Livelihoods washing away with sand on Pattaya Beach

PATTAYA: -- The sand isn’t the only thing being washed away on Pattaya Beach.

After working 40 years on the beach, Pui Pitsawongprakarn has watched as her business has eroded along with the shoreline. Within a few years, there may be nothing left of either.

Pui has tried to shore up her North Pattaya livelihood by buying sandbags, but she’s uncertain how long that will help. Her average income of 5,000-6,000 baht a month is now down about 20 percent. Public officials have pledged to save the beach, but with work not expected to begin for as many as four years, she wonders if there will be anything left to save.

Full story HERE

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At a meeting last month, a Bangkok official said wrangling over studies, existing environmental laws and budgets could postpone any move to save the beach by three or four years.

Now this doesn't surprise me government officials everywhere want to protect their patch. Pity their petty bickering will cause all sorts of grief for the locals.

Should do wonders for the value of all the "beach front" condos that have been built the past few years

I mean, the beach at the southern end of Jomtien has been washed away for years...it was eating up the road too the last time I was down in that area.

Why bother, if they start dredging up sand and rebuild the beaches someone will just come along a and build on it.

TiT