Dolphins saved - Pattaya decides to keep iconic "landmark" roundabout

 

Picture: Manager Online

 

PATTAYA: -- In a dramatic U-turn the Pattaya authorities have decided to save the dolphins!

 

These are not some endangered aquatic creatures braving the resorts murky depths but relate to the roundabout near the seaside that has now been saved.

 

Locals were in uproar a couple of months ago when it was announced that the roundabout would be ripped out and replaced by boring traffic lights.

 

Officials said it was the only way to solve Pattaya's traffic woes.

 

One official even told the public at the time to shut up - the authority were not going to listen to any more complaints and were going to scrap the dolphins whether they liked it or not.

 

Now they have bowed to public pressure in what on the face of it looks like an embarrassing U-turn but is being explained away as a response to the interests of the public and, actually, is a better plan after all.

 

The decision was made at a top level meeting at City Hall this week in the presence of the Pattaya mayor and other bigwigs to reprieve the dolphins.

 

Further studies will be carried out to determine how best to solve the traffic crisis.

 

The meeting started with a lot of back slapping at how well everyone had done to bring the baht buses (song thaews) under control with stricter regulations about hiring them and where they could stop.

 

The assembly was told that this was in line with the military government's policy to bring more order to Pattaya.

 

But it was the dolphin roundabout that was then center stage at the meeting.

 

Sinchai Wattanasatsathorn said that the problem of traffic congestion in the resort could not solely be blamed on the roundabout.

 

More work was needed to find other broader and longer lasting solutions.

 

So the 6.9 million baht scheme is now history and the iconic landmark will remain.

 

Source: Manager Online

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-09-14

Hard to believe, but "common sense" prevailed.

How long before they work out they can have traffic lights without removing the dolphins. Not actual rocket science, just control the entrances to the intersection.

Hard to believe, but "common sense" prevailed.

Well its not over yet...we haven't heard what their plan is yet....maybe the roundabout will just disappear one night while the CCTV is not working like the bronze plaque in Bangkok did.

I hope they keep the roundabout,
paint the proper give way markings on the road, put up very clear signs informing users to stop at give way markings and let traffic already on the roundabout go first..have a contingent of police (or tesakit city worker) enforce roundabout protocol, have a roaming team on motorcycles clearing log jams on surrounding roads at peak times.
If not already installed,install and use smart traffic lights controlled if need be from the control center not Somchai on the corner.
Somehow stop the double decker tour busses entering the city center
and trying to drive into side sois which are too narrow causing chaos.

Its a shame not enough noise was made to stop the Jomtien / Dongtan beach tree massacre...too late for them now.

The Dolphin roundabout does not even make the top 5 in Pattaya's grid lock areas. If the blocked exit was re-opened the net result would not change anything. The main problem with roundabouts in Thailand is that there are so few of them most Thais do not have the faintest idea of what to do when they see one. That results in panic and the inevitable " if I put my foot down I can get out of this " !!

I recommend a tunnel.....

Yes a 6 way tunnel + elevated monorail + street tram that will keep them busy for a decade or 2

2 hours ago, bacwan said:

Hard to believe, but "common sense" prevailed.

Even a blind squirrel finds a few nuts....

Typical of thinking ! Roundabouts are far better for traffic flow than traffic lights. Assuming the motorists have the sense to use... so maybe lights in Pattaya are better


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12 minutes ago, shanesox said:

Typical of thinking ! Roundabouts are far better for traffic flow than traffic lights. Assuming the motorists have the sense to use... so maybe lights in Pattaya are better


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While I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments on Roundabouts, I believe I have found a tiny flaw in your plan.........

2 minutes ago, Borzandy said:

I'm sure the Pattaya authorities will be very afraid when reading your post.

Well if i (or any other farang from W-europe) gets serious injured by a falling coconut while walking on the sidewalk in pattaya it will probably be in the European newspapers as well....

 

Let's see how happy the authorities are with that.

Well if i (or any other farang from W-europe) gets serious injured by a falling coconut while walking on the sidewalk in pattaya it will probably be in the European newspapers as well....
 
Let's see how happy the authorities are with that.

Yeah well good luck with that.. a lady got shot by mistake in a police shooting some time back. She got partial payment for the hospital bills if I'm not mistaken and sent on her way
As for the island debacle it wont work unless they install lights and stop lane hopping which will require some type of enforcement. So don't hold your breath for a solution on this and when the new shop opens it will be interesting

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An off topic post and reply have been removed

I think the Thai authorities could speed up traffic by changing the lane markings and signs to Thai translation of "Me 1st"

4 hours ago, dcsw53 said:

The Dolphin roundabout does not even make the top 5 in Pattaya's grid lock areas. If the blocked exit was re-opened the net result would not change anything. The main problem with roundabouts in Thailand is that there are so few of them most Thais do not have the faintest idea of what to do when they see one. That results in panic and the inevitable " if I put my foot down I can get out of this " !!

