It looks as though the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has done an about turn on rules that were supposed to go into place tomorrow September 1st when it comes to dining in at restaurants.
Initially, the proposed rules said only those who were vaccinated, or could show a negative Covid-19 test, would be allowed to dine in at any restaurant in the dark red zones.
Everyone else would be forced to eat at home, or order carry out.
After restaurant owners complained, saying there was no way they could open restaurants with those rules in place and actually make any money, particularly as such a small percentage of the country is currently vaccinated, the CCSA seems to have listened.
Instead, according to the latest announcement in the Royal Gazette, the new rules for the September 1st reopening allow those who are unvaccinated and untested for Covid-19 to dine in at restaurants in any red zone.
More details are expected to be released soon.
Restaurants in Thailand, of course, have been some of the businesses the most hit by the government’s lockdowns and strict Covid-19 regulations. Not only in dark red zones, but elsewhere as well.
Thousands have closed permanently, while others have been closed for the best part of a year, causing staff to be laid off or furloughed without pay.
Now it seems Thai authorities are beginning to realize the lockdowns did little to stop the spread of Covid-19, a virus with a 99.8% survival rate, but they did cause already struggling restaurants to struggle even more.
With tomorrow’s easing of restrictions, restaurants in dark red zones of Thailand will be able to open normally until 9pm.
That is when the 9pm to 4am curfew kicks in.
The ban on alcohol will still be in place, however, at least for the short-term.
