BANGKOK (Xinhua) — Authorities are stepping up patrols along the beaches of Pattaya to keep people from partying or tending to drinking sprees, confirmed Pattaya Governor Sonthaya Khunpluem on Monday.
Though COVID-19 pandemic control measures for Pattaya and elsewhere have been eased up, the authorities are seeing to it that no fun-filled activity such as partying and drinking be held on the beaches or at any other public places throughout the tourist-favorite seaside city in eastern Thailand, according to Sonthaya.
His comments followed last week’s arrests of 23 people, including 12 Thais and 11 foreigners, for allegedly drinking alcoholic beverages on the Pattaya beaches.
Though alcoholic beverages are currently available for sales in Pattaya, no people are legally allowed to get together for drinks under social distancing rule to curb the spread of the infectious disease, the governor said.
Meanwhile, he said all the eight road checkpoints throughout the beach city have been removed so that people may get in or out freely from Tuesday.
He confirmed that Pattaya has found nobody infected with the COVID-19 since the last 18 days.