Pattaya: City faces permanent tourism destruction if enough vaccine can't be found

[webfact]

Picture: Sophon Cable TV

 

The acting chief of the Chonburi Tourism Business Association has issued a stark warning about the prospects for recovery from the pandemic in Pattaya. 

 

While agreeing with the government's plan - now called "Pattaya Move On" - for foreign tourists to be allowed in without quarantine from October 1st, much depends on the vaccine rollout. 

 

Thanet Supharothatsarangsee said that more than 900,000 doses of vaccine were needed in Pattaya to vaccinate 70% of the population. 

 

Picture: Sophon Cable TV

 

And these would have to arrive BEFORE October 1st. 

 

He feared that without this between 20 and 50% more businesses would permanently go to the wall and shut for good. 

 

Presently 54,000 doses were planned for June though ten times more more on the cards for July with even more in August, reported Sophon Cable TV. 

 

Business leaders hope this turns out to be the reality as they fear without the confidence of tourists they might not come resulting in yet more tourism company closures. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-05-31

 

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[canopus1969]

Well there is only one person to blame for the lack of vaccines and that's Khun Big Knob

[smedly]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

Business leaders hope this turns out to be the reality as they fear without the confidence of tourists they might not come resulting in yet more tourism company closures. 

 

out of 8 people I know personally that have been residing in Pattaya these last 12 months 4 have already left for home and 2 have flights booked, I also know of 4 others I had random contact with recently also have left or have flights booked - foreigners who remained here under immigration extensions seem to be leaving in droves, meanwhile while the west are way ahead of Thailand in vaccine rollout I suspect that most will not be travelling to Thailand any time soon and preferring to stay local for vacations - risks exist coming to places like Thailand who have completely dropped the ball but still expect foreign tourists to come here as early as July .................................. why should they - you messed up big time 

[ikke1959]

First focus on the country instead of the tourists.... It seems the tourists are the most important thing in Thailand now, but first of all solve the covid crisis in the country and with the people. When you have that under control, tourist will come .. before certainly not 

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He feared that without this between 20 and 50% more businesses would permanently go to the wall and shut for good. 

If that happened it might make Pattaya MORE attractive as a tourist destination, for those that stayed away in droves because the city prior to corona was frankly unpleasant, with far too much traffic and far too many boring shops selling the same tourist junk.

Hopefully the closed businesses would be bulldozed, the pavements widened and some much needed parks opened in their place.

Personally, Pattaya hasn't been a great destination since turn of the century.

 

BTW, what tourist city that wants to attract visitors puts up a sewage plant right next to the biggest tourist attraction?

[johng]

3 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

BTW, what tourist city that wants to attract visitors puts up a sewage plant right next to the biggest tourist attraction?

 

Don't know,  where are the sewage treatment plants in Pattaya ?

[mikebell]

4 minutes ago, johng said:

 

Don't know,  where are the sewage treatment plants in Pattaya ?

Rain Clouds.

[clivebaxter]

Nothing lasts forever, the place had a good run. 

[Pattaya Spotter]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

 

out of 8 people I know personally that have been residing in Pattaya these last 12 months 4 have already left for home and 2 have flights booked, I also know of 4 others I had random contact with recently also have left or have flights booked - foreigners who remained here under immigration extensions seem to be leaving in droves...places like Thailand who have completely dropped the ball but still expect foreign tourists to come... why should they - you messed up big time 

All the people I know living in Pattaya are still there and 5 expat friends have returned this year, with another returning in July...do either of our anecdotes prove anything? Thailand, like most countries outside North America and Europe, is struggling with the virus and it has nothing to do with their decisions but the hoarding of vaccine supplies and components by rich Western nations.

[smedly]

18 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

do either of our anecdotes prove anything

not trying to prove anything - just sating a fact from my own experience 

 

is your bar opening soon ?

 

PS - I did not mention expats

Edited May 31, 2021 by smedly

[thaibeachlovers]

30 minutes ago, johng said:

 

Don't know,  where are the sewage treatment plants in Pattaya ?

