Pattaya may be mired in a historic recession, but owners of closed businesses were told they still have to pay sign taxes unless they cover up their marquees.
Premrudee Jittivuthikarn, owner of King Seafood on Walking Street, said her son posted under an alias on Facebook March 9 that they were told by city staff to cover his signage or pay a tax bill.
Premrudee – whose restaurant has some of Pattaya’s most-famous signage, including the “Good Guys Go to Heaven, Bad Boys Go to Pattaya” marquee – scoffed that the policy was one only a bureaucrat could love and, if followed widely, would damage Pattaya’s image even more than streets of closed businesses has.
The post called the bureaucrat narrow-minded and the idea nonsense. Premrudee said it was only her son’s personal viewpoint.
Noting that many entrepreneurs already have covered their signs, Premrudee said she believes Pattaya officials have good intentions in wanting business owners to avoid taxes and save money, but there are better ways, such as an outright tax exemption.
