Editor;
Iconic photos of Thailand’s beautiful beaches (with umbrellas and deck chairs) draw tens of thousands of tourists each year. The local government seems focused on measures counterproductive to this attraction. The supposed objective is to return beaches to a more “natural state”.
Continued restrictions on days of operations and shelter at the beaches of Pattaya and Jomtien will not draw more tourists to these beaches. “Natural state” beach photos show very few tourists. Without the shelter of umbrellas, tourists fry in the Thai sun. The spread of beach vendors is an economic phenomena, called supply and demand.
Tourists already complain the beaches are closed on Wednesday. Further restrictions on days of operations and shrinking the vendors’ space are not positive measures to attract tourists.
Granted, use of public lands should be regulated. However, a tourist attraction with the benefit of revenues to the local economy should not be disregarded.
Pete in Jomtien
