Chairs full, beers clinking, and bar girls smiling — Pattaya’s beach road bars haven’t missed a beat this Buddhist holiday weekend. (Photo by Jetsada Homklin) PATTAYA, Thailand – The holiday crowds have returned to Pattaya Beach Road, and so has the unmistakable rhythm of the city’s nightlife — beer bars full of chatter, neon lights flickering in the sea breeze, and bar girls smiling from open stools, offering cheerful conversation to passing tourists. For over 40 years, this stretch of beachside bars has been a central part of Pattaya’s draw, and this long weekend, it showed no sign of slowing down. On the evening of July 11, as Buddhist Lent and Asanha Bucha brought a long weekend across Thailand, reporters observed a lively mix of foreign and Thai tourists flooding the beachfront. The once quiet afternoon beach scene of umbrellas and sunbathers turned electric after sunset, when the long-standing rule banning alcohol sales on religious holidays was temporarily relaxed in designated tourist zones. This change — allowing entertainment venues, hotels, and licensed bars in tourist areas to sell alcohol even on important Buddhist days — brought a fresh wave of life to Pattaya’s night economy. Families had their fill of beachfront dinners and market snacks during the day, while nightlife regulars and holidaymakers spilled into bars along the beach road as night fell. Lisa Hamilton, president of the Pattaya Nightlife Business Association, welcomed the policy shift, noting that bars, beer bars, pubs, and restaurants were packed once again despite it being the traditional “low season” for international arrivals. “Thai tourists filled the gap this weekend. Many venues saw full tables all day and deep into the night,” she said. Along Beach Road, the familiar calls of bar staff, the clink of ice in whiskey glasses, and music drifting from open-front venues offered a sense of continuity. For some returning tourists, it felt like a time warp — the bars may have changed names, and the chairs may be newer, but the energy was the same as decades past. “Talking with the girls at the bar is part of the Pattaya experience,” said a German tourist in his 60s, sipping beer with friends at a beachside bar. “It’s not about anything wild — it’s about company, feeling welcome, and not drinking alone.” The congestion on the roads, particularly around Second Road and Beach Road, was noticeable throughout the weekend — a sign, many say, of a successful rebound. Hotels reported high occupancy, and beach vendors offered smiles as tourists queued up for grilled squid, fresh coconuts, or simply a rented beach chair. What’s clear is this: Pattaya’s beach bar scene remains a vital part of the city’s identity. And with policies that support its legal and cultural space — even during religious holidays — it looks ready to keep welcoming tourists for many more decades.