Ignoring the 166-million-baht elephant in the room, Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome defended cutting popular trees as part of the latest Pattaya Beach revamp.
Not even mentioning the main objection to the plan – spending 166 million baht on landscaping while thousands of people go hungry in Pattaya during the coronavirus epidemic – Sonthaya told critics that only 25 percent of trees are being removed and that people had a chance to object during earlier public hearings.
Speaking to the media Aug. 17, Sonthaya seemed mystified by the online and in-person reaction to the removal of sea almond trees, especially since all but one tree was nothing special and had only been in the ground a few years.
The public has a short memory, as large numbers of trees and cement walkways were removed when Beach Road was widened in 2013 for one of the many Pattaya Beach facelifts.
Then, as now, trees were replanted, although 3.5 meters of foliage space was deleted eight years ago to widen the beach footpath to its current width.
Of course, online keyboard warriors – many of them European expats – moaned loudly in August 2015 when Nong Nooch Landscape & Garden Design Co. – the lead on the new Pattaya Beach project – began removing large old trees as it began the 550-million-baht overhaul of Jomtien Beach.
They forgot that Pattaya Beach got new trees when the old were removed, critics whined Jomtien’s beachfront would be all sun on concrete, with only rental umbrellas to shield themselves.
That didn’t happen and there are virtually no critics now about the improved Jomtien landscape.
Sonthaya explained to the media that the common sea almond trees are common softwoods that grow like weeds. They are not unique or highly prized.
However, the soft wood is easily broken during any high wind or storm. The falling wood and fruit pose a constant danger to beach vendors and users, Sonthaya said.
The trees will be replaced with harder wood that provides as much, if not more, shade, he said.
None of this should be news to Pattaya’s residents, Sonthaya continued. The project has been in the works since 2019 and has been detailed in public hearings. Current critics had ample opportunities to object in the years before work began.
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