The tree's have been butchered along Jomtien beach

[ghworker2010]

I've been away from Pats for 3 months and the first thing I noticed this morning was that the city hall chainsaw boys must have visited recently.

All the tree's along the beach have been given a major haircut. Some tree's have been reduced to stumps. Some left at 4m high with new growth appearing. I'm experienced with chainsaws and I can tell that they have done a rogue job on some of the tree's

Now all the thai's are crammed up together sitting in the limited shade on the beach. Did it not occur to city hall that not everyone wants to sit under a beach umbrella to get relief from the sun....

[cardholder]

Good. I might be able to see the sea now from my "sea viw" window when I stay on the Beach Road hotels

[Tony M]

They have only done half of Jomtien Beach Road, but they have, as you say, seemingly made a seemingly bad job of it.

Perhaps the idea is to get rid of the shade, and make people pay for an umbrella to get shade ? Certainly, the Russians along Jomtien Beach seem to to have a fear of sitting in ( paying for?) a deckchair. It's quite amusing to see them using the sand between the chairs and the sea rather than use the chairs, or the shade ( as was) between the chair vendors.

Or maybe there are plans to make Jomtien Beach Road just like Pattaya Beach Road ? The beach area has certainly gone downhill of late (IMHO). Now they are advertising bar beer on the patch of wasteland next to the new "Night Market", open to 02.00. Jomtiem seems to have gone from a family beach to "nouveau Pattaya" in a very short time, and I find that very sad. I wonder if the buyers of the new condo developments know what they are in for. One new development is within "boom" distance of the new bar beers, and there is no way that anyone who has purchased there could have known about the new bars.

[Awohalitsiktoli]

What they are doing is stupid beyond imagination.

[fforest1]

Well they trimmed the crap out of the trees in Pattaya before they cut them down....

[Guderian]

It wasn't City Hall, this must have been the work of the sinister Pattaya Beach Umbrella Mafia...

Seriously though, I know what the OP means. When you walk south from Soi Wat Bun they have completely chopped down about 10 of the biggest and best trees. The ones left look like the tree version of a soi dog with a bad case of tics. Idiocy.

[stoli]

It wasn't City Hall, this must have been the work of the sinister Pattaya Beach Umbrella Mafia...

Seriously though, I know what the OP means. When you walk south from Soi Wat Bun they have completely chopped down about 10 of the biggest and best trees. The ones left look like the tree version of a soi dog with a bad case of tics. Idiocy.

No, it was City Hall. While re-doing the pathways along Beach Road in Pattaya, they realized that many of the trees were so large that the street lights above them could not get light to the pathways. A lot of the big trees were removed for this safety reason. I miss the beauty of the trees as well, but I do like it being safer. I applaud their tough decision.

[Awohalitsiktoli]

I think we should make it mandatory to have all glass walls in all buildings/homes/condos so that "big brother" can watch over and protect us all. Seriously, there was no valid reason to cut those trees down. If security was the stated reason, some alternatives surface: 1) have some police patrols, and/or 2) locate the cameras at angles that allow coverage beneath the trees. The worst solution is to cut down the trees. And, by the way, can they now see what is going on underneath all of those umbrellas that the camera's cant' penetrate? Logic would dictate that all of the umbrellas be removed for "security reasons." Security, security, bullshitary.

[Gone]

I take it the OP doesn't follow TV when he was away? There is another large thread here where all this has been discussed.

Yes it is disgusting what they did.

[Langsuan Man]

Pictures, pictures, pictures, please.......if we don't see it , it didn't happen

[Rimmer]

I take it the OP doesn't follow TV when he was away? There is another large thread here where all this has been discussed.

Yes it is disgusting what they did.

From the header this topic is about Jomtien Beach not the beach in Pattaya that is the subject of the road widening topic is that correct?

Maybe the OP can confirm he is in fact talking about Jomtien. Failing that I will close the topic

[Minnehaha]

The topic is specific to Pattaya but this is nothing new in Thailand. Some might remember the Great Sathorn Tree Massacre, which was decades ago.This stuff happens across the country.

