Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health will seek approval from the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), at its meeting this Friday, of guidelines for restaurants and other eateries in COVID-19 “dark red” provinces, should they are allowed to resume limited dine-in services.

Public Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Kiattibhoom Vongrachit said yesterday (Tuesday) that Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed the Disease Control and Health departments to work out good practice guidelines for restaurants, after he received a petition from representatives of eight business associations, including the Restaurants Association, asking that restaurants be allowed to resume dine-in services, now that the COVID-19 pandemic is showing signs of improvement.

He said that the guidelines, including the limit of 50% seating capacity, will be submitted to the CCSA by Mr. Anutin this Friday (August 27th), adding that representatives of restaurants and other eateries have pledged full cooperation in complying with the safety measures to be drawn up by the Public Health Ministry.

The restaurant operators claim that they have already adopted strict safety measures at their premises and among their staff, said Dr. Kiattibhoom.

Regarding the guidelines, he said that they will focus on ensuring that the premises are well ventilated, not congested and that social distancing can be maintained. All the staff must be “safe”, which means they must be fully inoculated or, if they have received just one dose of vaccine, they must take an antigen test every week and comply with other safety measures.

Customers will have to show a certificate to prove they are vaccinated. For those who have been infected and have recovered, they will have to have recovered for at least a month, but not more than 3 months, and must show a negative antigen test result.

Currently, restaurants and other eateries are barred from providing dine-in services. Only deliveries and takeaways are allowed.