The country's second reopening on Sunday saw big crowds gather at department stores citywide amid fears that social distancing measures might be compromised. Most of the malls were full and Ikea in Bang Na had to close early in the afternoon as the number of customers exceeded the daily quota.
It's like déjà vu. Two weeks ago, people almost ran over each other at wholesale stores to grab their share of booze after the government lifted the ban on alcohol sales. Netizens once again shared photos from packed malls, condemning customers for neglecting health guidelines. I just wonder why no one learned their lesson from the post-booze ban stampede to prevent overcrowding this time.
Mall operators should have foreseen the problem and rolled out some preventive measures. We all know how department stores are popular among Thais, not to mention the fact they've been shuttered for nearly two months under the lockdown.
According to www.Thaichana.com, 44,386 business operators and 2.7 million users registered on the virus tracing app's website nationwide. Of the total check-ins, 900,000 were made at supermarkets and 181,000 in restaurants.
But can we pin all the blame on the people? Right, we are expected to spend quality time on Sunday at home with our families, building strong bonds and keeping infection rates low.
But millions simply cannot meet that expectation. Many, especially those living in a studio-like flats would rather take a break from that "quality time" after seven weeks of working from home. Not every family has a big house with a private garden, or even a condo with a shared garden and pool. And not everybody is an introvert who can manage well in a limited space and without meeting real people.
While people in many countries could easily go out for a walk in their neighbourhoods, cycle or exercise in public parks while their cities were under lockdown, Thais had nowhere to go to relax.
Imagine a family of three living in a 20-square-metre room or even smaller. How can they exercise or relax, not to mention spend quality time together? Even if it's a high-end studio, those residents still need a break from their confinement and a breath of fresh air.
Bangkok does not have many parks, and worse, the ones it does have were closed for a month as part of the restrictions. Don't even think of walking on the crooked pavements to relax even when the roads are empty during the lockdown. Shopping malls are the only sensible solution for most city dwellers.
When public parks reopened at the beginning of the month, each visitor was told to strictly follow the physical distancing rules and wear a face mask. It's confusing for many because the Department of Health has suggested not to wear a face mask while exercising.
Still, City Hall has several times threatened they would close the parks again if visitors fail to comply with health guidelines. The agency cited studies which found that the virus may be spread as far as 20 metres if people are jogging or cycling. Since the number of city parks is small, it's not possible for the BMA to limit visitors. But I'm sure the BMA could limit the activities in the park so people can share the space.
But it's clear that we aren't encouraged to do outdoor activities. While the BMA has tried to convince us that it attaches importance to green space, it doesn't take more than a bit of arithmetic to see that we have a whole lot more department stores and so-called mixed-use high rises than public parks or green areas. The last, huge plot of green space in the heart of Bangkok, Makkasan Park, is likely to be turned into a massive commercial complex covering 2 million sq m.
The complex will be home to a high-speed train hub and a new business district, with a shopping mall, convention centre, office building, hotel and hospital. The planners have not allocated space for a park, despite the hundreds of mature trees.
City Hall's Environment Department said there are 39.6 million sq m of green space in the capital. Such green space can be divided into eight types including public parks (6 million sq m), roadside parks and parks in private housing estates. Fortunately, the latest one, Saphan Duan, is being built on the unfinished Lavalin station near Memorial Bridge.
Do I really need to spell out whether the existing public parks are enough for 15 million residents in a city of 1,500 sq km?
Sirinya Wattanasukchai is a Bangkok Post columnist.
