Thaweepong Wichaidit.
Thanachot Anuwan
National budget appropriators chopped nearly 40
percent off Pattaya’s anticipated 10-year, 15 billion baht budget to
transform the area into a special “greenovative tourism” zone and have
given the city only 3 percent of that for 2013.
Thaweepong Wichaidit, manager for the Pattaya Special
and Adjacent Areas Office, told bureaucrats meeting at the A-One Royal
Cruise Hotel Sept. 25 that two years have been cut from the decade-long
windfall Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and other area politicians were hoping
for and that funds will continue to only trickle out to them.
The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism
Administration (DASTA) master plan approved in August 2011 called for 15
billion baht in funding over 10 years for 132 projects in Pattaya and
surrounding districts. In its latest budget deliberations, the Cabinet
axed 56 projects and cut the total package by 38.5 percent to 9.2
billion baht over eight years.
Thaweepong said projects cut were considered low in
potential, under the jurisdiction of other agencies, and did not fit the
goal of developing the area for “green” tourism.
The Cabinet also left the door open for additional
cuts by continuing to apportion only small percentages of the overall
package. For 2012, the government gave Pattaya only 135 million baht of
the 15 billion baht plan - about 1 percent. For 2013, the government
only will give Pattaya 299 million baht of the reduced packaged, or
about 3 percent.
The projects approved for 2013 center around
transportation, with the anticipation that Thailand will join the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations Economic Community in 2013. Among
the funded items are those dealing with bicycle transport.
Set up by a 2003 royal decree, DASTA was given a
mission to integrate and oversee tourism development in areas designated
to have superb natural environments, cultural and traditional importance
and have been developed for tourism purposes. Among the first projects
approved were Koh Chang National Park, the Chiang Mai Night Safari, Koh
Lanta, Koh Samet and the Nongteng-Chakkarat forest in Nakhon Ratchasima.
With its sprawling nighttime industry and many
environmental problems, Pattaya’s bids for DASTA status - and the
millions in baht that come with it for mayoral pet projects - were
repeatedly turned away. But in July 2008 Bangkok officials conceded,
admitting Pattaya formed a “distinctive” area for international tourism
and could retain its status as a draw for foreign currency if developed
properly.
Thus began more than three years of discussions and
proposals that culminated in 29 public hearings and private meetings and
the March 2009 designation of a 928 sq. km. zone comprising Pattaya and
the eight districts.
Politicians hoping they finally found someone to
bankroll all their projects submitted nearly 15 billion baht in
proposals. DASTA initially approved 34 of those for the first year, but
national budgeters cut that to just 17.
