Drinking at restaurants, concerts, sports to resume

Drinking at restaurants, concerts, sports to resume

Exercising in parks is one of many activities the government will likely allow to resume from next Monday. (Bangkok Post file photo)
Exercising in parks is one of many activities the government will likely allow to resume from next Monday. (Bangkok Post file photo)

The government is likely to allow alcohol to be served at restaurants, concerts and closed-venue sports to resume and saunas to reopen in the fourth phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions from June 15.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said on Wednesday that the body will consider the changes on Friday.

The draft proposal would also allow international and cram schools to reopen and governmental organisations to resume holding meetings and seminars.

Restaurateurs and hoteliers would be allowed to serve alcoholic beverages on their premises. However, the relaxation measure would still exclude pubs, bars and karaoke joints, which are considered to pose a greater danger of coronavirus disease transmission, Dr Taweesilp said.

Day care centres for children and elderly people could reopen, as could scientific centres for learning.

Convention and exhibition centres would be permitted to open their doors again, but would have to make sure each visitor had four squares of space. Events would be allowed if visitors were seated at least one metre apart. Sports competitions could take place as long as there were no spectators, he said.

Concerts would be allowed on condition that audiences did not sing along exuberantly, because that would spray droplets, Dr Taweesilp said.

On public transport, two passengers could sit next to each other as long as one seat was empty on each side. 

Film shoots would be allowed with up to 150 crew members and 50 onlookers.

Health-orientated spas and saunas could reopen provided each customer had at least five square metres of space. Soapy massage parlours would remain closed, Dr Taweesilp said.

Amusement parks, playgrounds, water parks and swimming pools could reopen. 

Group exercises would be permitted at parks and sports fields as long as each participant had at least five square metres of space, with a maximum of 50 people per group.

Game arcades inside malls could reopen, while those outside would remain shuttered. Each player would be given a maximum of two hours.

Dr Taweesilp reiterated that all the business and leisure activities allowed to resume would remain subject to disease control measures and the use of the Thaichana app for checkins and checkouts.

The CCSA would consider the draft measures on Friday and the relaxation was likely to take effect next Monday, he said.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (72)