Sinchai Wattanasartsathorn
(center), President of the PBTA, chairs the 1st meeting of January 2014 at
the Grand Sole Hotel Pattaya.
Warunya Thongrod
Pattaya tourist levels have dropped 80 percent from last year as political
protests in Bangkok scare away the world’s visitors.
Speaking at the Pattaya Business & Tourism Associations Jan. 8 meeting at
the Grand Sole Hotel, officials from the city Tourism Department said the
high season has been devastated and only Chinese New Year at the end of the
month holds any hope of at least holding even with 2012-13.
PBTA President Sinchai Wattanasartsathorn echoed the feelings of business
leaders who are desperate to get the word out internationally that the
sporadically violent and even deadly Bangkok demonstrations have not
affected the Eastern Seaboard.
The PBTA is working with the Chonburi provincial government, Tourism
Authority of Thailand and other agencies to spread the word, he said.
The association also wants to see real-time video footage of Pattaya posted
to the Internet so potential visitors can see for themselves that the city
is safe and unaffected.
Business leaders also lamented that U-Tapao Pattaya International Airport
was unable to accept more international flights to steer people away from
the besieged capital.