One is right next to the biggest tourist attraction. Ever been there?

[Kerryd]

Lame sensationalism.

Did a tsunami that killed 5-8,000 people and devastated tourism on the West Coast of Thailand cause "permanent destruction" to the tourism industry there ?

No. It didn't.

Yes, for the year following the tsunami the number of arrivals to Thailand dropped, but a year after that they set a new record for arrivals and the numbers have gone up every year since, despite 2 coups and a short take over of the main airport by political protestors (which some claimed would be the "final nail in the coffin for tourism in Thailand as well). 

(Kind of like how some people on TV would gripe every time there was an announced alcohol ban for a day because of a religious holiday or election and claim that it would be "the final nail" for tourism. Never mind that those bans happen every year and the tourism numbers keep going up.)

Some places will be shut down. Guess what ? That happened even when tourism was booming. Guess what happened after a place was shut down (for whatever reason) ?
The real owners simply shopped around and found a new whale to rent/lease the business and shortly after it reopened (often doing the same business just under a new name).

Somchai's Beer Bar and motorcycle rental business shuts down ? It may stay vacant for awhile and then there'll be Jaiyen's Beer Bar and motorcycle rental business in the same place.
And as more tourists come back, more of those "permanently closed" businesses will suddenly decide that "permanent"  really only meant "temporary" and they'll be open again.

It's not like all those businesses are going to close and the bulldozers are arriving tomorrow to demolish them. For every place that shut's down, there's probably 2-3 potential new "owners" already making plans for what they want to do with the place if they can get the lease.

Once they get over the hurdle, they'll start seeing ever increasing numbers of tourists every year and within a couple years (4-5 maybe) they could be back to where they were at the end of 2019 (i.e. 40 million+ arrivals).

Remember, the whole world didn't "shut down" and everyone didn't stop working and earning money. It was mostly the hospitality industry (hotels, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues) that suffered. Manufacturing, Agriculture, Industry and other sectors kept plugging along. Sheesh, a couple months ago it was announced that China had already surpassed it's "pre-covid" export totals as they steamroll ahead.

Maybe with the issues India is having with the virus, Thailand will have to rethink it's decision to encourage tourism from there while ignoring the "Western" tourists that were the main catalysts of the tourism industry for decades (before Thailand decided that they'd rather have larger numbers of lower spending Indian and Chinese tourists).

If that happens, the streets could once again be filled with "old, fat, white guys" spending money like drunken sailors and financing all new herds of "sick buffalo" in Isaan.

[johng]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

One is right next to the biggest tourist attraction. Ever been there?

 

Why don't you just say where it is ?    

Can I assume you're talking about the  pumping station  at the entrance to Walking Street ?

then yes I've been there many times    but that is not a sewage treatment plant  and according to city official it doesn't even pump sewage  but rainwater run-off ...strange how the rainwater is always very smelly though   ????????

 

I can say that there is one sewage treatment plant in the Jomtien area  on Soi WatBoon..however it also seems only used for pumping  not treatment.

 

 

 

[LazySlipper]

Too bad for them they can't find a way to capitalize on traffic... cos even if it is bleak for businesses the traffic there on Sukhumvit and the road to Central and near Foodland are still congested as usual. There must be a way to make traffic pay...   ; (

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

the hoarding of vaccine supplies and components by rich Western nations.

You are not seriously expecting us to believe that this is the main reason for the almost complete failure of the Thai vaccination program?

 

Have the obscenely rich Thais put their hands in their pockets yet? Looks like they are actually trying to profit from the vaccines...

[TacoKhun]

1 hour ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

All the people I know living in Pattaya are still there and 5 expat friends have returned this year, with another returning in July...do either of our anecdotes prove anything? Thailand, like most countries outside North America and Europe, is struggling with the virus and it has nothing to do with their decisions but the hoarding of vaccine supplies and components by rich Western nations.

