Hundreds of Pattaya’s hungry and unemployed flouted curfew hours and social distancing for a chance at free food and necessities donated by the Pattaya Norwegian Church.
People began lining up on Thappraya Soi 5 at 1 a.m., two hours after the national curfew began and three hours before it ended. By the time donations began at 9 a.m., more than 1,000 people were in a line spanning a half-kilometer with no social distancing.
One curfew breaker said he cared more about getting food than getting arrested. Police came by and told everyone to go home, but no one did and officers made no arrests, although some ducked behind nearby houses until the cops left.
Neighbors, however, were none too pleased, annoyed at the noise the crowd made all night and in fear of disease spreading in their neighborhood.
They demanded the church pay more attention to the implications of their generosity and that police do their job.
