Sattahip City, a small fishing town some 30 km south of Pattaya and the headquarters of the Royal Thai Navy, is being promoted as a model tourism city for ‘New Normal’ travel in Thailand, having been the nation’s pilot state quarantine centre as well as home to four pristine natural attractions and conservation projects.
The Royal Thai Navy, as well as Sattahip as a destination, has played a pivotal role in the nationwide effort to curb the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
From the early days of COVID-19, the Navy was assigned by the Royal Thai Government to establish a state quarantine facility and perform surveillance duties, as well as take care of Thai returnees from high-risk countries before allowing them to return home to their relatives.
The Navy’s state quarantine facility is considered the first of such establishments in Thailand that has also acted as a model project for other areas to follow the management guidelines.
Leveraging on Sattahip’s readiness and capability to provide safe and healthy travel, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in collaboration with the Royal Thai Navy and Chon Buri Province have jointly launched a project to promote Sattahip as a model city to travel during the “New Normal” and invite people to return and travel in the area again.
As part of the collaborative effort between the three partners, four natural attractions and conservation projects in Sattahip have undergone a strict inspection and passed the Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration’s (SHA) basic standards of hygiene, health and cleanliness, as part of the nationwide effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The four tourist attractions are the Sea Turtle Conservation Centre, Thai Island and Sea Nature History Museum, Sai Kaeo Beach, and Nang Ram – Nang Rong Beaches; all of which are located in the naval base area.
The Sea Turtle Conservation Centre is located within the compound of the Air and Coastal Defense Command. The Centre provides biological knowledge on the life cycle of sea turtles, as well as encourages the conservation of sea turtles. It also serves as a nursery with correct academic practices and is able to return raised sea turtles back to the sea.
Thai Island and Sea Nature History Museum comprises five exhibition halls: The Great Honour; The Philosophers’ Collaboration; Always Learn, Be smart; The Building of Destroying Bad Things; and To Protect the Thai Sea’s Potential. The Museum is under the supervision of the Royal Thai Fleet.
The Sai Kaeo Beach Service Centre is under the supervision of the Naval School. The Nang Ram – Nang Rong Beaches are located in the Royal Navy Base, Sattahip.
Vice Admiral Prachachat Sirisawat, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and Director of the Naval Tourism Centre; Mr. Tanes Petsuwan, TAT Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications; and Mr. Pakorn Thonchai, Chon Buri Provincial Governor, jointly announced the Sattahip model city project at a recent press conference taking place at the Sea Turtle Conservation Centre. (tatnews.org)