Questions you may not yet have asked but realise you need to

Is Thailand considered a high-risk country?

Qatar and the UAE have imposed a travel ban to Thailand, while Israel has refused entry to anyone coming from here. According to a fact sheet on the Tourism Authority of Thailand news website, there have been 50 recorded cases with 33 cured and one death, while 16 remain in hospitals. Compared to the number of cases in other countries, Thailand’s numbers are still pretty tame. Plus, we also have a high number of cured people.

Is travelling okay?

If you’re planning on travelling these next few days, it’s probably because you have an unavoidable business trip. If you’re one of those who are just taking advantage of the low prices then there’s a thin line between courage and stupidity. In the case of Thailand, it’s the confusion that seems to be rampant when coming back to the country. The Ministry of Public Health seems to be going back and forth on compulsory and mandatory quarantine for people who arrived from six designated high-risk countries: South Korea, China, Macau, Hong Kong, Italy and Iran. This is where the “better safe than sorry” practice comes in — better to postpone or cancel your trips rather than risk infection or the headache of unclear processes and procedures when coming back to Thailand.

Do I need to stay away from public places and public transportation?

The government has not imposed any bans on specific places or public gatherings though people did take notice of a school that shut down a scheduled protest. Based on how the virus is spread, you don’t need to be afraid of breathing in the virus. Wash your hands as much as you can or better yet carry an alcohol-based sanitiser with you at all times.

Is street food still okay to eat?

Once again, the government hasn’t said anything about it but based on the way the virus spreads there is some risk involved in eating street food. I mean, it’s street food so there’s already some risk involved. Come to think about it, any food prepared by someone else has some risk involved. Guess it’s all up to you.