Pattaya hotel operators got their wish when Chonburi’s governor granted an order allowing them to close legally, a move that will help the struggling hospitality sector, an industry leader said.
Thanet Supornsahatrangsi, head of the Chonburi Tourism Industry Council, said Jan. 29, most of Pattaya’s 200,000 hotel rooms have been empty for weeks during the latest coronavirus lockdown. However, under Thai labor laws, hotel workers were ineligible for state unemployment compensation if hotels closed voluntarily.
The Thai Hotels Association Eastern Chapter and other groups lobbied heavily for a government-shutdown order, which finally came through Friday.
So, even though Chonburi has been downgraded to an orange zone for coronavirus surveillance and no new cases have been reported for days, many hotels will take advantage of the order until domestic tourism rebounds or even until foreign tourists return en masse.
The order is not mandatory, however. Those resorts wishing to remain open must notify the government within a week.
Thanet said the job now is to convince domestic travelers that Pattaya is free of coronavirus, safe to visit, has nice scenery and attractions, and accommodations at reasonable prices. Quarantine is not required for anyone visiting the province.
