I think it is not a "definite improvement." I think it is a disaster. The nice, colored bricks will soon not look so nice. The shade trees have been removed. There is no place to sit. And the traffic will now be much closer to pedestrians who want to walk or jog down that path. I just took a drive from the former "Mermaid-Dolfin" statue to Walking Street. I noticed that around Soi 10 or so the path gets much narrower until you get near Walking Street. If they add another lane to that already narrow space, the result will not be good. It will be a very narrow pathway. And, as stated many times, the turn from Beach Road to South Road (aka. Pattaya Thai or something like that) will be overcongested, causing a massive traffic jam.

Especially with rubber neckers just just taking a drive for a look!!

Area available for the public on Beach road get shorter.

Photos taken between soi 7 and soi 8 today.

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6 pm today work reached Soi 8 on Beach road. The speed if the Contactor impress me.

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Maybe the Pattaya powers that be think that people who walk the Promenade are useless to Pattaya's economy and so no benches and sitting places will be built. Either you pay to relax on a sand side beach lounger or you walk on the other side and spend money in the shops there.

Farangs enjoying a few 7/11 Changs with friends and chatting the Coconuts on the Promenade are not the big spenders Pattaya wants to attract. And, indeed, some BM in various Pattaya forum threads I've read frown with displeasure at those Cheap Charlies ...

I think the city "officials" need to realize that there IS a large retired population here which is part of the economy. Big spenders? No-but do stay here longer than the one-two week tourist? YES Their income goes towards paying rent, utility bills, food, medicine, and other expenses. As I passed by (what is left) of the old beach prominade yesterday seeing many "farangs" sitting on the benches along Beach Rd under the shade of the trees (chatting away with each other) I thought - what a pitty, this will all be gone and where will everyone go? No place to just relax and chill out with a couple beers. The new walkway offers no shade. I hope everyone brings their own folding chairs and gather somewhere along the new walkway when finished. BYOU (bring your own umbrella)

I think that a sit in should be organised once the north end is completed. If a lot of resident expats brought their own chairs and got the press involved, it might make the authorities think again and provide benches.

If one were organised, I for one would go back to participate.

Maybe the Pattaya powers that be think that people who walk the Promenade are useless to Pattaya's economy and so no benches and sitting places will be built. Either you pay to relax on a sand side beach lounger or you walk on the other side and spend money in the shops there.

Farangs enjoying a few 7/11 Changs with friends and chatting the Coconuts on the Promenade are not the big spenders Pattaya wants to attract. And, indeed, some BM in various Pattaya forum threads I've read frown with displeasure at those Cheap Charlies ...

Some people need to take their heads out of where the sun don't shine. Just because they are rich, doen't mean they are better than the cheap Charlies.

Maybe the Pattaya powers that be think that people who walk the Promenade are useless to Pattaya's economy and so no benches and sitting places will be built. Either you pay to relax on a sand side beach lounger or you walk on the other side and spend money in the shops there.

Farangs enjoying a few 7/11 Changs with friends and chatting the Coconuts on the Promenade are not the big spenders Pattaya wants to attract. And, indeed, some BM in various Pattaya forum threads I've read frown with displeasure at those Cheap Charlies ...

Has it actually been stated anywhere that no seating will be provided or is everybody just assuming this - might be seating/benches when it is finished?

Now we are in the middle of June & I think there will be an improved traffic flow & perhaps the road will not be closed as often as it was causing gridlock in the whole City.

I guess we will have to see

I think that a sit in should be organised once the north end is completed. If a lot of resident expats brought their own chairs and got the press involved, it might make the authorities think again and provide benches.

If one were organised, I for one would go back to participate.

+1 good idea. I'll be there too. it'd not go unnoticed in the media if farangs were seen seating on their own chairs or on the ground (I would !!) for lack of benches on the boardwalk.

And, no, I don't see any seating facilities being built concurently with the new paving on the north end.

But, of course, some benches might be thrown in here and there later - I doubt it (I hope I'm wrong).

Maybe the Pattaya powers that be think that people who walk the Promenade are useless to Pattaya's economy and so no benches and sitting places will be built. Either you pay to relax on a sand side beach lounger or you walk on the other side and spend money in the shops there.

Farangs enjoying a few 7/11 Changs with friends and chatting the Coconuts on the Promenade are not the big spenders Pattaya wants to attract. And, indeed, some BM in various Pattaya forum threads I've read frown with displeasure at those Cheap Charlies ...

Has it actually been stated anywhere that no seating will be provided or is everybody just assuming this - might be seating/benches when it is finished?

A local newspaper printed layout of the new beach road, where no seating / benches was to be seen. Might be benches when finished, but knowing City Halls view of 'riff raff' working on beach road, might not. Future will tell.

Lack of any provision for seating arrangement in North end, where they're more or less completed per 12 June, is worrying.

Perhaps the new lane will be used for the loading and unloading of tour buses? What a foolish idea that is. What educated persons of good conscience would destroy popular park land to cater to big business?

A Thai bureaucrat

Isn't that what the news is full of these days (Turkey)?

Maybe the Pattaya powers that be think that people who walk the Promenade are useless to Pattaya's economy and so no benches and sitting places will be built. Either you pay to relax on a sand side beach lounger or you walk on the other side and spend money in the shops there.

