PATTAYA, Thailand – On July 29, Pattaya City officials, with the assistance of Pattaya police, conducted an operation to address illegal street vendors following complaints from tourists about vendors blocking public pathways and sidewalks with their stalls and vehicles, impeding pedestrian movement.
At the curve in front of Dong Tan Police Station in Jomtien, authorities found numerous vendors causing traffic congestion. The vendors showed no regard for the inconvenience they caused. When the authorities attempted to arrest them, the vendors tried to escape by driving their motorized stalls through the police cordon, disregarding the safety of nearby tourists.
The police managed to apprehend 12 vendors, who were then taken in for legal processing under traffic and cleanliness laws. They will be fined according to the regulations.
Pol. Lt. Col. Panupong Nimsuwan, Pattaya traffic police chief, reminded the vendors of the strict measures in place, particularly following recent incidents of violence against municipal officers. The joint forces of police and municipal officers will continue to enforce regulations daily to ensure public pathways are accessible to both residents and tourists.
