3 more provinces to be maximum control zones, restrictions apply

Thai media announced this morning that 3 more provinces will be further designated as maximum control. The 3 provinces are Chon Buri, Chachoengsao, and Ayutthaya (although Chon Buri and Chachoengsao were previously added by the CCSA as maximum control). This change will go into effect Tuesday.

Like the maximum control announcement for the 10 other provinces, the government is advising against “unnecessary movement” and travelling in order to decrease the increasing spread of Covid and the number of infections. The government will also establish checkpoints where authorities will determine if the traveller’s trip is “essential”. They will also discourage travel, although it wasn’t clear by what means they will discourage it.

The public is also encouraged to work from home, with an emphasis on government agencies. The unspoken expectation is that if a company can have their employees work from home, they should work from home.

Thai media says that the biggest challenge in the maximum control areas is the 9 pm to 4 am curfew “request” that is now an order. Thus, legal repercussions can be applied to people who break the curfew without an essential reason, like a medical emergency. Public transportation is also nixed.

The stringent preventive measures are:

1. Takeaway only at restaurants. Restaurants and food carts must be closed by 8:00 PM
2. Shopping centres and other similar stores must close, except the essential sections of supermarkets; such as drug stores, groceries, banks and financial institutions, and mobile phone shops. As well as vaccination centres inside shopping centres, but they must also close by 8 pm.
3. Hotels and similar institutions can stay open. However, they must resist organising any type of meetings, seminars, or banquets. Hotel amenities must follow the same rules as the overall orders
4. Convenience stores and markets can stay open, provided they close at 8 pm and don’t open before 4 am
5. Schools, educational or training institutions, and other similar educational institutions can stay open for certain specific areas such as remote teaching. However, they must work within the parameters that were previously announced. Teaching at the brick and mortar locations is also forbidden… except for some special education students.

Further, the gathering limits have been reduced from 50 down to 5. If people want to gather in a group of more than 5 people, they need permission from provincial officials. Importantly, no more than 1 person can gather to drink alcohol.

The measures that go with being a maximum control area go into effect Tuesday and will stay in place until at least August 2.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post The Pattaya News