Widening Of Beach Rd Started At North End

[gmac]

Im beginning to think its an improvement, apart from cutting down the trees so it cant be used in the daytime, and assuming they put in plenty of seating

Just walked it from North to Central and I would agree. Nice wide walking area, but not so great if the sun is shining. Definitely needs some seating though so an old codger like me can stop for a rest every now and then.

[champers]

Im beginning to think its an improvement, apart from cutting down the trees so it cant be used in the daytime, and assuming they put in plenty of seating

Just walked it from North to Central and I would agree. Nice wide walking area, but not so great if the sun is shining. Definitely needs some seating though so an old codger like me can stop for a rest every now and then.

Trees grow, so hopefully there will be more shade in time. I hope that seats do go in soon; it's a pleasure to sit and watch the world go by and to take a rest. It would seem a drastic solution to not have seats just to keep Coconut bar girls away. They'll all end up sitting on raffia mats. Many of their potential customers would have all on getting down onto the mats and even more trouble getting up!

[threelegcowboy]

Pattaya Beach construction update

North end to Central Shopping foot path is accessable. Most brick laid, sea wall and large beach drains work in some places.

Central Shopping to Royal Garden...limited to no foot path..... has heavy construction. Some trails to beach but limited

Royal Garden to Walking Street full access with some prep being done.

[JSixpack]

Im beginning to think its an improvement, apart from cutting down the trees so it cant be used in the daytime, and assuming they put in plenty of seating

Whoa! You're inviting a torrent of abuse from our resident cynics and doomsayers!

[fakename]

Well, some of us cynics have been around long enough to see that hardly any project actually gets completed, and if something gets completed, then it will fall apart, since there will be no upkeep.

[JSixpack]

Well, some of us cynics have been around long enough to see that hardly any project actually gets completed, and if something gets completed, then it will fall apart, since there will be no upkeep.

Yep, you've been right so many times before. How right you were to predict the business failure and the collapse of Central Festival! You sneered that nobody would shop there, Thais are too poor. PTY already had Royal Garden and Mike's and needed nothing more. Hence all the shops would be deserted. And you verified that they indeed were deserted one afternoon. And a lady at a booth even complained she wasn't selling any condos.

So, as predicted, all the businesses in Central finally closed down and the lights were turned off throughout the mall. Then, as predicted, the whole building fell down! Bangkok Thais observe wistfully observe the rubble as they drive down Beach Road on the weekends.

Then there was that awful Big C Extra debacle. Once, it was Carrefour and all was bliss. Then the sky fell and Big C took it over! OH NO. It was THE END. Nobody was ever going to shop there, definitely no farang. Big C already had a couple of outlets in PTY, so this just OVERSATURATED the market. And despite the location at an incredibly busy intersection w/ traffic backed up in all directions every afternoon and every weekend, nobody was gonna stop at Big C! Hence, as predicted, Big C Extra failed miserably, even though the stock went up 70% or so, and today the place is totally deserted at all hours, no farang ever sets foot in there. It's about to close up entirely, as anyone can verify who can find a parking place in the lot.

Other examples of such prescient doomsaying could be adduced, but this'll do. Right on! The goose that laid the golden egg has been killed--again. The last nail in the coffin has been hammered--again. All the old Pattaya expats moved to Cambodia in disgust, where they lived shorter lives deprived of medical care, though their teeth usually looked pretty good.

[gmac]

Well, some of us cynics have been around long enough to see that hardly any project actually gets completed, and if something gets completed, then it will fall apart, since there will be no upkeep.

Yep, you've been right so many times before. How right you were to predict the business failure and the collapse of Central Festival! You sneered that nobody would shop there, Thais are too poor. PTY already had Royal Garden and Mike's and needed nothing more. Hence all the shops would be deserted. And you verified that they indeed were deserted one afternoon. And a lady at a booth even complained she wasn't selling any condos.

So, as predicted, all the businesses in Central finally closed down and the lights were turned off throughout the mall. Then, as predicted, the whole building fell down! Bangkok Thais observe wistfully observe the rubble as they drive down Beach Road on the weekends.

