Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has announced that he will propose that that the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) allow people in the capital to remove their face masks when outdoors, as daily new COVID-19 infections are decreasing and the economy is recovering.
Currently, face masks are required outside of one’s home, including in schools and workplaces.
Similarly, the Public Health Ministry may propose to the CCSA that it allows people not to wear face masks outdoors, which may be applied in COVID-19 Blue and Green zones. The blue zone, or tourism “sandbox” zones, include 17 provinces such as Bangkok, Krabi and Chonburi, while the green zones include 14 provinces such as Nan, Phichit and Chainat.
As for allowing pubs, bars and karaoke bars to open until 2am, Chadchart says that he will have to assess the situation first. He also said there haven’t been any problems since the easing of measures on June 1st, under which approved entertainment venues were allowed to reopen until midnight, with the service of alcohol, in the Blue and Green Zones.
Thailand has gradually been easing COVID-19 restrictions since late last year. Quarantine has been scrapped for international arrivals and the “Thailand Pass” is now only required for non-Thais.
2,162 new COVID-19 infections and 27 related deaths have been recorded in the past 24 hours.
