forcebwithu

WS business owners aren't happy with the slow progress. https://www.facebook.com/Thepattayanews/posts/1180956669322007

Amazing Thailand. I snapped a picture of them restarting the paving project on 29 May. Nine days later they've only managed to pave this small stretch. The area that once was Simon Beer Bar complex is being cleared. Heading down Beach Rd to take pics of WS I encountered a backup of traffic that stretched back a good distance. Turns out it was this doofus in the right lane that had stopped with his flashers on. Thought maybe he had engine problems, but as I was taking pictures of the paving work I saw the parked vehicle move out and the van slip into its place. As is the norm here, didn't hear one horn honk in protest.

The curb and construction barrier is what limits access to The Avenue to foot traffic only, or a guy with a camera on a mtn bike.

Soi 15 update. Still can get to Soi Dianna via Piss Alley, but only foot traffic to The Avenue. Road construction on 2nd Rd by Kiss.

Sun dog from about an hour ago.

Same happened in the US market. Customers clamored for cheaper prices and the airlines delivered with an à la carte menu. Of course then they complained about having to pay for checked bags, seat preference, meals, etc.

Not Pattaya, but pics from today of the Jomtien Beach nourishment project. Looking south and north from opposite of the Chaiyaphruek intersection. Nice example of redneck engineering for hauling boats out of the water. A peak behind the construction barricades of the work currently taking place from soi 12 - 13. Pic looking south from the north end of Dongtan Beach.

Two days ago they had started on laying down the new pavers. Somebody must have seen it was a piss poor job since today the new pavers at the entrance to walking street are gone. Farther up WS they're digging broke a water main. Work continues on the intersection of the enlarged drains near Soi 16. And over on Soi 15 off of Buakhao no more cutting through The Avenue for vehicles to avoid the construction, but Piss Alley is still open. If you're on two wheels it's possible to ride the length of Soi 15 to 2nd Rd if you're comfortable riding on sections of soft, shifting dirt and sand. Looks like the massage shop is still open, but can't image the massage would be very relaxing with the construction noise just outside the front door. Fully paved up to the Mercure now. The bend before 2nd Rd is still unfinished.

Looks like a beautiful park. Agree, wish we had something like it in Pattaya. Probably closest are the paths going up and around the Pattaya City sign and the view point. BTW, Google reports different opening hours. Checked as I thought the 16:00 in your post might be a typo.

Repaving of WS has started. Currently working on the section from the entrance to Soi 14. Since I was in the area snapped off a couple of pics of the south Pattaya canal. The market across from Wat Chai on Pattaya Tai is still closed.

A post on another forum said the place on Soi Pothole with the gold plated urinals is now open to 2am too.

