Not really an issue for Pattaya residents, because they'll never see hordes of tourists again in their life times.
Personally, I'd be satisfied just to see a moderate flow of tourists - just enough to keep the gay scenes active and boys around. I imagine a lot of other expats feel the same. We all want to see our friends again, so don't get me wrong, but those tour buses and flocks of Chinese are detested by everyone.
For the expats (including me) this is our home, and you'll find that the majority who live here are just as concerned about the safety and well-being of their home environment as the tourists are about their home environments. This is just human nature.