As for this moment, there are literally 0 reasons to live in pattaya. anywhere in thailand will be better than here. i stay here just because i own my place and dont want to pay rent also moving is a hustle which i dont need right now.

Edited May 31, 2021 by TacoKhun

[Henryford]

I would guess that at least 20-50% of businesses have already shut up for good.

[Pattaya Spotter]

54 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

You are not seriously expecting us to believe that this is the main reason for the almost complete failure of the Thai vaccination program?

 

Have the obscenely rich Thais put their hands in their pockets yet? Looks like they are actually trying to profit from the vaccines...

I'm sure you say that about everything in Thailand...it's the rich people's fault. I used to hear that a lot in the US too.

[johng]

2 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

in Thailand...it's the rich people's fault.

Thailand has one of the highest (if not the highest) disparity between the obscenely rich and the poor

something like 80% of the wealth held by 1% of the population.

[Excel]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If that happened it might make Pattaya MORE attractive as a tourist destination, for those that stayed away in droves because the city prior to corona was frankly unpleasant, with far too much traffic and far too many boring shops selling the same tourist junk.

Hopefully the closed businesses would be bulldozed, the pavements widened and some much needed parks opened in their place.

Personally, Pattaya hasn't been a great destination since turn of the century.

 

BTW, what tourist city that wants to attract visitors puts up a sewage plant right next to the biggest tourist attraction?

Bangkok, it is one big sewer

[Pattaya Spotter]

Just now, johng said:

Thailand has one of the highest (if not the highest) disparity between the obscenely rich and the poor

something like 80% of the wealth held by 1% of the population.

Yes...so having lots of money makes them responsible for Thailand's Covid wave? You're starting to sound like the people who were blaming Bill Gates for the pandemic. 

[trainman34014]

It's been a blot on Thailands Landscape for Decades; so why not raise it to the ground and build something new and of more use than a giant Brothel !

[Ralf001]

With 90% (my guess) of the place currently closed it really is a pleasant place to live.

 

Hopefully not too many re-open.

[RichardColeman]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Business leaders hope this turns out to be the reality as they fear without the confidence of tourists they might not come resulting in yet more tourism company closures. 

I'll return back to pattaya as that's where my wife and daughter are. BUT, I really cannot see any pent up demand for a surge in Thailand holidays. Firstly a lot of people have taken a huge financial hit, Second they are holidaying nearer to home and they probably all fear the airports closing and thirdly Thailand covid is going the wrong way and the vaccine roll out is a shambles

[wombat]

1 hour ago, trainman34014 said:

It's been a blot on Thailands Landscape for Decades; so why not raise it to the ground and build something new and of more use than a giant Brothel !

you thought yours was different?

[rott]

2 hours ago, TacoKhun said:

As for this moment, there are literally 0 reasons to live in pattaya. anywhere in thailand will be better than here. i stay here just because i own my place and dont want to pay rent also moving is a hustle which i dont need right now.

OK what are the reasons that make all these other places in Thailand better than Pattaya. 

I fancy a change but can't think of anywhere so look forward to some suggested alternatives. 

[Tubby]

No loss there then

[PETERTHEEATER]

4 hours ago, clivebaxter said:

Nothing lasts forever, the place had a good run. 

So do diarrhea victims......

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

I'm sure you say that about everything in Thailand...it's the rich people's fault. I used to hear that a lot in the US too.

Bizarre comment. 

 

You blamed rich(er) nations, I am putting the blame for their failures squarely on the greed of the Thais themselves.

 

Deal with it.

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Yes...so having lots of money makes them responsible for Thailand's Covid wave? You're starting to sound like the people who were blaming Bill Gates for the pandemic. 

It doesn't make them responsible but you would have thought they would be more philanthropic rather than introducing monopolistic policies to benefit a select few. 

 

You need to explain to us better why the Thai vaccine situation is the fault of foreign nations?

 

Surely nations that research and produce the vaccine have the total right over what they do with those vaccines and their own populations come first?