Thailand to tighten curbs as fresh outbreak threatens tourism plan

BANGKOK • Thailand is set to ban the sale of alcoholic beverages in restaurants and close schools and amusement parks for two weeks to stem a fresh outbreak of the coronavirus that has spread to most of the country, potentially jeopardising its plans to reopen borders to foreign tourists.

The closure of bars, pubs, karaoke and massage parlours in areas including Bangkok, the epicentre of the latest outbreak, may be extended nationwide until the end of the month, a meeting of the National Committee on Communicable Diseases decided on Thursday.

While Bangkok and 17 other provinces will be designated as maximum controlled areas because of the severity of the outbreak, 59 others will be designated as controlled areas, the panel said.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was to chair a meeting of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration yesterday to consider the fresh curbs.

The government has ruled out a national lockdown, with Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul saying that each province will be free to decide on any travel restrictions. The virus spread can be contained within two weeks if people complied with the new curbs, he said.

The South-east Asian country had last week ordered the closure of entertainment venues in Bangkok and 40 other virus-hit provinces for at least two weeks to contain a third wave of infections that emerged from bars and pubs in the capital city.

The control measures dampened the annual Songkran festivities - where millions of Thais travel across the country for family reunions and holidays - for a second year, and weakened private consumption and domestic tourism.

An extended period of restrictions may delay plans to attract vaccinated tourists and further weaken an economic recovery that the Thai central bank says is contingent on the return of foreign visitors.

BLOOMBERG