The Beach Rd walkway- we told you so.

[thaibeachlovers]

There isn't any shade except for the few old trees, and the type of palms they planted will never provide any.

There are hardly any seats, and most are at the north end and none opposite Central where most people are.

It is used as a contra flow road by motorbikes.

It is starting to collapse already.

The ugly sandbags at the north end are still there.

The Dolphin fountain has been replaced by a horrid steel structure.

The place where they did aerobics appears to have vanished.

It's got a huge truck pump installed at the south end by the sewage station- attractive, NOT.

Some of us said it would be horrible, and it is. We told you so.

[slygeeza]

the seats are missed, now we cant sit and watch the pickpocketers working any more

[lapd]

the seats are missed, now we cant sit and watch the pickpocketers working any more

In all my years going to pattaya I have NEVER had anyone try pick my pockets, not there not anywhere. I have never heard of that either. So I call bullshit! Go back to the PI if you want to watch that.

[jackvale]

The seating of old day was filthy so not worth a seat unless you were heading to the laundromat anyway.

The path is so wide now. I can easily walk or cycle back and forth without a care or a cost. All free

If I'm hot, I have my choice of 3 large and air conditioned shopping centers to cool off, grab a bite, get an ice cream for 9 baht at McDonalds or see a movie. Or walk to the north end and cool off at the Tavern outside the Amari hotel. We are spoiled in this town! It keeps getting better and better.

[tonytigerbkk]

the seats are missed, now we cant sit and watch the pickpocketers working any more

In all my years going to pattaya I have NEVER had anyone try pick my pockets, not there not anywhere. I have never heard of that either. So I call bullshit! Go back to the PI if you want to watch that.

If you have never heard of anyone getting pick pocketed in Pattaya then I'm calling bullshit on you EVER being in Pattaya.

Go onto any online Pattaya newspaper and look through their archives and you will find thousands of incidents of pick pocketing in Pattaya.

I visit Pattaya very rarely with my family and I have had my wallet lifted and my wife had her phone lifted, also just off the top of my head i know of 4 other people who have had their wallets lifted.

The 2 favourite places for pick pockets are on the Baht buses and on Beach Road, which is the area that slygeeza is referring to..

What do you do for an encore, deny that the jet ski scam exists?

[Ling Kae]

I walk the beachfront most days, the Pattaya Klang to Pattaya Nua end is good. It is wider and easier to get around the hoards of para-sailing bus groups. The seats are placed too close to beach vendors and often not in the shade. They put those stainless steal bars up the center of the seats to stop people sleeping on them but I saw a Thai guy somehow still manage to sleep on one, ouch!

I enjoy the beach walk but find the Pattaya Klang to Pattaya Tai end too congested but still manageable. I really don't think it is much worse than before, the north end is better for walkers but the south maybe a bit more restricted. Without doubt the seating was better before. As for the sand bags at the north end, well they were there before the new walkway and the dolphin roundabout is more a traffic management issue.

Now those highly intelligent people at city hall need to work on a sidewalk from the sewer dumping station to walking street. The 3 Trafic Cones there right now isn't going to save any pedestrians life, they need a proper sidewalk there. Then lets not mention the side walk near the bamboo bar, that gap between the light pole and the building is only 2 foot wide or so. One person at a time, single file please!

[ZigZagMan]

The old growth shade trees were all cut down so city staff could flatten the area, lease it to vendors and line their greedy pockets. Prime beach front real estate that they hadn't exploited.

Real environmentalists.

The best idea since the mayors father sold a forest reserve to a garbage company.

The few remaining shade trees have been commandeered by the beach drug dealers and jet ski scammers..

[chris2004]

I miss the seats on the beach road. Do they think no one wants to sit down? It was nice just to watch the world go by. I presume they took them out to stop the hookers sitting there.

[ZigZagMan]

I miss the seats on the beach road. Do they think no one wants to sit down? It was nice just to watch the world go by. I presume they took them out to stop the hookers sitting there.

Chair rental next?

