Thailand Tightens Measures Against COVID-19 Amid Spike In Cases - Official

Thailand Tightens Measures Against COVID-19 Amid Spike in Cases - Official

Thailand has decided to tighten its measures against the coronavirus disease for two weeks in response to a recent spike in daily infections, Taweesilp Witsanuyotin, a spokesman for the country's coronavirus response center, said on Friday

BANGKOK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th April, 2021) Thailand has decided to tighten its measures against the coronavirus disease for two weeks in response to a recent spike in daily infections, Taweesilp Witsanuyotin, a spokesman for the country's coronavirus response center, said on Friday.

Since the first week of April, Thailand went from 26 new cases a day to 1,582 as of Friday. To curb the increase in cases, the government decided to switch all education facilities to distance learning, ban alcohol sales in restaurants and cafes and cut their work hours, as well as cut work hours of shops and malls, close all playgrounds and restrict the use of city parks. The measures will enter into force on Sunday.

"The decision to impose stricter measures was adopted today at a meeting of the whole center, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha," Witsanuyotin told journalists.

The country will be divided into two parts. The regions where the disease is spreading the most, including Bangkok and 17 other provinces, will have its restaurants, malls and gyms open until 9 p.m. local time (14:00 GMT). All 24-hour shops will close at 11 p.m. local time and reopen at 4 a.m. The other 59 provinces will have their restaurants open until 11 p,m., while malls will close at 9 p.m. Twenty-four-hour stores will work as usual.

"The measures were adopted for two weeks; however, the situation will be constantly monitored and, in case of changes one way or the other, the measures will be adjusted accordingly," the spokesman added.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Thailand has confirmed a total of 39,038 cases, including 97 fatalities.