Thailand to lift curfew, allow alcohol sales in restaurants, hotels

[snoop1130]

Thailand to lift curfew, more curbs as 'travel bubbles' targeted

 

A man wearing a face mask shops inside the Sampheng wholesale market as Thai government eases isolation measures, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Bangkok, Thailand, June 10, 2020. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand will lift a nationwide curfew and ease more restrictions next week, a spokesman for its coronavirus task force said on Friday, after the country has reported no local transmissions of the virus for 18 days.

 

Thailand is also planning to reopen to foreign visitors by creating so-called travel bubbles with countries that have also managed to contain the virus, though no target date was set, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration.

 

"The curfew will be lifted effective on June 15 along with the easing of some activities," Taweesin said, adding that strict social distancing rules still needed to be observed in all public activities.

 

Schools with less than 120 students, exhibition halls, music concerts, film productions, playgrounds, amusement parks, sports competitions without spectators and sales of alcohol in restaurants can resume next Monday, he said.

 

Pubs, bars and karaoke outlets will remain closed, he said.

 

Travel could be reopened with countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and some Middle East nations, Taweesin said, as well as neighbours like Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

 

"The target group is business travellers as well as those wanting medical services and treatment in Thailand," he said.

 

No date has been set on the easing of restrictions on international arrivals which are still banned until the end of June.

 

Thailand has been gradually easing restrictions in an effort to revive its economy and after appearing to contain the virus.

 

It has recorded 58 deaths so far and 3,129 confirmed cases - most of which have recovered.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-12

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[terryofcrete]

4 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Some good news then. Have to feel sorry for the bar owners and staff though.  18 days without a local case and still they can't open or make any money.

So no FARANG in temple Wat Po, not farang allowed on the buses , It must feel very intimidating to live there at the moment ,you are a danger to the Thai Nation. I can feel the desire to return waning as the days pass . 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, Snig27 said:

The screen rule was rescinded last week for approved places. Nowhere around here has screens now. It just takes a quick visit to get the ok.

 

Funny, last weekend I went into Siam Paragon for the first time in a long time, and most or all of the eateries I saw had those makeshift table screens set up, and obviously had to pay someone to produce and install them.  And now a short time later, poof!!!, screens requirement and screens will be gone.  Pretty much a wasted effort for the very brief time they were actually used.

 

[Walter Travolta]

Plate of chips and 9 Leo yai please

[luckyluke]

I am in Thonglor now, there is a well known place called =

The Old English Pub.

They served food also, but completely closed now.

Wonder what they will do on Monday.

The name Pub may attract the police in search of extra income, if they sell alcohol too.

[Walter Travolta]

10 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Funny, last weekend I went into Siam Paragon for the first time in a long time, and most or all of the eateries I saw had those makeshift table screens set up, and obviously had to pay someone to produce and install them.  And now a short time later, poof!!!, screens requirement and screens will be gone.  Pretty much a wasted effort for the very brief time they were actually used.

 

I can imagine western nations pandering to the worriers sustaining the "NN" for as long as they can, but it was pretty obvious all along Thailand, VN, Cambodia amongst others were not going to adopt it

[Walter Travolta]

1 minute ago, luckyluke said:

I am in Thonglor now, there is a well known place called =

The Old English Pub.

They served food also, but completely closed now.

Wonder what they will do on Monday.

The name Pub may attract the police in search of extra income, if they sell alcohol too.

If the owner has a food license Im sure he is good to go

[Tanoshi]

4 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

Oh...so I can have a drink with my dinner and say cheers to my wife on the other table or behind the plastic- shield!

She'd prefer it that way. ????

[Clarkey611]

1 hour ago, Monkeyrobot said:

Noks beer bar , correction : Noks restaurant & bar }

Too much information! It will confuse the Fuzz.

 

It should just Be Nok's Restaurant

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

12 minutes ago, Walter Travolta said:

I can imagine western nations pandering to the worriers sustaining the "NN" for as long as they can, but it was pretty obvious all along Thailand, VN, Cambodia amongst others were not going to adopt it

 

I think it's just the opposite.... Thailand, after getting a late start, has been far stricter with various CV control measures than the U.S. ever was... despite TH having a far smaller outbreak problem, and the U.S. having a vastly larger outbreak problem.... 

 

TH cut its incoming international air travel. The U.S. never did. TH made face mask wearing largely a national requirement. The U.S. never did. TH implemented nationwide closures. The U.S. at best did patchwork closures depending on the state. TH restricted internal travel from province to province. The U.S. never did. etc etc....

 

[Clarkey611]

37 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand to lift curfew, more curbs as 'travel bubbles' targeted

 

A man wearing a face mask shops inside the Sampheng wholesale market as Thai government eases isolation measures, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Bangkok, Thailand, June 10, 2020. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand will lift a nationwide curfew and ease more restrictions next week, a spokesman for its coronavirus task force said on Friday, after the country has reported no local transmissions of the virus for 18 days.

 

Thailand is also planning to reopen to foreign visitors by creating so-called travel bubbles with countries that have also managed to contain the virus, though no target date was set, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration.

