Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health will ask the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to ease restrictions on movable retail stores, so they can open in exhibition halls, at festive events, in shopping malls and at amusement parks.
Watcharapong Kuwichitsuwan, secretary to the public health minister, said today (Tuesday) that there are about 100,000 traders who used to make a living from opening their mobile retail stores at festive events and exhibition centres, but are now without a means to generate revenue because of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul wants to help these small traders to return to doing business again.
Under the plan, easing of restrictions for this type of retail business will be undertaken in four phases, with the first phase having been underway since October 16th. The number of people at the exhibition centres and festive events must not, however, exceed 500.
For the second phase, from November 1st to 30th, traders can open at a sports events and trade exhibitions, but the number of attendees must be kept below 500 and no food tasting is permitted.
For the third phase, from December 1st to 31st, the numbers must not exceed 1,000. For the 4th phase, starting January 1st, these types of trade can be undertaken in accordance with the tourism promotion situation.
Watcharapong said, however, that permission is still required from the provincial disease control committee for these mobile traders to operate in each respective province.
