Pattaya: Tourist boat operators continue to use beachfront despite order

[webfact]

Tourist boat operators continue to use beachfront despite order

By The Nation

 

 

Many boats have continued to use the beachfront area to pick up and drop off tourists despite being ordered to resume using Chon Buri's Southern Pattaya Pier (Laem Balihai) from Tuesday.

 

Boat owners had been using the beach temporarily during the restoration of the pier. They claimed they could not switch back to using the pier as they were not given enough notice and maintain the pier isn't yet ready to cater to tourists.

 

 

The National Council for Peace and Order, Pattaya City and the committee for Southern Pattaya Pier Regulating had ordered tour buses and boats to resume using the pier to pick-up and drop off some 20,000 tourists per day for water activities and the journey to Koh Lan. 

 

During the pier restoration work, which began in November, business operators were temporarily allowed to use the beachfront area. 

 

As the order to resume using the pier came into effect on Tuesday morning, about 50 soldiers and police were at the pier area to assist tour buses and boats.

 

However, few operators used the pier while most continued to use the beachfront area, particularly the 300-metre area near the Hard Rock Twin Palms Hotel, where some 50 tour boats were anchored and buses dropped off tourists to get onto the boats.

 

 

NPE Tour executive Natthapong Manasom, 55, said the operators did not want to violate the order but they were not given enough notice to change their schedules. 

 

He said the Pattaya Marine Department branch office only gave them one day's notice. 

 

 

Many operators said they could not adjust their schedule as tour packages had been sold months ago so they had to stick with their old timetable which meant using the beachfront area. 

 

He said that once the pier is ready for use, the operators would be willing to move back.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30344362

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-01

[happy chappie]

What a lovely looking place,fuel and filth everywhere no doubt.anyway sod the law,we buy our own law.them boat operators must be on a packet,why not make them build their own pair.

[champers]

A beach operator I know, earns 160 Baht pp from Chinese tourists who prefer to sit on the beach instead of going paragliding. That can be between 50 and 100 people a day. They get a bottle of water, a deckchair and a simple rice meal for the 160 Baht. Those Chinese also spend money on fruit, seafood and massages from beach vendors.

There is no appetite amongst the beach operators to see all this business trot off to Bali Hai.

The hope is, that if the army does enforce its decision, Bali Hai will be a logistical and organisational disaster and the army will have to backtrack and return the coaches and their passengers to the beach.

[Destiny1990]

Much better so tourists can enjoy the lovely nature in that green park nearby that pier.

[InMyShadow]

Send the army in and seize a few boats. The rest will scatter like rats

[4MyEgo]

Where there is a buck to be made, they will make it and of course grease the palms of those who are there to keep them away from the beachfront, this is the sweet for all Thai's, take care me brother/sister, I take care you, who care about the environment and disruption it makes to those wanting to use the beach front, this is Thailand, anything goes, especially when there is money to be made !

[Juan B Tong]

Seems the 50 army dudes and police were sent to the wrong place.

 

Too bad they could not be moved.

[sammieuk1]

The place is swarming in sharks.

[The manic]

23 minutes ago, InMyShadow said:

Send the army in and seize a few boats. The rest will scatter like rats

The army are conscripted Thais. Their job is to guard the borders against foreign invaders not persecute hard working Thais. Take the guns off the unelected bullies and see who scatters.

Edited May 1, 2018 by The manic

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, sammieuk1 said:

The place is swarming in sharks.

more turds than sharks in the water there.

[farcanell]

2 hours ago, InMyShadow said:

Send the army in and seize a few boats. The rest will scatter like rats

Send in the navy, me thinks.... they have been actively screwing with my beach going pleasure for a couple of years now, so it seems appropriate that they deal with this, as well.

 

but... your correct.... start to aggressively punish operators, and the rest will drop a prop and get the hell outta there... this is obviously needed.

 

that said... appropriate notice should be given, mind you, to suggest that the time frame should be months long, due to current bookings, is patently stupid ( who would have guessed)... three to four days (say one week, that’s an easy number) would do, as the only significant organizational change that “impacts” prebooked tours, is the drop off point.

 

with so many avenues of punishment available to a third world unelected military government, I fail to understand why civil disobedience is so widely tolerated.

[sawadee1947]

Move the HuaHin sharks to Pattaya Beach. 

Or they are already there?? Named operators??? 

[Henrik Andersen]

It is easy to fix put army on beach confiscate their boat so the rest of them quickly start use the new place 

So beach tourists can get the beach back 

[mok199]

I was optimistic and very disappointed today...a disgusting display of entitlement and lawlessness...but I will give them the benefit of the doubt,as tomorrow comes

[Dingle 60]

The police and army are pathetic. Full Stop. Incapable of upholding the law

 

[gk10002000]

God god is that how busy the place has become?  I haven't been there in almost two years now.  Oh I miss the quieter years of like 2005

[jacko45k]

7 hours ago, Henrik Andersen said:

It is easy to fix put army on beach confiscate their boat so the rest of them quickly start use the new place 

So beach tourists can get the beach back 

They are scared of them, as they are the baht bus drivers who never comply with any regulations.

[mikebell]

The only law enforcement in Pattaya is that which benefits the police.

[a977]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I do believe I read an article about a week 10 days ago about the boats having to return to Bali Hai pier. The trouble with Thais they have such short memories

[johng]

The boat operators say Bali Hai is not ready to use and that they will use it if and when its "ready"

[champers]

37 minutes ago, a977 said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but I do believe I read an article about a week 10 days ago about the boats having to return to Bali Hai pier. The trouble with Thais they have such short memories

Me too, on here. Maybe the boat owners don't read Thai Visa. ?

[mok199]

wed morning may 2 nd..the buses and the boats and Chinese arrive on beach rd for their parasial..defiant and hunkered in.....I have more luck getting my 4yr old to p/u his toys before bedtime...Children

[webfact]

D-Day passes for using refurbished Pattaya port - but some still haven't got the message

 

Pictures (3): Pattaya News

 

Yesterday - May 1st - was D-Day in Pattaya when boat operators were all meant to have returned to Bali Hai port after its refurbishment.

 

Full story:  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1036319-d-day-passes-for-using-refurbished-pattaya-port-but-some-still-havent-got-the-message/