile farm, the sanctuary of truth, mini Siam, Ripley's Believe or not and the Pattaya water park just to mention a few things to do in and around Pattaya.

Pattaya's convenient location from the International Bangkok Airport makes Pattaya a great vacation destination. Only about 1 1/2 hours by taxi or bus.

Pattaya offers a culinary feast for everyone and every taste. International Restaurants mixed with local Thai food stalls and restaurants offer just about any kind of food you can imagine.

Transportation is available at any time of the day or night. A baht bus (mini bus) from Jomtien to Pattaya costs 10 Baht per person. A car can be rented starting from 500 Baht a day. A scooter can be rented starting at 150 Baht a day.

The unrests in Bangkok kept many tourists from visiting Thailand this year '2008'. As unfortunate as it is for many businesses it is a great time to visit because there are a lot less tourists this year. Some newspapers report a 20-30 % drop in tourism and rising.

Unfortunate for businesses but it sure is nice because Pattaya will not be crowded this high season.

It's a perfect time to visit Pattaya, Thailand.

Pattaya - The Wonderful Thailand Spot

Pattaya city is one of the most wonderful place in Thailand for tourists. It locates in Chonburi province which is in the eastern part of Thailand. With beautiful beaches and scenario, Thai girls and nightlife, activities and sports, millions of travelers travel to Pattaya each year to come and see what the real fantastic city is.

Getting to Pattaya is very easy. It is just 147 kilometers away from Bangkok and 160 kilometers away from Bangkok International Airport (Old Airport). It takes approximately 90 minutes by car. If you would like to drive by yourself, you can take Route 3 (Bangna-Trat) and go along until you find the junction telling you to turn right to Pattaya beach, or you can take Motor-Way which is more convenient. You can also take a flight operated by Bangkok Airways to/from Koh Samui at Sattaheep Airport.

About the weather, the Winter season starts in November and runs through February. The temperature is between 20-30 degree Celsius and 50% humidity. Summer season starts in February through May. The temperature is between 30-40 degree Celsius and 75% humidity. The rainy season starts in June and runs through October. The temperature is between 25-30 degree Celsius and 90% humidity.

Pattaya comprises 4 areas - North Pattaya, Central Pattaya, South Pattaya, and Jomtien beach. There are few tourists in North Pattaya if you compare with others. Travelers love to be there when they want to relax, swim in the sea or take a water sports or activities. In Central Pattaya along to South Pattaya, there are a lot of business and services including bars, restaurants, department stores, souvenir shops, and entertainment complexes.

Jomtien beach is located in the southern part of Pattaya. It is 4 kilometers away from Pattaya city. Many tourists love to go swimming, sunbathing, surfing, and other water activities there. Also, tourists can travel to nearby islands such as Lan island, Krok island and Phai islands by speed boat.

Besides having fun with water sports and activities, Pattaya has much more wonderful attractions which you can't miss such as Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum, Pattaya Water Park, Pattaya Crocodile Farm, Elephant Village, Sriracha Tiger Farm, and Nongnuch Garden.

I have details of some interesting places here:

Cabaret Show - Amazing and fabulous ladyboy show with fantastic costumes.

- Tiffany Show - three shows daily; 7pm, 8.30pm and 10pm and an additional show at 5.30pm on holidays.

- Alcazar Show - three shows daily; 6.30pm, 8pm, and 9.30pm and an additional show at 11pm on Saturdays.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum - located at Royal Garden Plaza Pattaya. There are more than 300 collections of unbelievable things from all over the world by an American Robert Ripley.

Mini Siam - located on Sukhumvit Rd. km 143th. It collects all amazing places over Thailand and the world in small size such as Dawn Temple, Rama 9 Bridge, Eiffel Tower and more.

Go-Kart - a small car racing field for people who love speed and excitement. It locates in Pattaya city. Some providers are Siam Carting Circuit and Pattaya Cart Speedway.

