Dongtan Beach Walkway becomes night market

[Gaybutton]

Tax-paying businesses struggle as mobile vendors dominate Jomtien night market

By Pattaya Mail

January 24, 2024

PATTAYA, Thailand – Dong Tan beach, once a tranquil stretch of beach, has undergone a metamorphosis into a lively night market, bustling with sellers and buyers each night, creating a mix of excitement and disorientation for local businesses in Jomtien. The market’s popularity has soared, attracting numerous mobile vendors eager to participate in commerce.

However, the market’s success comes with its share of challenges. Parking spaces, initially designated for convenience, have now been transformed into makeshift stalls offering various foods and drinks. Regulatory restrictions from local authorities at prohibited parking spaces seem ineffective, resulting in chaos as cars compete for limited space.

In the midst of these challenges, registered businesses are grappling with disruptions, with some compelled to endure construction work in front of their shops, making it impossible to sell products and services to customers. The lack of control over mobile food vendors in Pattaya allows them to exploit opportunities, reaping rewards without adhering to regulations.

As Dong Tan Market evolves into a night market phenomenon, the response from local authorities remains uncertain. Affected residents have appealed to authorities to designate free spaces for vendors, preserving roads for regular traffic and preventing the encroachment on sales for tax-paying shops.

The unfolding situation prompts questions about the delicate balance between the vibrant economic experiment of the Dong Tan Night Market and the concerns of established businesses and residents in Jomtien. How local authorities navigate this unconventional development will shape the future dynamics of this bustling marketplace.

Story and photos: https://www.pattayamail.com/news/tax-pa ... ket-450681

[Daleinpattaya]

I wonder, where specifically is this night market area located?

[Jun]

I wonder, where specifically is this night market area located?

Well, the photo is taken from just south of the police box at the bottom of Dongtan Beach.

All I've seen is a few food carts, all parked on the beach side of the road, so not interfering with any businesses. Not requiring much setup either.
Exactly as shown in the photo. So how do you get from that to the Pattaya Mail story ?

I've walked the entire length of Dongtan Beach after sunset and haven't seen anything else.

Perhaps it's on a different day of the week, but on the other hand, based on recent evidence, Pattaya Mail don't prioritise accurate reporting. They're more interested in a good story, even if it may be exaggerated and badly distorted. For example: https://gaybuttonthai.com/viewtopic.php?t=11494

Fow what it's worth, the night stalls on Pattaya Tai are far more of a nuisance.

[Gaybutton]

accurate reporting.

Inaccurate reporting? From Thai media? Surely you jest . . .

Of course the USA has plenty of inaccurate reporting too. Just look at Fox News - any time.

Here's my all time favorite example of inaccurate reporting in the USA:




I am hoping for similar inaccurate reporting if a headline ever appears that says "Trump Defeats Biden"

[Jun]

Inaccurate reporting? From Thai media? Surely you jest . . .

Is this Thai media, or a group of expats, who can't quite decide if they want to be journalists or fiction writers?

Regarding the broader state of journalism, whilst I presume your example is from the 1940s, all I see is declining standards of journalism in recent decades. The internet means fewer people buy newspapers, so they cut costs and produce more clickbait.

[Gaybutton]

I presume your example is from the 1940s

I don't want to get too far off topic, but I'll explain one of the most famous political photos ever in the USA. In the presidential election of 1948 Harry Truman, Democrat, was president and running for reelection against Thomas E. Dewey, Republican, famous prosecutor who had become governor of New York.

Everyone (except Truman) was so certain that Dewey would win that the Chicago Tribune published this issue, far too early before the results were in, under the assumption that Dewey was surely going to win. But Dewey lost and Truman won. Obviously a major embarrassment for the Chicago Tribune.

That is why Truman is holding up the newspaper and grinning. To the best of my knowledge, the Chicago Tribune was the only newspaper that made the mistake.

[Jun]

I don't want to get too far off topic

There won't be much on topic material, unless we can find some evidence of the 'Dongtan Night Market' actually existing.
For me, a half a dozen food carts don't make a market and even these are located by the "Jomtien Beach" sign, rather than the "Dongtan Beach" sign.

[Gaybutton]

There won't be much on topic material, unless we can find some evidence of the 'Dongtan Night Market' actually existing.

Maybe it doesn't. The article does say that local businesses complained. Maybe the police already kicked out the vendors.

I don't believe Pattaya Mail just made up the whole thing. I don't know why they would do that. If they did, that would be a definite addition to my "I Don't Get It" list.

[Jun]

I don't believe Pattaya Mail just made up the whole thing.

Not 100% made up, but the story might just be severely embellished and distorted so that the article bears no resemblance to reality.

They did include a photo of a few food carts, which I can verify the existence of.

Oddly enough, their reporter failed to photograph anything matching the description in the article.

I'll be interested to hear what other members have seen.

[Gaybutton]

Not 100% made up, but the story might just be severely embellished and distorted so that the article bears no resemblance to reality.

If they are going to embellish a story, that's the story they pick to embellish?

For the time being, until we know what's going on, there is no point in keeping this topic under "Announcements". I'll put it back under "Announcements" if the story turns out to be true, as written.