The “dancing fountain” once heralded as a new landmark in Pattaya now sits rotting at Bali Hai Pier, another testament to the city’s “spend big to build, spend nothing to maintain” legacy.
Directed by the military junta to improve the South Pattaya jetty for its International Fleet Review in 2017, Pattaya City Hall spent 95 million baht to renovate and beautify Bali Hai, including construction of a back, oval water fountain lit by 35 banks of alternating-color LEDs that made an impressive light show.
As per the norm, the city promptly let the entire project decay after the foreign guests left by allocating no money for maintenance.
Finally breaking down after two years, the fountain has worked only sporadically since. The lights were broken, the pump was out of order, the walkway behind it pockmarked with holes, and floors of the multipurpose zone cracked.
City officials claimed in 2021 that more than 4.2 million of the original contract was set aside for maintenance to be carried out by the contractor. But the company did nothing since getting paid.
Pattaya sent two letters requesting maintenance work to be done, but no follow up was made and Bali Hai was left to rot.
In January 2021 mechanics got the fountains dancing again, but when it broke down again, it stayed broke.
 |
 |
 |