You can read more about Pattaya at my web blog; http://travel-pattaya-thailand.blogspot.com

The author owns webblog about traveling in Thailand listed below.
Phuket - http://phuketweather.blogspot.com
Samui and Pa-ngan - http://samui-pangan.blogspot.com
Please visit!

For A Wonderful Retreat - Pattaya Hotels

Pattaya- Thailand's fun capital and one of the best-known beach resort in Thailand. This popular beach resort is located on the Eastern Seaboard of the Gulf of Thailand, with over a million visitor's coming here for its fine sandy beaches, sports facilities and number of fine attractions. From being a mere fishing village in the 60's, Pattaya has emerged as the favorite Southeast Asian vacation place, and in particular among the Europeans. It makes a wonderful retreat where tourists and holidaymakers from all over the globe can unfurl an incomparable range of possibilities. One can totally unwind during an exotic holiday to this place with loads of fun.

Asia's premier beach resort, Pattaya appeals equally to families, couples and single visitors. This place is where the East meets West truly, in both color and character, making it the most cosmopolitan place in Thailand after Bangkok. The place sees tourists flocking the place to sample some of the best beaches, vibrant nightlife, excellent Pattaya Hotels Thailand, fine cuisine and dining facilities. The place offers a relaxing tropical ambience, complete with every ingredient for a memorable holiday. Tourists will find abundant sporting opportunities including some of the finest golfing, game fishing, and scuba diving. Various theme and amusement parks, interesting museums and verdant botanical gardens offer number of leisure activities and cultural entertainment. The place comes to life after dark, with a truly vibrant nightlife along with fantastic variety of restaurants, nightclubs, bars, and discotheques. Pattaya can be hasty, bold, beautiful and rustic, and offers everything what a true international beach resort can.

Pattaya is the place for all. For no reason it has remained popular among those who come to spend their holidays. Hotels in Pattaya offer a wide choice for accommodation. It has a fantastic choice for accommodation ranging from luxuriously appointed hotels with superb convention facilities, cheap hotels Pattaya to simple guesthouses. The accommodation suits every kind of budget, wherein the facilities range from luxury to basic simplicity.

Nancy Eben is an associate editor of http://www.stayresthailand.com/. The website offers exclusive information of thailand and Pattaya hotels. We also provide online hotel reservation of cheap hotels Pattaya. We appreciate your feedback and queries at info@stayresthailand.com.

Pattaya Hotels - Sweet Homes in the Lap of Nature

To attract a major influx of tourists and to promote tourism, there are a number of hotels in Pattaya. Often identified as a gem in the crown, this land of serene beauty is a hidden beauty. The natural beauty of the land, the extensive beaches makes it a hideaway from the maddening crowd. Though the exotic beauty of the land weaves its magic on you, the vibrant night life of Pattaya also wins the heart of many. It is a city for people of all tastes. So select one of the several Pattaya Hotels and explore this exotic paradise.

There are several places of accommodation all across the city. No matter if you prefer to stay in Northern Pattaya or in the central part of the city, you can easily spot a hotel. There is also no dearth of hotels in South Pattaya, Jomtien Pattaya and outer Pattaya. The Best Western Bella Villa Cabana in Northern Pattaya is one of the top rated hotels in Thailand. One of the exclusive of LK Group, the LK Royal Suite is a good option for both business and leisure travelers. Bella Villa Prima hotel is a boutique hotel which hosts a number of modern amenities.

There are many hotels that offer special packages to travelers. As the packages and the deals vary from one another, you can choose the one that best suites you. Most of the luxurious hotels and resorts and a few moderately priced hotels offer facilities for on-line booking. Thailand is renowned worldwide for varied massages. The city offers several rejuvenating massages. Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa, one of the properties of the Marriott International brands, provides its travelers with many types of traditional and ayurvedic massages. There are several therapists to deliver these kinds of treatments.

