Niran Wattanasadsathorn, Pattaya City Manager, and other city officials visited Larn Island last week to inspect the tourist boat dock. The officials had a first hand look at the many problems with the dock, which has yet to be put into service after being completed over three years ago.

The construction of the dock was under the responsibility of the Public Works Office, who hired the U.C.D. International Company Ltd. to complete the project. The construction was complete in 1996, at a cost of 68.5 million baht.

The main problems concern the six stairways, which do not provide convenient or safe access for persons getting off or onto boats. In addition, the dock is constructed with reinforced concrete and in its present state the dock causes damage to boats coming along side. An estimated 300,000 baht is required to install wooden floats with special plastic coating to correct the problem.

The City Manager said that the dock is now in the contractor’s inspection phase and the responsibility for the completion of the dock has been transferred from the Office of Public Works to the City of Pattaya.

"The work will require close attention because," the city manager said, "any additional funds required will come out of Pattaya’s budget, even though the dock itself benefits Larn Island."