Authorities in Pattaya, Thailand, have begun to reclaim footpaths on Jomtien Beach which were being encroached upon by vendors. The move came after residents and tourists complained about beachfront stalls blocking walkways, forcing pedestrians to walk on the road. The vendors were subsequently warned to remove their goods from the footpaths. The legal team chairman of Pattaya municipality, Setthapol Boonsawat, stated that footpaths along the beach must be reclaimed for the benefit of residents and tourists, and public spaces should not be occupied for individual benefits.
In addition to the footpath reclamation, the permit of a deckchair and umbrella rental operator on Jomtien beach was suspended for 15 days following allegations of intimidating tourists. The tourists had complained of being chased away by the operator’s staff after setting up their own mats in front of the rental deckchairs. If such conduct recurs, the municipality could suspend the operator’s permit for two months or even revoke it completely.
The operator defended herself by stating that she was not at her site at the time of the incident and blamed communication problems with her immigrant workers. She claimed that they had no intention to expel tourists and were merely warning them about potential dust contamination of food if placed on the mats.
The article concludes by noting that efforts to clean up beaches at popular tourist sites, including Pattaya, Hua Hin, and Phuket, have been ongoing since the military coup in 2014. These efforts have achieved more success in Hua Hin and Phuket than in Pattaya. Despite some beaches now being free of encroaching vendors, authorities remain vigilant for attempts by violators to resume their activities.
Key Takeaways:
- Pattaya authorities have started to reclaim footpaths on Jomtien Beach that have been taken over by vendors, and have taken action against a deckchair rental operator for intimidating tourists.
- The municipality has warned vendors to remove their goods from the footpaths and suspended the permit of a deckchair and umbrella rental operator for 15 days, warning that further incidents could lead to a two-month suspension or revocation of the permit.
- Efforts to clean up popular tourist beaches like Pattaya, Hua Hin and Phuket have been ongoing since a military coup in 2014, with authorities remaining vigilant against attempts by violators to resume their activities.
“Setthapol Boonsawat, chairman of the Pattaya municipality legal team, said footpaths along the beach must be reclaimed for the benefit of residents and tourists and the municipality would not let individuals occupy public spaces for their own benefit.”
More details: here
