Pattaya beer bar owners are calling on the government to again downgrade the city’s coronavirus status to allow entertainment venues to remain open until midnight.
A group of Jomtien Beach operators petitioned Chonburi’s governor to request the downgrade to “yellow” status, from orange, from the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration.
Lisa Hamilton, owner of the Lisa Guesthouse & Restaurant on Soi Wat Boonkanjanaram in Jomtien Beach, said Feb. 10 most expats don’t come out until late, leaving her only a couple hours to make money.
Hamilton said the early closing time makes no sense to her and others, as people can, and do, go out earlier and get drunk. She claimed there was no scientific evidence that the coronavirus spreads more at 11 p.m. or midnight.
The CCSA’s justification for early closing times and alcohol restrictions is that it is trying to prevent extended large gatherings of people and that the more time people have to drink leads people to lose their inhibitions and engage in riskier behavior that can spread the virus.
Hamilton estimated that half of about 300 bars, pubs and entertainment venues in Jomtien have closed and those that remain open usually have the lights and music on, but are empty.
Chonburi has reported no coronavirus cases for 11 consecutive days and only one in three weeks.
