Story by Sicha Rungrojtanakul
Cover illustration by Kittiya On-in

Globally known for its beaches and nightlife district, Pattaya City is one of Thailand's most popular tourist destinations. Although it is designated a special autonomous region, allowed to elect its own mayor and regulate its tourism industry, it faces numerous limitations due to a lacklustre decentralization policy. Its stakeholders are now concerned that the city and its tourism sector would be outpaced by other global cities unless changes are made in its governance.

At the end of June 2024, during the low season, then Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, the Mayor of Pattaya, and the Secretary to the Minister of Tourism, visited local business operators on Pattaya Walking Street. (Photo courtesy from Srettha Thavisin's Facebook page)

“If Pattaya City could truly be governed as a special autonomous region, in terms of expanding its own zoning and enforcing its own laws, I think it would be something better than this.” says Damrongkiat Pinitkarn, also known as ‘Boy Hollywood,’ an executive at the Hollywood Pattaya club, in his status as secretary of the Pattaya Entertainment Industry and Tourism Association, highlighting a key area for improvement in Pattaya’s governance.

“Many bars and nightclubs are open outside the zone, creating noise control problems because it affects local communities and residents. Now, being in the zone, everyone wants to have a license. They want to do it right. But since they are outside the zone, they cannot apply for a license.”

Pattaya is a globally renowned tourist destination, yet its tourism industry faces numerous limitations due to a lacklustre decentralization policy. According to Poramase Ngampiches, the Mayor of Pattaya City, zoning is governed by the Ministry of Interior under laws from 2004, which are now 20 years old. In other words, the local administration lacks the authority to effectively address the city's challenges.

“Expanding zoning is not easy at all,” explains Poramase . “Because of the way things are today, we have received complaints. We are not a new city. In a new city, we would draw the line right away: here you have a service establishment or an entertainment venue; here you have a residential area. But ours is a city that already exists, and we are now drawing the [zoning] lines.”

While the nature of the city makes proper zoning a challenge, rigid control by the central government further complicates matters. Local authorities are required to submit proposals to expand zoning areas to the Ministry of Interior. This obstacle has led to issues with illegal businesses operating outside the permitted zones.

Since mid-December 2023, Pattaya has served as a pilot area permitted to extend nightclub closing times until 4 AM, following a ministerial regulation after the decline of COVID-19. However, this measure applies only to entertainment venues within designated zones. The elephant in the room is that businesses operating outside these zones might face enforcement issues or potential complications, including the risk of police bribery, as they navigate the regulatory landscape.

Damrongkiat Pinitkarn also discussed another issue: beach area management. Despite landscape improvements through sand replenishment projects, the area still cannot be utilized to its full potential.

The capital’s grip over the city also extends to the management of beach areas. Despite improvements through sand replenishment projects, the beach cannot be fully utilized. The restrictions imposed by the government in Bangkok limit the city’s ability to host profitable events and attract high-profile investments.

“[Pattaya Beach] would be great for hosting many events, beach clubs, where there are EDM [Electronic Dance Music] stages,” Damrongkiat said. “There are people ready to invest, but they run into a problem because ticket sales in public spaces are prohibited. People who invest must pay on the scale of hundreds of millions for production, stages, and hiring artists, but then the event ends up being free, like the Pattaya Music Festival.”

The primary obstacle to ticket sales is the public space regulation that prohibits using these areas for profit through rentals or sales. So, all events must be free. For booths selling goods, Pattaya allows local community members and vendors to register for participation through a lottery system, with no rental fees charged. Music festivals that do sell tickets are held on private land.

“Singapore hosts F1 races. Hugh crowds go to watch. The streets are closed throughout the city. People are on grandstands drinking liquor and beer. Then there is the addition by inviting EDM DJs to a party during the F1 races. They want to attract a competitive tourism market. There are ticket sales, and you can drink alcohol. I think that here in Pattaya we should have specific legal amendments” said Damrongkiat.

Pattaya Beach could host world-class events to attract more high-end clients and grow the tourism industry. But the government needs to move quickly. “We must keep up with other cities' tourism,” said Damrongkait. “We shouldn't think that we have a lot of visitors. The thing is, we need to adapt. If they stop coming one day, it will have an impact.

Gateway to the east

(From the left) Wasan Sanguantoikam, Patcharsanas Assawachaisophon, and Boonanan Pattanasin.

One of the key facilities in the Eastern region that could significantly support Pattaya is U-Tapao Airport. Closer than Suvarnabhumi Airport, it features a passenger terminal ready to accommodate international tourists. It could also benefit the domestic economy. Unfortunately, this airport has not yet been fully utilized.

U-Tapao was built primarily for military purposes during the Cold War, while Pattaya developed as a retreat for American troops fighting in Vietnam. Although the Cold War ended decades ago and Pattaya has since evolved into a tourist destination, U-Tapao has not yet been repurposed to meet the needs of the general public.

"I understand that from a military perspective, they think about safety and security. But if we look at it from the point of view of being tourists, U-Tapao is the safest airport, but it is not convenient for tourists at all," said Boonanan Pattanasin, President of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association. "We have to wait for charter flights, which have relatively higher management fees then other places. As a result, few flights come in."

Boonanan explained that the business sector is pushing for U-Tapao Airport to be managed as a business entity rather than by the government. If repurposed for tourism, it could become “a gateway not just for Pattaya. Don’t forget that in the Eastern region, we also have Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, and Trat. U-Tapao is also a gateway to the eastern port cities.”

The potential of U-Tapao Airport underscores a broader issue with transportation infrastructure. Despite generating substantial revenue for the country, Pattaya has received little autonomy from the government, which constrains the city's ability to fully develop its transportation system. This not only causes inconvenience for tourists entering the city but also hinders the application of Universal Design principles.

