It was a remarkable sight to witness the launch of an out-of-the-ordinary, six-day holiday in Pattaya. Tourists thronged Pattaya’s beaches and renowned tourist sites. Above all, the most attention was drawn to the breath-taking island of Koh Larn, located approximately 7 kilometres off the coast. The word among local resorts and lodgings was that all of their combined 3,000 rooms had been occupied!
Here comes the surprising part: Previously, a routine day in Pattaya saw ferries filled with Thai and foreign tourists embarked from the Bali Hai pier based at the southern tip of Pattaya. Destination? The radiant island of Koh Larn. Was it any different this time? Absolutely not! If anything, it was larger in scale and merrier in spirit!
To manage this increased crowd smoothly, the Pattaya City Municipality joined hands with the helpful Marine Office. As a result, they assigned more officials to keep things under control at the docks. Worried about safety? Rest assured. Ferry operators were advised to follow safety regulations strictly on the number of allowed passengers aboard each ferry. Additionally, everyone was required to wear life jackets during the sea journey.
To accommodate the swell in the number of vehicles, local authorities arranged for extra parking spaces well in advance. The immense demand for Koh Larn accommodations can be linked to the cabinet secretariat’s ingenious brainchild – an exceptional ‘special’ public holiday. From July 28 to August 2, extending this standard vacation period gave tourism a much-needed boost. In addition, this extra-long break coincided with traditional holidays such as His Majesty the King’s birthday, Asanha Bucha Day and the start of Buddha Lent.
This unanticipated, extended weekend allowed government employees to relish uninterrupted leisure time. Thanks to tourists’ influx, island businesses anticipated revenues surpassing 100 million baht during this remarkable period.
Officials at Koh Samui Airport, nestled in southern Surat Thani province, were also grinning ear-to-ear. The airport started welcoming hordes of national and international tourists, courtesy of the Cabinet’s timely decision. Flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to Samui, courtesy Bangkok Airways, were jam-packed. The same replicated with direct flights from Hong Kong and Singapore to Samui Island. Other travellers wielded the option to reach the island via ferries from Surat Thani.
Industry experts anticipated the Island to welcome more than 20,000 tourists during this extended break, lending the local economy a significant boost. Some of these visiting lot were expected to journey further, visiting neighbouring islands like Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao. A major chunk of these, particularly younger tourists, eagerly looked forward to the legendary Full Moon Party on Koh Pha Ngan’s Haad Rin beach come August 3, as reported by the Bangkok Post.
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