Proposal for new “green zone” provinces goes before CCSA today

Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has submitted a proposal to classify some provinces as “green zones”. The proposal will be considered by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration when it meets today. Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the health ministry says the proposal involves adjusting the Covid-19 colour-coded zoning, which currently has provinces listed as yellow (high surveillance) or blue “tourism” zones.

The ministry has not proposed the relaxation of any Covid-19 restrictions. However, it’s understood that provincial communicable disease committees may be able to ease restrictions in their areas, allowing some activities to resume. There is currently widespread speculation that nightlife and entertainment venues in the so-called “green zone” provinces could be allowed to re-open.

The Bangkok Post reports a source in the health ministry as saying there are 14 provinces that could be classified as green zones, 17 blue zones, and 46 yellow. The final outcome will be agreed at the CCSA meeting today.

Bar owners and nightlife operators around the country are urging the government to allow them to re-open, with business representatives meeting with Supoj Malaniyom from the CCSA yesterday. According to Supoj, any re-opening proposal will go to the CCSA for consideration.

According to government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the CCSA will today review Thailand’s Covid-19 situation before deciding if any other restrictions can be eased. He added that the current Covid-19 alert could be downgraded from Level 3 to Level 2 by the end of this month, if the situation continues to improve. The alert was decreased from Level 4 just under 2 weeks ago.

The emergency decree is still in place, but due to expire at the end of this month. The decree has been extended multiple times since its introduction at the start of the pandemic. In the latest news, deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam has hinted that it could be extended yet again, for a short period.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post