Thailand sets stricter measures for COVID-19 red zones

Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has declared stricter measures for 28 "red zone" provinces, including the capital of Bangkok, amid COVID-19 spikes across the country.
Staff spray disinfectant in a market in Samut Sakhon province, Thailand, December 21, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)
Staff spray disinfectant in a market in Samut Sakhon province, Thailand, December 21, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19Situation Administration (CCSA) has declared stricter measures for 28 "redzone" provinces, including the capital of Bangkok, amid COVID-19 spikesacross the country.

CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said the CCSA andthe Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) agreed on the stricter controls followinga rise in local infections. The restrictions will be effective from January 4 untilFebruary 1.

The heightened restrictions, which will be submitted toPrime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for approval on January 4, are divided intotwo tiers, Taweesilp said.

The first tier limits the operating hours of businesses,closes at-risk ones, searches and arrests people who gather illegally,discourages inter-provincial travel, closes academic institutions, andencourages work from home across the red zones, he said.

Other measures in the first tier include travelrestrictions for people who come from the red zones, urgent active case findingand disease investigation.

If the first tier is unsuccessful in controlling thevirus, second-tier measures will be introduced, Taweesilp said.

In the second tier, the restriction on operating hours willbe expanded to more businesses and some types of businesses will be closed.Gatherings of many people will be prohibited.

The CCSA spokesman insisted that dining in at restaurantsis still allowed for now and there was no need to hoard goods at this stage.

If a dine-in ban was issued, the CCSA would ensurerestaurants have time to prepare, he said.

Last week, Bangkok announced that schools will be closedfor two weeks after the New Year holiday as part of tighter measures againstthe new wave of the novel coronavirus.

On January 1, Thailand confirmed 279 new coronaviruscases, with the majority of them linked to a cluster among migrant workers inSamut Sakhon province south of Bangkok, and another cluster linked to illegalgambling dens that started in the eastern province of Rayong.

These new clusters have started to spread into Bangkok,prompting the city's administrator to tighten measures to curb the spread ofthe virus.

Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, the spokesman for the BangkokMetropolitan Administration, said the city begins to detect new cases linked tostudents and other service businesses so it decided to close more places.

All schools, daycare centres for the young and elderly,preschool and tutorial centres will be close from January 4 to 17, he said.

Thailand’s national COVID-19 tally has reached nearly 7,700as of January 3./.
VNA

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