Pattaya potentially has up to 4,000 beds available for Covid-19 patients through a combination of regular hospitals, field hospitals and “hospitels,” Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome said.
Speaking to the media on April 20, the mayor said 650 beds currently are available at field hospitals set up at Sattahip’s Air & Coastal Defense Command (320), Marine Corps headquarters (180) and the Bella Express Hotel (150).
Area hospitals have a total of 700 regular beds available for more serious cases, Sonthaya said.
Furthermore, Pattaya has 2,776 hotel rooms currently being used as “alternative local quarantine” facilities that could be upgraded to “hospitels.” Two already have applied to do so, Sonthaya said.
Even as the city scrambles to collect beds for sick patients, Pattaya is also laying the groundwork for the start of mass coronavirus vaccinations in June.
Deputy Mayor Manote Nongyai on April 19 inspected the Eastern National Indoor Sports Stadium, which will be used to vaccinate 10,000 people a day once inoculations begin.
