Pramote
Sapsang, director of the city’s Natural Resources Department, says that
beach masseuses are unregulated and none have licenses.
Pratchaya Kerdthong
After considering a ban on all massage vendors on
Pattaya-area beaches, a city advisory panel stepped back to let legislators
write new regulations to solve the problems they cause.
At a May 18 Pattaya City Hall meeting, Pramote Sapsang, director of the
city’s Natural Resources Department, said the number of people selling
massages, manicures, tattoos and other aesthetic services on Pattaya,
Jomtien and Naklua beaches has increased dramatically in recent months. All
of them, he noted, are unregulated and have no licenses.
Their constant pestering of beach-loving tourists - not to mention related
problems with littering, petty crime and prostitution - is giving Pattaya’s
beaches a bad name among visitors, Pramote said. The time has come, he
added, for something to be done.
The panel at first debated proposing a ban of all such vendors from the
beach. Area massage parlors are short of staff, advocates said. The
displaced beach workers could go work there.
However, the panel - which has advisory powers only - dropped plans to move
forward with any radical solution. Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh noted that
the Pattaya City Council already is considering new regulations to curb
beach pollution, prostitution and commerce. He said the city hall committee
should wait to see what other legislators do before taking more action.
