South Beach Road off limits to traffic from noon - 2 a.m.
The Amazing Thai Wisdom Fair is set to debut at 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 23, and continue indefinitely
every Saturday. Motor traffic will be closed off on Beach Road from Bali High Cape all the way north to the Nova Lodge at
Central Pattaya Road, from noon until 2.00 a.m
Deputy governor of Chonburi Preecha Kamolbutra, Chonburi governor Chadej Insawang, and Pattaya mayor Pairat
Suttithamrongsawat announced at city hall on February 18 that the Amazing Thai Wisdom Fair will begin on Saturday, February
23, and continue every Saturday until further notice.
The weekly fair is being held to support a number of government policies, and organizers feel it should
promote tourism to the area and stimulate the local economy by creating a new venue for business to flow. They also say it
will clean up the air along Beach Road for one day during the week.
Both the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the National Energy Policy Office are providing financial support,
as are other related agencies.
As many as 20 booths will be set up over the two-kilometre stretch, selling merchandise from districts
and sub-districts in Chonburi representing the government program “one tambon - one product”. Organizers are optimistic that
in later weeks the fair will expand to include other districts from around Thailand.
Over
231 hotels in Pattaya are also being encouraged to help promote the “one tambon - one product” program by purchasing useful
items to be used in the hotel business.
Various traditional Thai customs from regional areas will be added to the entertainment. Also on the agenda
are Thai boxing, Thai traditional arts, music, dancing, exhibitions of Thai handicrafts and local products from all districts
in Chonburi.
Games and activities include Thai language crosswords, Thai fun puzzles, Thai paintings, and much more,
all sure to peak tourists’ interests.
Additional personnel to support traffic control have been coordinated, and community volunteers and police
officers from adjacent areas will be providing assistance. An emergency action response force will be on stand-by, prepared
to react to any emergency within 5-minutes.
Precautions have been taken to prevent vendors from setting up randomly in the area, and organizers hope
security will preclude other nuisances on Pattaya Beach Road.
Pattaya 2nd and 3rd Roads will be the main avenues allowing north and south bound traffic. No mention has
been made of what will become of the side streets, although some of them will be designated as “access streets”, and will
be posted as such.
Although some of the businesses in the area have expressed reservations about the fair, Chonburi governor
Chadej Insawang said that his office is planning the best it can and asks for the public’s patience - as it may turn out to
be ok.
During a press conference on February 18 announcing the start of the weekly fair, Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat
announced that the construction on Beach Road would begin as planned in early March. The mayor said the construction will
start in North Pattaya and eventually, possibly three months later, it will near Central Road. He said when that time comes,
adjustments will need to be made to accommodate the construction, and if necessary, the fair may be temporarily discontinued.