 

"The curfew will be lifted effective on June 15 along with the easing of some activities," Taweesin said, adding that strict social distancing rules still needed to be observed in all public activities.

 

Schools with less than 120 students, exhibition halls, music concerts, film productions, playgrounds, amusement parks, sports competitions without spectators and sales of alcohol in restaurants can resume next Monday, he said.

 

Pubs, bars and karaoke outlets will remain closed, he said.

 

Travel could be reopened with countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and some Middle East nations, Taweesin said, as well as neighbours like Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

 

"The target group is business travellers as well as those wanting medical services and treatment in Thailand," he said.

 

No date has been set on the easing of restrictions on international arrivals which are still banned until the end of June.

 

Thailand has been gradually easing restrictions in an effort to revive its economy and after appearing to contain the virus.

 

It has recorded 58 deaths so far and 3,129 confirmed cases - most of which have recovered.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-12

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Which Middle East nations? Presumably those without SRS-CoV-2????

[Joinaman]

3 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

Obviously the message is drinkers are not trustworthy which is already a known fact. If this step leads to lack of virus control and a health issue I have no doubt they will shut it all down just as fast. So, I guess it's up to the drinkers to maintain virus awareness in public - trouble is 1 in 5 of you are already out of control so that becomes very problematic. So, if this experiment goes south and there's a covid spike, and if it gets all shut down again you can blame each other instead of the government.

but there no cases of Thai population, including Farangs, having the virus, only the incoming Thais, who should be checked and quarantined, so how can we have a spike ?

[kidneyw]

5 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

Oh...so I can have a drink with my dinner and say cheers to my wife on the other table or behind the plastic- shield!

Or just leave her at home.

[Sumarianson]

Just serve food in the bar and it's a restaurant. Most have a licence to sell food.

[Magenta408]

Will that be fries with your five beer sir?

[shackleton]

Well it's a step in the right direction

I look forward to having a cold beer in the restaurant with my evening meal

I would think on the bars and clubs proberly open when they allow the tourists  back in so a few more months yet

[EricTh]

I don't get the logic. They can go to hotels, restaurants for drinks but not bars?

 

 

[hioctane]

US bars are doing the same trick. They give you “food” with every order such as fries. They are also doing alcohol takeout.

[hioctane]

1 minute ago, EricTh said:

I don't get the logic. They can go to hotels, restaurants for drinks but not bars?

 

 

 

Bars are more crowded. It is not meant to be set up for social distancing.

[Expat Tom]

Stupidity is more contagious than the Wuhan Coronavirus. It has infected many in high government positions.  

[dukeandduke]

18 minutes ago, hioctane said:

 

Bars are more crowded. It is not meant to be set up for social distancing.

Often, yes, but hello from a crowded night market, with beer in a paper cup, where it looks a lot like many outdoor Thailand bars.

[dukeandduke]

5 hours ago, 2long said:

Wine Connection now allows regular seating (4 at a table and no plastic screens). I guess many others are the same.

With wine only for takeout?

[spidermike007]

This is good news. The alcohol ban was not coherent nor was there any reason for it. And this helps put people back to work. 

[gunderhill]

does  this mean on SUNDAY/MONDAY at 00.00 hours ie  midnight?

[FunkyDunky58]

5 hours ago, Oldie said:

Yes. We will find out which bar has a restaurant license. ????

Well, my bar has a restaurant licence so guess what? Signs and menu's printed and ready to go. We will legitimately sell food which will allow us to serve alcohol. We've been 100% compliant with the rules and will continue to do  so...

 

[gunderhill]

1 hour ago, Magenta408 said:

Will that be fries with your five beer sir?

Ne,just the peanuts thx.

[gunderhill]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

TH made face mask wearing largely a national requirement. The U.S. never did. TH implemented nationwide closures. The U.S. at best did patchwork closures depending on the state. TH restricted internal travel from province to province. The U.S. never did. etc etc....

 

Get out  of BKK, almost all of those are  ignored, masks at half  mast  just covering mouths  only is  common, my Wife travelled through provinces when it was "banned" without hindrance with no checks on more than one occasion as did many of her friends ,it's like many things here, ignored.

[DefaultName]

5 minutes ago, gunderhill said:

does  this mean on SUNDAY/MONDAY at 00.00 hours ie  midnight?

Curfew doesn't end until Monday, so no.

[Oldie]

15 minutes ago, FunkyDunky58 said:

Well, my bar has a restaurant licence so guess what? Signs and menu's printed and ready to go. We will legitimately sell food which will allow us to serve alcohol. We've been 100% compliant with the rules and will continue to do  so...

 

It will be a great time to make money since there is no competition from bars (without a restaurant license). You don't have this often. 

[Deli]

7 hours ago, John_Betong said:

Do the two metre restrictions still apply and how many people can sit at a table?

Lately we sat at a table for 4 with 6 people. Bib's passed by but didn't bother at all.

It all depends a bit on where you are and whom do you or the owner of the place knows.