Thailand imposes tighter restrictions to slow virus spread

 

The giant Buddha statue of Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen temple is seen at the end of an avenue amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bangkok, Thailand, June 9, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand announced tighter restrictions in the capital Bangkok and nine provinces on Friday in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, including travel curbs, mall closures, a curfew and limits on the size of gatherings.

 

Some measures will take effect from Saturday, others from Monday, and come as Thailand reported one of its highest daily infection tallies at 9,276, with 72 new deaths, amid a battle against its longest-running and most severe outbreak so far.

 

“In the 10 provinces there will be restrictions on unnecessary travel and people cannot leave their home between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. unless necessary,” Apisamai Srirangsan, spokeswoman for the government’s COVID-19 taskforce told a televised news briefing.

 

The announcement confirmed information provided earlier to Reuters by two government sources.

 

Malls, beauty clinics, spas and massage shops in Bangkok and five surrounding provinces must close from Monday, while COVID-19 testing facilities will be expanded to better detect and isolate clusters, Apisamai said.

 

Gatherings will be capped at five people, although there will be some exceptions. The government also discouraged inter-provincial travel.

 

Thailand on Friday took delivery of AstraZeneca vaccines donated by Japan.

 

Apisamai said the AstraZeneca vaccine and that of Pfizer and BioNTech would be used for elderly people and those with medical complications, plus foreign residents over 60, diplomats and athletes competing overseas.

 

She also said medical personal would be offered Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA booster shots.

 

Most Thai medical workers were administered the vaccine of China’s Sinovac, which some experts say may be less effective against more transmissible coronavirus variants.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-07-09

 

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**This post was updated  with information from the COVID-19 taskforce

No curfew but then what does this mean

 

Significantly, people in the maximum control zones will be asked for their cooperation in not leaving their homes between 10pm and 4am. 

 

if its not enforced then what is the point, even worse if its arbitrary enforced.  Love to see more clarification.

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

Supermarkets to remain open but hours restricted

I'm not sure how they could ever consider completely closing supermarkets, no matter how bad it gets.

They are too essential to everyday life.

 

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, robblok said:

No curfew but then what does this mean

 

Significantly, people in the maximum control zones will be asked for their cooperation in not leaving their homes between 10pm and 4am. 

 

if its not enforced then what is the point, even worse if its arbitrary enforced.  Love to see more clarification.

Smacks of Bungling Bunter's approach to lifting all restrictions in the UK, but at the same time asking people to be sensible........ie if this goes pear shaped it is your fault not mine.

This is absolutely pointless asking people not to travel and work from without reinforcement. If they were serious about doing something that will actual help the situation they can start with cancelling all inter provincial travel like buses, trains and flights.

 

Maybe they are waiting for the numbers to hit 20,000+ cases a day before it registers in their head that Houston We Have Problem!

Just now, nightfox said:

Maybe they are waiting for the numbers to hit 20,000+ cases a day

They won't be waiting long then I fear.

Can I buy BEER in the supermarkets??

 

Asking for a friend!

 

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Can I buy BEER in the supermarkets??

 

Asking for a friend!

 

If i were you id get at least 20 cases to tie you over for the next 14 days who knows. Better to be prepared 5555

Just now, robblok said:

If i were you id get at least 20 cases to tie you over for the next 14 days who knows. Better to be prepared 5555

Even I can't drink that much!

1 minute ago, Crossy said:

Can I buy BEER in the supermarkets??

 

Asking for a friend!

 

Probably, I count that as essential shopping, failing that we have a very friendly bottle shop owner who always looks after us ( I mean me ) 

Obviously he can't get vaccines, so he tries to achieve herd immunity by doing nothing.. While his inaction may well kill hundreds of thousand.

 

But, seriously what's (not) happening? Should we run before it's too late?

• Work from home where possible (I'm retired}

• Shopping malls closed (Keeps my Thai GF from spending money)

• Supermarkets to remain open but hours restricted (Restricting hours puts more people in one location at the same time - NOT GOOD)

• No unnecessary travel (Who decides what is "unnecessary"?)

7 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Even I can't drink that much!

 

Then you can resell at a higher rate to those desperate enough.. economic my dear Watson economics ????

A couple of off-topic (UK centric) posts have been removed.

10 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Even I can't drink that much!

Maybe your "friend" can... ????

Hmmmm. All the PM needs now is a horse

' No unnecessary travel '     Yes stay there in Bankers , stop coming up here for goodness sake.

Bare minimum from those in charge. If enough people go along with it, it might help

.......Supermarkets to remain open but hours restricted .......

 

Brilliant idea, so many more people in a few hours it will certainly be better to decrease the transmission of the virus they really thought.

 

Is there someone smart in charge?

 

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

The new measures are expected to come into effect from Saturday Jul 10, 2021.

So everyone will be leaving Bangkok tonight. If you wanted to spread Covid around, excellent way to so it.

32 minutes ago, nightfox said:

This is absolutely pointless asking people not to travel and work from without reinforcement. If they were serious about doing something that will actual help the situation they can start with cancelling all inter provincial travel like buses, trains and flights.

 

Maybe they are waiting for the numbers to hit 20,000+ cases a day before it registers in their head that Houston We Have Problem!

and work from HOME....maybe.

 

Please read before submitting.

26 minutes ago, BobinBKK said:

• No unnecessary travel (Who decides what is "unnecessary"?)

that means I can travel, but you cant....555

9 minutes ago, BE88 said:

.......Supermarkets to remain open but hours restricted .......

 

Brilliant idea, so many more people in a few hours it will certainly be better to decrease the transmission of the virus they really thought.

 

they are not restricting the hours to something like noon to 3 pm, closing an hour or two early wont impact crowding in them at all

32 minutes ago, robblok said:

If i were you id get at least 20 cases to tie you over for the next 14 days who knows. Better to be prepared 5555

14 days?? Since when did the Clowns tell the truth.
Always expect the unexpected.

 

In this case however you should expect at least a month.

56 minutes ago, webfact said:

Significantly, people in the maximum control zones will be asked for their cooperation in not leaving their homes between 10pm and 4am. 

 

However, the CCSA will stop short of announcing a mandatory curfew. 

''What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;''

 

Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare

' No unnecessary travel '   

Escaping incarceration in the epicentre of a plague would seem pretty damn necessary in my book, especially if I was of Migrant status !

Just now, mancub said:

' No unnecessary travel '   

Escaping incarceration in the epicentre of a plague would seem pretty damn necessary in my book, especially if I was of Migrant status !

Yes.  Getting out of Bangkok should certainly be classified as necessary!

He just does not want to make the tough decisions.

 

Too busy at home in his Yellow pajamas in a foetal position, watching reruns of Hogan's Hero's and binge eating Skittles in the dark, hoping it all goes away.

13 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

and work from HOME....maybe.

 

Please read before submitting.

Read what, that nothing is unforced and just voluntary at this moment.

i saw this movie last year.