Pattaya business leaders are stuck between the rock of need to boost tourism and the rock maintaining safety during a pandemic.
Ekasit Ngampichet, president of the Pattaya Business & Tourism Association, addressed the quandary at a Dec. 22 meeting at the Ruan Thai Restaurant where city tourism advisors and Dr. Wichai Thanasophon of the Public Health Department updated members on the outbreak and local efforts to prevent its spread to Chonburi.
Ekasit noted that business owners obviously hated to see the cancellation of the Pattaya Countdown and want to draw as many Thai and expat tourists to the city as possible and as often as possible. But, he said, that desire must be balanced with safety protocols that discourage large gatherings.
The economy improves with more tourism, but an outbreak of the coronavirus in Pattaya would ruin any gains, he said.
Businesses are encouraged to cooperate with surveillance and Covid-12 prevention efforts, Wichai said. Meanwhile, Banglamung District officials will do their part by inspecting markets and migrant worker camps where the virus may be hiding, he said.
“We want the overall economy to be able to move forward and by staying vigilant and complying with the government’s Covid-19 measures,” he said.
