Bars, pubs closed for a fortnight
Pubs, bars and massage parlours in 41 provinces were ordered to shut their doors for two weeks from midnight last night, as the latest coronavirus outbreak gains momentum nationwide.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration spokesman announced yesterday that all entertainment places in the targeted provinces must close until April 23, an order endorsed in a CCSA meeting yesterday and approved by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The targeted provinces include Bangkok and popular holiday destinations such as Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Kanchanaburi, Surat Thani, Lampang, Tak and Phetchabun.
Although the 36 other provinces survived the closure order, the CCSA has left the decision to close all places deemed at risk of spreading Covid-19 to provincial governors and provincial communicable disease committees.
“That means changes could be possible,” said CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin.
The widespread nightlife shutdown came as the country registered 559 new cases, 214 of them in connection with the Bangkok pubs cluster that has spread to 18 provinces.
“The figures continue to go up,” Dr Taweesilp said, adding that the CCSA would allow governors to propose the reopening of entertainment places if they were considered safe, but the final call remained with the prime minister.
Law enforcement officers are also allowed to investigate disease control measures in at-risk businesses and can warn the operators and get their acts together if they wanted to stay open. Officers can also propose that the CCSA closes them, he said.
Businesses other than entertainment venues can remain open but strict health measure must be conducted. If they violate any order, their businesses can also be closed down, he said.
The closure has targeted the entertainment business after a new infection cluster was linked to bars in the Thong Lor area.
New cases linked to entertainment venues in that area from April 3-8 have leapt to 399 out of 3,112 tested. Another 1,075 tests are awaiting results.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration previously closed 196 entertainment venues in three districts — Klong Toey, Watthana and Bang Khae — from April 6-9 but could not prevent the latest wave spreading nationwide.