Pattaya gets ready to cash in on Chinese New Year celebrations
Despite the surge in Covid-19 cases, Pattaya has remained popular among local and foreign tourists thanks to its high defence against the virus that is helping tourists feel more at ease.
“I believe Chinese New Year on February 1 is another important event that will see Pattaya bustling again. Tourists can come and complete all the rituals before heading to the beach to relax,” said Pattaya’s mayor Sontaya Kunplome.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) marked Pattaya City as a “blue zone” for domestic travellers, while foreign tourists can enter it via Test & Go or the Sandbox scheme.
Thailand is relaunching the Test & Go scheme from February 1 onwards, only this time it is open to all countries. Under the new version, tourists will be required to show booking at an SHA hotel or AQ site for the first and fifth day in Thailand and should be willing to undergo RT-PCR tests on those days. They are required to wait in the hotel or AQ premises until the results are released.
In the case of cluster infections, the Test & Go scheme may be replaced by a sandbox tourism pilot scheme.
Meanwhile, the CCSA will allow restaurants in the eight blue-zone provinces to serve booze until 11pm, provided the eateries meet SHA+ standards, or have Thai Stop Covid-19 and Covid-19 Free Setting measures in place.
Meanwhile, Sontaya said Pattaya’s income since the country reopened on November 1 last year has been good because more than 10 per c
ent of tourists entering Thailand head to the seaside town.
“I think the challenge now is managing tourism in line with health measures until the Covid-19 pandemic turns into an endemic,” the mayor said.