Govt eases coronavirus curbs. Bangkok Post

Govt eases coronavirus curbs

The government has eased some Covid-19 restrictions to allow dine-in services at restaurants to open until 11pm and reduced the designation of five "dark-red zone" provinces to four.

Bangkok and three adjoining provinces -- Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan -- will remain as dark-red zones with maximum and strict Covid-19 controls when the decision to ease some restrictions is expected to come into effect on Monday.

Meanwhile, Samut Sakhon will join 10 other provinces in being designated as "red zones" of maximum Covid-19 controls. These provinces are Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Trang, Nakhon Pathom, Pattani, Phetchaburi, Songkhla, Saraburi, Yala and Narathiwat.

Nine provinces in the kingdom are orange zones for Covid-19 -- Chanthaburi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ayutthaya, Ranong, Rayong, Ratchaburi, Sa Kaeo and Samut Songkhram.

The kingdom's other 53 provinces are yellow zones of close Covid-19 surveillance.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said the zoning adjustment and relaxed measures will come into effect on Monday.

Dr Taweesilp said people in dark-red zones can hold activities involving no more than 50 persons, while air-conditioned restaurants can serve dining-in customers to a maximum 50% of capacity until 11pm. The sale and consumption of alcohol on the premises remain prohibited, he said.

In dark-red zones, department stores and shopping centres can open until 9pm, he said, noting that outdoor sports fields and well-ventilated sports facilities can open without spectators. However, schools will remain closed, he said.

People in red zones can organise activities of no more than 100 people, while restaurants have no limits on the number of dine-in customers and can stay open until 11pm, Dr Taweesilp said. The sale and consumption of alcohol on the premises remain banned, he said.

In red zones, shopping centres and department stores can open as usual but are prohibited from organising promotional events, while schools can open, he said. However, sports facilities can be used until 9pm with a limited number of spectators, he said.

In orange zones, activities are limited to 150 people, while restaurants can open as usual but with a ban on alcohol sale and consumption, he said. Shopping centres, department stores and schools can open as usual, he said. Sports facilities can open with a limit on the number of spectators, he said.

In yellow zones, activities must be capped at 200 people, but restaurants, schools, shopping centres and department stores can operate as usual, Dr Taweesilp said. Sports facilities can open with a cap on spectators, he said.

In all zones, people are required to wear a face mask outside their homes, he said, noting that night entertainment venues and pubs will remain closed.

Dr Taweesilp said the CCSA also relaxed restrictions on film and television programme production. Under the guidelines issued by the CCSA, film and TV crew members must seek permission from the authorities to use areas, he said. They must also comply with local disease control measures, he said.

Crew members and all involved must undergo RT–PCR testing 72 hours before production begins, the CCSA spokesman said. They must also provide timelines of activities seven days in advance, he said.

The number of crew members is limited to no more than 50, he said. Crew members and audience members must strictly follow DMHTT guidelines, he said, referring to social distancing, mask-wearing, hand-washing, temperature-checking and using the Thai Chana app.

However, the mask-wearing requirement will not apply to actors and contestants on-screen, he said, adding that game show participants will be allowed to take off their mask one at a time.

News presenters must use partitions and keep at least two metres apart. For shows shot in public places, the mask mandate applies, he said.