The latest Covid restrictions

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Gaybutton
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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I'm glad to see at least something reopening
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Museums and historical sites allowed to open from today in Thailand, although some provinces may still have restrictions

By Adam Judd

10 May 2021

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to inform travelers that five types of learning centers nationwide under the Fine Arts Department are allowed to reopen today, in line with the easing of the COVID-19 measures in a number of provinces.

However, some historical sites or learning centers may remain closed in some provinces in line with the specific provincial orders. Also, reopening dates may vary depending on the situation in each province. (The Pattaya News notes that dark red provinces and places, like Bangkok and Chonburi, will have stricter rules and restrictions around these places in particular.)

Across the country, learning centers under the Fine Arts Department include:

National museums
Historical parks
Archaeological sites registered with the Fine Arts Department
National libraries
National archives

Travelers are recommended to check in advance with each site regarding the opening date and time. When going outside, be reminded to take DMHTT precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19: D – Distancing, M – Mask wearing, H – Handwashing, T – Temperature check, and T – Thai Chana contact tracing application. Kindly note that there is a nationwide mask mandate offenders are liable to a fine of up to 20,000 Baht.

TAT is constantly providing updates on the tourism-related COVID-19 situation in Thailand at the TAT Newsroom (www.tatnews.org); Facebook (tatnews.org); and Twitter (Tatnews_Org).

For additional information and assistance relating to Thailand’s tourism, contact the TAT Contact Centre 1672 or Tourist Police 1155.

https://thepattayanews.com/2021/05/10/m ... trictions/
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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If the Buri Ram province is doing this, don't be surprised if other provinces, perhaps eventually all of them, do the same.

At this point only a guess on my part, but Buri Ram's move tells me something. I believe vaccination will become a requirement for entering Thailand.

I also believe vaccination will become a requirement for obtaining visas, including the retirement visa. If you get vaccinated and some sort of paperwork proving it is given, whatever you do, don't lose it.

As I said, it is only my guess, but the handwriting on the wall seems obvious enough to me.
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Buri Ram makes Covid vaccinations compulsory

15 May 2021

Authorities in Buri Ram have issued an order requiring everyone in the province to be vaccinated against Covid-19 or risk being fined or jailed for up to two years.

The order came from the governor, Thatchakorn Hatathathayakul, who chaired a provincial communicable disease committee meeting on Friday.

To prevent further virus transmission and help public health officials manage the vaccination drive, people aged 18 and over who live or work in the province must assess their risk of Covid-19 infection with village health volunteers, or via an online system or through a vaccination coordinating centre before the end of this month.

Disease control and public health officials will have the authority to force at-risk people to be vaccinated, as well as set dates, schedules and places to administer Covid-19 vaccines to them.

The authority stems from the 2015 Communicable Disease Act, violations of which carry a maximum one month in prison and/or fines that could be as high as 20,000 baht, depending on which part of the act is applied.

Those who refuse to be vaccinated may also be liable to a maximum two years in prison and/or a fine up to 40,000 baht for breaching the emergency decree.

The main vaccine the government is distributing right now is Coronavac, made by Sinovac Biotech in China, as the first batch of the locally produced AstraZeneca vaccine will not be available until early June.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... compulsory
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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I am definitely happy that the restaurants will be allowed to reopen - the ones that survived. I'm wondering what kinds of rules there will be about the number of people allowed at tables. I've seen reports saying everything from no restrictions to only 1 person allowed at a table. That, among other restrictions, should be made clear within the next day or two, possibly even today.

I don't believe it will be only 1 person per table. That would be much too absurd, even for Thailand (which means there is a chance of it). What would you have to do, book an entire restaurant if you want to eat with a small group of friends? How would you even talk to each other that way? Send each other text messages? Take semaphore flags with you?

Of course, when further details become available, they will be posted.
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Thai Royal Gazette releases order changing Covid-19 color zones, new measures to start Monday, May 17th

By Adam Judd

15 May 2021

The Thai Royal Gazette released an order this evening approving a proposal made by the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) earlier today to change zone coding in the country that regulates general restrictions and measures related to Covid-19 in the Kingdom.

The order, which takes effect on Monday, May 17th, 2021, reduces the highest and strictest control zones, or dark red, to four areas from six previously: Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, and Samut Prakan. Chonburi has been dropped to a “red zone” or controlled, and Chiang Mai has been dropped to an “orange zone”, or surveillance.

Amongst other measures, the main measures reduced for red zone readers, the majority of our audience, is dine-in will be allowed with normal seating until 11:00 P.M. (Although the Governor could strengthen this rule if he chooses.) In “Deep Red” zones, like Bangkok, dine-in will be allowed at 25% capacity until 9:00 P.M. and take-away until 11:00 P.M. Orange zones allow dine-in as normal. Alcohol sales are forbidden at restaurants Kingdom-wide, and bars and entertainment venues must stay closed across the country.