Then there was that awful Big C Extra debacle. Once, it was Carrefour and all was bliss. Then the sky fell and Big C took it over! OH NO. It was THE END. Nobody was ever going to shop there, definitely no farang. Big C already had a couple of outlets in PTY, so this just OVERSATURATED the market. And despite the location at an incredibly busy intersection w/ traffic backed up in all directions every afternoon and every weekend, nobody was gonna stop at Big C! Hence, as predicted, Big C Extra failed miserably, even though the stock went up 70% or so, and today the place is totally deserted at all hours, no farang ever sets foot in there. It's about to close up entirely, as anyone can verify who can find a parking place in the lot.

Other examples of such prescient doomsaying could be adduced, but this'll do. Right on! The goose that laid the golden egg has been killed--again. The last nail in the coffin has been hammered--again. All the old Pattaya expats moved to Cambodia in disgust, where they lived shorter lives deprived of medical care, though their teeth usually looked pretty good.

You have some good points but the 2/3 previous incarnations of the Beach Road promenade haven't been such success stories so the cynics are entitled to their doubts.

[JSixpack]

Well, some of us cynics have been around long enough to see that hardly any project actually gets completed, and if something gets completed, then it will fall apart, since there will be no upkeep.

Yep, you've been right so many times before. How right you were to predict the business failure and the collapse of Central Festival! You sneered that nobody would shop there, Thais are too poor. PTY already had Royal Garden and Mike's and needed nothing more. Hence all the shops would be deserted. And you verified that they indeed were deserted one afternoon. And a lady at a booth even complained she wasn't selling any condos.

So, as predicted, all the businesses in Central finally closed down and the lights were turned off throughout the mall. Then, as predicted, the whole building fell down! Bangkok Thais observe wistfully observe the rubble as they drive down Beach Road on the weekends.

Then there was that awful Big C Extra debacle. Once, it was Carrefour and all was bliss. Then the sky fell and Big C took it over! OH NO. It was THE END. Nobody was ever going to shop there, definitely no farang. Big C already had a couple of outlets in PTY, so this just OVERSATURATED the market. And despite the location at an incredibly busy intersection w/ traffic backed up in all directions every afternoon and every weekend, nobody was gonna stop at Big C! Hence, as predicted, Big C Extra failed miserably, even though the stock went up 70% or so, and today the place is totally deserted at all hours, no farang ever sets foot in there. It's about to close up entirely, as anyone can verify who can find a parking place in the lot.

Other examples of such prescient doomsaying could be adduced, but this'll do. Right on! The goose that laid the golden egg has been killed--again. The last nail in the coffin has been hammered--again. All the old Pattaya expats moved to Cambodia in disgust, where they lived shorter lives deprived of medical care, though their teeth usually looked pretty good.

You have some good points but the 2/3 previous incarnations of the Beach Road promenade haven't been such success stories so the cynics are entitled to their doubts.

Let's get used to this idea: it ain't gonna be perfect but it doesn't have to be. Pattaya's hardly in the same league as Santa Barbara, California. There will always be something to sneer at for the vast naysaying brigade here, even if it's just a brick out of place. After the new promenade was announced, suddenly the old promenade seems much better! The idea of change is just SO repugnant to our old geezers.

Now, I totally agree it would have been far better to handle the traffic/parking problems more logically. Me, I've got all the solutions, too. But, City Hall can't, never could. Impossible. So live with it. This is the best they could come up with. I did notice yesterday that where the new promenade isn't being currently worked on, traffic is SO MUCH BETTER than before! OMG, cynics! I like that.

But before the new promenade was hardly started, cynics claimed that it would be impossible to walk on! Here you go, gmac, you said this:

I'm sure I must be wrong but looking at the work going on from the North end of Beach Road as far as Soi 2 (so far) it looks as if they are destroying the whole of the pavement area so it will end up with a road beside the beach with little or no space at all for pedestrians to walk.

