Beach Road Will Be Closed To Weekend Traffic Starting From January 1

[Pattaya_Fox]

Beach Road will be closed to weekend traffic starting from January 1.

Ariyawat Nuamsawat

Pattaya Beach Road is to be closed to traffic Friday, Saturday and Sunday, returning to normal on Monday each week in an experiment ordered by the governor of Chonburi to try and resolve the traffic problem and make the beach a more attractive area for pedestrians.

The new measures, which will start on January 1, will see Second Road opened to two-way traffic when Beach Road is closed.

Large tour buses will also be prohibited from dropping off their passengers along Beach Road at this time.

Governor Pracha Taerat announced the new plans at Pattaya City Hall on December 6, saying that the activities of the city’s 700 baht buses and the tendency of the vehicle rental firms to hire out cars and motorcycles to large numbers of inexperienced and unskilled drivers was making the Beach Road traffic intolerable.

He said that Chonburi Land Traffic Department had been assigned to devise a solution to the problem, and that initially this would be a pilot scheme with a survey being conducted to see if it is viable as a permanent solution.

If this were the case, then Beach Road would become a Walking Street during the weekends.

Pattaya Mail.

[DonTron]

Ooookey?!? And this massive amount of cars (growing day by day) that constantly drives on Beach road and Second road during the weekends should go .... where..... ???

A more smart solution here would have been to assign routes to the 700 bath busses so they don’t all circle beachroad/secondroad like they do today. Here on Naklua its very hard to get a bath bus after 9pm, and 3rd road completely empty of bath busses all day and night.

And finally - close down some of the Sois between beach and second road. Soi 6 (short-time street), Soi 7-8 (the massive packed beer bar area), Pattaya Land 1-2 etc. These Sois should be turned into walking streets every night after 8pm.

[Chang_paarp]

This is going seem a silly question, but where is the traffic going to go? What if you actually want to go to the "internationally promoted" beach.

The baht buses will al go to Nakua and have a gathering? I can see some new pricing coming from the bus operators here. Having to all the way to 3rd Rd is going to upset their routine. Mind you it will improve the service on 3rd Rd, it is currently woeful.

Another well thought out edict from someone who is not up for election this weekend.

[Basil B]

I think this is just another pea brained idea, even in low season we see constant traffic jams Fri-Sun nights with traffic from Jomtien, this will just make things worse for traffic trying to get into Pattaya.

I agree reduce the number of Baht Busses (most are running around empty), maybe even introduce congestion charging.

BB

[PhilHarries]

Closing Beach Road to traffic will effectively close all the sois. This means anyone arriving Saturday or Sunday and staying in a Beach Road or soi hotel will have to get out of their taxi on Second Road and haul ass, and baggage, down to their hotels. This is not going to prove popular with tourists, long term expats and, particularly, locals.

Not only is someone not up for election this weekend but someone is tired of public office. Either that or someone forgot the golden rule "engage brain before opening mouth".

[timekeeper]

this has probably been suggested before but i think they should reverse the traffic flow along beach road and second road and in low season baht buses ought to work according to number, odd numbers one day, evens the next, they would still make the same money by being full not half empty

[Basil B]

this has probably been suggested before but i think they should reverse the traffic flow along beach road and second road...

Yes it would make sense, furthermore they could make the section from the flyover to junction of 2nd Rd/South Pattaya Rd one way for traffic from Jomtien with a mandatory left turn into Beach Road, and traffic coming south on 2nd Rd should have a mandatory left turn up South Pattaya Rd where it will be one way up to the junction with 3rd Rd and traffic going Jomtien will turn right onto 3rd Rd down to the flyover.

BB

[tropo]

How pathetically idiotic is this?

Imagine 2nd Road running both ways with 700 baht buses blocking both sides.

The only way they can win is by cutting down the number of baht buses operating in each area.

...and it's more stupid that they've decided to experiment during the busiest weeks of the year.

Edited December 22, 2007 by tropo

[britmaveric]

Idiots........... must be on yabba when they come up with these brilliant ideas.

[naka]

If these people would only keep their mouths shut ... nobody would know they were stupid

Naka.

