The South Pattaya canal reclamation project
is nearly complete, but is still facing obstacles along the important
final stretch from Siam Bayshore Hotel to South Pattaya Bay. The area to
the left is public property and will be renovated. Straight ahead is
where the final obstacles begin.
Surasak Huasoon
The South Pattaya canal reclamation project is nearly complete, but is
still facing obstacles along the important final stretch from Siam
Bayshore Hotel until the entrance to South Pattaya Bay.
Siam Bayshore Hotel, MiXX Discotheque and the Al Porto Italian
Restaurant are all still trespassing, with the latter of the three being
the most difficult, as half the restaurant has been built over the
canal.
Banglamung District Chief Sakchai Taengho and Deputy Mayor Verawat
Khakhay last week led sanitation engineering officers, Pattaya
technicians and local media to inspect the progress.
MiXX Discotheque owner Sunthorn Kangsirikul came out to meet with the
group, and agreed to remove the trespassed area as fast as possible.
Representatives from Siam Bayshore and the Al Porto Italian Restaurant
were unavailable at the time. Verawat said that they have been informed,
and he has instructed crews to immediately begin demolishing the
offending structures at the trespassers’ expense.
Sakchai expressed his satisfaction with the progress, and added, “I am
quite satisfied with Pattaya administrators for having worked fast and
hard without any fear of the powerful. I am really impressed.” He also
added that he is quite certain that Pattaya’s flood drainage issue will
be solved soon.
Verawat noted the extra land behind the go-kart track and said it will
be cleared, as it is public land. He suggested putting in a road and
fitness area parallel to the canal for exercise and cycling, and as a
park so that people could enjoy the view. He added, however, that “these
are just ideas and haven’t been presented to Pattaya council.”
One long time resident in the group stated that, back in “the old days”,
the South Pattaya canal began behind the VC Hotel and continued to the
sea. He said it was built in 2 sections, 8 meters wide from the VC Hotel
to Siam Bayshore, and 18 meters wide from Siam Bayshore to the sea.
Sailing vessels once used the canal as a sheltered mooring area. Smaller
sailboats could sail in and out of the canal with ease.
