Thailand's Pattaya beach could vanish in five years

The popular Pattaya beach in Thailand is eroding at a rate of nearly two meters a year that could lead to its extinction in less than five years, according to Thai scientists.

Scientists fear that city development and sea currents have already taken a toll on the famous tourist beach and not taking any immediate action would mean that the beach will disappear in the near future.

If we don't fill the embankment with sand, the water will destroy the shore because there is nothing to block it, no sand, no sea wall, Thanawat Jarupongsakul, a marine and coastal erosion expert at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

“You can see that in some areas the beach has already gone, he said, adding that the width of Pattaya beach now is about 3 to 5 meters, compared to more than 35 meters in 1952. This year alone, the beach has shrunk to 3.2 acres, he said.

Thanawat said a rescue plan worth $19 million that would require up to 7.76 million cubic feet of sand should be implemented urgently to increase the shore width to 40 meters and save it from shrinking.

While the eroding beach in Pattaya could have serious impacts on tourism, environment and marine life are at greater risks.