Pattaya: Let us reopen and serve alcohol again, entertainment industry leader echoes calls for reopening

[webfact]

Picture: Manager

 

The head of the Pattaya Entertainment and Tourism association has appealed to the government to reopen the resort saying there was no Covid there.

 

Damrongkiat Phinitkan threw his support behind wider moves made with the presentation of a letter by Democrat Party deputy leader Prin Phanichphak to house leader Chuan Leekpai earlier. 

 

Damrongkiat said that operators in Pattaya had been suffering for 200 days and with no Covid-19 cases there it was time to reopen the industry, allow alcohol to be served again.

 

He stressed that it needed to be a step by step approach following all the guidelines but that Pattaya was ready to do that if it meant getting some income again.

 

Picture: Manager

 

Even if it was just Thai tourists.

 

He recognised that areas where Covid was still prevalent needed to wait as the entertainment industry could still result in clusters of infection, reported Manager. 

 

But that was not Pattaya. 

 

Pattaya is slated for reopening to foreign tourists from about August but how many turn up is a matter of conjecture, notes Thaivisa. 

 

Picture: Manager

 

Even if they do their movements will be restricted by "sealed route" rules. 

 

So for now operators of bars and clubs would have to make do with Thai tourists.

 

Some would decide that would not be sufficient and would continue to remain shut, notes Thaivisa. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-06-19

 

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[smedly]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

So for now operators of bars and clubs would have to make do with Thai tourists.

and that is the problem right there

 

if Pattaya has indeed no cases of virus then the only way to keep it like that would be to seal it off and only allow those who have been fully vaccinated for at least 4 weeks to enter - something similar to what they have been doing in Phuket for weeks but not as easy in Pattaya

[tomazbodner]

I have an idea. Of 3 months' trial period in which Pattaya must ensure 0 alcohol-related accidents, deaths, crime cases, as well as 0 new infections or fatalities from COVID. If they achieve this, they should pretty much be allowed to do anything.

[Golden Triangle]

So all the covid cases & deaths I see daily for Chonburi province including Sriracha, Sattahip, Banglamung ( including Pattaya ) don't exist then, is this guy stoopid or am I missing something ?? ????

Edited June 19, 2021 by Golden Triangle

[Orac]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I don't wish to be a killjoy but wasn't there rumour recently of Covid in some soi 6 bars?

 

This mornings report for  Chonburi had one case from a livestream bar in banglamung.

 

https://thepattayanews.com/2021/06/19/chonburi-announces-145-new-and-confirmed-cases-of-covid-19-mostly-at-migrant-worker-communities/

[Caldera]

I'll come in three weeks. That should give you plenty of time to sort out the booze, Pattaya. ????

 

[Jingthing]

I understand their frustration. Desperation. But no. Need to wait for widespread vaccination.

Edited June 19, 2021 by Jingthing

[Leaver]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I understand their frustration. Desperation. But no. Need to wait for widespread vaccination.

 

But what about The Almighty Baht?  ????

[Rimmer]

Troll post and a couple of replies removed

[RayD]

My guess is it's going to be a buyers market for international tourists for the foreseeable future. The attitude needs to be "we have the beaches, we have the bars, we have the booze and we have the birds, lets partaaay!"

 

"A limited number of vacinated tourists may stay two weeks in quarantine hotels provided they wear masks at all times, travel no further than 500m from the hotel and make no attempt at recreation." Is not going to cut t.

[Sydebolle]

Thai logic - explained! 

[skorp13]

This is why people don't believe what the media reports. If one person was covid positive in a small confined area where rules are almost certainly flouted then they should all have contracted it. They tell us it is so contagious yet in that environment only one and the others were spared?

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

I have an idea. Of 3 months' trial period in which Pattaya must ensure 0 alcohol-related accidents, deaths, crime cases, as well as 0 new infections or fatalities from COVID. If they achieve this, they should pretty much be allowed to do anything.

They're screwed then.

[jippytum]

Pattaya is a red zone .

The numbers for Chonburi including Pattaya are increasing not decreasing .Every long weekend local tourists from elsewhere including Bangkok are allowed to visit with unrestricted access .

Yes there are real hardships in the business community  but we know from past experience  owners and patrons of drinking and entertainment locations have been totally irresponsible when sanctions are lifted.

Such places especially in Bangkok have been responsible for major outbreaks and clusters of the virus.

I hope the authorities will note the increasing numbers of cases in Chonburi at this time and not succumb to the lobbying of the business community to disregard the current situation and refuse to allow  nightclubs,bars and entertainment venues to operate as normal when the situation is not under control in a designated red zone.

[hotchilli]

On 6/19/2021 at 12:13 PM, webfact said:

The head of the Pattaya Entertainment and Tourism association has appealed to the government to reopen the resort saying there was no Covid there.

Don't worry, the PM has spoken and in 120 days you will have the freedom to do as you wish.