And yes, you were wrong. What I saw yesterday was not only adequate space to walk but pedestrians actually walking on it! So in the end it will boil down to what--maintenance isn't up to Santa Barbara standards, my favorite shade tree isn't there, blah, blah. Pop one balloon, another is sent up . . . .

To anticipate sneers, yes, it's of course just a temporary improvement. I remember when 3rd Rd was just finished: it was smooth sailing all the way from Pattaya Thai to Pattaya Nua. Wonderful while it lasted. So it is everywhere w/ road improvements, as they just attract larger populations and more people to use the roads.

I say, and I'm not the only one, some things are already looking good. Overall, this may be better, for a time. Overall. Before we rush to judgment, let's see what the finished product is.

Edited July 30, 2013 by JSixpack

[wobblyjohn]

It occurred to me what is possibly going to happen when I had a minor accident on Sunday whilst squeezing past a group of Russians

At the north end they have painted red and white lines to stop people parking so I think its highly likely they are going to widen the pavement on the other side of the road, effectively moving the 2 traffic lanes towards the beach

[Awohalitsiktoli]

Great pic! The guy you were portraying is, IMHO, wearing the largest rose-colored glasses ever made. He consistently makes the same comment about "old timers" who hate change. If the world only had people like him, no positive changes would ever take place. If you can't see the problem, you can't solve the problem. Many of us see the problem and want to correct it, but Ciity Hall is intent on destroying Pattaya-Jomtien for short-term profit. Too bad........

[fforest1]

And yes, you were wrong. What I saw yesterday was not only adequate space to walk but pedestrians actually walking on it! So in the end it will boil down to what--maintenance isn't up to Santa Barbara standards, my favorite shade tree isn't there, blah, blah. Pop one balloon, another is sent up . . . .

To anticipate sneers, yes, it's of course just a temporary improvement. I remember when 3rd Rd was just finished: it was smooth sailing all the way from Pattaya Thai to Pattaya Nua. Wonderful while it lasted. So it is everywhere w/ road improvements, as they just attract larger populations and more people to use the roads.

I say, and I'm not the only one, some things are already looking good. Overall, this may be better, for a time. Overall. Before we rush to judgment, let's see what the finished product is.

The problem with the promenade is there are now No shade trees and as of now there is no

place to sit...Without shade the promenade is useless in the day time.

If you consider getting from point A to point B the only criteria for success then yes the new

promenade is a success...But if you would like to do a bit of walking and and a bit of relaxing,maybe sit and have a chat with a friend.As of now the new promenade is a huge failure.

[ThaiBob]

And yes, you were wrong. What I saw yesterday was not only adequate space to walk but pedestrians actually walking on it! So in the end it will boil down to what--maintenance isn't up to Santa Barbara standards, my favorite shade tree isn't there, blah, blah. Pop one balloon, another is sent up . . . .

To anticipate sneers, yes, it's of course just a temporary improvement. I remember when 3rd Rd was just finished: it was smooth sailing all the way from Pattaya Thai to Pattaya Nua. Wonderful while it lasted. So it is everywhere w/ road improvements, as they just attract larger populations and more people to use the roads.

I say, and I'm not the only one, some things are already looking good. Overall, this may be better, for a time. Overall. Before we rush to judgment, let's see what the finished product is.

The problem with the promenade is there are now No shade trees and as of now there is no

place to sit...Without shade the promenade is useless in the day time.

If you consider getting from point A to point B the only criteria for success then yes the new

promenade is a success...But if you would like to do a bit of walking and and a bit of relaxing,maybe sit and have a chat with a friend.As of now the new promenade is a huge failure.

As JSixpack posted let's not rush to judgment, this is not the finished product, this is still a construction zone. Trees grow, trees can be planted, remember trees cannot obstruct security lighting and cameras. Another poster noted there appeared to be anchor bolts installed for perhaps new benches? Let's just wait and see.

[DiNiro]

Back home we would call this raping the earth.

Chopping down all those old trees and paving over the beach? My god.

Te aim of the project was said to relieve traffic but this is not true. Why lie?

The city erected vendor tents on the road during "festivals" that created traffic havoc and allow illegal businesses to occupy another lane.

