More than 300 beach chair vendors from Pattaya and Jomtien beaches were given lessons in customer service and trademark piracy during a training session to prepare them for the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh led the May 8 session organized by the Marine Department and regional Tourist Police branches.
Marine inspector Pheerathorn Naksuk (left) and land transport officer Watchara Jiamanukulkit (2nd left) lead training covering the master plan for carving up beach service areas, customer service, environmental conservation, laws governing copyright and trademark infringement, and beach vendor regulations.
Officials noted that police previously have received complaints from tourists about inappropriate behavior by beach chair and umbrella vendors. Such behavior included sales of pirated goods, illegally preventing parking in front of their section of beachfront, rude service, encroaching on other vendors’ areas and a general messy appearance of their own sections.
The training covering the master plan for carving up beach service areas, an overview of the AEC, customer service, environmental conservation, laws governing copyright and trademark infringement and Pattaya beach vendor regulations.
“Beach benches are the image of Pattaya itself,” Ronakit said. Vendors, he said, represent Pattaya tourism and well-trained vendors will boost tourism to the city after the AEC launches in 2015.
