CONFIRMED: Increased restrictions for 28 provinces now approved by PM

[Baerboxer]

All of the restaurants in our local Big C's and Tesco's malls are now offering take away only service. 

 

Main road very quiet this morning. Big C mall part had very few people about but plenty of Grab etc riders waiting outside the restaurants.

 

I went to the Barbers this morning. Only customer. Usually there are always a few that come in after me as I go early. Not today. He'd got all his cleaning gear back out from last time to clean after each customer. People about were all wearing masks again, as it was starting to get a bit loose on that discipline. 

 

Stay safe everyone.

[nspec]

6 hours ago, Kaopad999 said:

Once they discover Covid cases in all of the other provinces across Thailand , i'm sure there will be a nationwide lockdown within the next few days. 
Once that happens, we will then see Alcohol bans as well. Maybe a good time to stock up for those who like a drink? 

For anyone looking for Absolut vodka in the 7/11's and TOPS at the bottom end of Soi Khao Talo, you'd best look in other shops, they were sold out just after 12 noon today!

[ThailandRyan]

While at the Lat Prao Imperial world super center, all of the carts, and outside vendors were gone, normally there are about 20or so as well as vendors selling fruits and vegetable.  The GF asked as we were walking in and was told that because of Covid they were told to close and pack up.  Inside the entrances to the Big C were all closed except one which was making sure you scanned the QR code and then held your forehead up to the stand scanner they have to take your temperature, they then gave you a shot of alcohol Gel in your hand.  Looks like many places are back to where we were in March and April.

[cracker1]

6 hours ago, Irrumator said:

Looks like my paid-for birthday trip to Koh Lanta at the end of the month is off.  ???? 

 

The flight was already delayed from last July and I think will be OK, but I hope I can get the hotel and car hire fees refunded ...

I suggest accommodation bookings be made with companies like Agoda or Booking.com who offer free cancellation usually up to 48 hours before arrival.

Good luck.

[Baerboxer]

4 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

While at the Lat Prao Imperial world super center, all of the carts, and outside vendors were gone, normally there are about 20or so as well as vendors selling fruits and vegetable.  The GF asked as we were walking in and was told that because of Covid they were told to close and pack up.  Inside the entrances to the Big C were all closed except one which was making sure you scanned the QR code and then held your forehead up to the stand scanner they have to take your temperature, they then gave you a shot of alcohol Gel in your hand.  Looks like many places are back to where we were in March and April.

 

Yes, same here. Although our Big C still has 2 doors open. But most have the guards back asking people to scan in or sign in and checking temperature.

 

To be fair, haven't seen anyone without a mask either now. Seems people are taking this seriously.

[skorp13]

You have almost all effectively closed restaurants for dine in. You should have closed off all travel when this first started and none of this would be necessary. Again a fine example of effective leadership

[skorp13]

They knew this was coming and did nothing all in an effort to save face. How did that work out? Now millions of your people and your economy will suffer while you still get paid. Well done!

[Nout]

6 hours ago, tonray said:

Same here...taking a grab to Big-C to get some food and then back home to my self isolation....sigh and then cutting the grass

Cutting or smoking?

[pizzachang]

There is only going to be a 'delay' in the spread of the virus. The past year's restrictions have proved that. Other than the possible availability of a dubious vaccine, nothing has changed. Other than devastating the Thai economy, that is. 

[TheFishman1]

Says restaurants are allowed to open I can’t serve alcohol can somebody please explain that to me thank you

[alanrchase]

Unfortunately now I will have to go 40km to Makro as the one 15km away that I usually use is in the neighbouring province.

[sandyf]

4 hours ago, Guderian said:

 

Surely they wouldn't be so stupid as to allow dine-in meals and the shopping malls to remain open, yet close the beaches? They still don't seem to comprehend how the virus spreads, so here's a clue for the politicians: it's not generally spread by farangs sitting on a beach drinking a beer,.

