CHONBURI, March 31 (TNA) – The coronavirus pandemic has
turned Thailand’s seaside resort city of Pattaya into a ghost town as
businesses shut their doors after worldwide travel restrictions.
Since March 18 when the government imposed a ban on most
services, the vibrant entertainment scene of Pattaya has depleted.
A business leader of Pattaya Sinchai Wattanasartsathorn said
Pattaya faced an unprecedented crisis that turned it in to a “dead city.” But he believed the city awaits the right
time to resurrect.
Over 90 percent of hotels in the world-famous tourist
hotspot are forced to announce temporary closures, beginning next month.
Currently, none of the hotels had guests more than four
percent of their capacities, said Pakamon Wongyai, a leading hotelier of
Pattaya.
Hotel closures mean thousands of staffers need to pack up
and head home during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pattaya’s beaches, bars and cabarets are now deserted, reflecting
economic devastation to over 100,000 more people in the city workforce who also
have to leave for their hometowns as their only option for survival.
The city’s economic engine run by visitors is now totally
affected by the virus. (TNA)
