CHON BURI: Although Pattaya is gearing up for reopening to tourists, tentatively set for next month, the famed Alcazar Cabaret Show theatre is not yet ready for it.

Alcazar executive Pawin Phettrakul, 42, said that since the outbreak of Covid-19 in February last year Pattaya had been almost without tourists, and particularly without the foreigners who constituted the majority of its customers.

Before Covid-19, Alcazar was one of the city's two best-known theatres presenting shows with colourfully costumed transgender performers and high-tech lighting. The other was Tiffany's. Both are on Pattaya Sai 2 road in Bang Lamung district.

But with no money comng in, Alcazar had temporarily closed. However, it had continued to take care of its staff of about 400, Mr Pawin said.

The government planned to reopen five provinces to tourists from next month - Bangkok, Chon Buri, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Chiang Mai, Mr Pawin said.

But Alcazar would remain closed in the early stages, because more than 90% of its normal  customers were foreign tourists. It would reopen once foreign tourists had the confidence to return and arrivals were steady.

When Alcazar does reopen, the audience for each show would have to be reduced from about 1,000 to 500. They would have to be fully vaccinated and observe health safety rules such as social distancing, hand washing and mask wearing, Mr Pawin said.

Mr Pawin said Alcazar's transgender dancers still practiced regularly, and future shows would be even more spectacular and exotic.

 

Pattaya mayor Sonthaya Khunpluem confirmed on Tuesday that the city was ready for reopening under the "Pattaya Moves On" initiative, whether on Oct 1 or a later date yet to be fixed.

Mr Sonthaya said vaccination against Covid-19 was most important. About 70% of Pattaya's population had already been inoculated.

 

 

Bangkok Post