Jomtien beach renovation paused after dredger ship suffers mechanical problem

Pattaya –

A major Jomtien beach renovation project has been paused after a dredger ship being used to suction and transplant sand to expand the beach reportedly broke. According to Pattaya City authorities, a new dredger ship will be arriving at the end of October and the project will be continued immediately.

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In July of this year, the first phase of a multi-year Jomtien beach renovation project designed to stop coastal erosion and expand the shoreline restarted again after months of a pause as a sand dredging license was finally approved after months of delay, according to Pattaya City officials. Click here for more details.

The under-construction area is now blocked from public access along the roughly 400-meter portion of the beach currently under expansion located at the South end of Jomtien Beach Road. The project is now completely paused while all machinery has been temporarily removed from the construction site.

Project leaders from the Italian Thai company, who have been contracted for the beach expansion, told The Pattaya News they, unfortunately, have to pause their work for now due to the dredger ship issues. Representatives from the company did not expand on what exact mechanical problems took place that were delaying the work. However, they continually reassured the press that, according to them, this would not be months of delays and pause like earlier this year waiting for a dredger license.

According to the Italian Thai company, the new dredger ship is larger than the previous one, faster, and more efficient. The overall beach expansion project, at an estimated cost of 586 million baht for the first phase of a multi-year plan, will be continued immediately when the new dredger ship arrives, according to company officials.

Italian Thai company officials concluded by stating that they still feel the original plan and estimated deadlines for completion will not be heavily affected by this current pause, citing the new dredger’s improved capacity. The more popular portions of Jomtien Beach, located near Dongtan beach, are still not expected to be expanded until near the end of 2022.

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