Dr. Panpimol Wipulakorn head of Thailand’s health department has said that even though some restrictions on domestic travel have been relaxed, travelers should adopt “new normal”.
This week popular beaches opened across Thailand with great fanfare by beach goers especially at Bang Saen beach in Chonburi province. Bang Saen beach in Chon Buri was almost bursting at the seams with beach goers. Traffic on the beachfront road in Bang Saen ground to a halt prompting authorities to order its temporary closure.
Now Thailand’s health department has made calls for limiting the number of visitors to tourist spots to prevent a possible surge in Covid-19. The concerns also come as Thailand’s government prepares to allow more businesses and activities to reopen ahead of schedule.
Dr. Panpimol Wipulakorn head of Thailand’s health department has said that even though some restrictions on domestic travel have been relaxed, travellers should adopt “new normal”.
People need to continue to practices and maintain social distancing and safety precautions. And above all continue wearing masks and sanitizing their hand wherever they go.
Face Masks on Beaches
For the next phase of lockdown easing, it may be necessary to curb the number of visitors to tourist spots. Similar to limiting the number of people going to shopping malls, Dr Panpimol said.
She added that local governments should control the number of visitors to beaches in their respective provinces. Above all to prevent overcrowding and improper social distancing. Tourists and workers in the service industry should also be required to wear masks while on the beaches, Dr Panpimol said.
Hand sanitizer should also be provided for visitors while toilets and bathrooms on beach fronts should be cleaned every two hours, she said. She also believes visitors should have to check in and out at beaches.
Dr Panpimol said the health department has been monitoring every phase of relaxation. It found that while people continue to wash their hands, they aren’t wearing face masks in public as much.
She also said movie-goers will not prohibited from eating popcorn and soft drinks in cinemas. However they have been urged to take precautions and wear masks all the time.
Pubs and Bars Reopening
Meanwhile, Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Friday that more businesses and activities will be allowed to reopen ahead of schedule. If they can give assurances that they have plans to prevent covid-19 transmission.
Dr Taweesilp said that the CCSA has regularly discussed the fourth and final phase of relaxation. Especially for businesses and activities that are in the high-risk category such as pubs and bars.
The spokesman for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, said that businesses that come up with plans to prevent transmissions may be permitted to reopen ahead of schedule. However, such plans have to be approved by the CCSA’s business resumption committee first.
The next stage of relaxation which will effectively lead to a complete reopening of the country. The government plans to completely lift the lockdown on all businesses and activities on July 1 country wide.
This also includes lifting inter-provincial travel restrictions. And above all ending the emergency decree and curfew.
The emergency decree, which was invoked on March 26 to deal with Covid-19, will end in June. Furthermore the ban on international travel would end at the same time it is lifted.
The CCSA on Friday reported one new case of Covid-19 infection, a returnee from Kuwait who tested positive just before leaving quarantine. There have been no new deaths from covid-19.
Source: The Chiang Rai Times / Bangkok Post
This week popular beaches opened across Thailand with great fanfare by beach goers especially at Bang Saen beach in Chonburi province. Bang Saen beach in Chon Buri was almost bursting at the seams with beach goers. Traffic on the beachfront road in Bang Saen ground to a halt prompting authorities to order its temporary closure.
Now Thailand’s health department has made calls for limiting the number of visitors to tourist spots to prevent a possible surge in Covid-19. The concerns also come as Thailand’s government prepares to allow more businesses and activities to reopen ahead of schedule.
Dr. Panpimol Wipulakorn head of Thailand’s health department has said that even though some restrictions on domestic travel have been relaxed, travellers should adopt “new normal”.
People need to continue to practices and maintain social distancing and safety precautions. And above all continue wearing masks and sanitizing their hand wherever they go.
Face Masks on Beaches
For the next phase of lockdown easing, it may be necessary to curb the number of visitors to tourist spots. Similar to limiting the number of people going to shopping malls, Dr Panpimol said.
She added that local governments should control the number of visitors to beaches in their respective provinces. Above all to prevent overcrowding and improper social distancing. Tourists and workers in the service industry should also be required to wear masks while on the beaches, Dr Panpimol said.
Hand sanitizer should also be provided for visitors while toilets and bathrooms on beach fronts should be cleaned every two hours, she said. She also believes visitors should have to check in and out at beaches.
Dr Panpimol said the health department has been monitoring every phase of relaxation. It found that while people continue to wash their hands, they aren’t wearing face masks in public as much.
She also said movie-goers will not prohibited from eating popcorn and soft drinks in cinemas. However they have been urged to take precautions and wear masks all the time.
Pubs and Bars Reopening
Meanwhile, Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Friday that more businesses and activities will be allowed to reopen ahead of schedule. If they can give assurances that they have plans to prevent covid-19 transmission.
Dr Taweesilp said that the CCSA has regularly discussed the fourth and final phase of relaxation. Especially for businesses and activities that are in the high-risk category such as pubs and bars.
The spokesman for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, said that businesses that come up with plans to prevent transmissions may be permitted to reopen ahead of schedule. However, such plans have to be approved by the CCSA’s business resumption committee first.
The next stage of relaxation which will effectively lead to a complete reopening of the country. The government plans to completely lift the lockdown on all businesses and activities on July 1 country wide.
This also includes lifting inter-provincial travel restrictions. And above all ending the emergency decree and curfew.
The emergency decree, which was invoked on March 26 to deal with Covid-19, will end in June. Furthermore the ban on international travel would end at the same time it is lifted.
The CCSA on Friday reported one new case of Covid-19 infection, a returnee from Kuwait who tested positive just before leaving quarantine. There have been no new deaths from covid-19.
Source: The Chiang Rai Times / Bangkok Post