So what is the real reason for the destruction?

The hidden goal is to use taxpayers funds to level the earth get rid of the trees and gardens, to create space for city officials to lease out to vendors.

The new lane is a loading zone for the enterprises that trash the area.

[JSixpack]

Back home we would call this raping the earth.

Chopping down all those old trees and paving over the beach? My god.

Te aim of the project was said to relieve traffic but this is not true. Why lie?

The city erected vendor tents on the road during "festivals" that created traffic havoc and allow illegal businesses to occupy another lane.

So what is the real reason for the destruction?

The hidden goal is to use taxpayers funds to level the earth get rid of the trees and gardens, to create space for city officials to lease out to vendors.

The new lane is a loading zone for the enterprises that trash the area.

You've contracted yourself. As you say, the vendor tents (and setting up the vendor tents) create traffic havoc. So the new lane definitely WILL help relieve that havoc. It's perfectly reasonable to expect that's one of the purposes of the new lane. How could it not be? There's no lie in this case.

How much it's going to be relieved is not yet known. It will be substantial, but then the relief itself may just attract more festival goers with nowhere to park.

I hate those dam_n festivals with a passion, but obviously many people do like them. And they're good earners for the mafia. They aren't going to go away, ever.

If the new lane means I can again travel on Beach Rd during festivals if I want to, then that's good. As it is, many of us have to avoid Beach Rd altogether.

We'll see.

Edited July 31, 2013 by JSixpack

[thaibeachlovers]

Well, some of us cynics have been around long enough to see that hardly any project actually gets completed, and if something gets completed, then it will fall apart, since there will be no upkeep.

Yep, you've been right so many times before. How right you were to predict the business failure and the collapse of Central Festival! You sneered that nobody would shop there, Thais are too poor. PTY already had Royal Garden and Mike's and needed nothing more. Hence all the shops would be deserted. And you verified that they indeed were deserted one afternoon. And a lady at a booth even complained she wasn't selling any condos.

So, as predicted, all the businesses in Central finally closed down and the lights were turned off throughout the mall. Then, as predicted, the whole building fell down! Bangkok Thais observe wistfully observe the rubble as they drive down Beach Road on the weekends.

Then there was that awful Big C Extra debacle. Once, it was Carrefour and all was bliss. Then the sky fell and Big C took it over! OH NO. It was THE END. Nobody was ever going to shop there, definitely no farang. Big C already had a couple of outlets in PTY, so this just OVERSATURATED the market. And despite the location at an incredibly busy intersection w/ traffic backed up in all directions every afternoon and every weekend, nobody was gonna stop at Big C! Hence, as predicted, Big C Extra failed miserably, even though the stock went up 70% or so, and today the place is totally deserted at all hours, no farang ever sets foot in there. It's about to close up entirely, as anyone can verify who can find a parking place in the lot.

Other examples of such prescient doomsaying could be adduced, but this'll do. Right on! The goose that laid the golden egg has been killed--again. The last nail in the coffin has been hammered--again. All the old Pattaya expats moved to Cambodia in disgust, where they lived shorter lives deprived of medical care, though their teeth usually looked pretty good.

You miss the relevant point that Central and Big C are privately run companies, and the walkway is "run" by public officials. Nothing else run by public officials in Pattaya is maintained or even decent- look at the pavements to see how true that is, so don't try and tell me this incarnation of the walkway will be better maintained than the last disaster of the walkway.

BTW, Central Festival may have been a financial success, but it did begin the destruction of the Pattaya I used to love. Now it's just another expensive overbuilt Thai tourist town.

[thaibeachlovers]

Yep, you've been right so many times before. How right you were to predict the business failure and the collapse of Central Festival! You sneered that nobody would shop there, Thais are too poor. PTY already had Royal Garden and Mike's and needed nothing more. Hence all the shops would be deserted. And you verified that they indeed were deserted one afternoon. And a lady at a booth even complained she wasn't selling any condos.

So, as predicted, all the businesses in Central finally closed down and the lights were turned off throughout the mall. Then, as predicted, the whole building fell down! Bangkok Thais observe wistfully observe the rubble as they drive down Beach Road on the weekends.

