Pattaya’s top business leaders want Thailand to do something – although he can’t say what – to allow Russians to use credit cards in Thailand again.
Boonanan Pattanasin, president of the Pattaya Business & Tourism Association, lamented the continued absence of Russian tourists in Thailand.
Visa International and other credit and debit card companies disabled cards linked to Russian bank accounts. Boonanan suggested the government should “do something” to get around that, although the issue is beyond the scope of Government House.
Boonanan is also upset China continues to limit foreign tourism due to that country’s Covid-19 controls.
Without Russians and Chinese tourists, Thailand must subsist on Indians, Turks and Thais this quarter, he said.
Thai tourists continue to make up 80% of visitors to Pattaya and they should easily fill hotels for big year-end events such as the International Fireworks Competition, Loy Krathong and the Pattaya Countdown, Boonanan said. But, outside of those events, Pattaya must do more to promote tourism.
Boonanan said that he will ask the central government to again consider nightlife zoning in Pattaya and allow entertainment venues to open until 4 a.m. He also asks the powers that be to improve and increase operations at U-Tapao International Airport, making it a hub for air travel comparable to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The PBTA doesn’t expect Pattaya tourism to recover to 2019 levels for one or two years, he added.
 |
 |
 |
