A delegation of Chinese Embassy diplomats from Bangkok visited Pattaya on Tuesday to seek more information and request upgrades on safety for Chinese citizens when visiting the city.
The visit follows a concerning rise in the number of deaths from Chinese people drowning around Pattaya.
Manager Online reported that diplomat Zhou Guangxu spoke to Pattaya tourist police yesterday, saying that a large number of Chinese people would be visiting over Chinese New Year from February 4-10 and is seeking better care of his compatriots, especially swimmers, people on tour boats or those doing water sports. He also called for safety checks on boats and buses.
He noted that 80 per cent of drowning victims in Pattaya were Chinese.
In response, the Pattaya authorities and police promised better signage, especially on speedboats, and improved communication advising Chinese tourists about any dangers.
Zhou asked for shops renting motorbikes to only rent to tourists with proper international licences. And he requested that more officials be brought in that could speak Chinese as few Chinese visitors spoke Thai or English.