[toenail]

I have worked /lived in Pattaya for 10 years now and have observed the transformation of this important community "park" going through three changes. I must admit, I was not happy this year when the "extra" lane was added to Beach Road when there were a few moments when the traffic was bumper to bumper (Friday evenings...Saturday and Sundays after 11am). There was already another lane that could have been used (on the East side) for traffic but the motor bike rentals and vendors occupied this lane. (too bad this was initiated before the coup). Because of the widening of Beach Road and for better security (according to city officials) , the old indigenous trees that dotted the Beach Rd promenade (and were important for preventing erosion) were removed without much thought.

Despite this fault, I must admit I like the new lay-out and here are the reasons: 1) Wider walk area to freely jog or walk on instead of the narrow zig-zag lane that would trap in the water when it rained 2) Nice to be able to observe the sea from the road, or along the walk-way where as before the numerous planted palm trees blocked the view of the sea 3) because of the more open space of the Beach Road promenade and less dark areas for "scum-bags" to hide, Thais and tourists feel more secure and use it at night time...walking as a family, picnicking, or just freely sitting and relaxing.

True, there are less benches to sit on. True, less shade. True, less "scum-bags" hanging out in the area.

I have said this on a forum before...sad the Pattaya police department cannot have walking policeman patrolling this important tourist area. This would keep the locals from riding their motor bikes on the Beach Road walkway; lower the crime (sorry City Hall, those security cameras do not prevent crime...they film the crime--if the camera is working); and the walking patrolman would give everyone a good impression of the police department. The only time I see them in action is when they are stopping the poor Thai on their motor bike demanding 200 baht.

[uptheos]

I miss the seats on the beach road. Do they think no one wants to sit down? It was nice just to watch the world go by. I presume they took them out to stop the hookers sitting there.

Typical Thai response to a problem.

We don't want hookers sitting down, so no-one else can either.

[1BADDAT]

They spent a lot of time and money to try and make beach road better for everyone. If you look around Pattaya it is now one of the more presentable areas to walk around. Obviously some will never be happy regardless of what they do.

So there is not enough seating and shade for you? So you want to sit around in the shade and people watch during the day for free huh? Beach boardwalks are generally for people to walk around. They have probably designed it with tourists in mind. Tourists generally want to walk around and explore, not sit in the shade.

I know I prefer to go out at night after its cooled off a bit. They have installed much better lighting and at night it feels safer and looks much better. Pattaya is far from perfect, but beach road is better now and certainly not something to complain about.

[Pattaya Pat]

Moan moan moan.

I wouldn't walk along Pattaya beach road if I was paid to, but it looks much better now, surely anyone can see that.

[JSixpack]

There isn't any shade except for the few old trees, and the type of palms they planted will never provide any.

There are hardly any seats, and most are at the north end and none opposite Central where most people are.

It is used as a contra flow road by motorbikes.

It is starting to collapse already.

The ugly sandbags at the north end are still there.

The Dolphin fountain has been replaced by a horrid steel structure.

The place where they did aerobics appears to have vanished.

It's got a huge truck pump installed at the south end by the sewage station- attractive, NOT.

Some of us said it would be horrible, and it is. We told you so.

There's enough shade, provided by the remaining old trees and the new palm trees.

There are enough seats, many of them unoccupied. Bring your own seat if there's not one where you MUST have one.

In Thailand motorbikes do drive on the sidewalk. Meanwhile traffic has greatly improved on Beach Rd. and fewer tourists have to walk in the street.

Thai construction is never permanent for job security reasons. Previous promenades also exhibited similar defects.

No schedule has been announced for sandbag removal, so there's no reason to expect they should have been removed by now.

Nobody cared about the dolphin structure and nobody cares about the present steel structure. Pattaya tourists and residents have never had a reputation as art critics. Plenty of smiling group photos being taken at the new structure.

The aerobics area benefited few and other facilities abound

Don't look at the truck pump if it offends your effete artistic sensibilities.

