In spite of Pattaya city appearing to be back to normal, the foreign tourist numbers suggest the cash tills are not ringing as merrily as in the pre-covid era. The Chinese market in particular has been slow to recover with less than half the arrivals of 2019. Although there are regular flights from Chinese cities into Bangkok, the expected boom in charter flights to the U-tapao air hub, near Pattaya, has not happened with direct flights from Xian and other provincial capitals actually curtailed.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand said that the lower-than-expected international arrivals means that Pattaya is still dependent on the domestic market, especially with a series of pageants and joyful events at weekends. Although about 70 percent of Pattaya hotels are back in business, occupancy rates are hovering around half-full especially mid week. Thanet Supornsahasrungsri, group executive of Sunshine Hotels and Resorts, said that a sluggish world economy and persistently high air fares were dominant features coming out of the covid recession.
Chonburi immigration, with headquarters in Jomtien, now offers airconditioned comfort and a streamlined service for many. But the queues of yesteryear have disappeared. “You no longer see lines of Russian tourists seeking documents to open bank accounts or obtain driving licences, whilst the number of longstay British and European tourists seems much smaller than in pre-covid days,” one reception volunteer told Pattaya Mail. The ladies at Joy Massage and the staff at Jomtien post office, situated in the same street, concurred that business had nowhere near recovered to 2019 levels.
Pattaya’s famed night life is firing on all cylinders to the casual observer, but there are significant issues. Seasoned observers such as Stickman Bangkok (who regularly reports on Pattaya) tell of falling customer numbers, especially Europeans, both in Walking Street and around Soi Buakhao. Partly as a response, drinks prices are rising. “Although new clubs are opening on a regular basis, others are closing at the same rate as competition for business intensifies,” commented Bangkok Dave in a recent blog.
The much-proclaimed Indian market in Pattaya has also ceased expansion and promises of mass flights from dozens of Indian cities to U-tapao haven’t been fulfilled. Meanwhile, Cambodia is preparing to open two international airports in the next 12 months which will be able to accommodate intercontinental wide-bodied jets for the first time. “There is growing competition from neighbors such as Cambodia and Vietnam, whilst Pattaya is struggling to repair its roads,” said a Thai tourism association spokesperson. He added that many business people were concerned that the potentially-violent controversies over the appointment of a new Thai prime minister could spill over into bad news for international tourism.