Its interesting to go anywhere nearby - even Laos and Cambodia where they manage to do a better job trimming and letting trees grow tall and providing shade. Malaysia does a great job. Indonesia as well. Myanmar too. I submit it is uniquely Thai. It extends to parking lots. Why no coverage for cars?

[HOOD Robin]

What they are doing is stupid beyond imagination.

Are you surprised ? i ain't....

Brainless people teach brainless people who teach brainless people who......

[johng]

Some pictures of Jomtien beach tree cutting.

Edited August 27, 2013 by johng

[dunque]

What they are doing is stupid beyond imagination.

Are you surprised ? i ain't....

Brainless people teach brainless people who teach brainless people who...... become racists and expats

fixed that for you

[sfbandung]

Off topic warning ...

You have all missed the point.

"The tree's have been butchered along Jomtien beach"

What the hell is that apostrophe doing in the title? Well? Trees is plural and the apostrophe is redundant.

Thank you. I'll get back to my non life.

And it is tragic by the way, we stay at Jomtien all the time with the kids at Christmas/New Year. Who hates the trees and why?

[Emdog]

I have lived in Jomtien Beach condo now for 7 years. Nothing has pissed me off more than this latest insult, and that is saying something. Used to be in the shade when waiting for baht bus, or bit of protection from the rain. Now there is more shade in the morning walking on side away from the beach. It looks like Khe San after the siege. That city hall is so damn greedy and short sighted to cave in to umbrella mafia rather than look at the whole picture boggles the mind that has been boggled too often! I counted 14 stumps between my condo and the sand court area, and I am sure I missed some. I almost felt like chaining myself to a tree in protest, like they do back in the states. May a tree fall on them one day (soon) and proclaim "vengeance is mine!"

[newermonkey]

I wish they would chain saw down the ugly electricity poles instead!!!

[ThaiBob]

I wish they would chain saw down the ugly electricity poles instead!!!

Undergrounding public utilities along beach roads should be a high priority.

[xen]

Thanks Johng for the photos. What is the concrete structure in the first photo ? It looks so ugly now- but i am sure the tourists will not be able to resist the attraction of hot concrete underfoot and paying for the beach umbrellas if that is the un-logic behind it all.

The workers are very brave working there too - much to be admired . I especially like the innovative method of having the concrete in the hopper to act as a counterbalance and the supervisor standing in front of it and under the boom and the legs just sitting on the pavers. Demonstrates how much faith in good Kharma these guys have as well !!!.

[Awohalitsiktoli]

I saw that "structure" too and am not sure what it is. Today I decided to go the other direction and jogged past Dongtan Beach to the area in front of the "Waterpark." They are cutting trees there too. Thankfully, they are mostly topping them off, but it is a "chainsaw massacre." I have to assume that they will cut them all down on Jomtien Beach (well, not all, but the best ones). For those who do not remember Jomtien Beach 20 years ago, take a stroll down Dongtan Beach to the waterpark area. Just past the waterpark you turn right and at that turn look up and you will see what the entire beach looked like in the past--huge umbrella trees and massive shade (wonderful). Right at that spot there is a beach chair vendor who has no need to put up umbrellas because of the natural shade provided by the trees. Too bad the beach chair vendors did not think about that years ago before the slaughter. There was so much shade that there really was no need for umbrellas. All they needed to do was rent chairs! Now, they cut the trees down to put up more umbrellas? Crazy.

[jmac]

I doubt the umbrella/chair vendors have anything to do with this. I am there every day and the ones we have spoken to are as upset as we are about it. They are afraid

their customers will find othjer places to go/stay.

There are other interests here who have a much larger self interest.

Venders are small fry. Follow the big money.

I believe they have found a new cash cow and will keep doing this every year.

[dighambara]

IMHO - No Thai has any idea of how to trim a tree or bush. In my neighborhood, they do the same - no regard for beauty or the health of the tree. Perhaps to be expected in a country where everything grows everywhere. In the US everything must be nurtured, watched and cared for or it dies, so nearly everyone knows the right and wrong way to cut off a branch - even if they think they do not know.

