PATTAYA, THAILAND – The coastal city used a local jet ski and speedboat competition at Jomtien Beach to reinforce its role as a leading water sports hub on Thailand’s eastern seaboard.
City builds on year-round tourism and coastline
The resort has long been a year-round destination for domestic and international visitors, with an extensive and well-developed shoreline that authorities used to expand water sports and leisure activities. According to the city administration, the focus lay on offers such as jet skis, speedboats, sport boats, banana boats, windsurfing, wing foiling and stand-up paddleboarding. The goal was to give children, teenagers and local residents from Pattaya and nearby areas more access to water-based exercise and to promote healthy lifestyles.
Four-day competition at Jomtien Beach
Together with the Pattaya Jet Ski Club, the city organized the “2026 Pattaya Local Jet Ski and Speedboat Competition” at Jomtien Beach from 8 to 11 January 2026. The annual event was intended to develop young talent, strengthen community spirit and fair play, and raise the competitive level of water sports in the region. Organizers stated that the competition aimed to give young athletes and the wider public a chance to gain experience and test their abilities in a contest setting.
“The event wanted to give young female and male athletes, as well as the broader population, the chance to gain experience and test their skills in competition.”
said the organizers, according to the report.
12 racing categories and over 300,000 baht in prizes
The program featured 12 competition categories in two main areas. Speedboat racing comprised four classes: Formula One (F1), F5 two-stroke open, F30 two-stroke open and Sport 40 open. Jet skis and related classes covered categories such as Yamaha Pla O banana-boat-towing (up to 701 cc), three-person banana boat, various Yamaha Pla O 650 cc formats including a 45+ years class and endurance, junior slalom for ages 8–13 in sitting and standing divisions, Yamaha XL/VN up to 700 cc and Runabout 800 Stock.
Trophies from the city and focus on young athletes
Winners in each class received honorary trophies from Pattaya City, and total prize money exceeded 300,000 baht. The competition was designed to open pathways into structured sport for children and adolescents who might otherwise only watch from the sidelines. The emphasis on junior categories underlined the city’s intention to use water sports as a tool for youth promotion rather than just tourist entertainment.
Backed by sports bodies and local authorities
The event was supported by several agencies and private actors, including the Pattaya Jet Ski Club, the Chonburi Provincial Sports Association, the Chonburi Provincial Tourism and Sports Office, the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation, the Pattaya Regional Harbour Office, the Pattaya City Police Station and other municipal units. According to officials, the competition formed part of a broader strategy to strengthen teamwork in tourism promotion and to enhance Pattaya’s image as a center for sport and sports tourism. The approach followed national policy guidelines set by the government and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
Strategy to become a true “Sport City”
Officials stated that such events were intended to position the city as a genuine “sport city” and to support sustainable economic revitalization across Pattaya. Water sports were presented as one of the few fields in which the resort could link youth development, image-building and economic interests. The long-term question, the report suggested, would be whether competitions like this evolve into full programs with training, safety, environmental standards and clear career paths, shaping whether Pattaya remains a backdrop or develops a distinct sporting identity.