Pattaya was abuzz with activity during the long weekend of June 3-5, as tourists gathered to celebrate the Birthday of Her Majesty Queen Suthida which coincided with Visakha Bucha Day this year.
Koh Larn Island, in particular, experienced a significant surge in visitors, with over 30,000 tourists arriving during the two-day period. When considering tourists in other areas as well, the total number was estimated to reach hundreds of thousands. However, this influx of tourists led to heavy traffic congestion on main roads and inner city streets in Pattaya, which fit in with the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s plan for their “365 Wonderful Days: Travel Every Day” campaign, aimed to promote year-round tourism.
After surveying the tourism state of affairs on Saturday and Sunday, we found that the majority of beachgoers in Pattaya were Thai nationals from the Bangkok metropolitan area, accounting for more than 80% of the total visitors. The remaining 20% were foreigners who were already staying in Pattaya. Families seeking relaxation and enjoyment gathered on the beaches to indulge in water activities such as jet skiing, banana boating, and parasailing.
Wisanu, an operator of parasail and Jet Ski rentals in the area, expressed his delight to see the surge in customers during long weekends and holidays, as it provided a boost to his business. On regular days, there is usually a lack of customers, prompting discounted rates for Jet Ski and banana boat activities to cater to the local economy. The price of beach umbrellas remained unchanged at 40-50 baht each. Importantly, the presence of tourists also benefited local vendors and sellers, contributing to the overall income distribution in the region.
Sudarat, a 20-year-old tourist who visited Pattaya Beach and Koh Larn Island with her family, shared her positive experience. She highlighted the convenience and excellent facilities available in these areas, describing the beach as peaceful, spacious, and featuring clear waters. Sudarat also appreciated the availability of public areas where she could comfortably relax and enjoy her surroundings. However, she expressed a wish for all tourists to maintain cleanliness by properly disposing of trash, as she had witnessed some thoughtful foreign tourists picking up litter along the beach.
Chuwit Sirivejkul, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) regional director of marketing for East Asia, set an ambitious target of attracting 5 million Chinese tourists this year, which still seemed attainable. In late April to early May, there was a noticeable increase in Chinese tourist bookings, with an average of 15,000-18,000 additional visitors per day compared to the previous average of approximately 8,000 people per day.
This positive trend suggested continuous improvement in tourism. From January to March, 517,242 Chinese tourists had already travelled to Thailand, with April alone welcoming 251,475 visitors. The cumulative total for the first four months of the year (January 1-April 25) stood at 768,717 Chinese tourists.
