UPDATE: New provincial colour-coding announced

UPDATE: A new colour coding has been announced. Here’s the new coding, broken up into dark red, light red and orange zoned provinces.

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EARLIER STORY
Thailand’s provinces could see an update as early as today on whether their Covid-19 colour-coding will change as a result of the current virus wave sweeping the nation. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration may switch Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi, Chiang Mai and Chon Buri amongst a few others from red to dark red zones.

The change would signal an even more severe situation in those deemed as red zones, as the CCSA would rework its categorisation of colours to include the more extreme Covid situations in the provinces. Currently, the colour-coding ranges from green to red, with 18 provinces being labelled as red zones, which comes along with tighter restrictions. As PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has recently been given full control over the Covid-19 situation in the Kingdom, he also gave each province the power to set individual curfews and safety measures.

Some provinces have already banned alcohol, closed entertainment venues and other businesses like cinemas, massage shops, gyms, and others. Bangkok in itself has closed 31 types of businesses as it deals with the influx of infections. The deep-red zone proposal would tighten the rules even further in those provinces labelled that colour. Despite the PM saying a lockdown is out of the question recently, the strict measures that could be implemented under the deep red zone provinces would more than likely look like a complete shutdown, despite the wording being carefully chosen.

As a 4 day holiday is scheduled for this weekend, as labour and the King’s Coronation day are to be celebrated, the government could issue the new colour-coding in an attempt to curb travelling, and gatherings among other things that could spread the virus.

Today, Thailand has recorded 1,871 new Covid-19 infections and 10 coronavirus-related deaths, according to the Public Health Ministry, raising the total count since the start of the pandemic last year to 63,570 Covid-19 infections and 188 fatalities. Covid-related deaths in Thailand have been reported each day since April 17.