Beach Road Tree Cutting

[thaiman]

Why are all the trees on beach road being cut down?

[Thaifan2]

I passed by quickly yesterday ,but i think that they are just being pruned .

[thaiman]

I passed by quickly yesterday ,but i think that they are just being pruned .

It looked like a little more than pruning, but I'm not really sure. Not a lot of shade now if you walk in the day time.

[begsaresponse]

What do you want? Shade during day time or personal safety during the night?

My choice would be personal safety. The walkway along beachroad has many hazards at night thus the reason why informed ex pats do not walk along it at night.

In addition to the pruning I would suggest they install additional lighting at night.

[patsfangr]

What do you want? Shade during day time or personal safety during the night?

My choice would be personal safety. The walkway along beachroad has many hazards at night thus the reason why informed ex pats do not walk along it at night.

In addition to the pruning I would suggest they install additional lighting at night.

Yeah. It's standard military procedure for a base camp. First they clear a field of fire to prevent the enemy from sneaking up, and provide a better shot at them if they charge. Then (this will probably happen next week), they put out Claymore mines, and set up some noise making trip wires.

Soon, it will be safe for alll to walk along Beach Road. ... At least on the east side. ... I sure hope they face those Claymores in the right direction!

[buckeroo2]

Why are all the trees on beach road being cut down?

I passed by the work area today and the Thai friend I was with asked the workers and they said they will clear area and install security cameras. I have no idea if that is the truth - just what they told my Thai friend.

[innovator]

They would be better off installing 24/7 security/military officers, along with the cameras to back them up in court.

A fully-armed and secured beach area would be a nice start. I don't think that beach land mines would work due to all of the loose rats and stray dogs running around.

I sure hope that they will beef up the security so that I can return to the prestine beaches of Pattaya once again for a stroll.

[Pattaya46]

What do you want? Shade during day time or personal safety during the night?

They would be better off installing 24/7 security/military officers, along with the cameras ...

Hi,

What is your problem guys with the Beach Road ? with the safety ?

I very frequently have a walk at night (around 23h-midnight, because too hot during the day), going from Walking Street to the other end of the beach (Amari) et coming back to Walking Street and then my condo in South Road. I never had any problem in 2 years. I think it's the best place around for a late walk. Often cool wind coming from the see. The pavement is now not bad. There are trees, grass and statues all the long : not a bad place.

So why are you talking about safety there ? Ok, I read in newspaper some problems sometimes with ladyboys, but how often ? and at what time ? mostly at 4 o'clock in the morning ! Not a time to have a walk, anywhere in the world...

Pattaya46

[innovator]

Pattaya 46: Well, it is a nice place to have a walk....but, a few days ago I went for a morning stroll and witnessed 4 Thai men kicking the <deleted> crap out of another Thai man with a cute Thai lady sitting and watching nearby.

I had front row seats to this brutal attack, along with 20 other Thais that stood around and did nothing.

So, if you don't mind an asskicking once in a while, then I guess it is a wonderful place for a walk.

[samuibeachcomber]

Pattaya 46: Well, it is a nice place to have a walk....but, a few days ago I went for a morning stroll and witnessed 4 Thai men kicking the <deleted> crap out of another Thai man with a cute Thai lady sitting and watching nearby.

I had front row seats to this brutal attack, along with 20 other Thais that stood around and did nothing.

So, if you don't mind an asskicking once in a while, then I guess it is a wonderful place for a walk.

I left Pattaya march last year to travel,ended up on Samui,but the 7 months i had in Pattaya i enjoyed,never had any problem with violence and often walked along beach road at night(checking out and talking to freelancers).Only found Pattaya too crowded,noisy, and dirty(pollution)but swimming ok in north pattaya and beach hill.

[Rajah]

The day before yesterday I've been to Beach Road. In the early afteroon I intended to walk along Beach Road but it was too hot because the big trees are gone! Just the palm trees are left (not that much shade...)

It seems the workers started in the north and slowly but surely will make their way down to the Southern end.

Any idea what is going on?

[eefoo]

To install security cameras apparently.....

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Beach-Road-T...ng-t199557.html

Prefer the trees myself!

[beachroadwalker]

I saw a truck carting away bunches of coconuts. Better chilled than on your head. That could be part of the pruning.

[innovator]

It may be an angry reaction to the recent slimming down of vendors. OK, now there are fewer chairs and umbrellas for rent.

So, the counter attack from City Hall might be to chop down all of the nice, shady trees so that the visitors to the beach will not wish to sit on the sand, under the shady trees for free. Instead, these folks are more likely to head for a chair and umbrella to seek out shade, or they will simply run to the mall for the air-conditioning and kiss the beach good-bye.

They may be installing security cameras, but I doubt that they would need to chop down all of the trees in order to install cameras.

