A preview of what the next week in Thailand news brings: Thailand’s restrictions to likely be reviewed, Pattaya bar owners continue push for legal opening
The following is our weekly feature in which we take a look at the top developing stories and things to follow over the next week. We are focusing on what is happening for the fourth week of February 2022, ending February 26th, 2022.
As we publish dozens of stories a week, this allows our readers to get a quick glimpse of the most important stories taking place in Thailand and Pattaya and to monitor and follow for the week ahead, as chosen by our editorial team. Let’s get right into it with the biggest news of the week and what important stories to follow and look for this week that are likely to see further developments:
1. Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration set to meet to discuss Covid-19 restrictions, especially around international travel
This will be the biggest news of the week, at least in advance, based on social media interest.
Thailand is facing increasing pressure from multiple angles, such as the tourism, hotel, hospitality, entertainment, retail, restaurant, and other sectors to lift or ease current Test and Go and Thailand Pass restrictions, especially a nearly unanimously unpopular day 5 Covid-19 test which requires one to stay at a hotel and wait for results.
The CCSA is likely to start meeting about these proposals around Wednesday, February 23rd, of next week, with final decisions possibly as late as Friday to set a path forward for March. There is no guarantee any changes will be made, TPN notes, but the rising pressure to restore tourism to as close to “normal” as possible increases daily.
You can read more about our thoughts on this and an analysis of the situation below:
2. Pattaya entertainment and bar owners push for full legal opening
Hot on the heels of dozens of business sectors and associations calling for easing of tourism and travel restrictions for international visitors, Pattaya’s business leaders are calling for the easing of a now almost 11-month long “ban” on bars, nightlife, pubs, and entertainment venues and a full legal opening.
TPN notes that these venues have been permitted, through various certifications and temporary licenses, to become converted “restaurants” in the meantime, but this still requires many rules and conditions to be followed, such as early closing times of legally 11:00 P.M., no dancing, no karaoke, no pool at some venues, and other rules designed to make the venues appear more like “restaurants” than bars. Of course, the reality on the ground may be a bit different but all venue owners want to return to being legal bars, clubs, and similar venues.
On a near-daily business the “One Voice” group, composed of several dozen business and tourism association heavyweights in Chonburi, have been working with the Thailand Tourism Authority and relevant agencies and government officials to legally reopen the shuttered industry. Importantly, the closure order technically comes from the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, or CCSA, and not local authorities, and will need clearance from them in order to truly legally open and restore nightlife in Pattaya until the early hours of the morning.
We may see some results as early as next week, say One Voice leaders. You can read more below.