Then there was that awful Big C Extra debacle. Once, it was Carrefour and all was bliss. Then the sky fell and Big C took it over! OH NO. It was THE END. Nobody was ever going to shop there, definitely no farang. Big C already had a couple of outlets in PTY, so this just OVERSATURATED the market. And despite the location at an incredibly busy intersection w/ traffic backed up in all directions every afternoon and every weekend, nobody was gonna stop at Big C! Hence, as predicted, Big C Extra failed miserably, even though the stock went up 70% or so, and today the place is totally deserted at all hours, no farang ever sets foot in there. It's about to close up entirely, as anyone can verify who can find a parking place in the lot.

Other examples of such prescient doomsaying could be adduced, but this'll do. Right on! The goose that laid the golden egg has been killed--again. The last nail in the coffin has been hammered--again. All the old Pattaya expats moved to Cambodia in disgust, where they lived shorter lives deprived of medical care, though their teeth usually looked pretty good.

You have some good points but the 2/3 previous incarnations of the Beach Road promenade haven't been such success stories so the cynics are entitled to their doubts.

Let's get used to this idea: it ain't gonna be perfect but it doesn't have to be. Pattaya's hardly in the same league as Santa Barbara, California. There will always be something to sneer at for the vast naysaying brigade here, even if it's just a brick out of place. After the new promenade was announced, suddenly the old promenade seems much better! The idea of change is just SO repugnant to our old geezers.

Now, I totally agree it would have been far better to handle the traffic/parking problems more logically. Me, I've got all the solutions, too. But, City Hall can't, never could. Impossible. So live with it. This is the best they could come up with. I did notice yesterday that where the new promenade isn't being currently worked on, traffic is SO MUCH BETTER than before! OMG, cynics! I like that.

But before the new promenade was hardly started, cynics claimed that it would be impossible to walk on! Here you go, gmac, you said this:

I'm sure I must be wrong but looking at the work going on from the North end of Beach Road as far as Soi 2 (so far) it looks as if they are destroying the whole of the pavement area so it will end up with a road beside the beach with little or no space at all for pedestrians to walk.

And yes, you were wrong. What I saw yesterday was not only adequate space to walk but pedestrians actually walking on it! So in the end it will boil down to what--maintenance isn't up to Santa Barbara standards, my favorite shade tree isn't there, blah, blah. Pop one balloon, another is sent up . . . .

To anticipate sneers, yes, it's of course just a temporary improvement. I remember when 3rd Rd was just finished: it was smooth sailing all the way from Pattaya Thai to Pattaya Nua. Wonderful while it lasted. So it is everywhere w/ road improvements, as they just attract larger populations and more people to use the roads.

I say, and I'm not the only one, some things are already looking good. Overall, this may be better, for a time. Overall. Before we rush to judgment, let's see what the finished product is.

Gosh, is it possible the traffic flows better because it's LOW SEASON?

3rd road was always going to be a disaster because they didn't make it wide enough. I was there when they built it and there was only empty space beside it so no excuse not to make it wider. That's the mentality that will allow this version of the walkway to become like all the previous ones.

BTW, the previous walkway was never "better". It was rubbish. For a better version, you need to go back to the one before the last. That was pretty good, and just needed renovating, not replacing.

Post modified as too many quoted blocks to allow posting.

[toenail]

Pro's and Con's of the new Beach Rd prominade (if the contractors complete it 98-100%):

1)Though about 4 meters was taken away from the beach side, there IS more walkway since the new design removed the rolling "hills", trees, and benches. Since it is wider, it is easier for people to walk or jog on this flat, wider, unblocked walkway.

2) Since the indigenous native trees along with the wall to wall coconut trees, there is more lighting from the towering spot lights that string the promenade. Visitors feel safer so now you see more people strolling up and down the promenade in the evening.

3) Because of a more "barren" walkway without the numerous trees, one can easily view the sea from Beach Road or from the restaurants across from the beach.