[Cuban]

I had front row seats to this brutal attack, along with 20 other Thais that stood around and did nothing.

So, if you don't mind an asskicking once in a while, then I guess it is a wonderful place for a walk.

I don't expect any one person to jump in to save the day in such situations. However are CCTV cameras really a solution to preventing crime along Beach Road?

Or will they simply move the mugging hot spots elsewhere?

[Pattaya_Fox]

There is already a topic running about the cutting of the trees so I will merge the two.

[sotsira]

Whoever instructed the tree cutting needs to go get an education on air pollution and how trees oxygenate the air and reduce pollution and air temperature. IDIOTS!

They did the same thing on Jomtien beach a few months ago, slowly but surely they will turn the whole place in to a concrete jungle!

With all the costruction going on and the trees that have to be removed by the developers, you would have thought that the few trees that are left which are not in harms way would have been left alone!

Oh well, more heat and pollution for Pattaya & Jomtien.

[thaiman]

It may be an angry reaction to the recent slimming down of vendors. OK, now there are fewer chairs and umbrellas for rent.

So, the counter attack from City Hall might be to chop down all of the nice, shady trees so that the visitors to the beach will not wish to sit on the sand, under the shady trees for free. Instead, these folks are more likely to head for a chair and umbrella to seek out shade, or they will simply run to the mall for the air-conditioning and kiss the beach good-bye.

They may be installing security cameras, but I doubt that they would need to chop down all of the trees in order to install cameras.

This actually makes sense.

Too bad. The trees were nice while they lasted. Thais are excellent at ruining things!

[NanLaew]

It's the new mayors idea. When he was asked about the 10 things he would do first if he got the job, he clearly stated cutting down the trees "so more people could see the sea" as one of his priorities. Can't fault the guy for not delivering eh? The reasoning is something else tho'.

[Nemothepemo]

Just when I thought that the people who run this city could not get any stupider they got me again. This city is a mess. There is dirt and gravel on almost every street I drive on. Unfinished construction on 3rd road where it takes the turn and goes over the hill to Jomtiem has been a gravel pit for so long that they should use it for racing dirt bikes and not a highway for motorbike traffic. I saw a young girl who had her basket full and a puppy in the basket too. She hit one of the million unsafe pot holes in the road and the puppy bounced out of the basket where it was promptly run over the motorbike behind it. I am guilty of riding on the wrong side of the road to avoid the traffic jams in the city, but I am not alone. Where are the police ? I'll tell you. The police are sitting outside of the station on Soi 8 jumping in front of motorbikes when they spot a rider or passenger without a helmet.

With prices of everything rising out of control the level of begging has risen to a new high on the streets. The average Thai who a couple of years ago might have held out a cup and said "Please Help", is how concluding any business transaction no matter how small by saying "Give Me" or "Tip?" at the close of the transaction. I am talking about Taxi Drivers, Gas Station Attendants and Shop Keepers.

Yesterday, however I saw the most insulting, stupid, inept act that I did not think was possible even for a Thai City Official to execute. This inane act was the butchering of the trees on Beach Road. These trees provided cool shade from the blazing sun as well as giving Pattaya Beach a tropical and majestic look. Now the temperature on the street is 20 degrees C higher. I watched as shopkeepers and motorcycle rental staff, vendors and just plain tourists get caught unaware that Beach road is now an inferno. A road of skin cancer and sunburn. Now everyone can get a clear view of the putrid water in Pattaya Bay, and see the plastic rubbish floating in the bay. If you are caught down by Walking Street you can not only smell the sewage being dumped into the bay, but you can see it as well. The slogan for a Thai City Official should be "No Brain, No Headache".

I guess the solution is Time Shift. Residents should be prepared to stay inside during the day and go outside after sunset, to join the traffic jams, prostitutes, gangs and drunks who inhabit the underworld that is Pattaya at night.

The officials who run this city should be chained to these barren trees for 48 straight hours and left to be urinated on by the drunks, bitten by the night insects and publicly humiliated for their unequaled stupidity and making what should be a great city into a septic tank.

[thaiman]

Just when I thought that the people who run this city could not get any stupider they got me again. This city is a mess. There is dirt and gravel on almost every street I drive on. Unfinished construction on 3rd road where it takes the turn and goes over the hill to Jomtiem has been a gravel pit for so long that they should use it for racing dirt bikes and not a highway for motorbike traffic. I saw a young girl who had her basket full and a puppy in the basket too. She hit one of the million unsafe pot holes in the road and the puppy bounced out of the basket where it was promptly run over the motorbike behind it. I am guilty of riding on the wrong side of the road to avoid the traffic jams in the city, but I am not alone. Where are the police ? I'll tell you. The police are sitting outside of the station on Soi 8 jumping in front of motorbikes when they spot a rider or passenger without a helmet.

