Samut Sakhon: The provincial governor yesterday ordered the easing of Covid-19 curbs with immediate effect after the number of new infections came in lower than 1,000 for three consecutive days.
Governor Weerasak Wichitsaengsri said businesses and activities that are allowed to reopen include beauty salons and barber shops, while the operating hours for fresh markets, flea markets, floating markets, wholesale markets, late-night markets, and walking streets have been extended from six hours to eight hours.
Vendors can propose specific operating hours to local administration organisations which will assess health safety standards in line with criteria set by the Public Health Ministry, Mr Weerasak said.
The easing of the curbs was welcomed by vendors at all kinds of local markets, barbers and hairdressers who can now restart their businesses after a long period of lockdown.
On Friday, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration also eased Covid-19 restrictions on certain businesses, including restaurants, shopping malls, beauty salons, massage shops and parks, in "dark-red'' maximum and strict control zone provinces, starting on Wednesday. Samut Sakhon is one of the 29 dark-red zone provinces.
Restaurants are allowed to resume dine-in services, with 75% capacity allowed for outdoor dining spaces and 50% for air-conditioned locations.
The provincial public health office yesterday reported that on Friday there were 910 new cases.