Pattaya Beach Disappearing

[Rimmer]

Pattaya Beach Disappearing

Heavy October rains and flash floods provided yet another grim warning that both sea water and fresh water are eating away at Pattaya’s main attraction–the beach. Sections of beach in North Pattaya were entirely swept away as the monsoon hammered the already fragile coastline. Concrete walls crumbled, drainage channels were destroyed, and sandbag defences erected by desperate beach operators proved useless.

Questions are again being asked about why civic authorities have allowed the situation to deteriorate to such an extent. In spite of many promises and the possibility of some government funding for a landfill project, official response so far has been limited to emergency repairs and self-help by deck-chair proprietors. An obvious opportunity was lost when the recent road widening of Pattaya Beach Road did not include an effective drainage system.

Full story:http://pattayatoday.net/news/latest-edition/pattaya-beach-disappearing/

--PATTAYA TODAY2013-11-03

[OMGImInPattaya]

The ocean and its currents will always have their way no matter what man made obstacles are put in their way.

[Mighty Mouse]

"An obvious opportunity was lost when the recent road widening of Pattaya Beach Road did not include an effective drainage system."

OK, but where is the surface water supposed to run to when there is no elevation?

[wwex]

"An obvious opportunity was lost when the recent road widening of Pattaya Beach Road did not include an effective drainage system."

OK, but where is the surface water supposed to run to when there is no elevation?

into the sea but via pipes rather then over the beach

[KittenKong]

Beach Road is quite a lot higher than sea level, at all times I have ever seen it. There should be no trouble running storm drains from the road out under the beach into the sea. This would avoid much of the erosion caused by rain water flowing directly from the road down onto the sand and then to the sea, usually at the staircases.

[JoeThePoster]

I'll miss those beach chairs, NOT.

[wwex]

I'll miss those beach chairs, NOT.

dont count on it, they will just move them up onto the path when the sand is gone

[Basil B]

...are eating away at Pattaya’s main attraction–the beach.

I see the rose tinted glasses at work again

[zakk9]

Pattaya Beach? Is that the strip of sand between the traffic jam and the sewer?

[phitsanulokjohn]

Can only assume corruption on a massive scale as to why Pattaya's beaches and roads are not up to a far higher standard.There's more than enough farang money being pumped into Pattaya's economy, so where's all the money going?

[Suradit69]

...are eating away at Pattaya’s main attraction–the beach.

I see the rose tinted glasses at work again

While I agree that calling Pattaya Beach it's main attraction is a stretch for longer term residents, to a local it may seem that it's a big draw for tourists, especially early in the morning when all the tour busses are off-loading along Beach Rd. Hardly a case of rose-colored glasses.

It's odd that any display of enthusiasm, warranted or not, for anything in Thailand seems to compel others to rush forward to stomp on it. Any happiness or positivity just has to be eradicated.

[Suradit69]

Can only assume corruption on a massive scale as to why Pattaya's beaches and roads are not up to a far higher standard.There's more than enough farang money being pumped into Pattaya's economy, so where's all the money going?

A big attraction to the farang who choose Pattaya over Monte Carlo, Biarritz or the Côte d'Azur, is that they don't have to pump much money into the economy ... in most cases because they don't have much money to pump. They come because they can't afford to stay at home in retirement or haven't the money to travel to upscale places, but seem surprised when they don't get 5 star services and infrastructure.

In other economies they print money 24 hours a day and tax the crap out of the population, provide dwindling public services and watch while bridges collapse, while power grids, sewers and water pipes ( first installed when Queen Victoria was a girl) crumble, while the military-industrial complex & banks syphon off more and more. By comparison, it's amazing that the Pattaya beach front is as well maintained as it is, even taking into account that the drainage issue was probably not as well thought out as it could have been.

Undoubtedly corruption exists. It does everywhere on the planet. But most people seem to think they get a lot more bang for their buck ( or pound, Euro or Loonie) than they do other places or otherwise why would they choose to come to stay in increasing numbers?

Edited November 4, 2013 by Suradit69

[impulse]

Undoubtedly corruption exists. It does everywhere on the planet. But most people seem to think they get a lot more bang for their buck ( or pound, Euro or Loonie) than they do other places or otherwise why would they choose to come to stay in increasing numbers?

I think you nailed it with "bang for their buck".

[KittenKong]

By comparison, it's amazing that the Pattaya beach front is as well maintained as it is,...

Given that the city can hire a worker for a day for less than the cost of a single drink in some Walking Street venues (or less than the cost of a day's motorbike rental if you prefer), it seems normal that the beach-front should be maintained fairly well.