More flexible parking rules are bringing more people to Pattaya Beach, a vendor association chief said.
Somchai Jainukul, president of Pattaya Beach Umbrella Club, said March 10 that most beach chairs were full over the recent weekend, even though it wasn’t a holiday.
He attributed that to Pattaya City Hall now allowing tourists to park on both sides of Beach Road.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, foreign tourists staying in nearby hotels filled Pattaya Beach, making traffic flow on Beach Road more important than closing off a lane for extra parking.
But now, with domestic tourists needed to replace foreigners, Pattaya Beach needs all the parking it can get. Most Thais skipped Pattaya and drove to Bangsaen, Bang Saray and Sattahip where there was ample parking, Somchai claimed.
While the recent weekend was a step in the right direction, Somchai urged city hall to do more publicity about the parking change as many domestic tourists still do not know how easy it is to park now at the beach.
