PATTAYA, Thailand – A loud call from some members of the public to allow beach camping for a fee has sparked sharp criticism from foreign tourists and long-term visitors, many of whom worry it could damage both the city’s image and its hotel industry.
“Beach camping, and what toilets are the campers using?” asked one European visitor, pointing out that Pattaya already struggles with cleanliness along its shoreline. “We all know what will happen — people will just use the street or the sand as their toilet.”
Long-term residents were equally blunt, describing the idea as another ill-conceived scheme that risks attracting the wrong crowd. “From one stupid idea to the next. This will end up being the worst place in the world if they go ahead with this,” said another expat who has lived in Pattaya for more than a decade.
Hotels and guesthouses, which are still struggling with lower-than-expected occupancy, worry the plan would drive paying guests away. “Don’t do it,” another tourist warned. “If you allow hundreds of people to sleep and cook on the beach, there will be no quality tourists left. This is supposed to be a city for leisure, not a campsite.”
Critics warn the risks go beyond lost hotel revenue. They point to cigarette butts buried in the sand, plastic litter scattered along the shore, and even creeping late-night incidents that already challenge Pattaya’s beach management. Adding tents, cooking fires, and unregulated overnight crowds, they argue, could turn the city’s most valuable asset into a liability.
For a destination already battling with its reputation, the prospect of beach camping — coupled with hygiene and safety concerns — risks overshadowing efforts to market Pattaya as a premium seaside resort.
