BANGKOK (Xinhua) — All hotels in Pattaya and elsewhere throughout Chonburi province in eastern Thailand have been ordered to temporarily close in a sustained effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chonburi Provincial Governor Phakharathorn Thianchai confirmed on Friday that he has imposed the latest measure against the COVID-19 spread by temporarily shutting down all hotels in Pattaya and Chonburi until further notice.

Any hotels where some guests might currently stay are obliged to notify respective chief district officers within three days, according to the provincial governor.

Meanwhile, all hotel employees are prohibited from leaving Pattaya or Chonburi where entry and exit of other people, especially including foreign visitors, are yet to undergo a stepped-up screening process, Phakharathorn said.

All tattoo parlors, nail salons and open-air marketplaces in Pattaya and Chonburi have also been ordered to temporarily close, he said.