Tourists and deck-chair attendants who witnessed the spectacle say it was at first visible about 100 metres offshore, but then drifted in with the tide. The whole of the beach from near the Walking Street entrance up to the Dusit Thani Hotel was affected.
Deck-chair vendors say the plankton boom is an annual occurrence and is not harmful. They are so used to the sight they even have a name for it, kee pla waan. This translates to whale pooh in English and, judging by the change in the colour of the seawater, does not seem to be an inaccurate name.
Marine specialists say the plankton drifts down the coast and was previously spotted off the coast of Bang Saen. They explained that the plankton would have washed away from Pattaya and Jomtien’s beaches within the next few days.
Long touted as Thailand’s favourite seaside resort, Pattaya’s star has not waned. 12GO ASIA offers a choice of bus, passenger van or private-hire taxi for travel between Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi Airport and Pattaya.
We also provide reservations services for flights from Utapao Pattaya Airport to Koh Samui, Phuket and Chiang Mai. Our image of the kee pla waan phenomenon was supplied by TNEWS.
Plankton transforms Pattaya Bay into colour of emeralds
News in Asia
Tourists on Pattaya Beach Road were confronted by the rather unusual sight of emerald green sea on Tuesday. Marine experts say the transformation from the water’s usual blue colour was caused by a wave of plankton.