PATTAYA, Thailand – Mounting frustration is boiling over as residents and tourists say Pattaya’s one-way traffic system — especially around Jomtien Beach and Pattaya Beach Road — has descended into open defiance, with motorbikes and drivers routinely ignoring rules while police presence remains almost nonexistent.
Locals describe the situation as a “daily circus,” with riders speeding the wrong way, weaving through traffic, racing at night, and parking wherever they please, all without fear of consequences. Social media is now overflowing with complaints that point to one root cause: near-zero enforcement.
Many say the fix is simple — but the will to do it is missing.
“Nothing will change unless police actually enforce the law,” wrote one resident. “Stop them, fine them, or impound the bikes for a few days. Behaviour will change overnight.”
Calls for action include doubling fines, seizing vehicles until penalties are paid, and installing cameras to automatically ticket violators — measures residents argue would pay for themselves. Others want equal penalties for Thai and foreign riders, noting a perception that enforcement is inconsistent.
Some residents say the one-way system itself contributes to the chaos. With roadworks largely complete, they argue the city should restore two-way traffic to reduce wrong-way riding and confusion. “It’s total chaos now,” one user posted. “Making it two ways again would probably be safer.”
Nighttime noise from modified motorbikes, speeding scooters on Thappraya Road, and baht buses stopping unpredictably only add to the frustration. “No pleasure walking around Pattaya,” one long-term visitor wrote. “You’re constantly watching your back.”
Others blame a broader culture of impunity: “Why follow rules when there’s no punishment?” and “Thailand has rules — but nobody enforces them,” were among the most repeated remarks.
Despite occasional photo-op enforcement campaigns, locals say the effect lasts only a few hours. “Everything is for show,” one commenter noted. “By tomorrow it’s back to normal.”
With high season underway and streets busier than ever, residents warn that Pattaya’s relaxed approach to traffic law is putting cyclists, pedestrians, and families at risk every hour of the day.
As one commenter summed it up bluntly: “Promises, photo ops, repeat — the spin cycle of lawlessness.”