It may come as a surprise to you but the beaches are not just for farang.

I was in Pattaya Thursday afternoon wandering about looking for something to eat, not a chance, well in the north anyway. It was takeaway only, the wife got one and went back to the room while I went for a walk down to beach road. With everything shut I assumed the beach would be and was quite surprised. I saw many large groups of Thais making the day of it under the umbrellas with whiskey and beer on the table and very little social distancing.

I found a quiet spot and settled for a Leo, no Chang available at that one, and enjoyed watching the sun sink towards the sea.

The government is well aware of how the virus spreads.

[Spock]

6 hours ago, Kaopad999 said:

They want to limit drinking so that people are less likely to gather in larger groups. Also from a health point of view, drinking is known to lower the immune system. 

Right, but not even draconian Australia would be so protective of citizens as to ban alcohol sales. For me it says a lot of a negative nature that Thailand's knee jerk reaction to elections, religions and covid is for the government to ban alcohol sales. Limiting people's ability to move around would seem a more reasonable first stage restriction than banning alcohol sales. And if stuck in lockdown with curfews, banning alcohol sales as happened last time seems a particularly cruel restriction to apply. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 minute ago, Spock said:

Right, but not even draconian Australia would be so protective of citizens as to ban alcohol sales. For me it says a lot of a negative nature that Thailand's knee jerk reaction to elections, religions and covid is for the government to ban alcohol sales. Limiting people's ability to move around would seem a more reasonable first stage restriction than banning alcohol sales. And if stuck in lockdown with curfews, banning alcohol sales as happened last time seems a particularly cruel restriction to apply. 

Consumption of alcohol is technically against their 'religion', so that may play a part.

[apetryxx]

8 hours ago, Kaopad999 said:

Certainly a very sensible choice.

Oh yeah, and what about the millions of people out of work again or continuing to be unemployed with no hope? Folks like you seem to only look at the surface issue which is murky at best. Maybe you have money in the bank but some folks can’t even feed their families. This pontificating about “shut it down” does nothing for the poor sod whose just eking out a living. Have a little heart and look at the percentages of infection, hospitalizations, deaths etc. They’re minuscule when compared to the population.

[Kaopad999]

Just now, apetryxx said:

Oh yeah, and what about the millions of people out of work again or continuing to be unemployed with no hope? Folks like you seem to only look at the surface issue which is murky at best. Maybe you have money in the bank but some folks can’t even feed their families. This pontificating about “shut it down” does nothing for the poor sod whose just eking out a living. Have a little heart and look at the percentages of infection, hospitalizations, deaths etc. They’re minuscule when compared to the population.

For one i'm not rich and i don't say this very likely, but without lockdowns the virus will spread & end up effecting so many people that simply can't afford decent healthcare & will cause many unnecessary  deaths.
Of course lockdowns are not a long term solution, but it's best to enforce the them now than rather later. 

[Arkady]

A former employee was planning to come to Bkk from Korat for some short term work this week but it was announced in her village that anyone returning from outside would have to quarantine in Korat city before returning to the village. Not sure of the legal basis for this or how it would work in practice but she is no longer coming to Bkk.  So it is effective in discouraging people from going on trips to earns some money.

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, skorp13 said:

You have almost all effectively closed restaurants for dine in. You should have closed off all travel when this first started and none of this would be necessary. Again a fine example of effective leadership

 

When the chips were down they couldn't make the hard decisions when it counted. 

 

Their success during the first wave now all undone apparently. 

[lavender19]

So can anyone tell me how they have designated red zones. Chumphon, Prachuap, Ranong  have very few case but are in the red zone why

[Joinaman]

8 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

Will be instersting to see what this means in practice.

 

 

 

maybe it means like the last big lockdown, we use the back roads like all Thais to bypass the control checks

Same as the beer. if village shops run out, got to the local town and buy from there, maybe 6 am but no worries 

sam4 as going to the next province to meet up at the bars , just like the Thais, so not sure how having the plods sat on the roadside will ever stop it in any way 

 

[Irrumator]

8 hours ago, petermik said:

Koh Lanta is a bit of a dump,so you won't be missing anything...????