Promenade was quite crowded all during high season despite silly doomsayer predictions that nobody could walk on it and Beach Rd. hotels would all go bankrupt because of it.

Some of us, the usual suspects who demand Santa Barbara on a Chang budget, of course did say it would be horrible and we hardly needed to be told that they still think so on principle. Change is a terrible thing. That doesn't make it horrible, however. Nevertheless, the vast majority like the new promenade and widening of Beach Rd. better--overall, if not in every little detail. You'll note the positive posts here.

Yawn. Livin' in the past . . . .

[moonseeker]

the seats are missed, now we cant sit and watch the pickpocketers working any more

In all my years going to pattaya I have NEVER had anyone try pick my pockets, not there not anywhere. I have never heard of that either. So I call bullshit! Go back to the PI if you want to watch that.

I suggest you go down to Soi 12 / Beach Rd. area for a few nights and watch the group of lady-boys, one of them a fat, ugly monster, pick-pocketing Russians and Indians daily. Right in plain view of everybody. Show starts around 23.00 or a bit later. Might need to e a bit patient, some days they have been doing a runner from the cops already. No pick-pockets in Pattaya, only in PI....???? Suggest you read the news or google "pick-pocket, Pattaya". True they go after easy targets, they never bothered me, as Indians and Russians are much better targets. As far as Beach Rd. in general. I have seen a huge increase of low-lives, drug dealers, drunks and other exotic creatures all along the beach the last 12 months. Quite a sight,watching a bunch of single male Indians negotiating with an (1) overweight palm-lady every few meters! Guess, sooner or later this will all be stopped to make this a real family destination. MS>

[JSixpack]

the seats are missed, now we cant sit and watch the pickpocketers working any more

In all my years going to pattaya I have NEVER had anyone try pick my pockets, not there not anywhere. I have never heard of that either. So I call bullshit! Go back to the PI if you want to watch that.

I suggest you go down to Soi 12 / Beach Rd. area for a few nights and watch the group of lady-boys, one of them a fat, ugly monster, pick-pocketing Russians and Indians daily. Right in plain view of everybody. Show starts around 23.00 or a bit later. Might need to e a bit patient, some days they have been doing a runner from the cops already. No pick-pockets in Pattaya, only in PI....???? Suggest you read the news or google "pick-pocket, Pattaya". True they go after easy targets, they never bothered me, as Indians and Russians are much better targets. As far as Beach Rd. in general. I have seen a huge increase of low-lives, drug dealers, drunks and other exotic creatures all along the beach the last 12 months. Quite a sight,watching a bunch of single male Indians negotiating with an (1) overweight palm-lady every few meters! Guess, sooner or later this will all be stopped to make this a real family destination. MS>

True. Best that one never become complacent about the possibility of being pick-pocketed here in our beloved city ****, esp if you're approached by any ladyboys.

**** Pattaya bashing word replaced by moderator

[thaibeachlovers]

the seats are missed, now we cant sit and watch the pickpocketers working any more

In all my years going to pattaya I have NEVER had anyone try pick my pockets, not there not anywhere. I have never heard of that either. So I call bullshit! Go back to the PI if you want to watch that.

I concur. He's making it up.

[thaibeachlovers]

The seating of old day was filthy so not worth a seat unless you were heading to the laundromat anyway.

The path is so wide now. I can easily walk or cycle back and forth without a care or a cost. All free

If I'm hot, I have my choice of 3 large and air conditioned shopping centers to cool off, grab a bite, get an ice cream for 9 baht at McDonalds or see a movie. Or walk to the north end and cool off at the Tavern outside the Amari hotel. We are spoiled in this town! It keeps getting better and better.

<I can easily walk or cycle back and forth>

YOU are part of the problem. It's not a cycle path.

[thaibeachlovers]

the seats are missed, now we cant sit and watch the pickpocketers working any more

In all my years going to pattaya I have NEVER had anyone try pick my pockets, not there not anywhere. I have never heard of that either. So I call bullshit! Go back to the PI if you want to watch that.

