Thailand has begun what they are calling the fourth phase of relaxing business and activity restrictions. But, what exactly does that mean?
Published in the Royal Thai Government Gazette on 12 June, 2020, the fourth stage of relaxation of restrictions on business and other activities, that were effective from Monday, 15 June, 2020, include:
- The lifting of the nighttime curfew, which will take effect from 23.00 Hrs. of 14 June, 2020, onwards.
- Further relaxations for the utilisation of educational institutes, including international and informal schools, as well as small formal schools with no more than 120 students each, to reopen.
Further relaxations for the resumption of businesses and activities, starting from 15 June, 2020, in addition to those that have already been allowed in phase one from 3 May, phase two from 17 May, and phase three from 1 June.
- Meetings and seminars, exhibitions, banquets, ceremonial events, cultural and music performances, as well as events organised at hotels, theatres, convention and exhibition facilities, along with cinemas can resume operations.
- Alcoholic beverages can be served at restaurants, food centres and hotels, within the specific times with no promotional activities. Pubs, bars, karaoke shops and entertainment venues are to remain closed.
- All nurseries and care facilities for the elderly can now resume daily services.
- Science learning centres, science parks, and science and cultural centres can reopen.
- Filming of television programmes, movies and video documentaries can resume operations with no more than 150 people each.
- Parlours offering Thai massage and saunas can reopen, with only a limited number of customers allowed to use facilities at the same time. Soapy massage parlours will remain closed.
- Group exercise in parks and other outdoor locations can resume, with up to 50 people participating.
- Shops offering sauna, herbal steam and facial treatment services in health and wellness facilities, spas and traditional Thai massage establishments can resume operations. Bathsaunamassage parlours are to remain closed.
- Outdoor exercising activities in public parks and other outdoor locations can resume.
- Water parks, playgrounds and amusement parks can reopen, except for ball pits and inflatable playgrounds, which are difficult to disinfect.
- Sports can resume, but without spectators. Game arcades in malls can reopen. However, venues for bullfights, cockfights, and fish fighting are to remain closed.
- All interprovincial travel – by buses, vans, trains, boats and planes – must be operated under strict health and safety controls.
- All businesses and activities that resume must be subject to the government’s diseasecontrol measures.
- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to remind all to continue to adhere to health and safety routines to protect themselves, as well as others from the COVID19 infection.
- These include keeping social distancing, wearing a mask or cloth mask, and frequently washing hands.
- Avoid close contact with other persons, no hugging, especially with vulnerable groups like the elderly, or those who have underlying conditions because it can increase the infection rate and potentially lead to severe disease more easily than in other groups.
- People can greet via a Wai (Thai greeting) from a distance of 1 or 2 metres. When staying together, people must wear masks, use personal utensils or serving spoons, or eat a la carte servings to protect themselves and loved ones from getting the disease.
