Pattaya’s 2020-style Covid-19 controls infuriate Pattaya Countdown revelers

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A crowd of tourists sit on the road under umbrellas to protect them from the hot sun as they waited to board ferries to Koh Larn Tropical Island.

Pattaya’s continued insistence on limiting crowd sizes and proof of Covid-19 vaccinations and testing left many music fans out in the cold at the Pattaya Countdown.

Even as the World Health Organization prepares to declare an end to the coronavirus emergency and the rest of Thailand has removed all Covid-19 restrictions, Pattaya’s 2020 approach to public events infuriated people wanting to attend the Dec. 29-31 concerts.



K-Pop fanatics hoping to see South Korean pop star Bam Bam were especially irked, with many having to watch from outside the Bali Hai venue gates as Pattaya limited stage-view attendance to only 2,500 people.
Pattaya also required proof of vaccination and recent negative test results, as if it were December 2020 or 2021 all over again.

Signs also stated that vaccination proof was required to take a ferry to Koh Larn over the New Year’s holiday, but no one was checking. Masks, however, were still required.


Hundreds of fans had to watch concerts from outside the Bali Hai venue gates as Pattaya limited stage-view attendance to only 2,500 people.


Walking Street was brightly lit with people strolling around enjoying the sights until dawn.

At the stroke of midnight, the sky lit up with a tremendous fireworks extravaganza ringing in the New Year.