Thought I'd add the loop I usually do when updating the Shrinking Pattaya Reservoirs topic. It's a relatively easy 40km loop with minimal elevation gain. The km distance included in parenthesis above each photo corresponds to the waypoints in the Google Map at the end of this post. The starting point for the route is the railway road intersection at Soi Khao Nois. (0.0km) When you get to the sign for the Indoor Stadium, turn left. (4.8km) At the bottom of a small rise in the road turn left. (6.9km) Within a short distance of about 100m you'll make another left. Another 100m and you'll be at the entrance to Huai Chak Nok Reservoir. (7.3km) The entrance is unmarked, but once you're on it you'll see the reservoir. There is a small stretch that has been recently graded over, but most times it has deep potholes. (7.5km) Exiting the causeway you'll turn left. The tarmac road you follow is in good shape and an enjoyable ride. (10.2km) At 11.2km you'll come to a T intersection where you'll turn left. The dip in the road before the intersection usually has a shallow, slow moving stream across it. A warning here, learn from my experience and ride straight through the water before making any kind of turn. While the water is very shallow, there is algae build up on the road surface which makes for a very slick surface. I went through at speed and while I only made a slight turn to adjust my path, I went down before I could even think WTF. Fortunately there was no damage to my bike. The next section of road is in good shape, but be aware there are short sections where sand covers the road from storm runoff. (12.0km) When you pass the white temple on the right you'll come to another T intersection. (13.1km) Turn right to continue on to Mabprachan Reservoir, or if you've had enough you can turn left to shortcut back to Pattaya. If do decide to shortcut home, after turning left you'll encounter a split in the road. (13.4km). Going left will get you back to the railway road, bearing right will take you on a scenic ride back to Soi Nern Plub Wan. If you do take the scenic ride to Nern Plub Wan be very, very careful crossing the storm grates, of which there are several. The idiot road engineers never give a thought to those on two wheels when they install grates parallel to the direction of travel. If you don't cross at a slight angle, those riding on skinny tires are guaranteed to get trapped and flung over your handle bars. It happened today to a guy I came across just after he had gone down. Fortunately no damage to him or his bike other than a chain that jumped the front sprocket. Back on the route to Mabprachan, the next left turn you want to watch for is Soi 27. (14.9km) This section of road is a scenic ride that will take you past Siam Polo Park and Horseshoe Point. You also get a small hill climb in using the bridge that crosses the new highway. (16.0km) At the crest of the bridge on clear days you can see Khao Chi Chan off in the distance. (16.4km) At 20.7km your arrive at the Soi Siam Country Club road intersection and the Mabprachan Bike Path. There's no easy access to the bike path at the intersection, so if you want to stay off the busy road you'll need to walk your bike across a small, shallow ditch to get on the bike path. The bike path is two way, so it's your choice which way to ride. For this route I rode the path in a clockwise direction. Once on the causeway there is a road off to the left that you can take for access to nice mtn bike trails on that side of the dam. (21.8km) On the other side of the causeway there are a couple of access roads to mtn bike trails that run along the north shore of the reservoir. (23.9km) Use this link to view a post from 2020 about the off road options around Mabprachan. They've completed a new section to Mabprachan Reservoir Park. (25.7km) It has a side path off the main bike path with a good view of the reservoir and nice landscaping. (26.0km) They've also repurposed the swim platform as a deck leading to the water's edge. (27.0km) Seemed a waste not to to take advantage of the water for a cooling off dip. From this point on it's an easy and simple ride along the bike path and then along Soi Siam Country Club road back to Pattaya. If you follow the route I used in the map below, you'll make you're way from SCC to Soi Nern Plub Wan and then along the railway road back to the start point for a total distance of 40km.

Next up, Mabprachan Reservoir. On the far shore, the white structure is the water intake for the reservoir. No more having to keep dredging a deeper channel to feed water to the pumps. For many years there's been a poorly maintained dirt track by the water filtration plant. Looks like they have plans to commercialize the spot. Was surprised to see the work going on to clear this area. Hopefully it'll be another addition to the Mabprachan Reservoir Park. A new side path to the main bike path with nice looking landscaping. They used to have this as a floating swim platform, but now makes a handy path to the water. The water combined with the heat was just too tempting not to go for a swim. Much refreshed continued making my way around the reservoir. I was happy to see they cleared the over grown vegetation so I could once again get a clear picture of the floating pump station.

Eight months since the last update, so about time I got out there again and checked the reservoir levels. No surprise with lack of tourists and a decent amount of rain the reservoirs are in great shape. First up, Huai Chak Nok Reservoir. The side reservoir that was being used by a jet ski business is full, but no more jet ski business. The dredged out pond on the right is new. No idea what that is used for. The dogs were the smart ones. Those that bothered to open an eye probably had a good laugh at the stupid human passing by on a bike in the heat. Overflow basin that's been dry for years. I'm hoping the work they're doing on the far shore will include a bike path. There was a time only a few years ago we could ride a dirt path along that shore on our mtn bikes.

Thought it was because they bought the lease, but not the name, thus the slight change in name. Same happened when Heaven Above moved out of their location on WS and to a new location on Soi Boomerang. The new business in HA old location dropped "Above" from the name and called itself Heaven Agogo.

The Zero Bar location has a new name A few snaps from Beach Rd.

Progress update on the 747 self-loading cargo terminal.

De Bua Hotel

^^^ News item about the sign on Beach Rd.

Soi 15 road work update. You can still get through to 2nd Rd through the Avenue parking lot, but probably for not much longer. A few pics of Soi Boomerang. Since elections are on the 22nd, guessing this has something to do with that.

The new building on Soi 15 near the Buakhao intersection is almost done. And on Buakhao opposite Soi 15 the new hotel is almost completed.

Don't think anyone outside of immigration can definitely state if use of an agent is legal, or illegal.

Looks like they're laying a foundation for a large structure next to the 747. Perhaps a terminal for self-loading cargo.

I don't believe you could ever convert an OA directly to O. Only route that I'm aware of is to let the OA lapse, re-enter on a TV or exempt, then get the O in country.