If you have never heard of anyone getting pick pocketed in Pattaya then I'm calling bullshit on you EVER being in Pattaya.

Go onto any online Pattaya newspaper and look through their archives and you will find thousands of incidents of pick pocketing in Pattaya.

I visit Pattaya very rarely with my family and I have had my wallet lifted and my wife had her phone lifted, also just off the top of my head i know of 4 other people who have had their wallets lifted.

The 2 favourite places for pick pockets are on the Baht buses and on Beach Road, which is the area that slygeeza is referring to..

What do you do for an encore, deny that the jet ski scam exists?

As you obviously know BA about Pattaya, the baht buses have nothing to do with the walkway, and the pickpockets are the katoeys that congregate at the south end of Beach Rd and are on the land side of the road, not on the walkway.

Besides, this thread is about the walkway, not about pickpockets.

Anyway, any tourist that walks around with their wallet easily accessible can't complain if they lose it. That is a worldwide problem and nothing to do with this thread. If you want to go off topic, start your own thread.

[thaibeachlovers]

I walk the beachfront most days, the Pattaya Klang to Pattaya Nua end is good. It is wider and easier to get around the hoards of para-sailing bus groups. The seats are placed too close to beach vendors and often not in the shade. They put those stainless steal bars up the center of the seats to stop people sleeping on them but I saw a Thai guy somehow still manage to sleep on one, ouch!

I enjoy the beach walk but find the Pattaya Klang to Pattaya Tai end too congested but still manageable. I really don't think it is much worse than before, the north end is better for walkers but the south maybe a bit more restricted. Without doubt the seating was better before. As for the sand bags at the north end, well they were there before the new walkway and the dolphin roundabout is more a traffic management issue.

Now those highly intelligent people at city hall need to work on a sidewalk from the sewer dumping station to walking street. The 3 Trafic Cones there right now isn't going to save any pedestrians life, they need a proper sidewalk there. Then lets not mention the side walk near the bamboo bar, that gap between the light pole and the building is only 2 foot wide or so. One person at a time, single file please!

<Now those highly intelligent people at city hall need to work on a sidewalk from the sewer dumping station to walking street. The 3 Trafic Cones there right now isn't going to save any pedestrians life, they need a proper sidewalk there. Then lets not mention the side walk near the bamboo bar, that gap between the light pole and the building is only 2 foot wide or so. One person at a time, single file please!.

Those problems have existed since the early 90s at least, and will get fixed about the same time as the beach side buildings get removed from Walking St.

< the dolphin roundabout is more a traffic management issue.>

Not the roundabout, the fountain that used to be on Central Rd.

[jacko45k]

I walked down it the other day.

Am always amazed that when I arrive at Walking St it comes to a dead end that is blocked by food carts and people are forced out into the heavy traffic which is struggling with the bend. People are also pushing to get out of Walking Street the same point.

That corner is quite a mess.

Oops the guy above me got in first!

Good idea to demolish some buildings to give pedestrians access.... but I like the Beer Garden!

[thaibeachlovers]

I miss the seats on the beach road. Do they think no one wants to sit down? It was nice just to watch the world go by. I presume they took them out to stop the hookers sitting there.

Chair rental next?

I'm surprised someone hasn't started a chair rental business ( with umbrellas ).

[guzzi850m2]

I also miss the old trees and as mentioned not enough shade from the new ones.

So that mean when there is only a moderate wind blowing ashore and high sunshine, not a nice place to walk during daytime for exercise which I miss a lot.

I have now started walking in my village after sunset but it will never be the same.

[thaibeachlovers]

I have worked /lived in Pattaya for 10 years now and have observed the transformation of this important community "park" going through three changes. I must admit, I was not happy this year when the "extra" lane was added to Beach Road when there were a few moments when the traffic was bumper to bumper (Friday evenings...Saturday and Sundays after 11am). There was already another lane that could have been used (on the East side) for traffic but the motor bike rentals and vendors occupied this lane. (too bad this was initiated before the coup). Because of the widening of Beach Road and for better security (according to city officials) , the old indigenous trees that dotted the Beach Rd promenade (and were important for preventing erosion) were removed without much thought.

