Parking problems at Bali Hai Pier have attracted the attention of the army, with soldiers vowing to tow away boat trailers taking up vehicle spaces.
Col. Popanan Luangpanuwat, deputy commander of the Military Circle 14, led Pattaya city, police and Marine Department officials to the South Pattaya jetty Sept. 22 to inspect the boat-parking system.
Luangpanuwat noted that a large number of vehicle-parking spaces were filled with laid-up boats – many of which never see the water – which causes parking shortages and congestion as tour buses try to navigate streets narrowed by the parked trailers.
He suggested boat operators be summoned to up a meeting to find a resolution to the problem of private citizens taking up public property and depriving Pattaya of parking fees.
At the same time, owners of unused boats will be asked to remove their watercraft and will be charged and the boats seized if the military’s requests aren’t heeded.