TPN media notes that the individual provinces will also need to release guidelines and orders, which should be over this weekend, and give guidance around their provincial restrictions. Governors are allowed to strengthen rules, but not weaken them.

Most measures and closures are regulated at a provincial level, so rules around items like gyms, pools, massage shops, beaches, and other venues will be released by the provincial governments at a later time.

The order also contains an official waiver for mask-wearing at organized official meetings where someone may need to give an official speech or opinion and has either been vaccinated or recently taken a Covid-19 test and proven they are not infected but must follow disease control measures, be socially distanced, and only remove a mask if involved in discussions or speaking.

The seventeen red provinces are Kanchanaburi, Chon Buri, Chachoengsao, Tak, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin), Ayutthaya, Phetchaburi, Yala, Ranong, Rayong, Ratchaburi, Samut Sakhon, Songkhla, and Surat Thani.

The remaining provinces are orange.

https://tpnnational.com/2021/05/15/thai ... -may-17th/
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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Chonburi province accepts Thai Covid-19 center easing of regulations, but keeps all provincial-level decisions the same

By Adam Judd

16 May 2021

The province of Chonburi (Pattaya) has stated they will be accepting the easing of Covid-19 regulations and measures as stated by the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Bangkok yesterday but will be keeping strong provincial measures intact until further notice.

This includes Chonburi being downgraded from the strictest, maximum control zone to a control zone, or dark red to red.

The CCSA national measures, which governors can strengthen if they wish, included dine-in open until 11:00 P.M., later take-away, and allowing limited re-opening of educational facilities with strict measures and local government approval, primarily for limited in-person testing without large numbers of people. Food courts, cafeterias, banquet halls, similar places, can also be opened under these measures for dine-in. Alcohol sales are strictly prohibited. These measures take effect tomorrow, May 17th, 2021.

Bars, nightclubs, and similar entertainment venues remain closed at a national order in every province in the country. A mask mandate remains in effect as well in public places across the country with strict fines of up to 20,000 baht for violators. This includes driving in a car with more than one person.

The national measures allow other “high-risk” places to open in “red” zones if the Governor chooses to do so, but at this time he has decided to “strengthen” the measures and they will remain the same as the past two weeks.

Essentially, this means gyms, massage shops, indoor sports centers, beauty clinics, swimming pools, most tourist attractions, snooker, bowling alleys, cinemas, arcades, and everything previously ordered closed will remain closed “until further notice” according to the Chonburi Governor.

Koh Larn remains closed to the public as well, the island council is expected to discuss the decision near the end of this week.

Supermarkets, Convenience stores, night markets, restaurants for take-away, etc closed from 11:00 P.M. to 4:00 A.M. Some may close earlier if they are members of retail associations, with most supermarkets closing at 9:00 P.M. and many local 7-11’s, Family Marts, etc. closing at 10:00 P.M. Check with your local store for guidance. All must be closed by 11:00 P.M.

Beaches are open for “exercise-only” in Chonburi, although that can mean different things in different areas based on local law enforcement and leadership. In Pattaya and Jomtien, this means the actual beach area, including the water, is off-limits. Gathering on the beach to eat, drink, socialize, mingle, etc. is strictly forbidden. Umbrella and beach chair vendors remain closed as officials do not want people to gather and socialize.

Shopping Malls remain open, with closing times between 8:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. depending on the mall and their retail association membership. All malls must be closed by 9:00 P.M., although some restaurants may provide take-away later if they are able to.

Gathering limits for official reasons, like work, government meetings, etc. is set at 50 people with approval. Gathering for social reasons, like throwing a party, is forbidden and even two people could be considered an illegal gathering under the emergency decree. Chonburi has previously asked for cooperation from condos and apartment building owners to help stop and prohibit private home gatherings or “parties.”

TPN media will keep you updated on any changes or further developments as the situation is fluid and can sometimes change on a daily basis. Questions about if your venue can open can be directed to 1337 at City Hall 24 hours a day.

https://thepattayanews.com/2021/05/16/c ... -the-same/
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Excitement bubbles at Pattaya soup eateries over restart of dine-in service

By Pattaya Mail

May 16, 2021

Pattaya noodle soup sellers bubbled with excitement on news they can reopen their restaurants Monday for dine-in service.

The Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Saturday reclassified Pattaya as a “red” coronavirus control zone and loosened zone restrictions to allow limited dine-in service, even in “deep red” maximum control zones in Bangkok and three surrounding provinces.

In red zones, restaurants will be allowed to open for dine-in service until 9 p.m. with capacity capped at 25 percent but cannot sell alcohol starting May 17.

Yaowaruk Teepatchsakul, owner of the Song Bandit noodle shop in Naklua, said she is excited to reopen, even with the capacity and hours limits, as her business could not survive only on deliveries.

She said the fact Chonburi is now red, not deep red, may prompt people from the Bangkok metropolitan area to come to Pattaya, which helps her as many of her previous customers were tourists.

Yaowaruk said she will bring out plastic partitions to separate customers again and comply with other virus-control measures.

