''New Pattaya, the World Class Greenovative Tourism City''

[Mid]

Can Pattaya change its spots?
26/02/2012

A whopping 15 billion baht is sought to change the seaside resort's image. But first there's a little matter of clearing up crime and foreign gangsters

Pattaya _ the painted old lady by the sea_ is about to undergo a 15 billion baht face-lift. City executives ambitiously want to turn the city into ''New Pattaya, the World Class Greenovative Tourism City'' with a ''green and clean'' environment for tourists and locals.



But for the Cinderella transformation to take place, the city needs to be classified as a Designated Area for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Dasta), an initiative introduced by the former Thaksin administration, which gives it semi-autonomy.

The city's administrators have been pushing for the move to reclassify Pattaya and its surrounds since 2008. Dasta approved the application in 2009, allowing Pattaya City to swallow eight municipalities and tambon administrations. The Pattaya masterplan was approved by cabinet last year.

But Dasta itself, which provides the funding, has not been without its critics who say granting so much financial independence without strict oversight is opening the door to financial abuse and mismanagement.



Pattaya City's mayor, Itthiphol Khunploem, is certain the injection of state funding and expansion of city hall's influence over surrounding areas can only benefit the area.

''To develop Pattaya, we need its surrounding areas, but these are often under different local authorities, not just ours,'' Mr Itthiphol said. ''So, being designated as a cluster area, we will be able to integrate scattered authorities in order to achieve the shared goal.''

Mr Itthiphol wants to see Pattaya's image as a safe beach resort city restored, but with a green message.

The 15 billion baht ''Greenovative Tourism'' city plan, earmarks 132 projects, including developing transportation and tourist attractions. It aims to declare Pattaya a green and clean city in 10 years.

But cleaning up the streets of Pattaya involves more than just new buses and painting beach benches. Local law enforcement officials say the issues of local vice and foreign criminals living in Pattaya need to be addressed.

Pol Lt Gen Panya Mamen _ chief of Provincial Police Region 2, which has recently established the Transnational Crime Coordination Centre (TNCC) in Pattaya _ said many foreign criminals call Pattaya home.

He said many of them pass themselves off as tourists. Some work with Thai criminal partners or operate on their own or in gangs, with crimes ranging from theft to murder.


Pattaya City’s mayor, Itthiphol Khunploem

Pol Capt Prajakpong Suriya of the TNCC said it was difficult to locate foreign suspects _ even if police had mugshots _ as they frequently changed addresses and it was difficult to obtain information about them.

''Pattaya is a popular criminal base because it's a hub for tourists and expatriates,'' he said.

According to Chon Buri Immigration Office records, at least 14 major criminal acts involving foreigners were committed in 2010 and 12 last year. Earlier this month, it was revealed three Iranian suspects in the the Valentine's Day bombings had partied with bar girls in Pattaya before heading to Bangkok.

A senior immigration official said the plan to turn Pattaya into a green city would be impossible unless the foreign criminals were flushed out.

He said a big problem was hotels and guesthouses not reporting foreign guest stays to immigration within 24 hours, as required by regulations. Compounding the problem are non-registered guesthouses in the notorious Walking Street, many of which double as restaurants.

The Immigration Department has only received one million baht to upgrade its facilities and volunteer patrols.

''Is it possible to be green and clean if our house is still messy?'' said the official.

Pattaya police chief, Pol Col Nantawut Suwanla-ong, said overall the crime rate had declined in the past two years due to better monitoring by police and volunteers.

He said the city had been divided into grids of one square kilometre patrolled by designated units. The biggest impact was curtailing drug gangs.

Pol Col Nantawut said the number of murders had been reduced by 40% from 45 in 2010 to 29 in 2011.

The number of street robberies had fallen by about 200 over the same period, he said, without giving further statistics.

However, Pol Col Nantawut said the crime rate was still high and more work needed to be done.

''We are working hard to make Pattaya green and clean, but it won't be successful if we can't suppress crime,'' Pol Col Nantawut said.

He said the ''Greenovative'' plan also needed to take into account reducing vice if Pattaya was to meet its tourism goals. One way to achieve this was to have a stronger police presence on the streets.

Mr Itthiphol said the city did not have any plans to address the problem of foreign criminals and added the current annual budget was adequate.

He said the question of law enforcement rested with several agencies and not just the city administration.

PARADISE OR PURGATORY?: Top, a fishing boat near Jomtien beach. Above, a woman walks past many direction signs to resorts in Pattaya.
PHOTOS: PORNPROM SATRABHAYA

bangkokpost.com

[BobR]

"According to Chon Buri Immigration Office records, at least 14 major criminal acts involving foreigners were committed in 2010 and 12 last year."

That's probably about the same number as Thai crimes on a typical day at City Hall.

Who would bother to come to Pattaya without the vice and sleeze? There are so many nicer places to go. I doubt if Pattaya will ever resemble Newport Beach, California.

[Mid]

Who would bother to come to Pattaya without the vice and sleeze?

Thais

[Kurgen]

Pattaya _ the painted old lady by the sea_ is about to undergo a 15 billion baht face-lift

at about 40% kick backs that's alot of tea money.

an initiative introduced by the former Thaksin administration, which gives it semi-autonomy

So no rules to follow.