Despite this fault, I must admit I like the new lay-out and here are the reasons: 1) Wider walk area to freely jog or walk on instead of the narrow zig-zag lane that would trap in the water when it rained 2) Nice to be able to observe the sea from the road, or along the walk-way where as before the numerous planted palm trees blocked the view of the sea 3) because of the more open space of the Beach Road promenade and less dark areas for "scum-bags" to hide, Thais and tourists feel more secure and use it at night time...walking as a family, picnicking, or just freely sitting and relaxing.

True, there are less benches to sit on. True, less shade. True, less "scum-bags" hanging out in the area.

I have said this on a forum before...sad the Pattaya police department cannot have walking policeman patrolling this important tourist area. This would keep the locals from riding their motor bikes on the Beach Road walkway; lower the crime (sorry City Hall, those security cameras do not prevent crime...they film the crime--if the camera is working); and the walking patrolman would give everyone a good impression of the police department. The only time I see them in action is when they are stopping the poor Thai on their motor bike demanding 200 baht.

Years ago, the Pattaya police department set up a cycle patrol. but the ONLY time I saw them was at the Songkran parade. Probably just another scam.

< less dark areas for "scum-bags" to hide. Thais and tourists feel more secure and use it at night time...walking as a family, picnicking, or just freely sitting and relaxing.>

You must have used a different walkway to the one I'm talking about. In all the years I've used it I've seen Thais and tourists use it at night time...walking as a family, picnicking, or just freely sitting and relaxing. Of course, you can't sit now, as few seats.

I'm guessing your "scum bag" is my ordinary bloke.

<...sad the Pattaya police department cannot have walking policeman patrolling this important tourist area>

Nah, they're too busy patrolling Walking St.

<the numerous planted palm trees blocked the view of the sea>

What view of the sea? It's all beach umbrellas.

[slygeeza]

the seats are missed, now we cant sit and watch the pickpocketers working any more

In all my years going to pattaya I have NEVER had anyone try pick my pockets, not there not anywhere. I have never heard of that either. So I call bullshit! Go back to the PI if you want to watch that.

I see ladyboys trying to get their hands in the back pockets of male tourists every evening opposite the Tahitian Queen, in fact I was watching them using wrestling holds on guys 3 nights ago and the guys were having to struggle to escape, maybe you should look around a little more when you are out and about, if you do get out

[thaibeachlovers]

There isn't any shade except for the few old trees, and the type of palms they planted will never provide any.

There are hardly any seats, and most are at the north end and none opposite Central where most people are.

It is used as a contra flow road by motorbikes.

It is starting to collapse already.

The ugly sandbags at the north end are still there.

The Dolphin fountain has been replaced by a horrid steel structure.

The place where they did aerobics appears to have vanished.

It's got a huge truck pump installed at the south end by the sewage station- attractive, NOT.

Some of us said it would be horrible, and it is. We told you so.

There's enough shade, provided by the remaining old trees and the new palm trees.

There are enough seats, many of them unoccupied. Bring your own seat if there's not one where you MUST have one.

In Thailand motorbikes do drive on the sidewalk. Meanwhile traffic has greatly improved on Beach Rd. and fewer tourists have to walk in the street.

Thai construction is never permanent for job security reasons. Previous promenades also exhibited similar defects.

No schedule has been announced for sandbag removal, so there's no reason to expect they should have been removed by now.

Nobody cared about the dolphin structure and nobody cares about the present steel structure. Pattaya tourists and residents have never had a reputation as art critics. Plenty of smiling group photos being taken at the new structure.

The aerobics area benefited few and other facilities abound

Don't look at the truck pump if it offends your effete artistic sensibilities.

Promenade was quite crowded all during high season despite silly doomsayer predictions that nobody could walk on it and Beach Rd. hotels would all go bankrupt because of it.

