The rebuilding of Jomtien Beach isn’t near finished, but contractors haven’t fenced off the work area during the holidays.
Unlike when Pattaya Beach was being rebuilt, there are no tin walls or chain-link fence prohibiting tourists from accessing the unfinished beach. All machinery has been removed, however, during the year-end holiday break.
That has drawn a lot of gawkers to witness the stark difference between the wide, white-sand-improved shoreline and the eroded and scraped sections where work is underway.
The first phase of the beach rebuild runs 3.6 kilometers and is being shepherded by Italian-Thai Development Co. on a 600-million-baht contract. The contract ends in May.
The first phase runs from the Jomtien Chalet Hotel to U Jomtien Pattaya Hotel. The sand source for the project is the west sea off Koh Rang Kwien, the same place Pattaya’s sand came from.
Jomtien Beach has continuously faced beach erosion, but local residents and business operators believe that when the sand-supplement project finishes, it will rehabilitate Jomtien Beach to be beautiful again.