Bangkok Governor Police General Aswin Kwanmuang has issued an announcement to allow certain types of activities and venues in Bangkok to reopen, while many venues will remain closed to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The announcement was made on 14 June 2021, following a meeting of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) Communicable Disease Committee. It will be effective from 14 to 30 June 2021.
According to the announcement, the following types of activities and venues may reopen, but with strict preventive measures against the disease set by the Government:
(1) Food shops may serve food and beverages until 21.00 hr and may provide takeaway until 23.00 hr; consumption of liquor and alcoholic beverages in these venues is prohibited; the number of customers is also limited to just 25 percent seating capacity, with screening and physical distancing measures;
(2) Department stores, shopping centers, community malls, and similar places may stay open until 21.00 hr, with a limited number of visitors;
(3) Convenience stores, supermarkets, night markets, and walking streets may open as usual but no later than 23.00 hr; stores or venues that are regularly opened for 24-hour services may reopen at 04.00 hr;
(4) Sports venues or places for open-air exercise may open until 21.00 hr, and competitions may be organized without spectators;
(5) Museums and historical sites with strict social measures;
(6) Tattoo and nail salons;
(7) Beauty clinics;
(8) Health and wellness establishments (health spas and health massage); only foot massage is allowed;
(9) Public parks and botanical gardens, with no recreational activities, except for walking and running.
The following venues will remain closed:
(1) Buildings and premises of schools, tutorial schools, and all educational institutions;
(2) Entertainment venues, any establishments providing services similar to entertainment venues, amusement places, pubs, bars, and karaoke outlets;
(3) Massage parlors;
(4) Establishments for bath services and steaming and herbal room services;
(5) Cockfighting rings and cockfighting training rings;
(6) Bullrings, fish fighting rings, and other similar sport arenas;
(7)Theaters;
(8) Water parks and amusement parks;
(9) Playgrounds;
(10) Zoos;
(11) Skating or rollerblading rinks or other similar recreation;
(12) Snooker parlors and billiard parlors;
(13) Bowling alleys and game arcades;
(14) Gaming and Internet shops;
(15) Public swimming pools;
(16) Fitness centers;
(17) Exhibition halls, trade exhibition centers, and convention centers;
(18) Learning centers, science centers for education, science parks, science and cultural centers, and galleries;
(19) Public libraries;
(20) Daycare centers (except those in hospitals);
(21) Elderly care centers (except admission for overnight stay);
(22) Boxing stadiums and boxing schools;
(23) Martial arts schools (gyms);
(24) Ballroom dance halls or academies;
(25) Horse racing tracks;
(26) Amulet trading markets and centers;
(27) Weight-control services, cosmetic clinics, and aesthetic clinics;
(28) Health and wellness establishments (massage shops for beauty treatment);
(29) All types of race tracks;
(30) Public event grounds;
(31) Meeting and event venues;
(32) Beauty salons; hair cutting and hair dressing are allowed, but customers at hair salons and barber shops must wait outside;
(33) Indoor sports arenas and ponds for water sports or water activities.
Meetings, seminars, parties, camping, film shooting, television programs, religious activities, and gatherings with not more than 20 participants are allowed. If the number of participants is expected to exceed 20 but not be more than 1,000, the organizers must seek permission by submitting a working plan and disease control measures to the district office responsible for the area before the activities are organized.
In cases in which the number of participants will exceed 1,000, the organizers must seek permission by submitting a working plan and disease control measures to the BMA Health Department, except for the activities that are carried out by government agencies or are conducted in the venues designated as quarantine facilities.
Any persons who violate or fail to comply with this announcement may be guilty of an offence under Section 52 of the Communicable Disease Act B.E. 2558 (2015) and shall be liable to imprisonment for up to one year or a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both. Moreover, they may be guilty of an offence under Section 18 of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations B.E. 2548 (2005) and shall be liable to imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both.
Source: The Government Public Relations Department