[the dogcatcher]

Are they gonna fish all the turds out of the bay.
And the Russians.

[DroversDog]

Are they gonna fish all the turds out of the bay.
And the Russians.

Don't forget the arabs....

[nevets]

Yep the Thais will go look at Cha-Am 4days a week you cant get a spot on the beach, and the guest houses are heaving must make a lot of money.

[Seekingasylum]

The Thai penchant for grandiose ideas knows no bounds.

But what is so funny about this particular piece of nonsense is the linkage between the greening of Pattaya and it's nest of foreign vipers. Here we have the chief of immigration making it quite clear that the process cannot begin until the " messy house " is cleaned up and the foreign gangs are swept away.

Mmmm......so:

The reason why there is no intra Pattaya bus service is because those foreign devils have prevented it by their very presence. It has nothing whatsoever to do with a songthaew mafia protecting its monopoly and polluting the air with hundreds of half empty pig trucks circling the seafront ad infinitum, ad nauseam.

The reason why thousands of gallons of effluent contaminated water is allowed to pour into the Pattaya Bays is not because there is no coherent plan to construct a drainage system commensurate with the explosion in condo development, which adds considerably to the coffers of City Hall, but simply as a direct consequence of those ATM scammers from wherever.

The reason why there are no continuous pavements in any meaningful sense along practically any major road in the city is not because there has never been a strategy to construct them beyond the policies adopted by a typical village amphur in Nakhon Nowhere but because of those Kazakh ruffians importing whoopsies for the delectation of those who may fancy a bit of white meat for a change.

The reason why there are 20,000 prostitutes in Pattaya is not because it generates a mountain of money for the Thai but because those unsavoury falang ignore the illegality of this trade and by their nefarious and evil methods have led an entire police force to the astounding conclusion that it does not exist.

Of course, one could carry on but what would be the point. The Thai can do no wrong, the Thai are perfect and Pattaya will be a green and pleasant land, bordered by lustrous white strands festooned with gently swaying palms where all and sundry may take an evening promenade without the fear of physical assault by crazed transsexual creatures once all those foreign gangs have been ousted.

[Rural Surin]

The Thai penchant for grandiose ideas knows no bounds.

But what is so funny about this particular piece of nonsense is the linkage between the greening of Pattaya and it's nest of foreign vipers. Here we have the chief of immigration making it quite clear that the process cannot begin until the " messy house " is cleaned up and the foreign gangs are swept away.

Mmmm......so:

The reason why there is no intra Pattaya bus service is because those foreign devils have prevented it by their very presence. It has nothing whatsoever to do with a songthaew mafia protecting its monopoly and polluting the air with hundreds of half empty pig trucks circling the seafront ad infinitum, ad nauseam.

The reason why thousands of gallons of effluent contaminated water is allowed to pour into the Pattaya Bays is not because there is no coherent plan to construct a drainage system commensurate with the explosion in condo development, which adds considerably to the coffers of City Hall, but simply as a direct consequence of those ATM scammers from wherever.

The reason why there are no continuous pavements in any meaningful sense along practically any major road in the city is not because there has never been a strategy to construct them beyond the policies adopted by a typical village amphur in Nakhon Nowhere but because of those Kazakh ruffians importing whoopsies for the delectation of those who may fancy a bit of white meat for a change.

The reason why there are 20,000 prostitutes in Pattaya is not because it generates a mountain of money for the Thai but because those unsavoury falang ignore the illegality of this trade and by their nefarious and evil methods have led an entire police force to the astounding conclusion that it does not exist.

Of course, one could carry on but what would be the point. The Thai can do no wrong, the Thai are perfect and Pattaya will be a green and pleasant land, bordered by lustous white strands festooned with gently swaying palms where all and sundry may take an evening promenade without the fear of physical assault by crazed transsexual creatures once all those foreign gangs have been ousted.

Nice piece.
But you could have summed it up with one word: BULLSHITTERY

[dirtydog]

once all those foreign gangs have been ousted.

Will they be though? They need a budget and a plan first

Mr Itthiphol said the city did not have any plans to address the problem of foreign criminals and added the current annual budget was adequate.

These farangs are such a problem that they do not have any plans to address the problem.

[Bettyboo]

But first there's a little matter of clearing up crime and foreign gangsters

& this is why it will never change; blatant lies built upon denial...

The title should read: 15 Billion sought to buy some new Benzes, build a few big houses and student fees abroad, etc, for Thais.

[socal]

Just like I proved in my Pattaya beach is clean thread.. Pattaya is serious business.

Its not a joke

[Khun Custard]

But Dasta itself, which provides the funding, has not been without its critics who say granting so much financial independence without strict oversight is opening the door to financial abuse and mismanagement.

All Dasta need do is assume the role of any institutional investor and assess the current infrastructure, history and future prospects of new investment infrastructure maintenace (look no further than the current state drainage, power lines, condition of footpaths and roads) and the future prospects of investment approval seem quite clear. The process would never get to issues of alledged crime and corruption.

