(L to R) DASTA director of administration
Dr. Narikotiphak Saengsanid, Chonburi Deputy Gov. Phornchai Khwansakul,
and Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome launch the 10-year master plan.
Chatchanan Boonnak
Local government officials have signed a 10-year
master plan to designate Pattaya as a special area for sustainable
development, opening the door for the region to receive up to 15 billion
baht in funding for so-called “greenovative tourism” projects.
Spearheaded by the Designated Areas for Sustainable
Tourism Administration (DASTA), the plan marks the high-water point in
Pattaya’s six-year pursuit of government funding to solve its many
environmental, infrastructure, crime and tourism woes.
Chonburi Deputy Gov. Phornchai Khwansakul, Pattaya
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, DASTA director of administration Dr.
Narikotiphak Saengsanid, and officials from 10 local governments were
among the 500 people who attended the master plan signing at The Zign
Hotel Aug. 24.
The list includes 132 projects worth more than 15
billion baht that could be built over the next decade. DASTA has already
outlined a budget of 647 million baht for the first 34 projects, 13 of
which would be located inside Pattaya and the other 21 in surrounding
districts and sub-districts.
“The city has some urgent needs, such as restoration
of the environment and the beach, waste treatment, conservation of coral
reefs, development of road links between tourism areas and neighboring
areas to develop and integrate solutions that meet the master plan’s
objective to achieve sustainable tourism,” Itthiphol said.
Infrastructure projects, such as those related to
transport and utilities, dominate the first five years of the master
plan while the back end of the program would evaluate further needs, the
mayor said. He predicted the environmental projects would double the
number of tourists to Pattaya in ten years.
Set up by a 2003 royal decree, DASTA was given a
mission to integrate and oversee tourism development in areas designated
to have superb natural environments, cultural and traditional importance
and have been developed for tourism purposes. Among the first projects
approved were Koh Chang National Park, the Chiang Mai Night Safari, Koh
Lanta, Koh Samet and the Nongteng-Chakkarat forest in Nakhon Ratchasima.
With its sprawling nighttime industry and many
environmental problems, Pattaya’s bids for DASTA status - and the
millions in baht that come with it for mayoral pet projects - were
repeatedly turned away. But in July 2008 Bangkok officials conceded,
admitting Pattaya formed a “distinctive” area for international tourism
and could retain its status as a draw for foreign currency if developed
properly.
Thus began more than three years of discussions and
proposals that culminated in 29 public hearings and private meetings and
the March 2009 designation of a 928 sq. km. zone that comprising Pattaya
and the eight districts.
