Pattaya closes 8 beaches

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Pattaya closes 8 beaches

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I fully support all precautions and measures being taken to prevent the spread of the virus. I have not fallen ill and I don't know anyone who has. As far as I know, none of our board members has come down with the virus, so I am definitely in favor of keeping it that way. This is one time I have no criticism, only compliments and support, for the Thai government and the way they have, and still are, handling the virus situation. I don't think anyone reading this needs me to tell how terrible things are in other countries, especially the USA.

However, in my opinion that does not alter the fact that it is sad to see what is happening to Pattaya. All hotels closed. All entertainment venues closed. The only tourists still in Pattaya are those who are stuck here. Shopping malls closed. Confusion in the restaurants. International arrival flights banned. Masks and social distancing - along with other "new normals". Thousands upon thousands, mostly people who can least afford it, out of work.

Virtually nothing to attract tourists to Pattaya right now, no matter what they are looking for. And nobody knows how much longer this will last. Even if all these problems miraculously end tonight, it will still be months, perhaps years, before any semblance of the life we have all come to know, enjoy, and mostly took for granted, ever becomes the way it was. I doubt it will ever be quite the same as it used to be.

And now, on top of all that the beaches are closed too.

I doubt anyone could have foreseen that things would come to this. Nevertheless here we are . . .
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Pattaya closes eight beaches

7 May 2020

The Pattaya City municipality has ordered the closure of beaches at eight locations from Saturday to May 31, as part of the effort to contain Covid-19.

Pol Maj Jeerawat Sukhonthasap, chief of Pattaya City inspector, or thetsakit, on Thursday led officials cordon off beach areas at eight locations: Pattaya beach, Jomtien beach, Phra Thamnak beach, Cosy beach, Wong Amat beach, Krathing Rai beach, Lan Phor Na Kluea public park and the grounds of Bali Hai pier.

People and tourists are prohibted from gathering in the areas between 9am and 9pm during the three-week period, Thai media reported.

The Chon Buri provincial communicable disease panel has recently eased restrictions on some areas in the tourist province.

People may exercise on pavements along the beaches but are not allowed to enter the beaches. Dining, drinking and other activities are also banned in the areas.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ht-beaches
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Pattaya blocks all access to beaches to avoid second wave

May 7, 2020

In a move to prevent a second wave of infections, Pattaya City has decided to block all access to beaches despite the easing of restrictions.

Jeerawat Sukontasub, chief of the Pattaya Municipality, said municipal authorities and local agencies have blocked nine beach entrances, including the two leading to the 2-kilometre-long Pattaya Beach. Access to Jomtien, Phra Tamnak, Cozy, Wong Amat and Krating Rai beaches as well as Lan Pho Nakluea Park and the Bali Hai Pier has been blocked.

The areas will be strictly closed off from May 9 to 31 from 9am to 9pm daily and officers will be on standby to keep an eye. Violators will be let off with a warning the first time, but repeat offenders will face a heavy penalty.

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30387456
Jun

Re: Pattaya closes 8 beaches

Post by Jun »

I would have thought that so few people visit the beach currently that closure would be unnecessary ? Surely it's possible to keep a safe distance from other people on the beach at present.
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Re: Pattaya closes 8 beaches

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Jun wrote: Thu May 07, 2020 9:11 pm Surely it's possible to keep a safe distance from other people on the beach at present.
That's not the problem. The reason for this is because numerous groups of people - families, groups of friends - whatever, were gathering together on the beaches, despite the social distancing rules, and trying to spend a good portion of the day there. The numbers of people doing that were increasing daily, which is understandable because right now there is little else to do here. Also, since Pattaya reopened to one and all, groups were coming in from other provinces and going to the beach.

That is what the authorities are trying to stop.
Jun

Re: Pattaya closes 8 beaches

Post by Jun »

I was wondering where the domestic travellers are staying, but the question was answered in another thread, quoted below. Presumably the BIB have some incentive to turn a blind eye.
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Re: Pattaya closes 8 beaches

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Jun wrote: Fri May 08, 2020 3:28 pm I was wondering where the domestic travellers are staying, but the question was answered in another thread, quoted below.
I don't know of any hotels open in Pattaya, Bangkok, or anywhere else unless they are open illegally. I would imagine most people going to Pattaya are staying with family or friends.
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Re: Pattaya closes 8 beaches

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Pattaya police tape off local beaches, warn public that all beaches are closed to the end of May

By Adam Judd

Friday, 8 May 2020

Pattaya Police are in the process of taping off and “officially” closing all local beaches after an order from the Chonburi Communicable Disease Committee and Chonburi Mayor Sonthaya Khunpluem this week.

The beaches have been technically closed for weeks, however, the area has dominated many local and national headlines as people have been arrested for entering the area or claimed they didn’t know the rules. The city of Pattaya has been under closure for the past several weeks with restrictive checkpoints blocking access up until this Tuesday, May 5th.

With the removal of the checkpoints as Pattaya has had no cases of Covid-19 in three weeks local and regional officials are concerned that domestic tourists and residents from other provinces that are not clear of Covid-19 just yet, like Bangkok, may swarm to the area beaches for lack of other activities, as nearly all entertainment venues, bars, clubs, tourist attractions, theme parks and malls are still closed nationwide. Due to this concern, officials have decided to completely tape off the area beaches and announce through the media that all beaches and beach related activities are closed in Chonburi.

This order will run through at least the end of May, which is when the current Emergency Decree order to help control the spread of the Covid-19 Coronavirus ends, according to Chonburi Mayor Sonthaya Khunplume.

The sidewalks and promenades next to the local beaches are open for exercise only effective tomorrow, according to Chonburi officials. This had previously been off limits as well. Pattaya Police warned, however, that sitting, gathering, loitering, socializing, drinking or eating in this area was strictly forbidden and only exercising was allowed. Pattaya Police said patrols would be stepped up on the beach areas to ensure people were not breaking this rule.

Responding to criticism posted from people online, primarily on Facebook, that the beaches were one of the safest places to be and that it was easy to socially distance the Chonburi Communicable Disease Committee has told the Pattaya News and associated media that the closure is to discourage travel and having people visit the beaches in droves from out of town. The measure will remain until the Covid19 Center for Situation Administration in Bangkok, or CCSA, and the Ministry of Public Health feels confident that there is no local spread in surrounding areas, especially Bangkok. Although Chonburi is now a designated white zone (free of recorded cases of Covid-19), Bangkok has not been deemed so yet.

https://thepattayanews.com/2020/05/08/p ... nd-of-may/
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Re: Pattaya closes 8 beaches

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Jun wrote: Fri May 08, 2020 3:28 pm I was wondering where the domestic travellers are staying, but the question was answered in another thread, quoted below.
Not anymore. The post on this topic has now been removed. For whatever reason, one poster seems bent on trying to spread misleading information. I will be getting rid of such posts and, if necessary, getting rid of posters intentionally spreading nonsense. Anybody wishing to do that, this is the wrong board on which to try it.

Maybe people coming to Pattaya are staying with family or friends, or making day trips and returning home later the same day, but they are not staying in hotels.

The fact is, as of today's date, May 10, there are no hotels open unless they are operating illegally.
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