Pattaya business leaders brush off threat of postponing city’s reopening

Pattaya business leaders remain undaunted about the city reopening to foreign tourists on Sept. 1, even after the Tourism Authority of Thailand suggested it may have to wait, possibly until next year.

TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said on July 24 that certain areas of Phangnga and Krabi provinces could reopen Aug. 1, pending approval from the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

Original plans called for those areas to reopen Sept. 1, but the dates were moved up due to the success of the Phuket “sandbox,” which began July 1, and “Samui Plus” July 15. The so-called “Andaman Sandbox” would give Phuket and Samui visitors somewhere else to visit using “sealed…