There was a Police Officer on his bike going down the promenade yesterday booking anyone in the new lane. I give him credit, he stopped his bike at the where offending vehicles were parked and made himself well aware to the public blowing his whistle several times drawing attention to the fact he was going to issue a ticket. Those than came to their vehicle were cautioned with no fines and an explanation of the no parking zone, those that didn't return got a ticket. So they are getting onto this.

so that means tourists will have to jaywalk a 3 lane motorway to get to the beach

How so if the pedestrian crossing lights work--as they certainly were for a while at least.

Bitch, bitch, bitch.

The pedestrian crossing lights are a perpetual "bitch" with me. Either they do not work at all, or the traffic simply ignores them. The ones on Second Rd near Central are even switched off at weekends.

Plenty of things in Pattaya to bitch about that would not even be an issue in a town where the police and city hall actually did their job, rather than trying to generate money, which is all they seem to care about. Certainly, enforcing the traffic law and repairing the infrastructure seem to be nowhere on their priority list.

as mentioned the umbrella people have sandbagged most of the walls, the result being that all the recent flooding drains down the steps as before and washes the sand away making the steps unusable and meaning sand will have to be replaced from somewhere else. it had seemed that one of the benefits of the redesign was to prevent this but the stupidity of the umbrella people is such that the destruction of the beach continues unabated, no doubt at ratepayers expense

Regarding the absence of benches/places to sit on beach road: They only follow the example we have for years in the large European city I come from.

We have also a large (infamous) red light district, and when I buy my can of beer at the kiosk (cheap charly, ain't I?), I cannot, no cannot find a place to sit down and watch the world go by.

The city has removed all benches, so the flotsum, the riffraff, cannot hang out there. Tourists are forced to sit/drink in bars and restaurants.

Regarding the absence of benches/places to sit on beach road: They only follow the example we have for years in the large European city I come from.

We have also a large (infamous) red light district, and when I buy my can of beer at the kiosk (cheap charly, ain't I?), I cannot, no cannot find a place to sit down and watch the world go by.

The city has removed all benches, so the flotsum, the riffraff, cannot hang out there. Tourists are forced to sit/drink in bars and restaurants.

All people use seating.Walkers,Joggers,Old,young.disabled,families,Thais,and yes riffraff...

On my beach road walks the people i am see a lot less of is just about every one else except

the riffraff and Thais who seem just as happy to sit on the ground..

Pattaya has a lot of older western people here and its just pathetic seeing them having to sit on the ground like dogs when they are not use to this....

Is Pattaya trying to force the Walkers,Joggers,Old,young.disabled,families, into the bars

just so they can sit down??

Please dont say the girls and riffraff were taking up all the seats..Ok maybe for a few prime

time hours they were but the other 21-22 hours of the day there were plenty of seats for

every one...

Post 699, good point.

I don't think the developers thought this through.

Are the lack of benches intentional to keep people from sitting?

If you compare to what was, a shame, very un-people-friendly.

SAD, PERIOD!

I try to limit my complaints but this change will be a constant reminder for a long time to come.

Has anyone lodged any official complaints? (as if they care)

seating is(was) included in their plans so I think it best to wait till the paving is finished and the sand has settled before concluding that there wont be any

In about 30-40 years, the small umbrella trees that line the beach will be big enough to provide some good shade. That is a bit of a wait, but at least we know that will happen. Oh wait a minute, the City might decide to tear those trees to shreds

But, you see, those trees help block the view--a view, which, from the old promenade was always completely unobstructed, so the farangs now need them cut down:

there remains the issue of what you can see when you get there.

Sorry.

I have this nagging feeling that some bright light at City Hall has come up with the idea that people who walk on the Promenade don't spend baht during this activity so they shouldn't be accommodated too much ...

Plus a serious try at getting rid of the ladies of the night ,,,

Plus disengaging the left BR lane by having motocys drive and park on the now level Promenade (sarcasm here !!).

If any one has not taken a long walk on the new promenade during the day time I will tell

you what it is like it is HOT BLOODY HOT..I will go so far as to say it is almost not

usable during daylight hours..This has to be killing business big time in the shops along

the beach during the day...The fun factor is about zero walking beach road during the day now.

