Thailand’s resort city Pattaya goes into lockdown

BANGKOK — Pattaya city will shut down from 2pm on Thursday (April 9), Chonburi Governor Pakarathorn Thienchai announced on Wednesday (April 8) following advice from the Chonburi Communicable Disease Control Committee.

“The shutdown will last 21 days and will limit entry points to the city to only five,” he said. “All vehicles and persons passing through these checkpoints will be thoroughly screened to prevent the spread of Covid-19.”

The governor added that those who are not residents of the city or do not have a workplace in the city will not be allowed in except in emergency cases.

Sukhumvit Road leading to Pattaya will be closed at Krathingrai flyover where traffic will be redirected to Liab Thang Rot Fai Road instead. The five checkpoints that will still be open are:

1 Soi Chaiporn Withi

2 Motorway Route 7 Section 5

3 Soi Pornprapha Nimit

4 Soi Chaiyaphreug

5 Sukhumvit Road (before the District Attorney Office)

The governor issued an order that all people in Pattaya must wear face masks in public. He also amended a previous closure order and allowed some markets to reopen to reduce crowds in markets that had been allowed to open during the government’s shutdown order.

“Those who have a necessity to travel can apply for permission at any district office,” added the governor.