Having already spent more than a half-billion baht to rebuild Pattaya Beach, city hall now wants to drop another 160 million baht on landscaping and toilets, but doesn’t yet have the money.
Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome said Aug. 15 that the project set for the 2021 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, would work on beautifying the beachfront from Walking Street to the Dusit Curve, offering more trees and areas for people to exercise. The goal also is to build underground restrooms, a dubious pursuit given Beach Road’s frequent heavy flooding.
Sonthaya said the goal is to enhance the beach to appeal more to Thai tourists, given that foreign visitors will be locked out of Thailand for the foreseeable future. But the project is only in the idea stage with no blueprints drawn or budgets approved. Foreigners could be back before Pattaya plants a tree.
One part of the project that can go ahead quickly is parking. The city has plans to zone more areas for visiting Thais to park more conveniently. Success, as always, will depend upon the city enforcing its parking regulations.
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