Prayut has last say on city dine-in services

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha overruled City Hall yesterday to allow restaurants in Bangkok to provide dine-in services until 9pm, not 7pm as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration had announced earlier.

The premier announced the decision — which takes effect today — after chairing a meeting of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) yesterday.

Gen Prayut said the Thai Restaurants Association had complained to the government about the 7pm closing time, which the BMA had announced earlier in the day in an attempt to halt the spread of Covid19 in the capital.

Food shops will still be required to enforce social distancing and dining tables at all venues should be kept 1.5 metres apart, the prime minister said, adding the decision was taken to reduce the impact of the latest virus curbs on businesses.

The BMA had earlier announced that table service would be allowed from 6am to 7pm, and all food vendors must only serve take-outs after 7pm.

Alcoholic drinks are banned from all food shops, to discourage customers from congregating and staying longer, he said.

BMA spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang said the rule applies to all kinds of food vendors — including bars and cafes — until the end of the month.

Individuals who were found to be breaching the Covid-19 control measures set out by the BMA may be jailed for up to a year and/or face fines of up to 100,000 baht, the spokesman warned.

All weddings and ordination ceremonies should be deferred, he added.

While weddings and ordination ceremonies are still allowed, organisers are required to seek permission from the Health Department if they insist on going through with their events, he added.

However, later in the day, the prime minister overruled the BMA and decided to allow table services until 9pm.

In light of the multiple clusters of Covid-19 infections which have emerged in and around Bangkok, the BMA has tested about 3,000 people which it considers to be at high risk of contracting the novel coronavirus disease, as part of its active contact tracing.

More than 10 people who were found to be infected worked at markets and factories, according to City Hall yesterday.