Pattaya’s long-delayed stadium finally back on track
New design, tight deadline and funding gaps test Pattaya’s push for a world-class sports venue
Once dubbed a never-ending construction nightmare, Pattaya’s 20,000-seat stadium is finally rising — and could open early.
After years of delays, controversies, and abandoned construction, Pattaya’s Eastern Sports Stadium is finally back in the spotlight — for the right reasons. Mayor Poramet Ngampichet has revealed that the long-stalled project is now around 53% complete and 51 days ahead of schedule.
During an inspection at the end of April, the mayor, joined by city officials and project contractors, confirmed that Phase 3 of the stadium’s construction is progressing well and will be completed by Christmas Day this year.
Originally launched in 2008 with a staggering budget of 774 million baht, the 20,000-seat stadium inside the Eastern National Sports Centre in Pattaya was left half-built for years, leading locals to call it a “marathon project”. But a turning point came in late 2022, when Poramet took office. By early 2023, a special committee greenlit additional funding to restart construction under Phase 3.
Now, the structure is visibly taking shape. The grandstand’s entrance structure is complete, electrical and signal wiring is 70% finished, and the roof frame is 20% done. The football and athletic fields are underway, and other works, including architecture and facilities, are between 25% and 80% complete, depending on the section.
The 2,500-seat building on the north side is nearing completion, with 80% of sanitary and electrical systems done. The 5,000-seat stand is at 40% for architecture, while the south side’s 2,500-seat section has completed 90% of its structural work. Drainage, curbs, and roadworks surrounding the facility have also been finalised.
A key challenge involved redesigning the roof, which had originally been curved — a design that proved too complex for the current contractor to continue. The issue has now been resolved with a new, simpler design.
One concern remains: the current Phase 3 budget does not cover seat installation. A proposal for Phase 4 funding has already been submitted, and if approved between September and October, seating can be installed in tandem with project wrap-up, reported Daily News.
Mayor Poramet expressed confidence that once complete, the stadium will host national and international sports events, as well as large-scale concerts — finally giving Pattaya the world-class venue it was promised over a decade ago.
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