PATTAYA, Thailand – Pattaya City Council has approved the use of 266.68 million baht from the city’s accumulated funds to help pay private contractors to collect, transport and dispose of Pattaya’s mounting waste throughout fiscal 2027. The decision was made during the Pattaya City Council’s first ordinary session of 2026. Deputy Mayor Damrongkiat Pinitkan presented the proposal for the 365-day waste management contract, running through Sept. 30, 2027.
The full contract is valued at 421.08 million baht, based on an estimated average of 590 tonnes of municipal waste per day. Of the total, about 218.81 million baht will cover waste collection at a rate of up to 1,016.05 baht per tonne, while another 202.27 million baht will cover transportation and disposal at up to 939.27 baht per tonne. Pattaya has already received 154.39 million baht in its 2027 expenditure budget. The additional 266.69 million baht from accumulated funds is therefore needed to cover the full contract period. Council member Wisal Phetchakul, representing District 3, questioned the increase in the waste transportation and disposal rate from about 816 baht per tonne previously to 939.27 baht per tonne.
He asked whether rising fuel prices were a major factor and whether the contract’s terms of reference included a mechanism to adjust the rate when fuel prices change. Wisal also questioned whether the rate would fall if fuel prices declined, and whether Pattaya would need to seek additional funding if fuel prices rose significantly. He suggested the city should explore developing its own long-term waste management facilities to reduce the financial burden. Deputy Mayor Manot Nongyai explained that fuel prices are one of the factors used to calculate the annual contract rate.
For the 2026 budget, the calculation was based on fuel prices of around 29–30 baht per litre, while the 2027 calculation uses approximately 35 baht per litre because fuel prices have increased.
Manot said the waste contract does not use a construction-style Factor F adjustment. Instead, fuel prices are incorporated into the cost calculation because contractors bear the fuel and operating expenses involved in collecting and transporting waste. If fuel prices later rise or fall, the contract rate cannot simply be adjusted through a K-factor mechanism. The 35-baht-per-litre figure is being used as the city’s benchmark for the 2027 calculation.
The private waste collection and disposal contract is part of Pattaya’s responsibility for maintaining cleanliness and public order and managing municipal waste for residents and tourists. With Pattaya expecting to handle an average of 590 tonnes of waste every day, the council ultimately approved the additional 266,685,241 baht from accumulated funds to ensure waste collection, transport and disposal continue for the full 365-day period.
