Report Pattaya’s 345-Million-Baht Marina Parking Project Left Abandoned for 17 Years

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Sophon

 

A long-abandoned marina parking project in South Pattaya has become a stark symbol of failed urban planning, poor project management, and wasteful public spending, with over 345 million baht of taxpayer funds yielding nothing but rust and rubble.

 

The South Pattaya Marina Parking Facility, located near the Bali Hai Pier, was envisioned in 2008 as a state-of-the-art docking and vehicle parking solution to alleviate congestion and support the city’s booming marine tourism industry. Funded with a staggering 735 million baht from central government coffers, the project comprised two major components: an automated car park for 417 vehicles and a hydraulic boat parking system capable of accommodating over 360 vessels.

 

While the car park component is in limited operation, the marina itself has never been functional since completion in October 2013. Now, nearly two decades after construction began, the facility lies deteriorated and unusable, a cautionary tale of what can happen when large-scale infrastructure projects are poorly conceived and executed.

 

The irony is stark. Pattaya is currently undergoing a dramatic transformation in a bid to revive its status as a tourist destination post-COVID. City officials have heavily promoted revitalisation projects through mainstream and social media, including upgrades to Bali Hai Pier, Pattaya’s main marine transport hub, which can see over 10,000 tourists daily travelling to destinations like Koh Larn.

 

Millions of baht have been invested into improved roofing for weather protection, upgraded floating pontoons to support tourist vessels, and newly allocated budgets to tackle long-neglected issues such as public toilet facilities. Pattaya is actively marketing itself as a model city of “universal design” and tourism infrastructure excellence.

 

But amidst this forward-looking vision lies a forgotten megaproject.

 

The marina parking facility was designed to be a game-changer. Instead, it was a logistical and technical failure from the start. The hydraulic system, intended to lift and store boats safely out of the water, was never operational. Boat operators complained early on that the system was incapable of handling real-world conditions, rendering the docks unusable for the speedboats servicing the area.

 

Compounding the issue, in 2015, just two years after the project was completed, Tropical Storm Vamco (locally known as “Wa Mok Ko”) struck South Pattaya. The resulting storm surge and sediment accumulation severely damaged the underwater infrastructure. Large parts of the hydraulic system were buried and now corroded beyond repair.

 

Although the city filed legal action against the project designers, Thailand’s Supreme Administrative Court later ruled that the city itself bore responsibility due to inadequate feasibility studies and failure to anticipate environmental risks.

 

Critics, including local stakeholders, say the city’s failure to consult marine operators and industry professionals during the planning phase was a fatal flaw. Instead of designing a system tailored to real operational needs, city officials approved blueprints disconnected from practical maritime realities.

 

Moreover, the complete absence of a long-term maintenance plan and the failure to conduct environmental impact assessments have only magnified the project’s deterioration.

 

The South Pattaya Marina Parking Project stands today as a neglected concrete ghost facility overtaken by corrosion and tropical decay. It exemplifies the risks of fast-tracked development, top-down decision-making and superficial consultation with stakeholders.

 

While Pattaya presses forward with new tourism initiatives, this abandoned marina should serve as a lasting reminder: real progress depends not just on spending, but on sound planning, inclusive design and sustainable management.

 

City officials are now under increasing pressure to either rehabilitate the marina or formally decommission the site and reallocate future budgets with greater transparency and public input.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Sophon 2025-05-17.

 

 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

43 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

South Pattaya Marina Parking Project stands today as a neglected concrete ghost facility overtaken by corrosion and tropical decay

It blends in nicely with the abandoned Waterfront skyscraper at Bali Hai 

[jacko45k]

In the right place close to the Waterfront condo then!

[Jim Blue]

Is there some sort of curse involved here ?. Should have got that sorted first !

[JoePai]

over 345 million baht of taxpayer funds

 

Now I wonder where all that went - answers on a postcard please    😎

[mikebell]

3 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

the city itself bore responsibility due to inadequate feasibility studies and failure to anticipate environmental risks.

Check out the number of new millionaires in 2008.