Area beaches are once again
full, in part due to many people escaping the “shutdown” in Bangkok.
With Bangkok under siege from anti-government protestors, Pattaya is
seeing a tourist resurgence, as Thais and foreigners flee the capital
for the Eastern Seaboard.
Veechan Souksi
With Bangkok under siege from anti-government protestors,
Pattaya is seeing a tourist resurgence, as Thais and foreigners flee the
capital for the Eastern Seaboard.
Dongtan Beach vendor Saleewan Boonchuay, 53, said the weeks leading up
to the Jan. 13 “shutdown” of major intersections in Bangkok were
desperately quiet.
“I thought this year’s high season would be the worst,” she said.
But after tens of thousands of people shut down eight major
intersections in the capital, “Pattaya came back to life,” Saleewan
said. “I believe the tourists are mainly foreigners residing in Bangkok.
I feel sorry for them, but it’s good for the economy here.”
Beach Road is also looking busier, with traffic still clogged despite a
city hall “crackdown” on parking scofflaws.
“The campaign this time seemed to work for the first few days, but
people are still double parking,” said Beach Road motorcycle taxi driver
Wuttichai Pongsri. “The huge tour buses and the baht buses are still
parked everywhere, honking their horns and waiting for customers, which
holds up the traffic.”
In typical fashion, area politicians made a huge, camera-lit ballyhoo
about new bus stops and efforts to ticket double parking and illegal
stopping. As many predicted, any benefit was short-lived.
“Due to the shutdown in Bangkok, we are getting more tourists than ever
and the city is becoming really busy,” Wuttichai added. “However, the
officials are attempting to do something about it and hopefully one day
the traffic problems will ease.”
Area beaches are once again
full, in part due to many people escaping the “shutdown” in Bangkok.
Huge tour buses are
seen double parking along Beach Road.
An ice truck double parks
and holds up the traffic while the provided parking area was vacant and
only a short distance away.
