Pattaya cement scandal: Contractor fined for drain dump
Locals demand stricter penalties as waste dumping and footpath hazards escalate
When it comes to environmental blunders, few things anger Pattaya residents more than contractors treating the city’s drains like a rubbish tip.
That frustration boiled over this week when municipal officers caught a contractor red-handed pouring cement wastewater directly into a public drain on Pattaya Beach Soi 4.
The man was hauled into City Hall and slapped with a 2,000 baht fine on the spot. Officials wasted no time warning that this reckless behaviour doesn’t just pollute the environment—it also clogs drainage systems and worsens flooding, creating an eyesore and inconvenience for the whole community.
A Pattaya City Hall representative added that both residents and businesses must do their part to keep public spaces clean.
“Violations will not be overlooked.”
Locals, however, say this is just the tip of the iceberg. Residents report that food vendors are often seen tipping leftover oil, grease, and food scraps directly into the drains. The result? Constant blockages, foul smells, and flooded streets during heavy rain. Many are calling for harsher fines and more consistent crackdowns on repeat offenders.
The concerns don’t stop at drains. Residents also flagged safety hazards along Soi 5-7 in Jomtien, where exposed metal bars jutting out from sidewalks pose a serious risk of accidents.
“It shouldn’t take someone getting hurt before action is taken,” one resident complained, urging municipal inspectors to be more proactive.
Officials say the city already runs a 24-hour hotline 1337, where the public can report both environmental violations and urban hazards. But residents argue the system only works if complaints are followed up quickly and consistently.
Calls are now growing for the municipality to ramp up enforcement by issuing steeper penalties, not just token fines. Some suggest making offenders cover the cost of cleaning and repairs, or even suspending operating licences for businesses that repeatedly break the rules, reported Pattaya Mail.
For a city that thrives on tourism, residents say cleaner streets and safer walkways are non-negotiable.
As one local put it: “If Pattaya can’t keep its drains and sidewalks in order, how can it expect to attract visitors?”
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