Please don't even tell me the promenade is good for families now...Families will be staying

far away from this hot boring place...

Pattaya a beach resort with a 3rd rate beach,where people are afraid to swim in the water

now with a promenade like the Sahara desert..

Why even bother staying at a beach front hotel any more...

Yep, you can tell already. I sure do miss all those families! What a bummer!

Let's all admit the horrible truth: the very idea of changing the old promenade has already led the to the downright abandonment of Pattaya. It's practically a ghost town! Nobody can be seen on the new promenade, in the hotels, sitting on the beaches. No tour buses now; no tourists on the beach. No traffic at all, even on weekends, smooth sailing on beach road all the way from Pattaya Nua to Pattaya Thai. (Found that out just today, ha, ha.)

Get out before all the food runs out from the nearly empty shelves!

The new promenade is indeed the last nail in coffin, the killer of the goose that laid the golden eggs. Pattaya is now KAPUT, DEAD, FINISHED. The same fate awaits Pattaya as it did another city that, disastrously, constructed a promenade w/o insufficient input from its foreign doomsayers, who had, before it was even finished, declaimed bitterly the lack of shade on, and the poor view from, its promenade. Note the lack of trees!

More views: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2352513/Take-tour-desolate-city-Earth-Google-Street-View-goes-ghostly-Japanese-island-James-Bonds-Skyfall.html

Meanwhile, Sihanoukville is being totally overwhelmed by ex-members of the Pattaya doomsayers club--the remainder who haven't already committed suicide! Lucky Cambodia!

--

DYING PATTAYA: Hate it or leave it!

seating is(was) included in their plans so I think it best to wait till the paving is finished and the sand has settled before concluding that there wont be any

I liked what one poster said earlier about all of the different types of people who used the benches: everyone, not just the drunks and prostitutes. There is, of course, a solution to the drunks and prostitutes, and that solution involves law enforcement (most of us know that is not going to happen). The prostitutes have already adapted. I saw many of them sitting on makeshift chairs that they had made out of bricks. The sandbags are also serving as seating areas. I also saw many Thais sitting on straw mats thrown on the hot ground. And it really is much hotter than before. The sun hits the bricks during the day. The bricks absorb heat and by the time the sun starts to set they start releasing the stored heat. Really, in the hot tropics it is not a good idea to do what they just did (BAD DESIGN). I still do not know what they are going to do in front of Mike's Mall. If you try to squeeze around it on the street side, you have one foot of clearance between you and the cars (dangerous design). If you are trying to go down the path in a motorcycle (e.g., police patrol) or bicycle or wheelchair, you cannot do it. You have to go up steps and then down steps. I am not sure if they have any idea of what they are going to do in front of the wastewater plant (across from McDonalds). And the turn left off of Beach Road seems to be a huge challenge with no solution. FUBAR.

I have just come to this discusion ,the reason i have is ,that as a resident the wife and i used to once a week or so walk along beach road ,we tried it last week ,never again ,it was so bloody hot(no shade) there was nowhere to sit ,for a few minutes to watch the world go by ,to be honest it was a complete no no. looks nice as you drive by ,but thats it , just like the trafic lights ,it doesnt work .

seating is(was) included in their plans so I think it best to wait till the paving is finished and the sand has settled before concluding that there wont be any

Absolutely agree. It seems (but I can't be sure) that the foundations for seating have been put in place. So why not wait until the project is finished?

Ah! I see! Then some people will have nothing to complain about. OK understood.

For example - at the outset a number of people reckoned that after a couple of weeks work would stop and it would take years to complete. What happened to that dire prediction? Most of the rest (dire predictions) will fall by the wayside as time goes on.

seating is(was) included in their plans so I think it best to wait till the paving is finished and the sand has settled before concluding that there wont be any

Absolutely agree. It seems (but I can't be sure) that the foundations for seating have been put in place. So why not wait until the project is finished?

Ah! I see! Then some people will have nothing to complain about. OK understood.