[kopite]

its going to be absolute chaos.

just imagine some lads get here on a wednesday, hire a bike, are driving down second road and everythings rosy. then come the weekend, theres baht buses flying at them in the other direction. add to that a few beers etc... hospitals must be loving all this.

how are tourists supposed to know about these new changes?

are they going to stop parking on second road so there are 2 extra lanes available?

what about dive shops that have to transport passages and equipment from their shops down to the pier?

up. brewery. in. organise. piss. could'nt. a

[basjke]

its going to be absolute chaos.

just imagine some lads get here on a wednesday, hire a bike, are driving down second road and everythings rosy. then come the weekend, theres baht buses flying at them in the other direction. add to that a few beers etc... hospitals must be loving all this.

how are tourists supposed to know about these new changes?

are they going to stop parking on second road so there are 2 extra lanes available?

what about dive shops that have to transport passages and equipment from their shops down to the pier?

up. brewery. in. organise. piss. could'nt. a

And what would you think about the intersection 2nd road and pattaya tai.The traffic coming from second road has no traffic lights visible.I saw it about a month ago when for some reason they had to close beach road during daytime and had the traffic redirected same.Even with a copper present it was a dissaster.If they could they would drive over each other rather then give way.There was a traffic jam from those traffic lights to far on thappraya road and almost till sukhumvit from the other side.

[tropo]

Moderators, just a thought, but why not move this post to the general Pattaya section? It's a very important development that will affect a lot of members and it's not getting enough exposure in this section.

[Basil B]

If these people would only keep their mouths shut ... nobody would know they were stupid

Naka.

bang on...

OK can anybody translate the following to Thai:

If the people at City Hall would only keep their mouths shut ... nobody would know they were stupid.

It will make a great tee shirt .

[britmaveric]

Its kaos when they make 2nd Road two way. We got on a baht bus near pattayaland 2 and took us 20min get to Soi Yamoto. We could have walked faster. If beach Rd is closed then 2nd rd will be 2way.

[tropo]

Its kaos when they make 2nd Road two way. We got on a baht bus near pattayaland 2 and took us 20min get to Soi Yamoto. We could have walked faster. If beach Rd is closed then 2nd rd will be 2way.

And with all the Sois (1-13) being one way streets it will effectively block access to most of the main hotels, bars and restaurants in Pattaya. Absolutely brilliant!

[PhilHarries]

Its kaos when they make 2nd Road two way. We got on a baht bus near pattayaland 2 and took us 20min get to Soi Yamoto. We could have walked faster. If beach Rd is closed then 2nd rd will be 2way.

And with all the Sois (1-13) being one way streets it will effectively block access to most of the main hotels, bars and restaurants in Pattaya. Absolutely brilliant!

No promplem. With people demonstrating such levels of idiocy they'll just make all the sois two way as well.

btw with Beach Road closed Friday to Monday how will they collect the garbage?

<edited to add the btw>

Edited December 24, 2007 by PhilHarries

[chanman]

Does no one remember this being done about 5 years or so ago? It failed misserably as I am sure it will again, the trafic was terrible and no one bothered to walk in the road so it was deserted.

[monty]

Moderators, just a thought, but why not move this post to the general Pattaya section? It's a very important development that will affect a lot of members and it's not getting enough exposure in this section.

Good suggestion, as this will impact quite a lot of people!

----moved-----

[Chang_paarp]

No promplem. With people demonstrating such levels of idiocy they'll just make all the sois two way as well.

btw with Beach Road closed Friday to Monday how will they collect the garbage?

<edited to add the btw>

The garbage will stagger back to their hotels as they run out of money or find other things to entertain themselves.

Oh you mean the stuff they put in bags, and smells almost as bad as the above. I am sure the arrangements will be made for collection in the early hours. Can't have piles of rotting garbage on the edge of the pristine beaches.

[Pattaya46]

Hi,

I do not really understand the reaction of many guys here.

Closing Beach Road between Pattaya Klang and Pattaya Tai is nothing new.

I remember Beach Road being closed for 1 week or so at many events between 2000 and 2004.

I do not remeber that to be a big problem for circulation,

but it was great to have a big pedestrian promenade, even if to many sellers occupied it.

They already tested these solutions : 2nd Road in double-way (all long or to Pattaya Klang only),

or sending back traffic in Soi Boakao to make a loop to come back via Pattaya Tai.

Chang_paarp: Why are you talking of 3rd road ? Nobody ever speak to go in this taxi-desert area.

PhilHarries, Trop, ...: Closing beach Road will NOT close all the sois.

