TCEB Situation Update Travel Advisory: COVID 19 Virus on 29 December 2020 COVID-19 Preventive Measures

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TCEB Situation Update

Travel Advisory: COVID 19 Virus on 29 December 2020

COVID-19 Preventive Measures

The Royal Thai Government has launched a series of measures, following the recent local outbreak of COVID-19 in Samut Sakhon and other provinces, to put the situation under control and prevent the mass infection. MICE activities as well as public gathering event are required to minimize the size and apply maximum preventive measures.

The directives are as follows;

1. Ban the entry or occupying of areas or zones with high-risk infection

2. Closure of areas with high-risk infection

3. Ban of gatherings or crowd-forming activities which can lead to public disorder

4. Movement of migrant workers is subject to strict screening and surveillance by health authorities

5. Strict enforcement of COVID-19 control and preventive measures

6. The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) aims to strengthen the coordination of the COVID-19 monitoring and protective measures among all involved agencies to quickly halt the infection

7. Bangkok Governor’s and provincial governor’s announcements or their orders to execute (1) and (2) must be consistent with the directions of the Prime Minister or the CCSA.

8. Announcements or orders of Bangkok Governor, provincial governors, of disease control authorities, which are issued under communicable disease laws, are legal orders under this announcement.

Announcements and directives concerning transmissible diseases issued by the Governor of Bangkok, provincial governor, or disease control officers before this announcement remain active until new announcements or directives are issued. This has been effective since 25 December 2020.

The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has announced four categories for controlled areas, according to the level of infection risk as follows;

1. Red Zone — Area with multiple infections detected in more than 1 sub-zones (Samut Sakhon, Rayong) — All activities are prohibited, except online activities.

2. Orange Zone — Area adjacent to the Red Zone, or the area with more than 10 infection cases detected and there is a soaring trend of infection. Public activities are prohibited. Events are allowed with limited access or limited to attendees with known contacts. Online activities are encouraged.

3. Yellow Zone — Area with lower than 10 cases of infection. The spread can be controlled. Activities are allowed, but downsizing is encouraged. Crowd density control measures must be implemented.

4. Green Zone — No infection case is detected, and no sign of infection is in presence — Activities are allowed, but downsizing is encouraged. Crowd density control measures must be implemented.

The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has announced COVID-19 prevention guidelines for concerts, music performances, performing arts and festivities, summarized to “DMHT” - Distance, Masks, Hand Washing, and Temperature Screening. The details are as follows:

1. Public spaces, outdoor areas, or venues without permanent seating structure, such as meeting room, outdoor sporting venue, golf course

1.1. Control crowd density, reduce the number of attendees

• 50% of total capacity is executed with the compulsory space of no less than 1 sq.m. per person

• Zoning of attendees, separate into smaller zones, provide sufficient walkways in the area

• Provide access for each zone to accommodate large crowds

• Pre-registration system is required

• Strict implementation of Mask-On policy

1.2. Check, supervise and monitor organisation of event/activity

• Organisers must present a practical execution plan for disease control measures.

• Authorities will co-operate and supervise the organisation of event/activity to assure that they are in accordance with to the plans and disease control measures.

2. Venues with permanent seating, such as theatres, stadiums, convention centres, exhibition halls, cinemas, and other similar venues

• They must execute COVID-19 prevention measures as prescribed by the CCSA guidelines number 5/2563 (no.4) which permit the attendance at concert, musical performance, performing arts, cinema, theater, convention center and other spots if compliance with the prescribed directives.

Furthermore, the Governor of Bangkok announced additional directives for the Bangkok Metropolitan Area as follows;

1. Places required to follow the government disease control measures;

1.1. Markets, floating markets, and flea markets

1.2. Public parks

1.3. Temples, mosques and sites of worship

1.4. Entertainment complexes, pubs, bars and karaoke shops

2. The owner or person in charge of space or organisers of any activities involved in transportation, performing arts, sport venue, public space, where crowd is gathered and activities held with risk of contact, must observe these disease control measures:

2.1. Temperature check and screening of respiratory symptoms

2.2. Mask-on policy

2.3. Limit event attendees to avoid overcrowding and at least 1 meter social distancing

2.4. Hand washing stations with soap or alcohol gel or disinfectants

2.5. Clean and disinfect all surfaces before, during and after the activities.

2.6. Pre-registration with check-in and check-out, increased use of government’s application for recording and tracking

3. Pre-event disease control plan must be submitted to the public health department of BMA before holding large activities with more than 300 attendees. Violation will be charged under article 18 of the Emergency Act (B.E.2548) and temporary closure of venues can be enforced. Everyone involved in the events must always wear masks.

This is effective from 21 December 2020 to 15 January 2021 or until further notice.

Reference http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2563/E/302/T_0068.PDF (Thai Version)