Travelers staying Hotels in Pattaya feature many spacious rooms and suites. Decorated with elegant wooden furniture or modern interiors, the rooms and the suites offer you the scope to relax. During your stay you can marvel at the panoramic surroundings. Equipped with the best of amenities, the hotels in Pattaya offer a number of facilities. What impresses guests the most is dedicated service of the staff.

During your stay do not forget to relish the traditional dishes that are prepared with extreme care. Though you can indulge in a number of water sports and beach activities, the hotels offers myriads recreational facilities. There also several hotels to meet the business requirements of the guests. Apart from business and pleasure the hotels offers a lot more.

AsiaRooms.com provides complete information on different Pattaya Hotels.

Pattaya

Pattaya is one of the largest cities for tourism that can be found in the country of Thailand. Physically, Pattaya is located in the Gulf of Thailand and is Southeast of the country's capital, Bangkok. With wonderful attractions offered, much of this city's economy consists of tourism. If you are interested in visiting Thailand, chances are that you may want to think about visiting the city of Pattaya. This city is known to have a lot to offer to its tourists, which is the reason that it has become such a popular tourist attraction recently. Here, we will take a much closer look at some of the main attractions that Pattaya has to offer to its tourists, in order to help you determine whether or not vacationing in this city may be a decision which you may want to make in the future.

Pattaya Beach is a favorite spot of many tourists, and it is also the most popular beach that Pattaya Thailand has to offer. Since it is located near shopping centers, bars, and hotels, it has become very popular among tourists. Unfortunately, it is often hard for many to get a spot on the sand, due to its popularity. Jomtien Beach is another one of the beaches which Pattaya Thailand has to offer. While it does offer some hotels and restaurants, Jomtien is mainly an area where people own summer homes. It is typically easier to find a spot on the sand at this beach than at Pattaya Beach. Jomtien Beach is especially loved by who enjoy taking part in water sports. It has a large entertainment center which offers water park attractions, a roller coaster, a monorail and fun attractions for children - which has helped with it become a popular area for people who are vacationing as families to want to visit.

Of course, the beautiful beaches that Pattaya Thailand has to offer is not the only thing that this city has going for it. There are many other attractions which Pattaya has to offer that tourists all find to be quite appealing. Some of these attractions include golf courses, places for go-cart racing, the Sri Racha Tiger Zoo, Pattaya Beach Resort Water Park and Funny Land Amusement Park, a submarine, a crocodile farm, and various museums. There are also various shopping centers and stores which anyone may be interested in visiting while they are in Pattaya. Go go bars and strip clubs occupy the time of many tourists.

As you can see, there are so many different tourist attractions that Pattaya Thailand has to offer. Ranging from its beautiful beaches where you can spend the day relaxing, having fun in the sun, or taking part in water sports to its amusement parks and other entertaining activities that the city of Pattaya has to offer, there is no doubt that Pattaya has gained some much well deserved appeal from tourists. No matter what you are interested in doing while you are visiting Thailand, Pattaya has just about everything that you could possibly be interested in to offer. There is no doubt that Pattaya Thailand is a city which you may definitely want to think about visiting.

Written by Robert Rystrom for http://www.pattayalinks.net

Pattaya Hotels - Bag The Best Deal

Once in Pattaya, travelers will get so many things to see and enjoy. There are modern skyscrapers, shopping centers and a range of hotels and resorts to stay in. There are also many attractive tourist sites to see and explore. Visitors can do a variety of things that will keep them engaged and make their holidays fun-filled. Pattaya is known world wide for its lovely beaches and vibrant nightlife. The Pattaya hotels feature wide range of A-one services and facilities to make holidays all the more memorable and nice.

The fine Royal Orchid Resort has earned a reputation for its warm hospitality, friendly services and privacy. The hotel is designed beautifully and is located within an easy reach from the major tourist attractions of the city. Royal Orchid Resort is yet known for another reason- The Kerala Ayurveda Spa. The Spa includes well-trained therapists from India who offer rejuvenating treatments and massages to guests.

