Pattaya-
The Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, or CCSA, has begun to lift the last few remaining restrictions including re-opening sports stadiums with crowds, allowing chicken fighting matches and full school schedules and activities.
However, Pattaya entertainment business owners continue to ask when closing times will be restored to pre-Covid-19 levels officially.
Unofficially, the actual time of closing varies currently which has caused some business owners to claim unfairness with their venues being closed at the current legal time of Midnight while some are allegedly open much later.
Pattaya City holds a special administrative status which gives city officials many benefits, one of them being later legal entertainment venue hours than most of the country and legal ability to sell alcohol at those venues. As a country, the general legal time to stop selling alcohol and close entertainment venues has always been Midnight but certain tourist reliant locations, such as Pattaya, have had the ability to have special administrative rules.
However, the current Emergency Decree in place to control the Covid-19 coronavirus, currently extended until at least the end of August, takes priority over the special zoning status, meaning Pattaya legally is currently supposed to close at Midnight.
Already reeling from lack of foreign tourists and a four month lock-down related closure earlier this year venues across the city, especially those focused on domestic Thai tourism, have pleaded with city officials to return the closing times to at least 2:00 AM as it was before.
Unfortunately, the CCSA has so far stated that this is unlikely and the only defense given is that the National closing time is Midnight. So, for now, Pattaya may have to wait until special administrative zone abilities are returned which would happen when the Emergency Decree expires. However, there is no sign of that happening any time soon.
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