Hoping to avoid the kind of public-relations nightmare that played out in neighboring Najomtien Subdistrict, Pattaya officials will set up a temporary zone where hawkers and beach vendors can legally sell their wares along Jomtien Beach.
Sattahip District officials earlier this summer ham-fistedly rousted sellers from Najomtien Beach, sparking protests and bad national press. On July 25, Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet met with sellers, police and health officials to find a way to allow beach vendors to sell their goods legally, at least for a while.
The Public Health and Environment Department will set up a committee to study the proposal for a temporary sales zone and set qualifications for applicants.
Poramet stressed the hawker zone would only be temporary as a measure to help the independent sellers to recover from the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.