Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) is likely to decide on Friday on a full list of business and leisure activities which will be allowed to resume, as part of the second phase of lockdown relaxations, Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin said today.

He said that, for the time being, the issue remains open, but he hinted at the retail, wholesale and leisure activities that are likely to be allowed to resume on Sunday.

They include shopping malls, community malls, with the exception of movie theatres, bowling alleys, fitness clubs, amusement parks and conference halls located in malls, beauty salons offering hair-curling and dyeing services as well as nail services, eateries in office buildings, beauty clinics, weight loss clinics, out-door team sport events, but without spectators, botanical gardens, galleries and Thai foot massage parlours.

Dr. Taweesin said that business operators will be given time to prepare their premises before they reopen.

Regarding compliance with regulations, by business and leisure activities reopened last week, he said checks of about 18,000 venues show only 2.37% in violation and 30.49% not fully observing regulations.

Regarding the tracing application, which has been used successfully in South Korea, China and Taiwan, the CCSA spokesman said that the smartphone system works like a check-in system at hotels, where guests are asked to give their names and contact numbers.

He claimed that the tracing system should not be viewed as an intrusion by the state into the right to privacy of individuals, but a system that benefits the public and business operators in the wake of the pandemic.