The Nova Platinum Hotel is one of the most popular hotels in Pattaya. This first class property offers excellent and international standards of facilities and services. Guests will get to see a lovely tropical garden and can enjoy a wide array of sports and recreational amenities. Another very comfortable place to stay in Thailand is the Pattaya Centre Hotel. Standing proudly on the Pattaya Bay, this luxury Pattaya Centre Hotel is well known for its elegance, style and friendly services. This hotel is situated at a prime position close to the shopping malls, night clubs and local cafes.

Among the other accommodation options in Pattaya, the name of Pattaya Discovery Beach Hotel needs to be mentioned. This 4-star hotel, founded in the year 2007 is ranked high among both the leisure and business travelers. The rooms are spacious and beautifully decorated and the hotel and security services deserve special mention.

Whether you visit Pattaya with your family, friends, or for doing business, there are hotels of every kind. Jomtien Thani provides travelers stunning views of the city and is indeed an ideal place to rest and relax. The Hillside Resort in Pattaya is a friendly private property, situated between the Jomtien Beach and downtown Pattaya. Tourists can also book rooms at the Sawasdee Pattaya. It is a nice place to stay, while you explore the surrounding region of Pattaya.

Baron Beach Hotel is one of the famous Pattaya accommodation options. This luxurious 3-star property is located on the Pattaya Beach Road, within a walking distance from the famous Pattaya Beach and major shopping complexes. Chaiyapoon Inn offers privacy and a cozy ambiance to relax. The guest rooms of this Inn are tastefully designed in a typical Thai style and the Inn offers a plethora of facilities and services. A warm welcome awaits you at the Chaiyapoon Inn.

Log on to AsiaRooms. Our extensive database will enable you to bag the best deal with regard to hotels in Pattaya.

Low Cost Pattaya Hotels Offer Excellent Hospitality

Pattaya City is nestled along a picturesque bay on the East Coast of the Gulf of Thailand roughly 160 kilometers (two-hour drive) southeast of Bangkok. From a fishing village in the 60's, Pattaya has emerged as the favorite Southeast Asian vacation spot, at all times sunny beach resort in particular admired by Europeans. A fascinating escape where pleasure-seeking tourists, holiday-makers from around the world unfold an incomparable array of possibilities to unwind during exotic holiday on much fun and comfortable beach vacations.

Pattaya is a place of never-ending spirit, and fun. A true paradise destination with excellent world-class hotels, and resorts, fabulous golf courses, delightful gourmet, and shopping experience, plenty of water sports, and sleepless nightlife is what Pattaya have in its lap. Pattaya also houses plethora of hotels including various luxurious resorts, boutique hotels, business hotels and inexpensive yet comfortable budget hotels. Hotels in Pattaya also includes some world famous groups like Sheraton, Marroitt, Best Western and many more.

Hotels of Pattaya are worth reckoning when it comes to offering classic accommodation along with excellent hospitality services to the guests. Say for the low cost hotels in Pattaya, even if you don't want to spend abundantly for your stay, the budget hotels of Pattaya are there to offer you the outstanding and top-class facilities without being too expensive. The hotels are absolutely clean and roomy where you can only expect to have comfortable rooms with cozy interiors. Most of these hotels serve you with complimentary breakfast and other associated services to ensure a memorable stay.

Pattaya can be brash, bold, beautiful and bucolic, and offers everything and authentic international beach resort can. And after dark, Pattaya offers all the allure and magic of a truly vibrant nightlife with a spectacular variety of restaurants, night clubs, bars, discotheques, cocktail lounges and cabarets.