[xen]

IMHO - No Thai has any idea of how to trim a tree or bush. In my neighborhood, they do the same - no regard for beauty or the health of the tree. Perhaps to be expected in a country where everything grows everywhere. In the US everything must be nurtured, watched and cared for or it dies, so nearly everyone knows the right and wrong way to cut off a branch - even if they think they do not know.

i agree about the lack of regard for beauty or the health of the tree. Even if you go to Nong Nooch the trees there are hacked ,and they try to portray themselves as a seat of horticultural excellence in Thailand. The Thais are years behind (generally) in their treatment of natural resources and trees are just a very obvious element that we all see being mistreated. I have even seen in recent House and Garden type magazines where they show pruning techniques that we abandoned 30 or 40 years ago , such as filling up tree cavities with cement. They will never realise what they are loosing until the very last tree stops growing and the very last tourist hops onto the plane to go home , never to return.

[jinners]

Got to say I don't see what the bitching is all about personally. I think it's a lot brighter, the trees (no apostrophe) will soon regrow and the other trees no longer crammed out will get healthier. It might not be to everyone's liking, but unless you want things to get totally out of control, they have to be kept in check. But then why spoil a good moan for a positive act. Hopefully they'll plant some new ones a bit smaller that don't take over the pavement and make a mess of the walking area. The pictures taken were misleading too as it looked like many were taken from naa Jomtien where there was barely anywhere to walk due to trees, stray dogs, deckchairs, etc

Edited August 28, 2013 by Rimmer
Racist Rant removed

[Awohalitsiktoli]

IMHO - No Thai has any idea of how to trim a tree or bush. In my neighborhood, they do the same - no regard for beauty or the health of the tree. Perhaps to be expected in a country where everything grows everywhere. In the US everything must be nurtured, watched and cared for or it dies, so nearly everyone knows the right and wrong way to cut off a branch - even if they think they do not know.

i agree about the lack of regard for beauty or the health of the tree. Even if you go to Nong Nooch the trees there are hacked ,and they try to portray themselves as a seat of horticultural excellence in Thailand. The Thais are years behind (generally) in their treatment of natural resources and trees are just a very obvious element that we all see being mistreated. I have even seen in recent House and Garden type magazines where they show pruning techniques that we abandoned 30 or 40 years ago , such as filling up tree cavities with cement. They will never realise what they are loosing until the very last tree stops growing and the very last tourist hops onto the plane to go home , never to return.

I love what you said here..........sad but true: " They will never realise what they are loosing until the very last tree stops growing and the very last tourist hops onto the plane to go home , never to return."

[LennyW]

IMHO - No Thai has any idea of how to trim a tree or bush. In my neighborhood, they do the same - no regard for beauty or the health of the tree. Perhaps to be expected in a country where everything grows everywhere. In the US everything must be nurtured, watched and cared for or it dies, so nearly everyone knows the right and wrong way to cut off a branch - even if they think they do not know.

i agree about the lack of regard for beauty or the health of the tree. Even if you go to Nong Nooch the trees there are hacked ,and they try to portray themselves as a seat of horticultural excellence in Thailand. The Thais are years behind (generally) in their treatment of natural resources and trees are just a very obvious element that we all see being mistreated. I have even seen in recent House and Garden type magazines where they show pruning techniques that we abandoned 30 or 40 years ago , such as filling up tree cavities with cement. They will never realise what they are loosing until the very last tree stops growing and the very last tourist hops onto the plane to go home , never to return.

I love what you said here..........sad but true: " They will never realise what they are loosing until the very last tree stops growing and the very last tourist hops onto the plane to go home , never to return."

Yeah - because all the tourists come to Thailand to see the trees - yeah for sure.

[ghworker2010]

Once again I see that the Thai's know the price of everything but the value of nothing.

I used to be able to walk along the path in the shade- on the main road next to the beach. Now I walk in the hot sun.

It is not good what they have done....