4) Because of less shade, one can get a sun tan a lot quicker! (sarcasm here)

5) Since there are no cement tiled benches, there are no homeless or drunks sleeping on them in the evening.

The Con's

The have already been mentioned...

[JSixpack]

You miss the relevant point that Central and Big C are privately run companies, and the walkway is "run" by public officials.

Not at all. You merely missed my point. It was about the silly cynicism on the forum. Most if not all of the doomsaying had to do with the design and intial construction--before it's really implemented. So we already had panic comments like, there will be no walking space!

It's a given that maintenance will not be up to Santa Barbara standards. When there was nothing much to maintain, of course maintenance was better.

This begs the question of how many baht in taxes you've paid for any development or maintenance. You want Santa Barbara, move there and pay the taxes.

Gosh, is it possible the traffic flows better because it's LOW SEASON?

That MUST be it. Just makes no sense at all that the traffic flows better because THERE ARE 3 LANES NOW RATHER THAN ONLY 2, right? And in high season if there SEEMS to be a difference, the new lane cannot possibly have had anything to do with it, either--must be imagination or DYING PATTAYA.

Everything is perpetually spiraling downhill! Dear god, it's all getting WORSE AND WORSE! Cambodia!!!

Edited July 31, 2013 by JSixpack

[JSixpack]

3rd road was always going to be a disaster because they didn't make it wide enough. I was there when they built it and there was only empty space beside it so no excuse not to make it wider. That's the mentality that will allow this version of the walkway to become like all the previous ones.

You've repeated this little nugget for years. I just don't know that you'll do when you learn it's nonsense.

Ironically you think another lane on 3rd would make a big difference but another lane on Beach Rd won't. The truth is just the reverse.

3rd road didn't need another lane then and it doesn't need one now. It's not a disaster at all.

Another lane will make little difference in the real problem: the intersections w/ Thai, Klang, and Nua, which have overwhelmingly more traffic. Put over/underpasses there and it goes away for quite some time. Spreading the traffic jam out to 4 lanes would help some, of course, but just not enough to justify the cost of the extra lane in both directions. That unbuilt lane is now bringing in real income and jobs from the businesses that have built there. In the end, the economy has benefited much more from those.

Cities don't have unlimited budgets and they have a lot to build and take care of. Our City Hall spent all they could justify at the time on building 3rd Rd as it is. That was the excuse reason.

True, a broken clock is right twice a day. SOMEDAY, 3rd Rd may really, really need another lane--as most roads in most successful cities/towns always do. Not having built more lanes on every road at first construction is by no means a sure sign of incompetence and irresponsibility--your "mentality." Mostly, the opposite in fact. Can you leave it now?

BTW, the previous walkway was never "better". It was rubbish. For a better version, you need to go back to the one before the last. That was pretty good, and just needed renovating, not replacing.

No, from the beginning our doomsayers already started contrasting the previous walkway with the new one, and the old was has been universally pronounced "better" already than the new one before it's even built. You're really addressing your fellow doomsayers, not me.

I did observe that traffic was indeed "better" the other day (than it would normally have been even in low season). The extra lane was welcome.

The maintenance issue is a red herring because despite the substandard (by Western norms) maintenance and the consequent condemnations, cries, whimpers, and sneers by forum members, the old walkway--incredibly--always seemed quite well populated indeed w/ walkers, joggers, sitters, and loiterers anyway. It got great use, no question--more so than the previous "better" walkway. I predict the new walkway will see the same, probably more. The sitting seems a possible issue at the moment, but we'll see.

Sometimes the population of PTY, including the transients, isn't well understood even by our grizzled veterans. Reading here about restaurants, for example, one would never suspect that one of the most popular restaurants throughout the day is in fact still, after all these years, the lowly Kiss at the corner of 2nd and Soi Diana. Really.

[threelegcowboy]

Beach Road now has a red/white stripe painted curb for no parking from far North down to Hard Rock. No cars are currently parked in this No Parking area.

[kimchibob]

Curb is marked for painting all the way to Pattaya Klang.

[Pattaya46]

I did observe that traffic was indeed "better" the other day (than it would normally have been even in low season).