Some of us, the usual suspects who demand Santa Barbara on a Chang budget, of course did say it would be horrible and we hardly needed to be told that they still think so on principle. Change is a terrible thing. That doesn't make it horrible, however. Nevertheless, the vast majority like the new promenade and widening of Beach Rd. better--overall, if not in every little detail. You'll note the positive posts here.

Yawn. Livin' in the past . . . .

I was wondering how long it would take you to appear- not long LOL.

<There's enough shade, provided by the remaining old trees and the new palm trees.>

Have you even been there??????????

<There are enough seats, many of them unoccupied.>

They're unoccupied because they're unshaded and it's too hot to sit on them ( probably fry an egg on them ).

<Bring your own seat if there's not one where you MUST have one.>

Yeah right. If I'm a tourist in Pattaya for a couple of days, I'm going to buy a chair

<In Thailand motorbikes do drive on the sidewalk. Meanwhile traffic has greatly improved on Beach Rd. and fewer tourists have to walk in the street.>

They could have put barriers to stop the bikes, but why stop them being dangerous to walkers. TiT.

<Thai construction is never permanent for job security reasons. Previous promenades also exhibited similar defects.>

That's the most pathetic excuse I've ever heard for shoddy workmanship. On that basis we can expect Central to fall down soon.

Just because previous efforts were poorly done is no excuse for this one falling apart already.

<No schedule has been announced for sandbag removal, so there's no reason to expect they should have been removed by now.>

Yes, lets leave the ugly things there forever.

<The aerobics area benefited few and other facilities abound>

That's so unbelievably untrue. Loads of people were doing aerobics every day, and where are all those other free facilities ( in your dreams )

<Don't look at the truck pump if it offends your effete artistic sensibilities.>

Bit hard to avoid it, along with the stench of the open drain.

< Change is a terrible thing>

Garbage. The second to last walkway change was really good. However you probably don't remember that one.

[slygeeza]

I miss the seats on the beach road. Do they think no one wants to sit down? It was nice just to watch the world go by. I presume they took them out to stop the hookers sitting there.

the hookers dont mind sitting on the ground, they just bring their mats or find some cardboard, but it was nice for us farang

[slygeeza]

the sandbags arent temporary, they are the umbrella peoples response to the drainage problem, and the shame of it is that whole wall could have been made a foot higher and provided seating right along the beach without hampering the council markets and at the same time made the umbrella people happy and gotten rid of the sand bags. it could still be done.

[toenail]

<the numerous planted palm trees blocked the view of the sea>

What view of the sea? It's all beach umbrellas.

??? Are you a "little people"? When you walk along Beach Road, you look above the umbrellas because the elevation is different. You look above the wall-to-wall faded umbrellas.

[swissie]

the seats are missed, now we cant sit and watch the pickpocketers working any more

In all my years going to pattaya I have NEVER had anyone try pick my pockets, not there not anywhere. I have never heard of that either. So I call bullshit! Go back to the PI if you want to watch that.

I suggest you go down to Soi 12 / Beach Rd. area for a few nights and watch the group of lady-boys, one of them a fat, ugly monster, pick-pocketing Russians and Indians daily. Right in plain view of everybody. Show starts around 23.00 or a bit later. Might need to e a bit patient, some days they have been doing a runner from the cops already. No pick-pockets in Pattaya, only in PI....???? Suggest you read the news or google "pick-pocket, Pattaya". True they go after easy targets, they never bothered me, as Indians and Russians are much better targets. As far as Beach Rd. in general. I have seen a huge increase of low-lives, drug dealers, drunks and other exotic creatures all along the beach the last 12 months. Quite a sight,watching a bunch of single male Indians negotiating with an (1) overweight palm-lady every few meters! Guess, sooner or later this will all be stopped to make this a real family destination. MS>

Quote: Guess, sooner or later this will all be stopped to make this a real family destination. MS>

Heaven forbid! There must be a thousand "family friendly destinations" on this planet. Pattaya is (and must remain) a party-town. Period ! I would hate to see the day, when Pattaya turns into "family friendly destination" number 1001.

Cheers.