Sandy seascapes from Naklua to Sattahip were packed – as were the roads connecting them – on Labor Day May 1 as families and individual workers took a break to enjoy sea and seafood.
Thais take Labor Day break at Pattaya-area beaches
With most weekdays filled with hard work, Thais from around the region flocked to Pattaya-area beaches to relax on Labor Day.
Sandy seascapes from Naklua to Sattahip were packed – as were the roads connecting them – May 1 as families and individual workers took a break to enjoy sea and seafood. While some reported smaller crowds than last year due to Thailand’s economic slowdown and the imminent start of the new school year, there were still lots of people around.
Sandy seascapes from Naklua to Sattahip were packed – as were the roads connecting them – on Labor Day May 1 as families and individual workers took a break to enjoy sea and seafood.
Pattaya and Jomtien beaches were the busiest, with people coming from around the Eastern Seaboard and Bangkok for the day. In Sattahip, Dongtan Beach, Sraikaew and Toey Ngam beaches, all under the care of the Royal Thai Navy, were filled with people. The Navy Wives Club offered beach massages and set up booths selling locally made products.
With holidays comes traffic in and around Pattaya.
Col. Somchai Inruang, chief of Jomtien Beach municipal officers, said the day went smoothly with only minor issues. There were about 10 lost-child cases while officers dealt with routine cases of littering, alcohol-related accidents, parking problems and complaints about food vendors gouging tourists with higher holiday prices.
Sombut Thongbun, 44, and Kanchana Iemlaor, 34, said they came to Pattaya from Uthaithani for the day. Ten family members piled into a vehicle to relax at the beach and they will return home that evening.
Local beaches were packed to the brim on Labor Day.
Sirinth Phetpong, a 19-year-old at Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep said 19 extended-family members came in two vehicles to Pattaya for the holiday. She said her group often goes to Bang Saen Beach on holidays, but she prefers Pattaya as there is more to do.
Patcharapol Panrak contributed to this story.