Farangs enjoying a few 7/11 Changs with friends and chatting the Coconuts on the Promenade are not the big spenders Pattaya wants to attract. And, indeed, some BM in various Pattaya forum threads I've read frown with displeasure at those Cheap Charlies ...

Has it actually been stated anywhere that no seating will be provided or is everybody just assuming this - might be seating/benches when it is finished?

If the benches aren't being built in, like before, and they aren't, they would have to be moveable, and they would very quickly "move" away. End result- no benches.

Perhaps the new lane will be used for the loading and unloading of tour buses? What a foolish idea that is. What educated persons of good conscience would destroy popular park land to cater to big business?

The same ones that built something on the park outside Bali Hai pier .

Isn't that what the news is full of these days (Turkey)?

Rule by 'iron fist' can be met by resistance. However, the soft caress of said fist - enveloped by a velvet glove, will grip the throat before alarm bells sound. Last year, if someone had suggested that City Council would radically change BR, I would have considered him as a fool.

BR??????

Someone have a Thai friend gf wife, who can call to City Hall 1337 and ask them, benches or no benches ?

Better to get information from them.

While the current disastrous Beach Rd widening project is underway why do the authorities not install groynes (as they are called in the UK), ie wooden barricades at intervals along the beach out to sea, in order to prevent further coastal erosion? The proposal to import sand from Rayong is a complete waste of time as it will only end up miles out to sea or along the coast after the first high tide/full moon.

Maybe it is because the Jet-Ski mafia could not possibly allow this as it would finish their business instantly?

And don't make the mistake of thinking that new seats will be installed on the promenade (I have seen none anywhere so far), as in the pictures, as there is no money in this and tourists must pay their B50 and rent a deckchair!

Who would have thought that the Golden Maiden had secret chamber !

This contractor never take a day off? Now reached just past Central. With this speed they might complete the job before 'high season'. Naaaahhh

Beach road getting serious crowded now.

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I am pretty sure, after looking at it's width, that the new 'lane will be used for parking.

The million dollar question... will everyone be allowed to park there, or will it just become another lane for people selling food, cheap tourist crap, and motorbikes for rent, while the locals tell foreigners they are not allowed to park there or charge them money to do so?

While the current disastrous Beach Rd widening project is underway why do the authorities not install groynes (as they are called in the UK), ie wooden barricades at intervals along the beach out to sea, in order to prevent further coastal erosion? The proposal to import sand from Rayong is a complete waste of time as it will only end up miles out to sea or along the coast after the first high tide/full moon.

Maybe it is because the Jet-Ski mafia could not possibly allow this as it would finish their business instantly?

And don't make the mistake of thinking that new seats will be installed on the promenade (I have seen none anywhere so far), as in the pictures, as there is no money in this and tourists must pay their B50 and rent a deckchair!

Why is it disastrous? Hopefully it will be an improvement. It certainly looks so, so far.

Repeat

As the construction moves down the beach sidewalk a tsunami has been generated. Mice/rats, tourist, police, tourist police, street sweepers, bums, joggers, ghost, vendors, thieves, dogs, charity collectors, beggars, little red massage Ladies, old geezers, jet ski scamers, ladies, hookers, lady boys, gents, bikers, members of the United Nations, Thai gnomes, and Thais are mostly going down the beach sidewalk in a wave. Lets hope the construction crews bring up the rear quickly.

Pattaya Beach construction update

North end to Hard Rock foot path is accessable. More brick laid, sea wall and large beach drains work in some places.

Hard Rock to Central Shopping...no foot path..... has heavy construction. Some trails to beach but limited

Central Shopping to Walking Street full access with some prep being done.

Repeat

As the construction moves down the beach sidewalk a tsunami has been generated. Mice/rats, tourist, police, tourist police, street sweepers, bums, joggers, ghost, vendors, thieves, dogs, charity collectors, beggars, little red massage Ladies, old geezers, jet ski scamers, ladies, hookers, lady boys, gents, bikers, members of the United Nations, Thai gnomes, and Thais are mostly going down the beach sidewalk in a wave. Lets hope the construction crews bring up the rear quickly.

I must admit I've noticed a huge number of rats fearlessly scuttling around the beach and the promenade which were not so apparent before. Nasty.

Rats were out in numbers the other night and seemed to be fearless. More likely desperate. One climbed a tall palm. I doubt this construction will affect the rat population, they will just move to the new buildings.

Today.

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Today.

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Doesn't look so bad. Thank you for posting pictures!

With all the landscaping torn out there is lot's of new flattened area to rent to vendors.

How soon before city official rent this space?

The promenade will look like Mikes mall I predict.

Last night I had a motocy drive look-see at the new improved BR.

Seems to me that the new sandside lane is rather narrow and would be better suited as a Chinese buses parking lane (even then seems tight for those jumbo buses !).

Also I was surprised to see the high number of Coconuts on what is left of South BR - especially on the doomed Esplanade just south of Central.

I'm sure that the narrowing of the Promenade and, so far, the absence of any future seating facilities is also aimed at discouraging the Coconuts to display their wares there ...