City Hall shares reopening plan

This and other fast food restaurants were closed in Bangkok to help combat Covid-19. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration plans to permit the reopening of restaurants and  other places, with strict conditions. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)
This and other fast food restaurants were closed in Bangkok to help combat Covid-19. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration plans to permit the reopening of restaurants and other places, with strict conditions. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration plans to reopen restaurants, markets, exercise venues, parks, hairdressers, clinics, animal hospitals and grooming parlours, golf courses and driving ranges.

Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang said on Tuesday the city's current lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19 was set to end at midnight on Thursday. 

The BMA had informed the government of its plan to reopen venues in eight categories, with strict conditions to ensure disease control. The communicable disease committee would make a decision on Wednesday.

He said restaurants would have to seat customers 1.5 metres apart, comply with opening hours as restricted by the emergency decree, and not sell alcohol.

Markets would be allowed to sell their usual goods.

Sports and exercise facilities would be opened for activities that do not require people to gather closely -  such as walking, running, badminton, tennis and table tennis. Sports that require teams - like football, softball, volleyball and basketball - are still banned.

Parks would reopen, but visitors would be prohibited from forming groups.

Barbers and hairdressers could provide only hair washing, cutting and drying, and must stop for cleaning every two hours. 

Pet grooming shops and pet hospitals would reopen, but a customer could bring only one pet at a time. 

Health clinics would reopen, but beauty clinics would remain closed. Golf courses and driving ranges would reopen.

Before entering such places, customers must have their body temperature checked, wear a face mask, clean their hands with soap or alcohol, and stay 1.5-2 metres apart from each other, the Bangkok governor said.

He did not specify a reopening date, but officials expected it would be Friday.

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Vocabulary

  • beauty salons: places where women go to get their hair styled -
  • category: a group having similar qualities - ประเภท
  • comply (verb): to obey a rule, law, agreement, etc. or do what someone asks you to do - ปฏิบัติตาม (กฎหมาย, ข้อเสนอ, ข้อตกลง etc.)
  • driving range: a place where people can practise hitting golf balls - สถานที่ฝึกซ้อมกีฬากอล์ฟ
  • emergency decree (noun): a situation where the government takes on special powers in a dangerous situation and the rights of the people are often limited in some way - ประกาศภาวะฉุกเฉิน  
  • gather: to bring things together that have been spread around - รวบรวม
  • groom: clean or brush an animal - ทำให้สัตว์สะอาดและเรียบร้อย
  • lockdown (noun): an official order to control the movement of people or vehicles because of a dangerous situation -
  • specify: to explain something in an exact and detailed way - ระบุ  ชี้แจงรายละเอียด
  • strict: demanding that rules are obeyed; very careful and exact - เข้มงวด

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