Pattaya permanent residents to get 2,000 baht in financial aid

Officials in Pattaya have pledged to offer each registered family in the city 2,000 baht in financial aid, as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. The move comes as the hospitality and tourism sector, which accounts for around 80% of Pattaya’s GDP, continues to suffer as a result of the pandemic. With virtually no international tourism since April of last year and Thailand currently battling its worst wave of Covid-19 to date, there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

The Pattaya News reports that even businesses that can open, such as restaurants, are struggling with a ban on in-house dining, meaning they can only offer takeaway or delivery services. With countless residents out of work, and many informal workers not registered in the social security system, people have found themselves with no income, leading to a noticeable rise in homelessness and people waiting in line for food handouts.

Pattaya Mayor Sonthaya Khunplume says the deteriorating situation, with Pattaya now classed as a “maximum control zone”, means more businesses will be forced to close.

“The situation is now getting worse, and Pattaya is moving into a maximum control zone, which will see even more businesses have to close and the ones that can open likely see even fewer customers. People have been widely affected by the outbreak and nobody wants to see the city in its current condition. We don’t know exactly when we can give the all-clear for businesses to reopen, especially Pattaya’s entertainment, tourism, and nightlife industry which is a major economic draw.”

The mayor says each registered family in the city is eligible for a 2,000 baht handout, with the funds coming from other projects that have been postponed as a result of the pandemic. The Pattaya News reports that residents can register from early next month, with the funds distributed in September.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News