Chair and umbrella vendors may not like it, but “no chairs Wednesday” is a hit among Pattaya tourists.
On Nov. 11, Jomtien Beach was filled with sun lovers stretched out on their own mats, blankets and towels, enjoying a wide open beach uncluttered by rows of beach chairs, not to mention not being pressured to rent one.
“No chairs Wednesday” came about after the National Council for Peace and Order ordered Pattaya officials to bring order to the out-of-control collective of chair and umbrella vendors, clean up the beach and return more public space to the public.
Chair and umbrella vendors may not like it, but “no chairs Wednesday” is a hit among Pattaya tourists.
Pattaya began with redrawing boundaries for beach chairs and reallocating spaces to vendors. The plots were not only reduced in size, but compacted to open up more of the sand. New rules against alcohol sales and food preparation were put in place and, as the finishing touch, all vendors were banned from the beach – and told to clean up their lots – on Wednesdays.
Vendors complained long and loud about the new rules, especially about losing a day of revenue. But most tourists interviewed said they welcomed the reorganization, as beaches have been decaying and unorganized for some time.
