The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has been instructed by the Transport Ministry to suspend all domestic flights into and out of the 13 provinces declared as “maximum controlled and restricted” or “Dark Red” zones, effective from Wednesday until further notice.
According to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, thissuspension of domestic flights, including those to and from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang international airports, is in line with the latest lockdown measures, which come into effect on Tuesday. The measures also include a limit on the number of passengers using public transport, including aircraft, set at 50% of capacity, and the imposition of social distancing in vehicles.
Cargo and international flights, under the Phuket “sandbox” or “Samui Plus” schemes, are exempted from this latest lockdown measure, including emergency flights or flights carrying sick people or medical personnel, which will be considered on case by case basis.
As for land-based public transport services, which also come under the new restriction, the Transport Company and Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, the operators of Bangkok’s bus services, have been instructed by the Transport Ministry to arrange sufficient services to meet the needs of commuters, especially during rush hours, and to facilitate the travel for people seekingmedical treatment or vaccinations.
The bus service providers were also told to check the temperatures of all passengers strictly, before they are allowed to board buses, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections.
