'Essential' construction to resume

'Essential' construction to resume

Construction has stopped on the Pink Line electric train station near the Kae Rai intersection, although the government has agreed in principle to ease Covid-19 restrictions for special cases to resume operations and bring in workers where needed. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)
Construction has stopped on the Pink Line electric train station near the Kae Rai intersection, although the government has agreed in principle to ease Covid-19 restrictions for special cases to resume operations and bring in workers where needed. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)

The government has agreed to allow some workers to move out of their sealed accommodation to resume work on essential and emergency cases, a source said on Sunday.

The easing of the rule, which was put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the capital and its surrounding provinces, was proposed by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration last week and approved by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday, the source said.

Construction projects which are allowed to go ahead include those which could cause damage to existing structures if they were delayed further or put passers-by and/or nearby communities at risk.

Other projects that received the government's go-ahead include those involving traffic safety, traffic lights, traffic barriers, and the construction of field hospitals, hospitals, and other medical facilities intended for Covid-19 containment.

The government also eased curbs on the movement of construction workers, so they can travel in the provinces where they stay, or to other provinces to seek medical treatment, testing, and receive vaccines.

The governors of Bangkok and other provinces which have been authorised by their communicable disease committees to ease the restrictions on construction workers' movements will be responsible for issuing permits which would allow projects that meet the criteria to continue.

The meeting also agreed that construction projects whose workers have been vaccinated should also be allowed to go ahead, and vaccinated workers should also be permitted to leave their accommodation. This proposal was also approved by the prime minister, the source said.

However, the construction projects that are allowed to resume must still follow precautionary measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

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