Would you buy a new push bike for your kid if he did not maintain and trashed the old one?

The sad thing about Pattaya and its future potential is that the town planning errors of the past are irriversable by the sheer cost and the lengthy disruption to business during reconstruction.
The Jomtein 2nd road is a clear indication of the time it takes to get a project completed here.

There is really no point to invest TB Billions to recreate a tourist destination for what is a well established sexpats and low budget tourist market (both domestic and international) by providing a westernised and easy-on-the-eye streetscape and faux eco tourism spin .. a la the new dolphin lighting running the length of Pattaya Nua
This will not change the spending rates and demographics of tourists in our lifetime.

Pattaya's only hope for consolidation of existing markets in the future is to address and achieve higher standards in the day-to-day management of the streetscape (rubbish, utilities, advertising visual polution etc) and common sense beautification programmes. Sadly, to date, this seems beyond the government's and the community's comprehension and ability to participate and sustain.

Tourist like a bit of filth and chaos but, in the long term, always opt for destinations that are within their budget, easily accessible, clean and safe.

[hazz]

The zoning they are proposing is quite interesting. The proposals would have number of effects from what I can see, first a rather leave increase in the land area covered by the city authority and doubtless commensurate increase in 'rent' oppunities.

But by limiting the area of urban land for development and ring fencing it in with protected land, you have the opportunity to create an artificial shortage of land in pattaya and increase the rate of land price inflation in the area combined with a potential depression of the value of land in the protected areas.

This would allow you to profit from land holding you have in the urban areas, buy up protected land cheaply and then later rezone that land as urban increasing its value significantly.

This is a rather well thought out and long term plan for personal enrichment of all involved; who says thais live for the day and immediate payback.

[Seekingasylum]

Indeed, which is why I finally plumped for a condo smack on Wongamat beach.

When it comes to money Thai sure know how to feather their nests to the detriment of the tree. The trick is to cash in on it and enjoy short term spoils.

[sabang]

It will not work to try and turn Pattaya into some sort of integrated resort concept like Nusa Dua or Laguna- to rebuild the place like a 1970's Thomas Cook brochure of what the country should look like (to a package tourist) would involve near total demolition, and rebuilding from the ground up. Furthermore many people like, or love/hate the anarchistic jumble that is Pattaya pretty much as is, excluding the appalling infrastructure and mounting traffic congestion. It has it's own character, and a strong brand name for partying, golf, sex n sleaze, hedonism etc- and this is no small market.

The main growth is elsewhere however, and is not to many westerners liking because it does not involve them- this being Asian, middle eastern and Russian tourism. The Russians have been the biggest end of the condo market for a couple of years now, which can only mean you will see ever more menu's and signs in Russian. The Korean & Chinese tourists you only see going past on a tourist bus on their way to some trannie show, or 'cultural' dancing, or maybe a Korean restaurant. I have no idea where they store these people. The Arabs & Injuns have their own section of town, and it is growing. The only thing Pattaya lacks is Nigerians (sob). And a decent beach.

It would be cheaper and more effective to build this sort of 'model resort' concept from the ground up, and preferably in a joint that has a decent beach, of which there are several as close as Rayong province- so still convenient to that all important international airport, which is a large part of the reason for the location of many mega resorts. In the mass tourist trade, logistics matter. The water there is possibly even shittier than Pattaya, but that hardly matters when one has chlorinated swimming pools and cocktails with pink umbrella's.

[socal]

It will not work to try and turn Pattaya into some sort of integrated resort concept like Nusa Dua or Laguna- to rebuild the place like a 1970's Thomas Cook brochure of what the country should look like (to a package tourist) would involve near total demolition, and rebuilding from the ground up. Furthermore many people like, or love/hate the anarchistic jumble that is Pattaya pretty much as is, excluding the appalling infrastructure and mounting traffic congestion. It has it's own character, and a strong brand name for partying, golf, sex n sleaze, hedonism etc- and this is no small market.

The main growth is elsewhere however, and is not to many westerners liking because it does not involve them- this being Asian, middle eastern and Russian tourism. The Russians have been the biggest end of the condo market for a couple of years now, which can only mean you will see ever more menu's and signs in Russian. The Korean & Chinese tourists you only see going past on a tourist bus on their way to some trannie show, or 'cultural' dancing, or maybe a Korean restaurant. I have no idea where they store these people. The Arabs & Injuns have their own section of town, and it is growing. The only thing Pattaya lacks is Nigerians (sob). And a decent beach.

It would be cheaper and more effective to build this sort of 'model resort' concept from the ground up, and preferably in a joint that has a decent beach, of which there are several as close as Rayong province- so still convenient to that all important international airport, which is a large part of the reason for the location of many mega resorts. In the mass tourist trade, logistics matter. The water there is possibly even shittier than Pattaya, but that hardly matters when one has chlorinated swimming pools and cocktails with pink umbrella's.

damn you/. Pattaya is world class.

[Notnow]

I see the land set aside for fishing villages is completely landlocked. Will they have to load the boats on a train, like it is done to provide access to Western Prince William Sound at Whittier in Alaska?

[Notnow]

oops23