Those of us who live here in Pattaya will already have heard the unsurprising bombshell announcement that rattled out via the broadsheets and internet newspapers yesterday.
Yet again, the dangled carrot was cruelly replaced with a harsh slap in the face as we found out that pubs and clubs will remain closed until further notice.
According to The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration, they are no longer part of the phase 4 plan.
There was a little good news however regarding the sale of alcohol in restaurants. These businesses ‘may’ be able to open as alcohol selling vendors.
We’ll have to wait until June 12th to hear the final decision on that little teaser, however.
The problem isn’t because we are all alcoholic losers, gasping for a beer or a shot of Tequila, you see, we can imbibe to our heart’s content safely in our homes.
No, it’s the businesses that so many Pattaya residents are clinging onto that are one step closer to closing forever.
Typically, Thailand seems to think that the Pattaya bar scene isn’t as important as saunas, bathhouses and cinemas.
All of these concerns are ‘probably’ going to be able to open soon, but surely, so long as social distancing is maintained, they prove just as much of a ‘risk’ to our health as a beer bar or gogo bar can?
With even more lack of clarity, the briefing couldn’t even confirm if the ‘allowed’ businesses were going to open on the planned date of June 15th or later in the month.
This city was built on both tourism and having a great time, has Thailand already forgotten that, by driving tourism away, they will be the losers?
Eventually, potential visitors and business owners will get the hint and either go elsewhere or decide to return to their homelands.
Such a thought would have seemed nonsensical even 6 months ago, but thanks to the ineptitude of the powers that be, it’s looking even more like taking place in Pattaya in 2020.
Question – How do you feel about this announcement?
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