Asia After Dark May 2017 | Page 36

ALLCHANGE HERE IN

PATTAYA

ItseemsthatPatayaisunderthewatchfuleyemorethaneverbefore. Overthelast12monthsmanychangeshavebeenintroducedinan atemptto‘ cleanup” thecity’ simage.
BeachchairswerebanishedonaWednesday, alowingpeopletosit wheretheypleaseonsand, ratherthanbeingherdedaroundlikesheep, buliedintositinginavendorsspot. Itwasn’ tthatlongagoavideowent viralofavendorharassingawomanwhowantedtolayonhertowelin frontofthevendorspitch. Thevendorendedupkickingsandatherand becamequiteforceful. Hewasdealtwithbytheauthoritiesfor hisactions.
BahtBuseshavebeentargetedand busstopareasintroduced, totryand curbtheconstantflow ofbuses, al eagerforyoutoclimbonboard. Itcan bequitedangerouswalkingalongthe road, particularlywherethepathways areovercrowded, asthebusescom- peteforyourbusiness. Maybethe daysofahornbeingblastedatyou everyfew secondsarenumbered? Soi Buakhaoareahasabusbancurrently inforce, totrytoreducetheproblems pedestriansfacewherethereisno pavementtowalkalong.
Streetstalsarefacingchanges astheyareunderscrutinyasto wheretheycanoperate. Whatwas atraditionalaspectofThailand, eatingfoodfrom thestreetcarts, maybeathingofthepastas oficialsseektocleanupthe streets. Thereisheavypressure inBangkokatpresent, banning foodcartsincertainareas, and thisactionissoontobeenforced hereinPataya.