The following is a new feature at the Pattaya News where once a week we take a look at the prior weeks top stories, events and things that you should know in Pattaya, Thailand. Our primary focus here at The Pattaya News is to support our local community and those who live and work in the Pattaya area. As we publish over a dozen articles a day daily we will use this to highlight and simplify the things that our editors and staff, both Thai and foreign, feel are most important to our local readers. If you would like all our news sent to you daily in a newsletter format, with no spam and one morning mail daily (like your own personal daily newspaper) you can subscribe below
Here is a look at the top stories from last week, August 9th to the 15th with some commentary:
1. Masks are still legally required in Pattaya City
We often get asked at The Pattaya News if masks are actually required despite Thailand not having a single confirmed and recorded locally spread case of the Covid-19 Coronavirus in about 80 days. The answer is a yes, primarily due to the Emergency Decree still being in effect for our area. This means that unfortunately you can get fined for not wearing a mask in Pattaya, although it is rare that this happens.
Yes, masks are still technically legally required at all times in public in Pattaya and Chonburi
2. Walking Street, forced to deal with a world without international tourists, is changing their game plan
Pattaya City leaders have allowed traffic to flow through the Walking Street area at all hours of the day for the first time in many, many years. They are also allowing food carts and planning future street festivals and street markets. Some business owners have ended long standing bans on Thai men and transgender’s and are now welcoming business from everyone. A few night clubs have changed their format with some even changing into Thai oriented pubs to attract a Thai audience. All these changes, according to the Pattaya Mayor, are temporary, however nobody knows how long foreign tourists will remain banned and thus for now this is the situation.
Walking Street to encourage food vendors, street market events and welcome Thai tourism
3. Pattaya to hold a major Diwali Indian festival in November to attract domestic tourism.
Pattaya City has announced that they will be holding a major Walking Street oriented Diwali Indian Festival in November meant to attract domestic tourism. Thai-Indian residents are a substantial population in Thailand and this event is being primarily held for them. Some of our readers were confused with this and thought this meant Thailand would be inviting back “international” tourists, however this is not the case. It is meant primarily for those who celebrate Diwali currently in the country.
Pattaya planning to hold Diwali Indian festival in November to boost domestic tourism
4. The previously scheduled major electrical work and digging on Walking Street has been delayed with no set date to resume
Out of concern from business owners, already hit by a four month closure of their venues and a ban on international tourists, a plan to dig up Walking Street and move electrical cables underground has been paused. It is unclear when exactly this plan will be resumed. Reaction to this announcement was mixed on our social media comments, with about an equal number of readers for and against doing the work at this time.
Walking Street electrical cable work construction delayed, proposal changed
5. Pattaya Walking Street is now open to traffic 24 hours a day
As stated in the article above with the city changing their stance on Walking Street and trying to attract more domestic tourists, Pattaya now allows traffic 24 hours a day on Walking Street. However, many people are not happy with this decision as you can see below. That is it for this week, thank you as always for reading!
Pattaya Walking Street open to traffic 24 hours a day but not everyone is pleased with the decision
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