Chonburi officials will formally request that the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration designate Pattaya as a tourist “sandbox” along with Phuket.
Banglamung and Sattahip districts in Chonburi had been one of 17 sandboxes after the country eased entry restrictions in November. But when the CCSA backtracked and shut down the “Test & Go” entry scheme over concern about importing the omicron coronavirus variant last month, it also cut the number of sandboxes to one: Phuket.
The reasoning was obvious. Unlike Pattaya, Phuket is an island that can be easily sealed off and exit points monitored. Sandbox tourists are required to spend their first week in the area. In Pattaya, keeping them from traveling outside the sandbox would be nearly impossible.
Nonetheless, Pattaya and Chonburi officials met at the Grand Jomtien Hotel with representatives from the Pattaya Business & Tourism Association, Chonburi Tourism Industry Council and Thai Hotels Association Eastern Chapter to draft a sandbox plan that would pass muster with the CCSA.
Pattaya officials proposed setting up a “command center” with upgraded links between police, immigration, city hall and hotels that would better track the movements of tourists, including ensuring that they are using location-tracking applications on their mobile phones.
The plan now goes to the Chonburi communicable disease committee for approval before sending it to the CCSA.
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