Find more about pattaya hotels in competitive prices.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

PROMOTING PREVENTION & STRENGTHENING

Covering the uninsured and modernizing America's health care system are urgent priorities, but they are not

enough. This nation is facing a true epidemic of chronic disease. An increasing number of Americans are

suffering and dying needlessly from diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and HIV/AIDS, all

of which can be delayed in onset if not prevented entirely. One in 3 Americans—133 million—have a chronic

condition, and children are increasingly being affected.38 Five chronic diseases—heart disease, cancer, stroke,

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes—cause over two-thirds of all deaths each year.39

In addition to the tremendous human cost, chronic diseases exact a tremendous financial toll on our health care

resources. Care for patients with diabetes costs $130 billion each year alone, and this amount is growing.40

Tackling chronic diseases is also straining our public health departments and finances, which are already

stretched too thin carrying out traditional public health functions, which include ensuring our water is safe to

drink, the air is safe to breathe, and our food is safe to eat.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that protecting and promoting health and wellness in this nation is a

shared responsibility among individuals and families, school systems, employers, the medical and public health

workforce, and federal and state and local governments. All parties must do their part, as well as collaborate

with one another, to create the conditions and opportunities that will allow and encourage Americans to adopt

healthy lifestyles.

(1) EMPLOYERS. Reduced workforce productivity from illness and disability represents an additional drain on

business. To address employee health, an increasing number of employers are offering worksite health

promotion programs, onsite clinical preventive services such as flu vaccinations, nutritious foods in cafeterias

and vending machines, and exercise facilities. Equally important, many employers choose insurance plans that

cover preventive services for their employees. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that worksite interventions

hold tremendous potential to influence health and they will expand and reward these efforts.

(2) SCHOOL SYSTEMS. Childhood obesity is nearly epidemic,41 particularly among minority populations,42 and

school systems can play an important role in tackling this issue. For example, only about a quarter of schools

adhere to nutritional standards for fat content in school lunches.43 Barack Obama and Joe Biden will work with

schools to create more healthful environments for children, including assistance with contract policy

development for local vendors, grant support for school-based health screening programs and clinical services,

increased financial support for physical education, and educational programs for students.

(3) WORKFORCE. Primary care providers and public health practitioners have and will continue to lead efforts

to protect and promote the nation's health. Yet, the numbers of both are dwindling,44 and the existing

workforce is further challenged by inadequate training for new health threats such as bioterrorism and avian flu,

antiquated funding and reimbursement mechanisms, and limited access to real-time information and technical

support. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will expand funding—including loan repayment, adequate

reimbursement, grants for training curricula, and infrastructure support to improve working conditions— to

ensure a strong workforce that will champion prevention and public health activities.

PROMOTING PREVENTION & STRENGTHENING

PUBLIC HEALTH

(4) INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. Preventive care only works if Americans take personal responsibility for their

health and make the right decisions in their own lives – if they eat the right foods, stay active, and stop smoking.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden will ensure that all Americans are empowered to monitor their health by ensuring

coverage of essential clinical services in all federally supported health plans, including Medicare, Medicaid,

SCHIP and the new public plan. Americans also benefit from healthy environments that allow them to pursue

healthy choices and behaviors that can help ward off chronic and preventable diseases. Healthy environments

include sidewalks, biking paths and walking trails; local grocery stores with fruits and vegetables; restricted

advertising for tobacco and alcohol to children; and wellness and educational campaigns. In addition, Barack

Obama and Joe Biden will increase funding to expand community based preventive interventions to help

Americans make better choices to improve their health.

(5) FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. The federal government and state and local governments

play critical roles across the full range of disease prevention and health promotion activities. First, working

together, governments at all levels should lead the effort to develop a national and regional strategy for public

health and align funding mechanisms to support its implementation. Second, the field of public health would

benefit from greater research to optimize organization of the 3,000 health departments in this nation,45

collaborative arrangements between levels of government and its private partners, performance and

accountability indicators, integrated and interoperable communication networks, and disaster preparedness and

response. Third, the government must invest in workforce recruitment as well as modernizing our physical

structures, particularly our public health laboratories. And finally, the government must examine its own

policies, including agricultural, educational, environmental and health policies, to assess and improve their

effect on public health in this nation. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will prioritize all of these activities, to

ensure a 21st century public health system and healthy America.

Saturday, April 19, 2008