PATTAYA, THAILAND — A two‑minute video posted at 21:00 on 3 November 2024 showed a foreign couple driving a motorcycle directly along the shoreline of Jomtien Beach, prompting widespread criticism on Thai social media.
Viral clip triggers public backlash
The clip, uploaded to the Facebook page “Pattaya The Series”, captured the pair riding just a few meters from the waves while the tires sank into the soft sand. The page added a caption asking, “MOTORBIKE ON JOMTIEN BEACH – WHICH LANE IS THAT?” The video was shared and commented on more than 1,000 times within hours. Many users reacted with the phrase “NEW EXPRESSWAY ON JOMTIEN BEACH,” mocking the riders’ behaviour.
In the footage, an onlooker’s voice can be heard exclaiming, “I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. IS THAT EVEN ALLOWED? THE POLICE SHOULD SET UP A CHECKPOINT HERE!”
Reporters inspect the scene the next morning
On 4 November at 09:00, reporters and photographers from The Pattaya News visited the location near Wat Krating Thong temple, where two lines of tire tracks stretched about 500 to 600 meters between two speedboat docks.
Local beach vendor Mr. Ae, 33, who rents umbrellas and chairs nearby, said, “Usually it’s teenagers with small e‑scooters doing silly things, but this time they were tourists. They looked drunk and just wanted to have fun.” He added that such incidents happen only occasionally but create frustration among local workers who must maintain the beach.
Eyewitness describes the encounter
The man who filmed the clip, Mr. Samart Somron, 42, told The Pattaya News he recorded the moment spontaneously. “I was sitting on the sand when they drove right in front of me. They went all the way to the end of the beach. I took my phone instantly because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” he explained. “I only meant to show my friends.”
Rules and environmental concerns
Thailand’s coastal regulations prohibit vehicles on public beaches. Environmental officials have warned that motorbikes can compact sand and disturb marine ecosystems. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, which oversees Jomtien’s conservation zone, lists this as a punishable offense under local coastal protection laws.
Environmental observers noted three major risks:
• Erosion and sand compaction reducing turtle nesting areas
• Violation of Pattaya’s coastal protection ordinances enacted in 2021
• Damage to the city’s tourism image during an active sustainability campaign
A representative from Pattaya City Hall’s Environment Division confirmed on 5 November that municipal officers had reviewed the footage and would “increase evening patrols along Jomtien Beach.”
Search for the riders continues
As of 6 November 2024, police had not identified the couple. Pattaya Police Station Deputy Chief Pol. Lt. Col. Surachai Klinchai stated in a phone interview, “WE ARE CHECKING CCTV NEAR THE BEACH ROAD INTERSECTION TO TRACE THE MOTORCYCLE AND VERIFY THE HOTEL REGISTRATION.”
Pattaya, located 150 kilometers southeast of Bangkok, attracts millions of visitors annually. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Chonburi Director Supaporn Thanachai said her team received 12 separate visitor complaints after the video went viral. “WE HOPE THIS SERVES AS A REMINDER THAT RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IS EVERYONE’S DUTY,” she said on 7 November.
Local officials said any fine, once the offenders are found, could reach 10,000 baht under the Public Beach Act, in addition to potential charges for environmental damage. Meanwhile, daily patrol records released on 7 November showed five new checkpoints installed along Jomtien’s 2.8‑kilometer promenade, aimed at preventing repeat incidents.
The incident continues to dominate Pattaya’s online forums, reminding visitors that even momentary negligence along Thailand’s beaches can quickly turn into an international spectacle.