The latest Covid restrictions

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Gaybutton
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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Chonburi (Pattaya's province) releases new orders easing Covid-19 restrictions starting from September 1st

By Adam Judd

30 August, 2021

The Chonburi Governor and provincial disease committee released this evening, August 30th, 2021, rules and restrictions around easing of Covid-19 rules for the province.

These take effect starting from September 1st, 2021 until further notice. As of press time, it had not been released on the Chonburi PR social media accounts but was distributed to local press.

We are not going to translate every single line, as most of the same things covered in the national order from the link above are in effect. Here are the highlights/differences:

-Beauty Clinics, salons, barbershops can reopen (Appointment in advance, no waiting inside the shop)

-Massage shops can reopen, allowing only foot massages.

-Restaurants are allowed to open until 8:00 P.M., no alcohol, up to 50% dine-in capacity with air-con, up to 75% outside/no air con. There was no mention of controversial vaccination requirements/Covid-19 testing as proposed in a trial by the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration earlier last week. This goes along with statements made today that this “trial/pilot” would not be enforced, at least for September.

-Markets can open until 8:00 P.M., including for “non-essentials like clothes, etc.”

-Malls/Community malls/Department stores (all areas unless stated below) can open until 8:00 P.M., most stores/restaurants can open but cinemas, water parks, fitness centers/gyms, arcades/arcade boxes are still closed as well as any other sector not allowed to open (like bars or entertainment venues).

-Educational institutions (schools) can open their buildings but need permission from provincial authorities to resume public classes, which doesn’t seem to be taking place at this time. This appears to be mainly for teachers, exams, smaller private classes, etc.

-Public parks, sports fields and stadiums (NO spectators), outdoor swimming pools, outdoor places for exercise, open until 8:00 P.M. No alcohol at all these places. Golf was NOT specifically mentioned, we know we will get lots of questions about this but is likely considered an outdoor sports place. We would advise interested players to contact your course of interest in advance. Saunas were not specifically mentioned, either.

It is unclear if an outdoor place for exercise would include an outdoor gym, we suggest to call City Hall at 1337 if you own one of these establishments and check in advance.

–BEACH CAN OPEN UNTIL 8:00 P.M. for sitting, relaxing, swimming, etc. NO ALCOHOL.

-Reservoir can open until 8:00 P.M.

-Curfew continues from 9:00 P.M. to 4:00 A.M. until further notice. It remains mandatory in Chonburi and not “optional or suggested.”

-Convenience store hours remain from 4:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.

-All places previously closed remain closed (like bars, gyms, entertainment venues) and all places previously open stay open, like banks, supermarkets, etc.

-Gathering limit is raised from 5 people to 25 people. However, there is still a ban on “parties” or social gatherings around alcohol, and alcohol is banned from public places like parks, reservoirs, etc. Technically, the older rule about more than one person gathered around alcohol is still in place.

-Interprovincial travel and interdistrict travel is ok, but keep in mind especially between provinces that some provinces have strict rules and you should check with a destination province in advance. Chonburi has no entry requirements or rules/vaccination requirements/tests.

-If you are unsure if your business or venue can open please call City Hall’s helpline at 1337, they can provide any assistance needed.

This all starts effective September 1st, 2021 until further notice.

https://thepattayanews.com/2021/08/30/c ... ember-1st/
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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No jabs needed for dining in

by Supoj Wancharoen

August 31, 2021

People in dark-red zones will not need to be fully vaccinated and/or pass a Covid-19 test to dine in at eateries and restaurants in dark-red zones, according to the latest announcement in the Royal Gazette.

The announcement contradicted earlier reports which said restaurants wishing to reopen would be required to restrict dine-in services to fully vaccinated patrons and/or those who have passed a Covid test with an antigen test kit before entering.

The news was published in the Royal Gazette on Saturday, along with the easing of other Covid-19 curbs which were endorsed by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

A source close to the matter said the CCSA will provide more detailed guidance on the issue later.

