Eight major tourism associations in Pattaya have proposed a plan to reopen Pattaya on Aug 1 to Chon Buri governor to restore travel and the tourism-focused economy.
Chairat Rattanopas, president of the Eastern Spa and Wellness Association in Pattaya, said on Saturday he was among those who met Chon Buri governor Phakkhrathon Thianchai recently.
Mr Chairat said the tourism representatives asked Mr Phakkrathon, who is also the chairman of the provincial control disease committee, to set up a panel to mull their proposal to reopen Pattaya.
They proposed the Seal Route tourism reopening plan, part of the Pattaya Move On project, run by Pattaya city, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the private sector.
He said the reopening plan is expected to take place on Aug 1.
The Seal Route plan will determine the kinds of tourists, places and routes which can be included to ensure safety while reopening, which will be limited in controlled areas.
Covid-19 has affected the city for two years and forced 80% of service businesses to close down entirely, he said.
He said Pattaya's geography was different from other tourism cities such as Phuket and Samui, which are islands and can be managed within a Sandbox scheme.
The Seal Route plan would allow vaccinated visitors to travel across Chon Buri's two districts on the mainland, Bang Lamung and Sattahip, within sensible safeguards.
He said the associations also wanted the committee to determine measures to comply with the Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA) and Standard Operation Procedures to ensure safety and service quality in hotels in the districts.
Most importantly, 70% of the people in Pattaya must be vaccinated to create herd immunity.
Some 900,000 doses of vaccine are needed to inoculate 450,000 people.
He said he has also asked the provincial committee of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to forward the plan to reopen Pattaya to the CCSA's central committee for consideration.
The Seal Route plan ideally would start in August and test the prevention system before the high season in October begins, he said.
''If the plan cannot be implemented by high season, more operators will face losses,'' he said.