With prices of everything rising out of control the level of begging has risen to a new high on the streets. The average Thai who a couple of years ago might have held out a cup and said "Please Help", is how concluding any business transaction no matter how small by saying "Give Me" or "Tip?" at the close of the transaction. I am talking about Taxi Drivers, Gas Station Attendants and Shop Keepers.

Yesterday, however I saw the most insulting, stupid, inept act that I did not think was possible even for a Thai City Official to execute. This inane act was the butchering of the trees on Beach Road. These trees provided cool shade from the blazing sun as well as giving Pattaya Beach a tropical and majestic look. Now the temperature on the street is 20 degrees C higher. I watched as shopkeepers and motorcycle rental staff, vendors and just plain tourists get caught unaware that Beach road is now an inferno. A road of skin cancer and sunburn. Now everyone can get a clear view of the putrid water in Pattaya Bay, and see the plastic rubbish floating in the bay. If you are caught down by Walking Street you can not only smell the sewage being dumped into the bay, but you can see it as well. The slogan for a Thai City Official should be "No Brain, No Headache".

I guess the solution is Time Shift. Residents should be prepared to stay inside during the day and go outside after sunset, to join the traffic jams, prostitutes, gangs and drunks who inhabit the underworld that is Pattaya at night.

The officials who run this city should be chained to these barren trees for 48 straight hours and left to be urinated on by the drunks, bitten by the night insects and publicly humiliated for their unequaled stupidity and making what should be a great city into a septic tank.

If thais actually did something that made sense , I'd be amazed! Amazing Thailand! Gota love it!

[Guderian]

Maybe they're getting things ready to start installing the new electric tram system along Beach Road that the Mayor promised in his campaign?

[innovator]

Earth Care Day on Beach Road: Today, there was a nice event on beach road, near the tree cutting spot. It seems that about 10 days ago, someone chopped down many of the big, beautiful, shady trees. Now, the city planned an Earth Care Less Day on the same spot.

I spoke to my good friend, Albert Gore (Not the famous Al Gore, but nevertheless, a true tree hugger) about this strange series of events and he stated that clearly, someone has their head up their arse!!

Chopping down trees and then holding an Earth Care Day on that spot is like eating your dinner on the same place where you shyt.

What do you think? Was this a positve event or a slap in the face of mother nature?

[cali4995]

Over the last 18 months or so, the public works projects down there on the beach area have

steadily eroded the natural beauty. This is not the first tree thinning cycle, it wasn't that long

ago they did some cutting and then replanted with some palms (half of which died) this was

also the time they paved over the dunes/grassy areas. Then they built that underground

tunnel / utility space under the walkway but failed to provide any way for rainwater to drain

off so now everytime it rains the sidewalk is a large puddle until the water evaporates. Then

they installed those horribly gauche fiberglass sculptures/tables/lampposts which are now all

broken eyesores. And still, they are using the entire area as a massive powerboat launching

ramp even though the bali hai pier was specially constructed at almost a billion baht cost.

I went down there last night for the first time in a month and it is noticeably clearer (but of

course you don't need the natural shade at night). There also seems to be twice as much of

the undesirable local element loitering down there. Just a wild hunch but CCTV I don't think

will work very well unless they amplify the lighting considerably, more than likely the

cameras will just get stolen. It is fun to watch the ladymen scurry like rats behind the stacks

of beachchairs everytime the police volunteers roll down the beach. Just some pretty bad

civic planning which has really reduced the attractiveness of that general area. I'm also afraid

it isn't the tourists carelessly dumping trash everywhere for the city cleaners to pick-up, you

only have to look at what refuse is constantly discarded to realize it is the Thais themselves.

[innovator]

Great post Cali4995!! I think your personality is very close to Bart Simpson and I can understand why that is your Thaivisa Character.

The beach vendors have been thinned out and they pulled back the chairs all the way to the walkway. Now, there is a huge area of free sand/beach space to picnic, sunbathe etc....but, I doubt that anyone would due to the massive amount of garbage piling up there because the beach chair vendors only rake and clean up their own tiny areas. I guess it might be too much work to clean up the area in front of their rented space??

So, they solved one big problem by thinning out the area and created a new problem, a very long garbage dumping area on the waterfront.

OK> At night, during a stroll, you can't see the trash. So, the positive solution is to go to the beach only at night and hope that the criminals will not bother you during the moonlight stroll. I totally agree that any CCTV cameras installed would simply disappear within a few days anyway.

If someone is bold enough to take the toilet rings out of the shopping mall, then I am sure the cameras would be easy pickings.

