Chiang Mai province is confident it can curb the spread of Covid-19, insisting that it will stage its New Year countdown celebration.
Director of Public Health Promotion Division Chiang Mai Municipality Danai Sarapruek said the province will not ban New Year events due to the economic impact of doing so.
Despite no ban, organisers of all New Year celebrations are required to inform the provincial administration of the activities they are planning to organise, Mr Danai said. The municipality has measures in place to control the virus, he added.
People from Samut Sakhon, a new hotspot of the virus, must be quarantined for 14 days once they arrive in Chiang Mai. No quarantine is required for visitors from other provinces, according to Mr Danai.
Provincial public health department chief, Chatuchai Maneerat reassured the public that Chiang Mai's communicable disease committee is implementing stringent measures to control the spread of the pandemic.
Playing it safe: Dressed for the festive season, elephants from the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal Kraal yesterday hand out free face masks to motorists on a major road in Ayutthaya. Two Covid-19 cases were reported in the province. (Photo by Arnun Chonmahatrakool)
People in three sub-districts of Mae Ai, Malika and Tha Ton face travel restrictions after public health authorities found that a Covid-19 patient in Ayutthaya province had travelled from Tha Ton, Dr Chatuchai said.
In Bangkok, governor Aswin Kwanmuang has announced measures to prevent and control Covid-19 in Bangkok.
Markets, public parks, temples as well as entertainment venues are required to comply with the measures effective until Jan 15, 2021. Covid-19 screening in the capital city is focused on migrant workers.
Samut Sakhon has enforced more stringent disease control measures until Jan 3, 2021. The central shrimp market and Si Muang dormitory, where a number of cases were detected, have been completely sealed off.
Sport stadiums, playgrounds, academic institutions and nurseries in the province are temporarily closed. Restaurants are open for takeout only and convenience stores are closed between 10pm until 5am.
In Samut Songkhram, some at-risk establishments were ordered to close on Wednesday until Jan 4 next year, including service establishments, cockfighting and betta fish fighting rings, movie theatres, karaoke bars, gaming cafes, nurseries, spas, massage parlours and all types of academic institutions.