 

Well, it's less of a dump than Phuket, Samui and all the other rip-off places where they're squealing now.  

 

I was there for a week last January and loved it and will go again without hesitation.  It's rural, I'll say that, but if you want great beaches, views and people, then Lanta is the best place I have been to 

 

If you prefer the bar girls etc then stick to Pattaya,  but I know where I'll be going whenever I can.

[Joinaman]

7 hours ago, tonray said:

It did work...what didn't work was people who railed against being told what to do and ignored the lockdown

so it didn't work did it 

[Irrumator]

4 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Maybe you can re-schedule it for your 100th birthday?

 

Well, my mother lived to 101 and died one day after her birthday in 2019, so I don't see why not ...  ????

 

[Irrumator]

2 hours ago, cracker1 said:

I suggest accommodation bookings be made with companies like Agoda or Booking.com who offer free cancellation usually up to 48 hours before arrival.

Good luck.

 

Yes, I booked through Agoda but I'll wait until next week to see what the score is then and if it's looking likely to lengthen, I'll see if I can cancel.  

What I don't want to happen is that we get locked down on Lanta for 3 months like my nephew did and it ate into all his money.

[Tarteso]

Lock down until the next Songkran Festival... and another one after...for spreading Covid again. I don’t see the end.

Edited January 4, 2021 by Tarteso

[Joinaman]

6 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

Hysteria?  So you're a covid denier?

ahh another one !

did he say he was a denier ?

perhaps you should read those big words he posted. if its not too difficult,  and see if he actually said he was a denier

he said hysteria, which is exactly what we have in many area, inlcuding mine. They have now closed the schools for minimum of 2 weeks, for what ? No cases have ever been found in our province, not even within 50 k 

so we, along with many others, lose so much of our lively hood for what , hysteria /

yet the so called intelligent people continue to ride their bikes , 3_ 5 people, no licence , no tax, no insurance, no helmet, yet will wear a cheap mask while riding 

They say never argue with stupid people !

[Joinaman]

6 hours ago, Virt said:

 

If I drink  6 or 7 beers I'm still sober enough to remember distance, hygiene and such. 

 

If I drink 15 I'm not so sure, so I guess they are trying to stop people from getting drunk. 

 

7 hours ago, Thailand said:

Did that as soon as they said there would be no lockdown!

what, stock up with beer

Thats my job tonight, just in case 

[taxin]

8 hours ago, bino said:

I am expecting that the number of cases will explode nationwide over the next two weeks, caused by the sheer number of people who traveled to gatherings and parties with family and loved ones over the New Year, with little regard for social distancing.

 

Expect tougher restrictions and more lockdowns coming soon. I'm imposing them on myself already.

Yes but IMO it’s not likely to be the same as the 1st outbreak, this time there are no international travellers in the country who have imported the virus.
 

For example there are no tourists in Phuket Samui etc right now, the 1st outbreak these places were crawling with Chinese & Italians who imported the virus, not many Thais in Bkk will have traveled south of Hua Hin over the new year, most will have traveled north.
 

We could well see a north/south divide here in terms of cases, with a big variance in restrictions.

[Joinaman]

2 hours ago, skorp13 said:

You have almost all effectively closed restaurants for dine in. You should have closed off all travel when this first started and none of this would be necessary. Again a fine example of effective leadership

does this "all Travel" include deliveries, food distributions, essential workers crossing into different provinces to work  ?

If not then a complete waste of time 

especially when most Thais, and farangs, know he back roads to by pass these blocks 

[Nanaplaza666]

They should have done this before the new years and also should have banned travelling to other provinces , i geus there will be an explosion in cases in the next few weeks all over the country from all the travelling people did over the new years holliday . Should have could have .