Shamed into action by social media – Pattaya authorities and soldiers in hurried beach clean-up operation
After damning reports that Pattaya beaches were an “environmental disaster zone” the local authority and soldiers swooped on the resort.
But concerns remain that the action is little more than sticking a plaster on a gaping wound.
Social media had been abuzz on Thursday with ghastly pictures of black water, sludge and mountains of rubbish across a large swathe of South Pattaya.
One foreigner posted a damning footage of pipes spewing effluent directly into the sea.
Yesterday it was all action as dozens of cleaners and soldiers moved to restore some pride to the beaches.
Tnews reported that after the clean-up operation there was much less rubbish and the sea was “a better color than the previous day”.
Local council representative Wirat Jirasriphaithoon said that the authorities had acted swiftly.
He blamed overflow from the drainage system released into the sea to save the city from flooding. He also blamed storms.
However, Thaivisa notes that Pattaya residents are unlikely to be convinced that this is anything more than sticking a plaster on a large wound.
Many would like to see the underlying problems of dirty, untreated water flowing into the sea being properly addressed.
Source: Thai Visa