[cali4995]

Yes, Bart and I share a gleeful irreverence for conformity, that or possibly I have attention

deficit disorder. If you've ever studied the tidal variations down there, at high tide the beach

almost completely disappears? It really is shocking how many of the older palms have fallen

into the sea due to erosion and no attempts whatsoever to maintain the beach area? At low

tide you've got 50 meters, I guess it's due to the extremely gradual slope at the shore? It is

just sad they've let it go so much. Recently, I read a news article about some students who

made a day of cleaning up the beach which is admirable but they were saying it was from

inconsiderate tourists, which of course as we know is a popular misconception. You just have

to really be careful when walking down there at night anymore, too many dodgy folks about.

[innovator]

Sure, many dodgy folks down there at beach road at day and night. Yes, the beach is a complete disaster zone. However, the pro-Pattaya People, PPP, a new political party of Pattaya will shoot down any negative comments about this lovely area and claim that any complaints are not worth comparisions to our home lands. Those folks seem to state that their own countries suck and that is why they are here. At least I love my home country and Thailand and that is why I try to make it better by reporting positive and negative events. However, the long stay experts that seem to have adjusted to living in an open sewer and love it, Shrekies, need to go for a walk on the beach and take in the majestic mess that has developed over time.

The only upgrade that remains intact are the solid, tile covered benches. Great job!! Everything else is a disaster. My friend Albert Gore can confirm that beach road, along with many other parts of this resort community have hit rock bottom and don't listen to those property sellers or other PPP party members when considering your next 20 million baht, overpriced jumper sky box.

Edited July 27, 2008 by innovator

[thaibeachlovers]

What do you want? Shade during day time or personal safety during the night?

My choice would be personal safety. The walkway along beachroad has many hazards at night thus the reason why informed ex pats do not walk along it at night.

In addition to the pruning I would suggest they install additional lighting at night.

While I can't claim to be a Pattaya ex pat ( though I have spent many months there ), I do consider myself to be informed, and I can't agree that it's anymore dangerous than anywhere else in Pattaya, whatever the time ( and I have walked along it most hours of the night ). I have never encountered a probem, yet, anywhere in Pattaya between 2nd and Beach rds, though I do exercise common sense while moving around.

As for the lighting, they are up to the fourth variation since I started visiting Pattaya, and like all the previous versions, the lights work only till they break, and are never repaired.

[thaibeachlovers]

Sure, many dodgy folks down there at beach road at day and night. Yes, the beach is a complete disaster zone. However, the pro-Pattaya People, PPP, a new political party of Pattaya will shoot down any negative comments about this lovely area and claim that any complaints are not worth comparisions to our home lands. Those folks seem to state that their own countries suck and that is why they are here. At least I love my home country and Thailand and that is why I try to make it better by reporting positive and negative events. However, the long stay experts that seem to have adjusted to living in an open sewer and love it, Shrekies, need to go for a walk on the beach and take in the majestic mess that has developed over time.

The only upgrade that remains intact are the solid, tile covered benches. Great job!! Everything else is a disaster. My friend Albert Gore can confirm that beach road, along with many other parts of this resort community have hit rock bottom and don't listen to those property sellers or other PPP party members when considering your next 20 million baht, overpriced jumper sky box.

can agree with you that the beach road walkway has become a "majestic mess".

A couple of variations ago, the walkway was actually quite nice, well designed, and attractive, with plenty of space to walk, and incorporating the large trees sadly destroyed recently. Unfortunately, the Thai attitude to maintenance ( none ) allowed it to degenerate to the point that it was subjected to an inferior rebuild, which is when your large tiled benches were installed. However, the real atrocity of the present version has more or less destroyed it. Whomever thought it was a good idea to build sandbanks restricting the width of the path, whilst destroying the drainage of the pathway itself deserves a good flogging. After every rain, as anyone using the path knows, the path becomes a pool, and when the water evaporates it leaves masses of wet sand everywhere ( which is never removed ), while the sandbanks themselves are being destroyed by the pedestrians forced to walk on them to avoid the puddles.

As for the furniture!!! Whale shaped water fountains become rubbish receptacles, the not unattractive benches with the Thai children placed to obstruct rather than enhance the path, the fancy lamps just at the right height to be vandalised. If the designer had wanted it to all become a travesty, he couldn't have done better!

One must wonder if the tourist people off at travel fairs around the world promoting Pattaya have actually looked along Beach Road, which is where every tourist will visit at least once, and if they have, how do they have the gall to look prospects in the eye and lie as to how attractive Pattaya is.

[thaibeachlovers]

Recently, I read a news article about some students who

made a day of cleaning up the beach which is admirable but they were saying it was from

inconsiderate tourists, which of course as we know is a popular misconception.

Thais seem to have a blind spot when it comes to just who is littering. Many years ago, when Samui was worth visiting, I was walking along Chaweng beach picking up rubbish, and a guy in one of the dive shops was making scathing comments about the littering tourists, but he was not able to explain to me why a tourist would have dropped a 5 litre engine oil container!

Edited August 16, 2008 by thaibeachlovers