Pattaya beaches quietly reopen

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Scattered sun lovers spread out on towels and mats, keeping their proper distance from each other.
Scattered sun lovers spread out on towels and mats, keeping their proper distance from each other.

Pattaya’s beaches quietly reopened Monday for recreation, swimming, sun bathing and renting beach chairs, with few tourists and no umbrellas.

Despite the amount of complaint from expats about the weeks-long beach closures and from vendors about losing income, neither showed up in force June 1. Scattered sun lovers spread out on towels and mats, keeping their proper distance from each other.



Pattaya officials said chair and umbrella vendors should all return by June 7 when new rules are in place to prevent the risk of spreading the coronavirus. Many had left the city or had their equipment in store, city hall explained.

Physical distancing will be enforced, with beach chairs placed at least 1 to 1.5 meters apart. This will effectively reduce the number of chairs. No chairs will be allowed three consecutive days a week, instead of just one.

When they do return, the chair renters should have more hours to work. Pattaya is planning to increase services hours to 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. instead of the usual 6 p.m.

Pattaya officials said chair and umbrella vendors should all return by June 7 when new rules are in place to prevent the risk of spreading the coronavirus.
Pattaya officials said chair and umbrella vendors should all return by June 7 when new rules are in place to prevent the risk of spreading the coronavirus.
A scattering of foreign tourists have returned. (Photo by Jan Olav Aamlid)
A tourist goes down on Pattaya beach right away after the barricades were removed on Monday for a lovely sunbath that she had been waiting for a long long time. Pattaya is now back to become a paradise for the sea, sand, and sun lovers. (Photo by Jan Olav Aamlid)



Chairs are required to be 1 to 1.5 meters apart. (Photo by Jan Olav Aamlid)
Chairs are required to be 1 to 1.5 meters apart. (Photo by Jan Olav Aamlid)
Some vendors arrive to begin getting ready to set up their stations. (Photo by Jan Olav Aamlid)
Some vendors arrive to begin getting ready to set up their stations. (Photo by Jan Olav Aamlid)



Jomtien Beach ready to go and waiting for tourists. (Photo by Jan Olav Aamlid)
Jomtien Beach ready to go and waiting for tourists. (Photo by Jan Olav Aamlid)

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