All eateries in Bangkok and the other five Deep Red Zone provinces will be banned from providing dine-in services and must close at 9pm, starting this Saturday, May 1st, for a period of 14 days.
This is just one of the additional restrictions, imposed by the CCSA, in its efforts to slow the daily surge in COVID-19 infections. Less stringent measures are being imposed in the Red and Orange zones.
Bangkok, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan are classified as Deep Red Zones. 45 provinces, instead of the 55 proposed by the CCSA subcommittee, are classified as Red Zones and the remaining 26 as Orange Zones.
According to CCSA spokesman Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, people living in the Deep Red Zones have been asked not to travel outside the province, unless it is necessary, in order to reduce the risk of getting infected or transmitting the disease. “Most importantly, this is not a curfew, just a request for public cooperation,” added Dr. Taweesin.
In the Deep Red Zones, all gatherings of more than 20 people are banned. Stadia, gyms and fitness clubs are to close for 14 days from May 1st, but outdoor sports fields or courts an open until 9pm.
All malls and department stores can stay open until 9pm, but all indoor game arcades, amusement parks are to close. Convenience stores, super markets, night markets and walking streets can stay open until 11pm.
For the Red Zones, all eateries can stay open until 11pm, but dine-in services must close at 9pm and no alcoholic drinks may be served. Activities which attract more than 50 people are prohibited.
In Orange Zones, all eateries can operate until 11pm, including dine-in-services, but no alcohol is allowed. Any gatherings of more than 50 people are banned.
People travelling to Thailand from abroad will, from May 1st, be required to spend 14 days in quarantine and will not be allowed to leave their rooms, except for COVID-19 screening or medical treatment.
All state agencies and private companies are asked to adopt work from home measures.
Dr. Taweesin said the CCSA has also ordered the National Communicable Disease Committee to issue regulations, regarding fines for people who do not wear face masks when they are outdoors, in order not to put too much of a burden on people.
The maximum 20,000 baht fine for face mask violations has been criticized as being too rigid and not proportionate to the offence. Some critics have suggested that, instead of a fine, there should be warnings for first-time offenders or for those who simply forget to wear face masks.
The additional restrictions will be reviewed after 14 days of implementation, said Dr. Taweesin.