CCSA spokesman, Taweesilp Visanuyothin, on Monday instructed the Public Health Ministry and other concerned stakeholders to come up with measures to determine the impact the eased measures have on the number of infections.

While restaurants and several other businesses are gearing up to open, the 9pm-4am curfew will remain in place, while all employees are asked to work from home until Sept 14.

Public gatherings of no more than 25 people will once again be permitted in dark-red zones, albeit with permission from authorities.

In Bangkok, schools will be allowed to resume in-person instruction, given they meet the conditions laid out by the Education Ministry and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation.

Starting on Wednesday, beauty salons and barber shops will also reopen, though no walk-ins will be allowed. Spas and massage parlours, meanwhile, can only offer foot massages.

Furthermore, inter-provincial travel from dark-red zones will no longer be restricted. Airlines will also be allowed to resume passenger services, as long as seats are limited to 75% capacity, Dr Taweesilp said.

Separately, the National Health Security Office (NHSO) invited hospitality sector employees to take a free Covid-19 test between Aug 31 and Sept 3.

Eligible employees can go to the 4th floor of the parking garage in Building B at Government Complex, Chaeng Watthana Road between 8.30am and 4.30pm. The centre is capable of processing 1,500 people each day.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -dining-in
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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I'm glad the restaurants can reopen. It may be interesting to see how many of our favorite restaurants really will open, at least right away.

The problem, as I see it, is along with reopening, since the 9:00pm curfew is still in effect they all have to close by 8:00pm, which tells me last orders probably won't be much later than 7:00pm.

Kind of early for dinner, at least for me, but I'm certainly glad they can reopen. However, many will be open for breakfast and lunch.

As long as we're on the subject of restrictions, what I don't see is anything about certain government offices reopening. The one I'm thinking about for Pattaya is the Land Transport office. That's where you go to get a driving license. We still don't know when they will reopen.
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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I thought this is a little strange. Aren't they happy unless they come up with new rules, even bizarre ones? Who comes up with this kind of nonsense? Don't they think things through before imposing rules?

Ok, no self service. Maybe if you're eating with a friend, you can serve him and he can serve you. That way it isn't self service.

How are buffets going to operate? You stand there and tell the staff what you want and how much of it you want? Do you get to do that or do you have to just sit at your table and hope the waiter will bring what you want? If you get to stand there and tell the staff, who brings the food to your table, you or the waiter? This will go over great if there are a lot of people, but only a few wait staff to get your food for you.

And what do they expect people to do - or not do? If you go to a buffet, aren't you at least going to look at the food before deciding what you want? As long as you're there looking at it, what's wrong with taking what you want at the same time?

You might spend that hour just waiting to be served.

Maybe they'll provide stop watches at each table - after all, you certainly wouldn't want to exceed that hour restriction.

For some strange reason, I don't expect this rule to last very long until it is either rescinded or just ignored.

Is anyone surprised that I'm adding this one to my "I Don't Get It" list?
___________________________________________________________

No self-service at buffets

by Apinya Wipatayotin

September 2, 2021

Self-service is not allowed in a buffet restaurant and diners can stay just one hour, under Ministry of Public Health regulations for restaurants in dark red zones.

Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, chief of the Department of Health, said the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has loosened controls on restaurants by allowing dining-in based on Covid-19 free practices.

But for dark-red zones, Dr Suwannachai said, additional measures are needed to make sure all eateries follow the regulations. They also apply to beverage shops in department stores and community malls as well.

The regulations include social distancing, having alcohol gel at each table, no face-to-face sitting, ventilation, and cleaning common contact areas and restrooms every one or two hours. Self-service in restaurants is also not allowed.

"We'll limit the time to eat inside the restaurant to just one hour. This is because we want them to focus on eating, not talking. The less time spent there, the less chance of infection," Dr Suwannachai said.

"We will evaluate all measures before fully implementing anything, including the ATK test, and the need for full-dose vaccination for both customers and staff next month. Both parties must conduct the Covid self-evaluation through the Thai Save Thai application."