Exactly! How about the logjam on both Beach Rd and 2nd Rd trying to get into the Central Festival parkaide on weekends? Next, the crazy long traffic light cycles. Some like 3rd and Klang are nearly 5 minutes.

Or traffic police....oh.

Why were these people giving themselves slaps on the back for how well everyone had done to bring in the new regulation for Baht buses. Do any of them ever drive around town to see what is going on. The baht buses are a major contributor to the traffic snarls in Pattaya. They continue to stop where they want to, often blocking traffic. Getting rid of half of them (they are empty anyways) would greatly contribute to less congestion

They got the fountains up and running again at Dolphin Circus yesterday morning.

Power to the people!!!

On 09/14/2017 at 8:07 AM, johng said:

Well its not over yet...we haven't heard what their plan is yet....maybe the roundabout will just disappear one night while the CCTV is not working like the bronze plaque in Bangkok did.

I hope they keep the roundabout,
paint the proper give way markings on the road, put up very clear signs informing users to stop at give way markings and let traffic already on the roundabout go first..have a contingent of police (or tesakit city worker) enforce roundabout protocol, have a roaming team on motorcycles clearing log jams on surrounding roads at peak times.
If not already installed,install and use smart traffic lights controlled if need be from the control center not Somchai on the corner.
Somehow stop the double decker tour busses entering the city center
and trying to drive into side sois which are too narrow causing chaos.

Its a shame not enough noise was made to stop the Jomtien / Dongtan beach tree massacre...too late for them now.

Totally agree with you. Most cities in Europe have replaced their traffic light crossings with roundabouts resulting in much better traffic flow and less accidents. If all crossings in pattaya and sukhumvit were replaced with roundabouts the traffick flow would improve drastically, provided everyone knew how to use them.

16 hours ago, thaiden1 said:

The baht buses are a major contributor to the traffic snarls in Pattaya.

 

From a tourist/occasional visitor perspective the Baht buses are one of the major  pluses of beachfront Pattaya. They go around in circles and one can hop on and off at any time. One can get all the way from Na Klua all the way to Jomtien with one change? Baht bus going the wrong way? Hop off and get another.

 

Edited September 15, 20178 yr by VocalNeal

On 9/14/2017 at 8:18 AM, jacko45k said:

I recommend a tunnel.....

 

Next community campaign...Save WS from town planners, puritans and Christian American sc*m

On 14/09/2017 at 0:16 PM, thaiden1 said:

Why were these people giving themselves slaps on the back for how well everyone had done to bring in the new regulation for Baht buses. Do any of them ever drive around town to see what is going on. The baht buses are a major contributor to the traffic snarls in Pattaya. They continue to stop where they want to, often blocking traffic. Getting rid of half of them (they are empty anyways) would greatly contribute to less congestion

No you are the major contributor to traffic jams in your private car. The Pattaya baht bus system../get on get off /is one of the greatest  public transport systems in the world.

and yet...30 meters from beloved protected roundabout sits a piece of perfectly useable beach which.( in fact it is one of only 4 pieces of beach along beach rd,that has ''protected swimming''it has been fenced off and  abandoned for over 2 years.as the idea of harvesting sand and transplanting it(while destroying the coral) went completely worng..where is the public outcry....last night after the ''tiffany show''(as every night) the beloved roundabout was clogged with a wall of tour buses,as diesel fumes filled the night air..where is the public outcry..

6 hours ago, mok199 said:

and yet...30 meters from beloved protected roundabout sits a piece of perfectly useable beach which.( in fact it is one of only 4 pieces of beach along beach rd,that has ''protected swimming''it has been fenced off and  abandoned for over 2 years.as the idea of harvesting sand and transplanting it(while destroying the coral) went completely worng..where is the public outcry....last night after the ''tiffany show''(as every night) the beloved roundabout was clogged with a wall of tour buses,as diesel fumes filled the night air..where is the public outcry..

Do you expect city hall to care?

If it's not going to make money, it's irrelevant to them in the big chairs.

The experience of tourists is the last thing they care about, if at all. After all, there are millions more suckers that have never been before so don't know what a disaster the place is.

On 9/16/2017 at 5:28 AM, The manic said:

No you are the major contributor to traffic jams in your private car. The Pattaya baht bus system../get on get off /is one of the greatest  public transport systems in the world.

And where do you propose people with private cars park them to use the Baht Bus transport system?

They should because I can guarantee with my life. 

No Dolphins will swim into Pattaya

Maybe a Dolphinboy 

Look it's much easier to relieve motorists of cash with controlable lights. The current situation  is a hit and miss scenario. Working in conjunction with City Hall is a win win. They all earn simple.