CHON BURI: Beaches and tourist attractions in Pattaya buzzed with tourists on Friday, the first day of a six-day long holiday, with hotel rooms on Koh Larn, an island situated about 7 kilometres off the coast of Pattaya, fully booked.
Many Thais and foreign tourists boarded ferries at Bali Hai pier in South Pattaya to Koh Larn on Friday morning. The Pattaya City Municipality and the Marine Office deployed officials to facilitate the travel of holidaymakers at the pier. More parking spaces were also arranged to accommodate the rising number of vehicles.
Authorities have sought cooperation from operators of ferries to strictly abide by safety measures regarding the number of passengers suitable for the type of boats. All passengers were told to wear life jackets and/or be fitted with other rescue equipment to prevent a possible untoward incident.
On Koh Larn, there were about 3,000 rooms to serve visitors. The room occupancy rate on the island has reached 100% since early this month. The long holiday period was expected to generate more than 100 million baht on the island, known for its beaches and tranquility.
There was a rising demand for rooms on Koh Larn after the caretaker cabinet on Tuesday approved the cabinet secretariat's proposal to declare Monday, July 31, a special government holiday, creating a six-day vacation period from July 28 to Aug 2 to spur tourism.
July 28 is His Majesty the King's birthday, Aug 1 is Asahna Bucha Day and Aug 2 the beginning of Buddhist Lent, all government holidays. The extra day makes it an uninterrupted six day-weekend for government employees.
Tourists enjoy a stroll along a beach in Pattaya, Chon Buri. (Photo: Chaiyot Pupattanapong)
