Pattaya tourism and hospitality businesses hoping for answers walked away with only promises after meeting Pattaya and Social Security Office officials.
Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome, Assistant Culture Minister Poramet Ngampichet, and SSO representatives met Jan. 14 with members of the Chonburi Tourism Industry Council, Pattaya Business & Tourism Association, Thai Hotels Association Eastern Chapter, Association of Chonburi Attractions, Eastern Spa & Wellness Association, Pattaya Restaurant Club, Pattaya Professional Food & Beverage Association, and Pattaya Front Reception Executives Club.
The meeting came after the groups released a public letter to Chonburi officials blasting “corrupt” government officials for causing the second coronavirus wave through complicity in illegal-alien smuggling and underground gambling and for not providing more aid to the hard-hit industries.
The groups hoped the meeting would bring news of new economic-relief measures to aid both businesses and employees. They left the session with nothing but promises by politicians and bureaucrats to do what they can.
Poramet reasoned that Thailand’s unemployment system was under stress from a recession that began before the coronavirus pandemic and has only worsened since then. He also said officials were struggling with how to provide hotels with economic relief as they house a number of diverse businesses, from spas to restaurants to gift shops.
Thitipat Siranattasrikul, president of the Chonburi Attractions Association, argued that something needed to be done now, as 43 of 53 member businesses have closed during the second wave, putting thousands of people out of work.
Officering no specifics, Wittawat Kuprasert, head of the Chonburi Social Security Office, said officials are collecting information on the economic damage from a wide range of businesses to draft new measures to help people survive the crisis. (PCPR)