Khon Kaen Transit System Co, Ltd may provide an inspiring example, where municipal governments came together to build transport infrastructure funded by local entrepreneurs. The government claimed that this model should be replicated in other provinces. However, it remains more of an exception. Local entrepreneurs were willing to risk a large investment; despite this, the project faced numerous obstacles and still required ultimate approval from the Ministry of Interior.

"Regarding transportation systems, if tourists don’t come, will we dare to invest? If we have taxis waiting, but the number is low, it means the costs must be high, and the fares will be expensive in line with that. But if we develop a comprehensive transportation system for arriving in the city ready to go, there will be many, the fares will be cheap, the flights will be predictable, and everyone will be confident to invest, leading to growth across the system," Boonanan said.

Boonanan's vision is for a convenient and safe transportation system where "you buy only one ticket and you can go anywhere—use lockers, rent cars, take high-speed trains, local trains, buses," similar to the Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass), which covers travel across Japan. This would benefit not only the tourist, but also its residents as well.

He believes that the internal transportation project should be initiated by Pattaya. If high-speed rail projects connect major cities on the eastern port cities in the future, they can then be linked to the existing transportation system in Pattaya, creating a seamless transit network for both tourists and locals.

"We call Pattaya a special city. In reality, it is not special at all,” said Boonanan. “The private sector wants to push for Pattaya to become a truly special city where we can manage ourselves by ourselves, not manage ourselves by relying on others. Despite the fact that we are a special city with a budget that we can manage ourselves, we can't do anything without seeking permission."

Making Pattaya truly special

The Wan Lai event during the Songkran Festival at Pattaya Beach. (Photo from the Pattaya Mayor’s Direct Facebook Page.)

The rigid control over Pattaya’s local governance not only hampers its tourism potential but also affects the quality of life for its residents. Patcharsanas Assawachaisophon, Vice President of the Pattaya Tourism and Business Association and a hotel operator, expressed disappointment with the quality of life in various aspects. As a special city, she expected Pattaya to be safe and modern. In reality, one needs to be exceptionally self-reliant and well-connected to survive.

Patcharsanas also highlighted that Pattaya receives over a billion baht in government subsidies, a figure considerably higher than that of many other local administrations. Yet this amount is insufficient for maintaining local services, let alone initiating new infrastructure projects, despite Pattaya's significant revenue contributions to the country and the wide-ranging responsibilities it shoulders under the Pattaya City Administration Act of 1999 and its amendments.

In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, Pattaya City generated an impressive annual revenue of 276.328 billion baht but received less than 2 billion baht in government allocations—amounting to less than 1% of its own revenue. While the official registered population is around 120,000, the actual number, including undocumented residents, could be four to five times higher. Moreover, Pattaya attracts nearly 18 million tourists annually. However, the ongoing issue of incomplete decentralization continues to pose significant challenges for the city.

"If it were a special city in another country, the city mayor would have full control. But in our case, it’s about seeking cooperation," said Poramase  ‘Beer’ Ngampiches, the Mayor of Pattaya.

Poramase began his political career in local politics, following in his father’s footsteps, before transitioning to national politics, where he served multiple terms as a Member of Parliament for Chonburi. His last role in national politics was as Deputy Minister of Culture. Although many assume that a city mayor holds significant power, Poramase emphasized that his actual authority is quite limited.

"Suppose there is a problem with song thaeo buses where people have filed a lot of complaints; we can only ask for cooperation because the permits are issued by the provincial transport office. When we ask for cooperation, it is like this. For the issues we handle ourselves, like beach umbrellas and chairs, which have our permits, we can say that if you commit one, two, three offences, we have measures to suspend you for 15 days, one month, or even revoke your permit. This is power."

Poramase ‘Beer’ Ngampiches, the Mayor of Pattaya.

Poramase describes Pattaya as "a house with insufficient public utilities," emphasizing the need for increased budget allocation to support public services. He argues that the government should grant the city greater autonomy to expand its tax base and generate its own revenue. This includes improving tax collection from undocumented residents and imposing environmental taxes on tourists.

Another major issue faced by Pattaya City, along with other local administrative organizations, is the shortage of local personnel, both in management and operational roles. In Pattaya's case, nearly 100 positions remain vacant. This shortage stems from NCPO Order 8/2560, issued following the 2014 military coup. Poramase has proposed restoring the authority over personnel selection to the local administration by repealing this order. Additionally, he suggests changing the designation from "Pattaya City Staff" to "Pattaya City Officials" to ensure equal access to rights and benefits.

Frustrated by the lack of autonomy, locals are expressing their dissatisfaction at the polls. In the 2023 general election, Chonburi was one of several provinces where the Move Forward Party, which was recently dissolved and has now become the People’s Party, defeated traditional powerhouses. The Move Forward Party won 7 out of 10 constituencies and also led in the party-list votes across all constituencies.

Previously, Chonburi's political landscape, both at the national and local levels, was often characterized by the dominance of established political families and influential networks, commonly referred to as the "big houses." In the 2019 general election, the Palang Pracharat Party won 5 district seats, while the Future Forward Party, which was later dissolved and became the Move Forward Party, secured only 3 seats.

Wasan Sanguantoikam, Vice President of the Pattaya Tourism and Business Association and a nightlife operator, reflected on the results of last year’s elections. He noted that Pattaya residents are frustrated with the old-style management that focuses on monopolizing power, leading to a growing demand for decentralization. Several political parties have presented policies addressing this issue. It would be beneficial if such changes could be achieved in his generation.