Pattaya has begun repair cracks and broken edges of the Bali Hai Pier approach bridge and is vowing legal action against careless boat captains who damaged it.
Councilman Sanit Boonmachai, who is also head the Pattaya Tour Boat Operator Club, called on the city July 17 to begin repairs immediately on the jetty and said that gaps and cracks could pose hazards to the more than 1,000 tourists who use the South Pattaya pier daily.
The city then assigned the Engineering Department to begin work, using funds from the landscape-development budget to compete the job. Repairs are slated to take 90 days.
The city has begun to make minor repairs to areas of the pier that were damaged by boats hitting them, but since the boat people refuse to take responsibility, city hall is doing the work with their maintenance budget.
The patch job is a smaller project than the complete refurbishment of the bridge that officials said is actually needed. Rebuilding of the 4,600-sq.-meter approach was estimated to cost 50 million baht and the city lacks funds for it.
Sanit said the damage to the pier bridge has been caused by careless boat captains ramming the jetty. He said more policing of boat movements was needed so that compensation can be exacted from boat operators who damage city property.