The borders will be opened as his master plan has demanded and then you will be on your own.

Everyone from a street vendor to a large entertainment venue or mega hotel, will be able to open.

But you may have missed the catch !

You will have the choice to open or remain closed, open and you will have to cover your own costs, supplies/stock/overheads and staff.

There will be no-more lets go halves, no more handouts, no more subsidies, no more government help.

The PM's answer will be "THE BORDERS ARE OPEN"

No tourists... tuff luck, I've done all I can and the borders are open.

You will see more businesses go under in the first six months of the re-opening than you have in the last 18 months of being closed.

He has in a master stroke absolved himself of all future blame when it goes pear-shaped.

[FarangJon]

Soi 6 can heal the world. Open legs please????

[khaowong1]

9 hours ago, skorp13 said:

This is why people don't believe what the media reports. If one person was covid positive in a small confined area where rules are almost certainly flouted then they should all have contracted it. They tell us it is so contagious yet in that environment only one and the others were spared?

The media is lying and the government is lying.  

[jacko45k]

8 hours ago, khaowong1 said:

The media is lying and the government is lying.  

I expect it of the latter..... the media is tough to control al, the time.

[smiggley]

You will have the choice to open or remain closed, open and you will have to cover your own costs, supplies/stock/overheads and staff.

There will be no-more lets go halves, no more handouts, no more subsidies, no more government help.

The PM's answer will be "THE BORDERS ARE OPEN"

No tourists... tuff luck, I've done all I can and the borders are open.

You will see more businesses go under in the first six months of the re-opening than you have in the last 18 months of being closed.

He has in a master stroke absolved himself of all future blame when it goes pear-shaped.

 

 

Most bars still have to  pay rent electric and in some cases pay the girls who live in so we may as well open and get some income to offset these costs. The small open bars should be allowed to open but the large night clubs and live music venues should remain closed due to the large numbers of patrons in close proximitry to each other. Alas this will never happen as the govt will say all or nothing.

[Leaver]

On 6/21/2021 at 2:58 PM, smiggley said:

You will see more businesses go under in the first six months of the re-opening than you have in the last 18 months of being closed.

 

I concur.

 

Much will depend on the Thai landlord ceasing any covid discounts for the rent.

 

If the consensus between Thai landlords is that when borders are open, covid discounts for rent should end, then for sure even tougher times are ahead for those business owners who have toiled to stay in the game.   

 

Once borders have opened, the slow trickle of tourists, over 6 to 12 months, will not fund paying full rent, despite a lot of the competition being wiped out.    

[jacko45k]

6 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

I concur.

 

Much will depend on the Thai landlord ceasing any covid discounts for the rent.

 

If the consensus between Thai landlords is that when borders are open, covid discounts for rent should end, then for sure even tougher times are ahead for those business owners who have toiled to stay in the game.   

 

Once borders have opened, the slow trickle of tourists, over 6 to 12 months, will not fund paying full rent, despite a lot of the competition being wiped out.    

Yes, I did not give that much thought, but landlords will be dead keen to bump rents back to where they were, and press for any arrears, when bars are open. But the customers won't be there yet! 

[Leaver]

9 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Yes, I did not give that much thought, but landlords will be dead keen to bump rents back to where they were, and press for any arrears, when bars are open. But the customers won't be there yet! 

 

I suspect negotiations will be tense.  

 

If the Thai landlords are not going to be reasonable, it will just cause another round of closures.  

[The Hammer2021]

I heard there were 3 million expats in Thailand.  Is this correct?

[The Hammer2021]

9 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Yes, I did not give that much thought, but landlords will be dead keen to bump rents back to where they were, and press for any arrears, when bars are open. But the customers won't be there yet! 

Plenty of potential  customers.  Jomtien  BR was V busy yesterday 

[jacko45k]

21 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Plenty of potential  customers.  Jomtien  BR was V busy yesterday 

With foreigners, or Thais?

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I heard there were 3 million expats in Thailand.  Is this correct?

No.

[from the home of CC]

you have to ask yourself, 'what's a humans life worth'. If you go by the actions pre vax in the US/UK, not really much considering the number of preventable deaths in both countries - 

[LongTimeLurker]

There's plenty of Thai tourists in Pattaya at weekend, that's maybe why the Covid cases are increasing?

[brewsterbudgen]

37 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

There's plenty of Thai tourists in Pattaya at weekend, that's maybe why the Covid cases are increasing?

And that's without the bars being open and (officially) no alcohol in restaurants. I guess most of the weekenders are there for the beach and the shopping? 

[LongTimeLurker]

44 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

And that's without the bars being open and (officially) no alcohol in restaurants. I guess most of the weekenders are there for the beach and the shopping? 

 

Partying, they bring down booze, girls and sounds and rock out for a couple of days in some private villas.

 

But now restaurants are closed in Bangkok, there'll be an influx to Glasshouse.