Certificates would be required to show full vaccination status. If not, customers or staff could show the result of an antigen test instead.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... at-buffets
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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Going to Sizzlers will be an adventure. I can order my main course but can't use the self-service salad bar buffet. Pure genius.
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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Seems like a reasonable caution to me. I didn't like the idea of numerous people breathing and dishing up food from common bowls. It seemed a little risky even in healthier times. And, the logistics of service should be manageable. I remember eating in my grammar school cafeteria and university dorms. Both showed food displayed and the "customer" told the server what they wanted, the staff scooped it up and off you went. It was pretty efficient.
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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RichLB wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 12:02 pm the "customer" told the server what they wanted, the staff scooped it up and off you went.
If a buffet is conducive to doing that way, that could work. But few buffets I've seen in Thailand are set up to be able to do it that way. I'm not worried about breathing - everybody will be wearing face masks. I don't worry about that at standard service restaurant either. I just tell the waiter to hold his breath until after I'm served . . .

I also never have had a problem about taking food out of common bowls. What is the problem about that? That's the way every buffet I've ever been to in my life does it. And that way I get what I want, not what a server decides to give me.

I suppose the thing to do while this is in effect, if you're interested in a buffet just go, see how they're doing it, and then decide to stay or leave.
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by gerefan »

It’s not just buffets. It’s anything where you use the same hand held utensils like serving spoons, drink dispensers etc. This from the US. CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention). ..

“ Avoid offering any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations. This limits the use of shared serving utensils, handles, buttons, or touchscreens and helps customers to stay seated and at least 6 feet apart from people who do not live in their household.”.
Jun

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by Jun »

gerefan wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 11:17 pm It’s not just buffets. It’s anything where you use the same hand held utensils like serving spoons, drink dispensers etc. This from the US. CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention). ..

“ Avoid offering any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations. This limits the use of shared serving utensils, handles, buttons, or touchscreens and helps customers to stay seated and at least 6 feet apart from people who do not live in their household.”.
In the UK, the "experts" started off telling us covid is spread by surface contact. There was no advice about masks or social distancing.

Then many months later, they grudgingly recommended and mandated the wearing of face coverings, but not specifying any particular standard.

Even after results were published for an NHS trial which showed upgrading staff to full FFP3 masks dramatically reduced the chances of catching covid to a negligible level, they didn't recommend people wear good masks.
So the advice in the UK seemed to be constantly behind the curve & was only updated very slowly to recognize airborne transmission. Almost like the experts are too stuck in their ways to quickly assimilate new data. Meanwhile, experts in Asia always recommended face masks & Asia has had a lower death rate.

I'm not best placed to comment if the US is in a similar situation, but I gather they took a while to recommend mask wearing ?

Back to the restaurant:
For shared utensils, drinks dispensers etc, it should be easy to mitigate the risk by wearing gloves or using hand gel immediately after filling your plate.
Airborne transmission is more difficult to mitigate, as eating with a mask is a "challenge".

Whilst Thailand might not be reporting cases from communal dining, it is recognized as an issue in the US.

https://www.popsci.com/story/health/whe ... sion-risk/
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Re: The latest Covid restrictions

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Jun wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 11:32 pm For shared utensils, drinks dispensers etc, it should be easy to mitigate the risk by wearing gloves or using hand gel immediately after filling your plate.
I draw the line with that. I see that as overkill. I'm not going to live in a bubble, afraid to touch anything someone else's hands may have touched. Why should that stop at a buffet? When I receive a food delivery, am I supposed to first sterilize the bag and food containers because I don't know who may have touched it? Unless I'm wearing protective gloves, should I be afraid to push a shopping cart in a grocery store because I don't know who handled it last? Should I be scared to punch in the numbers at an ATM?

To me it all amounts to the same thing. Live that way if you want to, but in my opinion there is a point at which precautions start getting ridiculous.
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