Kanya Anuruksanut, owner of the Ta Yu noodle shop, said she lost more than half her business during the shutdown. But with the restart of dine-in service, she can keep and pay her employees.

She, too, hoped the rezoning will bring more tourists to Pattaya.

https://www.pattayamail.com/news/excite ... ice-355724
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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Gaybutton wrote: Sun May 16, 2021 7:34 amI don't believe it will be only 1 person per table. That would be much too absurd, even for Thailand (which means there is a chance of it). What would you have to do, book an entire restaurant if you want to eat with a small group of friends?
most of the reports I have read for "dark red" Bangkok are 1 per table, 25% capacity, not sure about "red" Pattaya

current restrictions bring up a slight variation on the complaints from last year - a family of 4 living in the same house can sit down for breakfast at home at the one table with no masks, but if they get in their car to drive to the mall they now all need to wear masks in the car and at the mall they can all walk around together but if they go into a restaurant they all have to sit at different tables

but to be fair how do the authorities draft regulations that are safe, unambiguous, enforceable, and not abusable?

given the evidence is fairly strong for transmission in enclosed spaces with poor air circulation I suppose it depends on how much you trust your "small group of friends" and someone else's "small group of friends" at the next table - as the safe sex promos used to say having unprotected sex with someone is like having unprotected sex with all their previous partners ...

personally I have many friends I "trust" but I am not that sure of their "boyfriend" and their "boyfriend's" family and recent contacts, and I know quite a few restaurants that I am not confident to go back to for a while given the rate of daily new infections in Bangkok, but there are others, often in malls, that I feel are well ventilated and social distance well

but the restaurants are all complaining their livelihood is threatened, so what do the authorities do?
I can’t even be bothered to be apathetic these days!
Jun

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by Jun »

bkkguy wrote: Sun May 16, 2021 8:42 pm current restrictions bring up a slight variation on the complaints from last year - a family of 4 living in the same house can sit down for breakfast at home at the one table with no masks, but if they get in their car to drive to the mall they now all need to wear masks in the car and at the mall they can all walk around together but if they go into a restaurant they all have to sit at different tables

but to be fair how do the authorities draft regulations that are safe, unambiguous, enforceable, and not abusable?
The regulation you described is safe, unambiguous and enforceable. Of course it's a slight nonsense that they can eat together at home, but not in the restaurant.
However, the moment they exempt people living together, it becomes much more difficult to enforce the restaurant rule.
So I think it makes sense to have the rule and have no exemptions.
bkkguy wrote: Sun May 16, 2021 8:42 pmbut the restaurants are all complaining their livelihood is threatened, so what do the authorities do?
The authorities find all sorts of schemes to support the construction sector, concrete manufacturers and so on.
They could spread some of that money around to the restaurant & hospitality sectors.
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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Jun wrote: Mon May 17, 2021 3:49 am Of course it's a slight nonsense that they can eat together at home, but not in the restaurant.
However, the moment they exempt people living together, it becomes much more difficult to enforce the restaurant rule.
That's the problem. Even if it is a family eating together, that doesn't mean they all necessarily live together in the same house, arrived in the same car, etc. They might have simply met for dinner. And unless they all stay home together and don't venture out, who knows who they might have been exposed to during the day. And when a group of people arrives at a restaurant, that doesn't mean it's necessarily a group of people from the same family.

Of course, that still makes very little sense to me if the rule is going to be one person at a table. Unless you were planning to eat alone in the first place, I wouldn't go to a restaurant to have to eat like that, especially since some restaurants have very small tables and some have very large tables.

While I realize the authorities are sincerely trying to stop the spread of Covid, trying to regulate to the point of overkill can end up causing even more problems.
Jun

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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Gaybutton wrote: Mon May 17, 2021 6:27 am Of course, that still makes very little sense to me if the rule is going to be one person at a table.
One person per table stops people meeting up at restaurants, so has served it's purpose.

I'm fairly familiar with one person per table restrictions, from back in January 2020.
It permitted people who needed to eat out to do so, such as workers & the small number of tourists.
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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Jun wrote: Mon May 17, 2021 4:21 pm One person per table stops people meeting up at restaurants, so has served it's purpose.
The powers-that-be opened the restaurants. What good is it doing the restaurant if nobody other than a few singles are going to eat there? Restaurants need customers. Even if singles fill every table in a restaurant, that is hardly going to be enough for most restaurants. I enjoy eating with a friend at a restaurant, but without being able to sit with at least one friend so we can talk, I won't bother very much.

Of course, we don't know yet whether one per table is going to be the rule. As a matter of fact, at the time of this post I have no idea just what the rules about how many people can sit at a table will be.
Jun

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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Gaybutton wrote: Mon May 17, 2021 5:44 pm The powers-that-be opened the restaurants. What good is it doing the restaurant if nobody other than a few singles are going to eat there?
As an example, people who work away from home need somewhere to eat. Not all dining is social.

If the restaurant decides it is better off opening to serve such a market, then they can do so.
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