The number of street vendors on Pattaya Beach has dropped noticeably since the city began fining hawkers for flogging their food and goods on public property.
Along Beach Road, from Soi 2 to Soi 4, not a single sidecar or pushcart vendor was seen Aug. 16, with most moving into the sidestreets to sell their somtam, grilled chicken, fried seafood and other items.
Pattaya last month launched a crackdown on street vendors, ordering them away from Beach Road and major shopping centers and fining offenders 2,000 baht. Officials claimed the cart vendors contributed to traffic congestion, garbage and vermin problems.
Tourists interviewed applauded Pattaya City Hall’s cleanup effort, saying traffic had become better and it was easier to find parking. There also was less litter.
While it may be harder to find street food, most tourists said they are happy to frequent legally operating convenience stores where they found the prices virtually identical to food being sold on the street.