The extra lane was welcome.

Welcome ?

If you are using a car maybe, but as a pedestrian it's clearly a lot of more dangerous now !

I tried to cross Beach Road yesterday afternoon at The Hard-Rock Café:

Traffic seems way faster than before, and you now have 3 lines to cross, not only 2.

Traffic lights are not yet operational but will be really needed now.

My big question about this widening is: What will they do when they arrive at the waste water station, about 50m before Walking Street entrance ? You have only 2 lines here and no much space to add a 3rd one, and you have a dangerous right-angle turn where big bus use the whole street to turn, not helped by the many baht bus who stop or even wait for clients here.

I don't see the logic to add a 3rd line along Beach Rd if you still have this bottleneck there ??

Edited August 2, 2013 by Pattaya46

[JSixpack]

I did observe that traffic was indeed "better" the other day (than it would normally have been even in low season).

The extra lane was welcome.

Welcome ?

If you are using a car maybe, but as a pedestrian it's clearly a lot of more dangerous now !

I tried to cross Beach Road yesterday afternoon at The Hard-Rock Café:

Traffic seems way faster than before, and you now have 3 lines to cross, not only 2.

Traffic lights are not yet operational but will be really needed now.

Makes sense. Thais are more used to crossing multiple lanes of traffic. When I first came to Thailand I always waited from some Thais to cross Rama IV and I'd cross with them.

Hopefully the lights will be operational. Our doomsayers will deny that ANY of them work--or if they do, then drivers don't stop--but I've stopped for them many times and I've even used them successfully a few times.

So again, we'll see.

[fforest1]

You would think the city would want people to sit relax and admire their glorious new promenade.Except

they forgot to make any thing to sit on....

Edited August 3, 2013 by fforest1

[JSixpack]

You would think the city would want people to sit relax and admire their glorious new promenade.Except

they forgot to make any thing to sit on....

I wouldn't think. How are people spending money by just sitting and admiring the promenade? Paying to sit in a beach vendor's chair, on the other hand . . . .

And you have to consider the large population sitting around not to admire the promenade but for other reasons entirely. They tend to occupy the seating area throughout the day and into the night, leaving little for the promenade admirers, notably the righteous.

From the city's point of view, that's a disadvantage. But may the city be merciful, Pattaya be praised.

Edited August 3, 2013 by JSixpack

[stoli]

And yes, you were wrong. What I saw yesterday was not only adequate space to walk but pedestrians actually walking on it! So in the end it will boil down to what--maintenance isn't up to Santa Barbara standards, my favorite shade tree isn't there, blah, blah. Pop one balloon, another is sent up . . . .

To anticipate sneers, yes, it's of course just a temporary improvement. I remember when 3rd Rd was just finished: it was smooth sailing all the way from Pattaya Thai to Pattaya Nua. Wonderful while it lasted. So it is everywhere w/ road improvements, as they just attract larger populations and more people to use the roads.

I say, and I'm not the only one, some things are already looking good. Overall, this may be better, for a time. Overall. Before we rush to judgment, let's see what the finished product is.

The problem with the promenade is there are now No shade trees and as of now there is no

place to sit...Without shade the promenade is useless in the day time.

If you consider getting from point A to point B the only criteria for success then yes the new

promenade is a success...But if you would like to do a bit of walking and and a bit of relaxing,maybe sit and have a chat with a friend.As of now the new promenade is a huge failure.

Many of the shade trees needed to go because the lighting above could not penetrate to the walkway below them at night. Safety reasons. Same reason for the benches. I know they were nice to have, but in all truthfulness, they were mainly occupied by ladyboys and prostitutes. Hardly any room was left for the tourist or occasional walker. If they leave the benches out of the final design, a lot of the prostitutes will find somewhere to hang out, but there will be less on Beach Road. I have to say, the almost finished product is looking great.

[DiNiro]

And yes, you were wrong. What I saw yesterday was not only adequate space to walk but pedestrians actually walking on it! So in the end it will boil down to what--maintenance isn't up to Santa Barbara standards, my favorite shade tree isn't there, blah, blah. Pop one balloon, another is sent up . . . .

