On Sunday morning, 24 September 2022 – a group of boaters from the Pattaya and Jomtien boating community rallied behind the efforts of Ocean Marina Yacht Club, to bring awareness to the ever visible rubbish problem we see on the amazing islands around Pattaya. This pilot event, lead by Ocean Marina, saw 6 boats, 44 people join the first island/beach clean up, successfully taking an incredible 1,850kg of washed-up rubbish off Koh Man Wichai

Ocean Marina was the start and endpoint of the event where all the rubbish had to be brought back on the Ocean Marina flagship, Siamese Twin, due to the huge volume collected. Boaters picked up their rubbish bags and equipment from the marina around 9am before setting out to Koh Man Wichai. Boats anchored off the island’s main beach, and the teams of volunteers on the beaches, collected the rubbish and packed into the bags provided by Ocean Marina.

Scott Finsten lead the charge for the first event, here is what he has to say, “From the beginning, the island/beach clean up was well-received, supported by leading boating companies in Pattaya, including Simpson Marine, Playmate Charters, and ASAP Marine Trading,  all vowing to bring their boats in support of the event. With a successful start, the event quickly gained momentum and had many groups without boats wanting to join in, presenting a fantastic opportunity for charter boats in the future.“

Ocean Marina are planning to make this a regular event, involving each and all of the islands around Pattaya, along with the various marine-focused conservation groups. To register your interest in future events, email: growboating@oceanmarinayachtclub.com

Koh Man Wichai is a small island with 3 picturesque coves located just south of Koh Phai, about 14 miles from Ocean Marina.  There are two small beaches on the east side of the island and a slightly larger beach on the west side of the island. All three beaches have white sand, crystal clear water, and each beach is nestled into its own private bay.