Unprecedented holiday leads to tourist boom

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From The Thaiger

Yesterday marked the kick-off of an unprecedented six-day holiday. Pattaya‘s beaches and tourist hotspots were abuzz as visitors flocked, particularly to Koh Larn, a stunning island located roughly 7 kilometres from the coast. According to local accommodation providers, the entirety of the island’s estimated 3,000 rooms were booked out.

The rush of tourists, both Thai and foreign, regularly set sail from Bali Hai pier in South Pattaya to the island. In response to the influx, the Pattaya City Municipality in collaboration with the Marine Office mobilised officials to assist in managing the crowd at the pier.

Safety standards were paramount and authorities worked with ferry operators to assert strict adherence to safety guidelines regarding the number of passengers aboard each boat. Furthermore, passengers were mandated to don life jackets during the journey. Anticipating the surge, additional parking was secured to cater for the increased volume of vehicles, according to local authorities.

This significant rise in room demand for Koh Larn can be attributed to the recently approved proposal by the cabinet secretariat. This unusual declaration declared an additional ‘special’ public holiday. This extended the typical vacation period from July 28 to August 2, in a move to rejuvenate tourism. Moreover, this elongated break overlapped with other set holidays such as His Majesty the King’s birthday, Asanha Bucha Day, and the commencement of the Buddhist Lent.

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From The Nation

Wastewater released off the coast of Koh Lan island has given birth to a boom of plankton, making the sea a murky green in five locations.

The Marine and Coastal Resources Department said on Monday that the murky green water was spotted around the island off Pattaya coast in Chonburi province on Saturday.

Tourists who had travelled to the island during the long weekend complained in posts on Facebook that this phenomenon had spoiled their vacation.

On Monday, the department listed the five sites on its website that had been hit by the plankton boom, namely:

• Boat route between Koh Lan and South Pattaya

• Na Ban Beach

• Ta Waen Beach

• Tian Beach

• Koh Sak

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Huge queues at Jomtien-Pattaya immigration office

From Pattaya Mail

The six days of holiday resulted in a big backlog of Jomtien immigration customers at the reopening on Thursday August 3. The neighbouring photocopying and visa services bureau was overwhelmed with many foreigners requiring photos and/or extra copies of documentation for visa extensions.

Friday August 3 will again see crowding of immigration facilities in Jomtien, especially for visa extensions and local address reporting. All immigration offices nationwide will then be closed for the upcoming weekend but will be open all next week (Monday thru Friday) without public holiday interruptions.