6 types of business will allowed to re-open

Today, Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, Speaker of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), stated that six types of business and activities will be allowed to restart on May 3 (Sunday) if lockdown restrictions are eased.

In the meantime, the state of emergency will remain in effect for another month until May 31.

Strict standards of hygiene will be enforced, including regular hand washing, wearing masks and social distances, the CCSA said.

Governors could beef up the steps if the situation in their province escalated.

The following six businesses and operations are permitted to reopen on Sunday:

1. Markets – (Fresh markets, floating markets, neighbourhood markets, walking streets and street vendors.) 2. Food shops outside the malls, including drink stores, ice cream shops and street food vendors.

3. Retail companies – including department stores, small restaurants (social distance controls must be extended to sit-in customers), carts, vendors and telecommunications shops.

4. Sports and recreation areas – including parks – with the exception of team and competitive sports, which remain prohibited.

5. Beauty salons – (but only for cutting, cleaning and drying of hair).

6. Pet salons and pet nurseries – Taweesin added that the lockdown was eased as a result of cooperation from all industries, but the government would evaluate the situation every 14 days. If there is an rise in the incidence of Covid-19 infections, the government should re-apply strict locking measures.

In the meantime, the ban on the selling of alcohol has been extended to 31 May for another month.

Dr Sukhum Karnchanapimai, permanent health secretary, cautioned that the lifting of state quarantine measures would lead to another 10,000 cases of Covid-19. In the meantime, an estimated 20-30 new cases are expected after the restrictions are relaxed on Sundays.

Kalin Sarasin, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, added that clothing shops would also be permitted to open from Sunday under the same social distance restrictions.

SOURCE: The Nation

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