As Pattaya begins repairs to Bali Hai Pier, the need to bring order to speedboat parking there has become even more evident.
All manner of boats – new, old, pristine and battered – are parked under the flyover bridge.
Somjai, a nearby resident, said speedboats belong to private owners and the area where they park is used as a repair zone. There is a repair shop in a soi near the bridge, but it cannot accommodate a large number of boats, so the vendors park them under the bridge until they are fixed.
The area is a public space but it has been like this for years, she complained.
Authorities have acknowledged the problem and have outlined plans to reorganize parking areas for boats, but Somjai fears it will be years before anything actually changes.
Broken down speedboats parked under the overpass create an eyesore that is being ignored by the city.
