PATTAYA, Thailand – Poramet Ngampichet and members of the “We Love Pattaya” group visited umbrella and beach chair operators along Jomtien Beach this week, pledging continued tourism development and economic support as local businesses report a drop in visitor numbers, May 25.
The mayoral hopeful met directly with beachfront operators to gather feedback and discuss problems affecting Pattaya’s beach economy, saying the information would help shape future tourism and economic policies.
Poramet, a mayoral candidate, said that during his time leading city administration, efforts were made to stimulate Pattaya’s economy across all sectors, particularly along beachfront areas considered vital to the city’s tourism industry. He highlighted measures to improve beach management, parking regulations and vendor oversight to maintain order and strengthen tourist confidence. The visit also served as a follow-up inspection of infrastructure upgrades at Jomtien Beach, where many operators reportedly expressed satisfaction with improvements including new sidewalks, drainage systems, high-mast lighting and traffic management adjustments. Business owners acknowledged that previous one-way traffic diversions during construction had affected trade, but welcomed the return of two-way traffic access. Poramet admitted tourism numbers have recently declined, likely due to the school term reopening season, but insisted Pattaya would continue pushing its “Festival City” strategy to attract year-round visitors.
He said Jomtien Beach is also being developed into a “Sport City” hub capable of hosting large-scale activities and lifestyle events. Recent projects have included music festivals, sports competitions and surf skate activities supported by both government agencies and private partners. According to Poramet, the city also plans to raise service standards among beach operators by promoting fair pricing, better customer service and improved tourism image management to ensure sustainable long-term growth. Local operators additionally praised the city’s infrastructure improvements, including roads, sidewalks, lighting systems and flood prevention measures, which many said have produced visible results.
