'Risky' gatherings banned
published : 31 Dec 2020 at 09:27
writer: Gary Boyle
The government on Wednesday banned all gatherings "posing a risk of disease transmission", effective immediately in Covid-affected zones.
The ban was announced after the country recorded 250 new cases in a single day.
With the country now designated into zones according to the severity of each area's situation, those gatherings and activities that would draw crowds in "maximum control zones" and "control zones" are prohibited.
However, two exceptions were also announced: government activities and gatherings held in private households.
Gatherings and activities in government-designated "close surveillance zones" and "surveillance zones" can take place if they receive approval from provincial governors.
Provincial governors will announce which areas are maximum control, control, close surveillance and surveillance zones.
Violators will face a jail term of up to two years and/or a fine of up to 40,000 baht.
Two hundred and fifty new cases were recorded on Wednesday, including 241 transmitted locally, eight returnees in state quarantine and one who sneaked into the country illegally.
The recent outbreak is divided into three clusters. The first is linked to the Central Shrimp Market in Samut Sakhon, the second to illegal gambling dens in Rayong and the third to entertainment venues in Bangkok.
Infections linked to entertainment venues in Bangkok rose to 125.
The Chon Buri governor on Wednesday declared Pattaya and the rest of Bang Lamung district as a maximum control zone. This means that schools, childcare centres, entertainment venues and cinemas are among businesses that are to shut immediately. Dining out is banned and convenience stores must close from 10pm-5am. However, travel in and out of Bang Lamung is still allowed.
In Bangkok, 17 new cases were reported on Wednesday and were traced to three risk areas: the shrimp market in Samut Sakhon, the city's entertainment venues and a shoe-making factory in Bang Khun Thian district.
A condominium in Bang Yai district will be sealed off until Jan 12 after Covid-19 cases were reported there. The building reportedly houses more than 100 migrant workers from Myanmar.
Vocabulary
- ban: an official statement ordering people not to do, sell or use something - การห้าม
- cluster: group of people, animals or things close together - กลุ่ม
- exception: someone or something that is different in some way from other people or things and so cannot be included in a general statement - เป็นที่แตกต่าง ที่พิเศษออกไปจากกลุ่ม
- gambling den (noun): an illegal gambling place, a place where people gamble illegally - บ่อนการพนัน
- gathering: a party or a meeting when many people come together as a group - การรวมตัว, การประชุม
- migrant worker: someone who travels to another place or country in order to find work - คนงานต่างถิ่น
- risky (adj): involving the possibility of danger, harm or failure - เสี่ยง, เสี่ยงอันตราย
- sealed off: to prevent people from entering or leaving an area or building - ปิด ห้ามไม่ให้เข้า
- severity: seriousness - ความรุนแรง
- sneak (verb): (past: snuck) to go somewhere secretly, trying to avoid being seen - เดินหลบ,เดินลับ ๆ ล่อ ๆ
- surveillance: the process of carefully watching a person or place - การเฝ้าตรวจตราอย่างเข้มงวด
- transmitted (verb): sent, spread from one person or animal to another - ส่ง, ถ่าย
