Bangkok clamps down on entertainment venues
City bars in three districts shut
New virus clusters detected in capital
PUBLISHED : 6 APR 2021 AT 04:00
NEWSPAPER SECTION: NEWS
WRITER: POST REPORTERS
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thai ... hree-districts-shut
Entertainment venues in three Bangkok districts have been ordered closed from April 6-19 to contain the spread of Covid-19, city governor Aswin Kwanmuang announced on Monday.
The decision to temporarily close the venues in Klong Toey, Watthana and Bang Khae was reached at the Bangkok's communicable disease committee on Monday evening.
If the disease spreads to other districts, the affected establishments will also be shut. "We're monitoring the situation," the governor said.
The closure affects 196 entertainment establishments in the three districts, he added.
The Public Health Ministry also plans tougher restrictions on other eateries and entertainment venues in Bangkok and surrounding provinces ahead of the Songkran holiday next week after new clusters of infections were detected in night-entertainment venues in the capital.
Closing hours will be brought forward from 11pm to 9pm with a ban on the sale of alcohol.
Department of Disease Control (DDC) director-general Opas Karnkawinpong said the number of Covid-19 infections is expected to rise after new clusters of infections were detected in a Narathiwat prison and Bangkok bars.
In light of this, the meeting of the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) on Monday agreed that Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, and Nakhon Pathom will be designated as red zones under maximum control.
Eateries in the red zone provinces will be allowed to open until 9pm. Customers will be allowed to dine in but no consumption of alcoholic beverages will be allowed.
Entertainment venues can open until 9pm. Customers will be allowed to eat in but no alcohol consumption will be permitted.
Department stores and shopping malls can still operate as usual, under health and safety protocols. Schools and education institutes will remain open.
The proposals will be presented for consideration by the subcommittee of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Wednesday. The new restrictions will be enforced for two weeks and they will then be assessed, Dr Opas said.
After fewer cases were reported, Covid-19 infections on Sunday made a comeback in the capital as health authorities said cases linked to the entertainment cluster had risen to 71, according to the DDC.
The cluster is thought to have originated at an entertainment venue in Pathum Thani province before spreading to others in Thong Lor and Ekamai in Bangkok. | |
