Canada Association of Tourism Employees

Thailand, Tourism, and Darkish Pink Zones: Not excellent news

1. The Thai government has extended the lockdown and curfew by two weeks from Tuesday, adding 16 more provinces to the list of “dark red or maximum and strict control zones,” areas hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic .
2. The Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) ordered a curfew from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. and other strict measures will be imposed in Bangkok and 28 other provinces in Thailand for two weeks from tomorrow.
3. The CCSA is expected to reassess the pandemic situation on August 18. It is likely that another lockdown extension is expected by the end of this month.

However, the CCSA relaxed restrictions on restaurants and eateries in shopping malls in the dark red zones, allowing them to sell groceries by delivery through online platforms.

Existing restrictions in the dark red zones remain in place, including restrictions on travel between the provinces.

Anyone wishing to enter the dark red zones must have a valid reason and will be screened upon entering.

No more than 5 people are allowed to meet.

Shopping centers, department stores and public shopping centers are closed, with the exception of supermarkets, pharmacies and vaccination stations. There is no public transport available from 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. The capacity in public transport is limited to 50%

People in the Dark Red Zone provinces are urged to work from home.

The exit and lockdown measures have been enforced since July 12 in the greater Bangkok area – Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani and Nakhon Pathom as well as in the four southern border provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla.

Chon Buri, Chachoengsao and Ayutthaya were added to the list on July 20th. The current measures expire on Monday.

The CCSA added 16 more provinces to the list of dark red zones yesterday – Ang Thong, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Ratchasima, Kanchanaburi, Lop Buri, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Prachin Buri, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Samut Songkhram, Saraburi, Sing Buri , Suphan Buri and Tak.

Infection rates in Bangkok were found to be showing signs of slowing, accounting for 39% of infections nationwide, while infection rates in other provinces rose due to the Delta variant.

The Thai government is coordinating the import of Russian Sputnik vaccine to vaccinate frontline workers.

Health experts agreed that the high infection rates in Thailand are likely to continue for the next two months.

Thaniwan Kulmongkol, President of the Thai Restaurant Association, welcomed the CCSA’s decision to allow restaurants in shopping malls to sell food online.

The country registered 18,027 new cases and 133 new Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours.