New initiatives to aid the homeless in Pattaya in reintegrating into society

Pattaya was one of the top 20 most visited cities in the world in 2019 with 10 million international travelers, but Covid-19 restrictions forced some businesses to close. Even some of the women who worked in the city’s establishments in the red light district were putting up tents there to sleep at night.

Deputy Mayor Wuttisak Rueimkitkan organized the campaign launch yesterday with help from the Chonburi Homeless Protection Center. Supporting homeless people’s reintegration into society is the campaign’s main goal. Officials at the stand are helping those in need of basic essentials get back in touch with government services. This includes having legitimate identification, accommodation, a job, and Covid-19 protection. Last year, it was reported that Pattaya’s homeless population was rising after a year without any foreign tourists.

Now that some of Thailand’s Covid laws have been relaxed, only time will tell if Pattaya’s most recent effort to fight homelessness is successful. Wuttisak dispatched two teams of city employees to scour Pattaya Beach Road and Pattaya Second Road for any signs of homelessness. Instead of giving homeless individuals money, the campaign encourages people to persuade them to ask for help from the government so they can reintegrate into society. The authorities helped them with issues connected to documentation as a first step in reintegrating them into society. According to Wuttisak, officials will establish a stand in front of the Mike Shopping Mall on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. The mall can be found on South Pattaya Beach. Pattaya officials are experimenting with novel solutions to the city’s homelessness issues.