The President of Pattaya City has recently stated that the state is looking to cooperate closely with the private sector in order to revitalize the economy and build a new image of Pattaya to be the centre of tourism known as Neo Pattaya. It is currently in the works of negotiating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for foreign flights from China and Russia to fly directly and land in Pattaya’s international airport. The province itself is already gearing towards being fit for STVs the specialized tourist visas that have been recently issued. Since the province relies heavily on tourism, it suffered significantly during the COVID-19 lockdown as the province’s annual GDP is made up of 70% reliant on tourism.
The President states that Pattaya’s inclination to earning the investment and support from Russian and Chinese investors is because from the recent analysis the data gathered has shown that before the lockdown, there were 3 million Chinese tourists and 1.1 million Russians followed by the descending number of Koreans, Indians and Germans.
What this means for the province and the revitalizing tourism of Thailand is that Pattaya is looking to be one of the other provinces besides Bangkok to be able to not only receive foreign tourists but also to have facilities that can accommodate the regulations of State Alternative Detention (ASQ), with three out of the ten hotels already been assessed and approved.
To achieve this Neo Pattaya, there is a seven-step plan involving 1) flood management. 2) Increase the efficiency of wastewater treatment. 3) A public monorail service. 4) Digitization and IT development. 5) Development of the Naklua Market Area. 6) Develop of South Pattaya Port. 7) Koh Lan development project.
With Pattaya on the ropes from the Coronavirus, the state is not keen on throwing in the towel and looks to make preparations for the future as tourism was and will still be the main income of the province.