Stories tagged with beaches
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Pattaya Beach vendors ignore imposed deadline
http://www.pattayamail.com
The recent controversy over allotted space for vendors on Pattaya, Koh Larn and Jomtien beaches is still ongoing, with vendors ignoring the April 20th deadline set by the municipal government and demanding an extension of two or three months. Past visitors to any of the three beaches would no doubt have noticed the bric-a-brac of vendors selling space for tourists to take shade under umbrellas and such, but it seems the Pattaya City Council’s effort to clean thing sup a little and give vendors one allotted square each has so far failed.
A group of vendors, two days before the deadline, submitted a complaint to the city council claiming the selections were not impartial and called for a revision. Chonburi’s deputy Governor arrived on the day of the deadline to see for himself if vendors would acquiesce, but he saw clearly that they had not.
The impasse is set to carry on for some time, as the vendors are standing their ground as they profess their rights are being violated with the new policy. This is the second move by local office to make Pattaya’s beachfront more orderly, after a new parking scheme was initiated last month.
Posted by: DaveB on 03 May 2008, 11:22 -
Fines charged for illegal Beach Road parking
Pattaya’s Beach Road is one of the city’s main thoroughfares, and as the street continues to grow in congestion, local authorities have implemented a system of parking fines for those parking outside designated areas on Beach Road. Plans to build paid-parking facilities for cars and motorcycles are in the works, after a survey among local police and politicians acknowledged that traffic congestion along the seaside road was becoming unbearable.
With no fees in place, cars tend to sit on the street for long periods of time, and visitors to the beach have no option but to park a considerable distance form the seaside. Street vendors also cause problems as they stake out areas of parking space for their booths and mobile restaurant stalls.
When the paid-parking scheme comes into place, designated parking areas will be visible with painted lines on the street, and cars will be charged 10 baht for the first hour and 20 baht for each additional hour. For motorcycles, each hour of parking will cost 10 baht.
Posted by: DaveB on 17 Apr 2008, 18:51 -
Pattaya vendor allotments still not resolved
April 13th was the deadline for an agreement to be reached concerning the umbrella vendors on Pattaya Beach, but with a consensus outstanding the deadline has been pushed up. The local government had organized 108 lots where vendors could ply their trade, along with 266 plots on Jomtien Beach and 20 for the beach at Wong Amat. This apparently wasn’t enough for some vendors, many operating illegally and effectively pushed off their perceived turf with the new lines literally drawn in the sand.
There have been protests outside city hall, and when the mayor failed to show up for the meeting where the allotments and vendors would be announced, further confusion was laid on the subject. More trouble arose as the law came from a provincial level, and many opponents to the new rules say only the mayor can pass such a law. The situation stands as of now unresolved.
Visitors to Pattaya’s beaches will most likely still be able to procure a rented umbrella on the beach, be it from a legal merchant or an illegal one.
Posted by: DaveB on 17 Apr 2008, 18:14 -
Thai woman recovers after elephant attack
24-year old Thai woman Porn-Uma Pasukmuang is recovering well after an incident earlier this month that left her injured in a most unexpected way. An elephant who was entertaining tourists on a Pattaya beach suddenly flew into a rage and attacked Ms. Pasukmuang before darting into the sea. Pasukmauang was taken to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital by sea rescue workers as soon as they arrived, while others tried to keep the elephant from swimming into deep waters.
Once the elephant became calm about an hour later, its mahout was bale to put a chain around its ankle and bring it ashore. The mahout, 35-year old Yai Chanla said he’d brought the two-year old elephant to sell sugar cane to tourists, and the animal was usually nothing but playful with people and had never harmed anyone before.
When Ms. Pasukmuang bought some sugar cane, she dropped it, and when she reached down for it, the elephant became antsy and struck her down and tried to crush her. She was lucky to not have been injured more seriously.
Posted by: DaveB on 26 Mar 2008, 18:04 -
Pattaya Officials ask for cooperation of concessionaires
Pattaya is all too well known for its beaches, and the city sees hordes of both foreign and Thai lounge lizards pass across its waterfronts every year. Beach concessionaires make their living by offering umbrellas and lounge chairs on the beaches, but recently the issue has been raised that street vendors are making the experience unenjoyable for tourists seeking to relax.
In response to the problem, Pattaya city officials have asked the chair and umbrella providers for their cooperation in trying to keep the pesky street vendors at bay. A survey conducted by officials has found that tourists being constantly disturbed by vendors are an all too common occurrence.
A meeting was held among 50 concessionaires and the mayor, Mr. Niran Wattanasartsathorn to attempt to find a solution to the nuisance. What they agreed upon was that when a concessionaire spots a vendor coming towards their territory, they should immediately notify police in the area and the offender will tehn be dealt with according to local laws.
A Pattaya City Administration Act had been passed in 2002 that pertained to the selling of goods in approved areas, like on the street; but everyone was reminded that on the beach it is not allowed, and the law should be obeyed and implemented.
Posted by: DaveB on 09 Aug 2007, 16:42 -
Full Moon Coming Soon
There are parties, and then there are full moon parties. The island of Ko Phangan is famous throughout the backpacking and partying world for its full moon dance and music extravaganzas. There’s still time to get three good all night dancing in this year with a full moon shining down on the beach this year on June 29, July 31, and August 28.
People from all over the world flock to the shores of the island to celebrate the full moon. In order to really enjoy the party, it’s important to book accommodation around the party dates quite early. For the best transportation options, it’s even a good idea to book sleeping berths on the train or plane tickets to nearby Ko Samui early.
On a full moon night, the entire stretch of sand on Haad Rin beach is full of music, blaring out of some 15 sound systems and countless DJs. At some point during the night, on some place on the beach, someone is sure to be playing something to get your feet moving. If dancing isn’t your style, though, there are plenty of places to kick back in the sand, and with anywhere between 10,000 and 20,000 others coming for the party, someone’s sure to share your tastes too.
Restaurants near the beach are open late with a wide variety of western style food and local classics. It’s a good idea to eat during the night to keep your energy up. Drinks are, of course, widely available and it’s a good idea to put away a few bottles of water during the night to stay hydrated. Many people love the buckets of Thai whiskey and mixers available while others kick back with bottles of cold Thai beer and soft drinks.
Leave your valuables locked up in your hotel room, including the digital camera. It’s a long night and a lot can happen. Be sure to keep some small change with you for the bathroom but otherwise, just relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of an endless evening.
Posted by: Jen on 14 Jun 2007, 14:03