They just became two-ways when beach Road is closed.

Same as Soi 14 every night when Walking Street is closed to cars/motorbikes.

So no problem for tourists to be deposed at their hotel.

Kopite: The pier ? Why do you want they have problem to access.

The Arthachinda Road will always be 2-ways.

They probably will send all Chinese/Japanese/Koreans buses there too.

The only big concern for me is that it become VERY difficult as a pedestrian

to cross 2nd Road when it's in 2-ways mode.

One way is already difficult; 2-ways is dangerous

Pattaya46

[Lancelot]

Third Road is two way and pretty scary to cross on foot

[rocky123]

Great Idea, All those vehicles on Beach rd racing along going where ?? like the &lt;deleted&gt; sounding thier horns on soi 7/8 intimidating people trying to walk. I hope the law stays. To hel_l with the conjestion, if you need to go to the beach, park up and walk or get the frigin bus, and why do those &lt;deleted&gt; drive down the small sois cruising for pussy, park up outside this busy predestrian zone and walk you idle gits. This law Will make Pattaya such a better place to enjoy instead of fearing for your life that you will be mowed down by one of these idiots.

[private eye]

Great Idea, All those vehicles on Beach rd racing along going where ?? like the &lt;deleted&gt; sounding thier horns on soi 7/8 intimidating people trying to walk. I hope the law stays. To hel_l with the conjestion, if you need to go to the beach, park up and walk or get the frigin bus, and why do those &lt;deleted&gt; drive down the small sois cruising for pussy, park up outside this busy predestrian zone and walk you idle gits. This law Will make Pattaya such a better place to enjoy instead of fearing for your life that you will be mowed down by one of these idiots.

well said if this works it will be great , no dickheads cruising beach road and the sois

[moo9]

Some kind of 1st April joke? It can't be true. AMAZING THAILAND

[suiging]

Any well thought out solution to the current madness should be welcomed. However, this is not well thought out and will bring incresed danger to just about the whole city. Do you think the bike taxi mafia will respect the law ? Good morning Mr Ivan welcome to Pattaya . Beach road is totally traffic free, enjoy your morning stroll.....whammmmooooo. There will be more knocked over Russkis than Ronnie Reagan dreamed of in his heyday. As for the chaos in other areas of the fair city............lunacy

[MisterFingers]

I have to think about the problems this will solve, and the problems this will create.

Problems created:

1) Incredible inconvenience for people who want to get from anywhere and/or to anywhere on beach road, especially for people staying in hotels near beach road.

2) Simple math, take one street away from a town already supersaturated in traffic and you get more congestion, not less.

3) Beach road bars and other businesses will experience a sharp decline in customers, especially in the north end.

Problems solved:

4) No traffic on beach road (but I'm up in the air on whether this solves a problem or just moves it to another place).

Conclusion:

This is a remarkably stupid idea that won't last more than one month.

If it were actually a good idea, it would have been implemented a long time ago.

Edited December 26, 2007 by MisterFingers

[chanman]

If it were actually a good idea, it would have been implemented a long time ago

It was and it was abandoned after a month or so, 4-5 years ago, it was tagged amazing pattaya weekends or similar and was supposed to attract a street party on the pedestrianised beach road.. never hapened and all of the beach road vendors complained of lost business and closure with the threat of making beach road a ghost street.

You only have to see how many people the Song Thaews drop off and collect each day in beach road to understand what an impact removing them will have for the local businesses.

[MisterFingers]

If it were actually a good idea, it would have been implemented a long time ago

It was and it was abandoned after a month or so, 4-5 years ago, it was tagged amazing pattaya weekends or similar and was supposed to attract a street party on the pedestrianised beach road.. never hapened and all of the beach road vendors complained of lost business and closure with the threat of making beach road a ghost street.

You only have to see how many people the Song Thaews drop off and collect each day in beach road to understand what an impact removing them will have for the local businesses.

Sorry, I should have said "implemented a long time ago with a lasting effect."

[raro]

And with all the Sois (1-13) being one way streets it will effectively block access to most of the main hotels, bars and restaurants in Pattaya. Absolutely brilliant!

to add to the fun what about that:

No sign that the one-way Soi to beach road is sealed off at the end, no U-turn allowed either...sorry Sir, have to wait for Monday to get your car out....