To anticipate sneers, yes, it's of course just a temporary improvement. I remember when 3rd Rd was just finished: it was smooth sailing all the way from Pattaya Thai to Pattaya Nua. Wonderful while it lasted. So it is everywhere w/ road improvements, as they just attract larger populations and more people to use the roads.

I say, and I'm not the only one, some things are already looking good. Overall, this may be better, for a time. Overall. Before we rush to judgment, let's see what the finished product is.

The problem with the promenade is there are now No shade trees and as of now there is no

place to sit...Without shade the promenade is useless in the day time.

If you consider getting from point A to point B the only criteria for success then yes the new

promenade is a success...But if you would like to do a bit of walking and and a bit of relaxing,maybe sit and have a chat with a friend.As of now the new promenade is a huge failure.

Many of the shade trees needed to go because the lighting above could not penetrate to the walkway below them at night. Safety reasons. Same reason for the benches. I know they were nice to have, but in all truthfulness, they were mainly occupied by ladyboys and prostitutes. Hardly any room was left for the tourist or occasional walker. If they leave the benches out of the final design, a lot of the prostitutes will find somewhere to hang out, but there will be less on Beach Road. I have to say, the almost finished product is looking great.

Trees blocking security lighting?

Was it the trees or the lighting that was poorly designed?

[Awohalitsiktoli]

And yes, you were wrong. What I saw yesterday was not only adequate space to walk but pedestrians actually walking on it! So in the end it will boil down to what--maintenance isn't up to Santa Barbara standards, my favorite shade tree isn't there, blah, blah. Pop one balloon, another is sent up . . . .

To anticipate sneers, yes, it's of course just a temporary improvement. I remember when 3rd Rd was just finished: it was smooth sailing all the way from Pattaya Thai to Pattaya Nua. Wonderful while it lasted. So it is everywhere w/ road improvements, as they just attract larger populations and more people to use the roads.

I say, and I'm not the only one, some things are already looking good. Overall, this may be better, for a time. Overall. Before we rush to judgment, let's see what the finished product is.

The problem with the promenade is there are now No shade trees and as of now there is no

place to sit...Without shade the promenade is useless in the day time.

If you consider getting from point A to point B the only criteria for success then yes the new

promenade is a success...But if you would like to do a bit of walking and and a bit of relaxing,maybe sit and have a chat with a friend.As of now the new promenade is a huge failure.

Many of the shade trees needed to go because the lighting above could not penetrate to the walkway below them at night. Safety reasons. Same reason for the benches. I know they were nice to have, but in all truthfulness, they were mainly occupied by ladyboys and prostitutes. Hardly any room was left for the tourist or occasional walker. If they leave the benches out of the final design, a lot of the prostitutes will find somewhere to hang out, but there will be less on Beach Road. I have to say, the almost finished product is looking great.

"Many of the shade trees needed to go...." Amazing! Butcher all the trees for reasons of "security." That comment reminded me of something similar: "Many of our hard-won Constitutional Rights had to go because of the need to increase security." Yeah, right In terms of crime, lighting, cameras and trees are not the problem. The problem is the lack of law enforcement on the ground--they need a beach patrol unit that will enforce things like public drunkenness and jet ski scams, etc. Prostitution is apparently here to stay or I would have added that to the list. Cutting down the last remaining shade trees is stupid beyond imagination...a FUBAR moment in history. If they do not provide people with places to sit (in the sun since the trees are gone), they will essentially be admitting that there is a crime problem on the beach that they have no desire to solve, or do not have the ability to solve.

[Ling Kae]

I think the new promenade walk from Pattaya Klang to Pattaya Nua is better than before. As a walker I enjoy it more as I have less chance of bumping into other walkers or tourists. It is wider and flatter and looks better. I just hope for 2 things, that the trees planted will give us more shade as they mature and I hope some free public seating returns.

[LennyW]

Trees planted in Thailand do not take long to grow, I thought you people that have been in Thailand for any amount of time would know that, it will soon have shade.

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