PATTAYA, Thailand – For a city that promotes itself as a world-class tourism destination, the simple act of walking along the streets of Pattaya has become an obstacle course. Street encroachment – where bars, restaurants, and vendors spill onto sidewalks – has turned many of the city’s supposed pedestrian walkways into extensions of private businesses, leaving residents and visitors forced into the road.
Take the case of Soi Post Office as a clear example. Years ago, pedestrians could walk safely under cover from Second Road to the Pattaya Post Office. Today, this is no longer possible. Businesses have steadily expanded onto the footpath, putting tables, chairs, and signage directly where people are supposed to walk. What was once a shaded walkway is now blocked, leaving pedestrians with only one option: step off the curb and walk on the road.
This might sound minor until you try it yourself. The road is narrow, traffic moves in both directions despite being marked as one-way, and motorcycles weave through constantly. Tourists and locals alike find themselves dodging bikes while exposed to the elements – all because businesses are allowed to treat public space as their own.
The irony is hard to miss. While city officials talk about making Pattaya cleaner, safer, and more attractive for tourism, the ground-level reality tells a different story. Sidewalks are disappearing. The supposed “public right of way” is surrendered piece by piece to commercial interests. Enforcement crackdowns, when they happen, are usually short-lived, with encroachers quickly returning once the spotlight fades.
This isn’t just a nuisance. It’s a matter of safety, accessibility, and image. Parents with strollers, elderly residents, and disabled individuals are disproportionately affected when sidewalks vanish. Tourists who expect a walkable seaside city are instead greeted with clutter and chaos. And the longer this problem is ignored, the more it undermines Pattaya’s credibility as a serious international destination.
The solution isn’t complicated: reclaim the footpaths. Enforce the existing regulations consistently, not just during seasonal “clean-up” campaigns. Businesses can thrive without hijacking public walkways, and Pattaya’s reputation would be far better served if people could once again walk to the post office – or anywhere else – without risking their safety in the street.
Until then, the message seems clear: in Pattaya, the sidewalks belong not to the public, but to the highest bidder.