For example - at the outset a number of people reckoned that after a couple of weeks work would stop and it would take years to complete. What happened to that dire prediction? Most of the rest (dire predictions) will fall by the wayside as time goes on.

Even if the foundations that you are talking about that are on the North end of the beach

are going to be seating they are in the middle of the promenade in the sun...

If they really wanted some nice seating they could have left the black benches that were

closest to the beach...Man those benches were solid as rocks.They would have lasted

100 years easy...

Maybe beach road is going to magically turn fantastic one of these days..But after almost

5 months work I can honestly say I so I dont see much I like about it....

Sure the old promenade was run down but with a little work it could have been fantastic.

Worst of all the fun and relaxing vibe of the old promenade seems deader than a DoDo

bird these days..

It just feels like to me there was not good intent behind the whole thing,why build a

new lane to nowhere?.,.I am tired of even talking about it......

seating is(was) included in their plans so I think it best to wait till the paving is finished and the sand has settled before concluding that there wont be any

Absolutely agree. It seems (but I can't be sure) that the foundations for seating have been put in place. So why not wait until the project is finished?

Ah! I see! Then some people will have nothing to complain about. OK understood.

For example - at the outset a number of people reckoned that after a couple of weeks work would stop and it would take years to complete. What happened to that dire prediction? Most of the rest (dire predictions) will fall by the wayside as time goes on.

Seriously? What is relaxing about sitting in the extremely hot sun? There are legitimate reasons to "complain." The concept/project/design, IMHO, sucks! Catering to the needs of humans who want to enjoy the pathway (walking, jogging, sitting and having a conversation with friends, etc.) appears to be something that was left out of the City's grand plan.

Sure the old promenade was run down but with a little work it could have been fantastic.

Duh. You've missed the whole point of the new promenade. It wasn't built as an improvement on the old promenade at all. Far from it.

Beach Road has a horrendous traffic problem, esp on weekends and during festivals. Obviously you hadn't noticed. Maybe you live (stay as a tourist) just off Beach Rd. and walk across to the promenade? Most of us aren't in that happy situation.

The new promenade is being built because City Hall decided to carve out another lane on Beach Rd. to help alleviate the traffic problem. Yeah, we all know there were other ways to solve the problem. I wish they could have done it otherwise. But they couldn't. They're held hostage by the baht bus mafia, the motorbike taxi mafia, and who knows what. And they've got to get paid. So this is the best they could come up with. And, despite the whinings of yourself and the other old geezers on the forum, it's not looking so bad, thus far. We'll see how it ends up. Where it's semi-completed, traffic flows much better and ho's are already hangin' out. I like that.

I have just come to this discusion ,the reason i have is ,that as a resident the wife and i used to once a week or so walk along beach road ,we tried it last week ,never again ,it was so bloody hot(no shade)

This is so very sad; it brings a tear to me eyes. We motorbike drivers will miss you and the wife sittin' cool and comfortably on your butts in the shade watching us sweat in the bloody heat on Beach Rd wastin' gasoline because of the horrendous traffic jam.

Bye!

seating is(was) included in their plans so I think it best to wait till the paving is finished and the sand has settled before concluding that there wont be any

The moaners will still find something to moan about!

it's not looking so bad, thus far.

sure, compared to Chernobyl it doesn't look bad at all.

This sort of city planning should be thought in universities as part of course how not to plan.

Jsixpack you can put lipstick on the new beach road pig all you want...But it does not change the fact that unless there are some big changes the new beach road will be immortalized a a world class piece of crap....I hate to use such strong words but thats just the way I see it....

Jsixpack you can put lipstick on the new beach road pig all you want...But it does not change the fact that unless there are some big changes the new beach road will be immortalized a a world class piece of crap....I hate to use such strong words but thats just the way I see it....

I already got ya covered, man:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/629334-widening-of-beach-rd-started-at-north-end/page-29#entry6720348

Changes are in progress: it's called finishing what's only half-completed.

Do enjoy your jeering from the peanut gallery.

seating is(was) included in their plans so I think it best to wait till the paving is finished and the sand has settled before concluding that there wont be any

Based on?

