Tourism

Pattaya cleaning up its Walking Street act in time for Chinese New Year

Published

Thursday, January 21, 2021 15:12

Thaiger

Pattaya City is planning to clean up its Walking Street act in time for the upcoming Chinese New Year. But, as the second wave of Covid-19 mostly destroyed what was left of any foreign or domestic tourism, it might all be in vain. Thousands of businesses remain closed due to Chon Buri province being a “highly controlled” Covid-19 zone, which effectively controls the number of people moving in and out of the province, including Pattaya.

In other words, not many.

Banglamung has had 0 cases of Covid-19 for almost a week now with only 1 case being reported in Chon Buri in the past 3 days. But the new downturn in Covid infections hasn’t helped to ease restrictions that have left many local businesses shuttered. Chon Buri health officials are taking note of the recently diminishing amount of Covid cases and say they will review the strict measures probably at the end of the month, but warn that there is no promise that measures will be eased.

Even if the restrictions are lifted, Covid has had a profound and lasting effect on tourism in Pattaya, like the rest of Thailand. Last March, borders closed to foreign tourism, only allowing those who were able to physically and financially get through the mandatory 14 day quarantine and mountains of paperwork.

As a last ditch effort, it was decided in a recent meeting to clean up Walking Street and place lighting and decorations for the upcoming Chinese New Year on February 12. But Pattaya’s mayor says there will be no major city events for Chinese New Year, and such an effort was only to give the residents a sense of hope and a brighter atmosphere. In the past, Chinese tourists would have flocked to the seaside resort for the major holiday on the Chinese calendar.

Needless to say, Pattaya, which in 2019 was the 19th most visited city in the world, with almost 10 million visitors, has been heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with it high reliance on passing tourist trade. City officials say they are reviewing measures to help renovate the city, and offer, what is hoped to be, a light at the end of the tunnel.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News

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