Jomtien Beach took a licking, but came back ticking following Tropical Storm Sonca, which washed ashore a tsunami of garbage and muck, but tourists returned a few days later.
Numerous beachchair vendors simply decided to close shop after Sonca littered Jomtien Beach with garbage and filth July 31, as the murky water and littered beaches scared away their customers.
The garbage was thick and the tourists thin following the storm, which still had enough muscle left after thrashing Vietnam and Northern Thailand to churn up the Gulf of Thailand.
Vendor Kanyan Mabcharoen, 60, said she decided to take an unscheduled vacation until the city can clean up the beach and the water returns to more normal visibility.
But swimmers were back by Aug. 2, saying the water was much clearer.
The murky water was a result of both sewers backing up and overflowing into the ocean and tides churning up the ocean bottom.
Volunteers were out picking up the garbage and dead jellyfish that washed up onshore.
The tiny jellies made walking on the sand hazardous Aug. 3, with tourists getting some unwelcome stings while trying to avoid garbage and natural debris.
The cleanup continued into mid-week with all expected to return to normal, until the next rainy season storm that is.