This may or may not be true.

seating is(was) included in their plans so I think it best to wait till the paving is finished and the sand has settled before concluding that there wont be any

Based on?

This may or may not be true.

He told you! Yes it's True. It was on their initial plans,

and it was on the big project panels all along the beach, like this one :

Thanks for the "reality check." I was not aware that the City was also planning to remove all of the beach umbrella stands. Wow, what an improvement

Yes, that is a beautiful beach, but where is it? No umbrellas, no hawkers, no traffic, only a few people enjoying the 36 degree sun. Lovely place, will have to go there sometime!

Thanks for the "reality check." I was not aware that the City was also planning to remove all of the beach umbrella stands. Wow, what an improvement

555555

I guess that we are "old-geezer doomsayers" who do not have the ability to see reality based on an architectural drawing or predict what something might end up looking like given present reality on the ground On another note, it is a shame that cities, all over, are being designed for cars and not humans.

I guess that we are "old-geezer doomsayers" who do not have the ability to see reality based on an architectural drawing or predict what something might end up looking like given present reality on the ground

Very true. Confusion is a sure sign of senility or dementia, such as your confusing the seating on the promenade (the topic of discussion) with beach umbrellas.

I think there are some helpful and informative posts about retirement homes in PTY and Chiang Mai, if you do a forum search.

On another note, it is a shame that cities, all over, are being designed for cars and not humans.

Humans drive cars and mostly enjoy doing so when they're not stuck in traffic. A vast number drive motorbikes here. PTY is a lot bigger than it used to be, like it or not (some of us do, obviously you don't).

I agree, however, that solutions other than road widening in this case would have been far preferable. But this is the way it has to be here, so no point in sitting around telling sad stories and predicting doom and nitpicking.

I guess that we are "old-geezer doomsayers" who do not have the ability to see reality based on an architectural drawing or predict what something might end up looking like given present reality on the ground On another note, it is a shame that cities, all over, are being designed for cars and not humans.

I agree with your last sentence. I am afraid though, that is the reality of the 21st Centuary. I think they call it progress.

I guess that we are "old-geezer doomsayers" who do not have the ability to see reality based on an architectural drawing or predict what something might end up looking like given present reality on the ground On another note, it is a shame that cities, all over, are being designed for cars and not humans.

I agree with your last sentence. I am afraid though, that is the reality of the 21st Centuary. I think they call it progress.

Yes, "they" call it progress. On another point, the person who refers to everyone who disagrees with him as an "old geezer" or "doomsayer" missed my point. My point was that the depiction of the new promenade may not be correct given that the beach umbrellas are not shown (actually one is there). If part of the picture is not correct (beach umbrellas), it is not a huge leap to conclude that another part is not correct (the benches).

I guess that we are "old-geezer doomsayers" who do not have the ability to see reality based on an architectural drawing or predict what something might end up looking like given present reality on the ground On another note, it is a shame that cities, all over, are being designed for cars and not humans.

I agree with your last sentence. I am afraid though, that is the reality of the 21st Centuary. I think they call it progress.

Yes, "they" call it progress. On another point, the person who refers to everyone who disagrees with him as an "old geezer" or "doomsayer" missed my point. My point was that the depiction of the new promenade may not be correct given that the beach umbrellas are not shown (actually one is there). If part of the picture is not correct (beach umbrellas), it is not a huge leap to conclude that another part is not correct (the benches).

You are confused, geezer and doomsayer was your choice of words.

Construction Update

Walkway clear from North End to Mikes Shopping

Heavy Construction from Mikes to 13/4 Soi

Walkway clear from 13/4 Soi to Walking Street

seating is(was) included in their plans so I think it best to wait till the paving is finished and the sand has settled before concluding that there wont be any

Based on?

This may or may not be true.

He told you! Yes it's True. It was on their initial plans,

and it was on the big project panels all along the beach, like this one :

Thanks for that.

Perhaps i spoke prematurely on one subject; another reason i avoided the thread.

I just want to add how things always go right as planed in Thailand.