Pattaya News

In a cautious sign that things are slowly improving in Pattaya, the city has announced that effective from Thursday, April 28th, Walking Street will live up to its name once again, shutting to vehicle traffic nightly.

The street had been allowing vehicles at all hours since 2020 during Covid19 due to many venues still being closed and restrictions on tourists and entertainment venues.

However, in recent weeks many more restaurants have opened and announcements that in May test and go will be removed for international visitors and hours to serve alcohol will be extended to midnight have caused authorities to make the call to close the street once again at night.

Therefore, from 7:00 P.M. TO 6:00 A.M. nightly the street will shut to vehicle traffic once again.

The Thai Cabinet has decided that the reopening date for entertainment venues, pubs, bars and karaoke joints across Thailand will be on Jan 16.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) argued that the date will yield the highest benefit to the country.

The Chonburi Provincial Police held a meeting om November 4th with Pattaya business owners in the hotel, restaurant, bar, service, and entertainment industry to address concerns about a continued ban on alcohol sales at restaurants and the closure of bars and entertainment venues.

Entertainment venues have been closed for almost seven months straight in Pattaya due to Covid-19 concerns.

Business owners in Pattaya have been growing increasingly frustrated over the closure, even as other areas in the country like Phuket or Krabi have been given exceptions to allow alcohol sales in restaurants. Police have continued regular raids in Pattaya, normally well known for its nightlife, to any business daring to attempt to break the rules.

Plans to re-open Pattaya to tourism have been shelved indefinitely.

The plan was to open up on September 1st. The TAT has now abandoned this idea, Pattaya's mayor Sontaya Khunplome told Manager yesterday.

The TAT have not set a date when Pattaya can reopen to tourism.

Chonburi is one of the worst covid affected provinces of Thaialnd and reported 1,318 new cases on Monday. The large number of local cases put an end to Pattaya' hopes of re-opening.