Beach vendors say older foreigners and Thais are keeping them in business through the coronavirus tourism downturn.
Pha Aree, who has been renting beach chairs and umbrellas for 30 years near the Dusit Thani Hotel, has survived more than her share of crises, from the near obliteration of the Dusit Curve beach by erosion, closure during its rebuild and the tourism downturns during the 2004 tsunami, SARS, political strife and numerous military coups.
She’ll get through Covid-19, too, Pha said.
Even after the Chinese disappeared and other tourists canceled plans to visit Pattaya, her regular customers of older Europeans who come to Pattaya for months remain. Each day the old foreigners arrive to sun themselves.
She said Pattaya also remains a popular destination for Thais from Bangkok and nearby provinces and she can still depend on families and groups arriving during holidays.
Her prices remain reasonable, with a day’s chair rental 100 baht or less and food selling for 80 baht or less per dish.
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