Thailand after the first day of "living with Covid-19"

Although Covid-19 infections reached 15,000 cases/day, the Thai government has eased measures to limit the spread of the disease since September 1. This is the result of the decision to change the national strategy to "learning to live with Covid-19" by the National Communicable Diseases Committee of Thailand on August 23.

Under the new policy, restaurants will be allowed to reopen, but they will have to maintain a 50% seating capacity limit in air-conditioned restaurants, while outdoor restaurants can serve up to 75% of their seating capacity. Shopping malls, hair salons, massage parlors and beauty clinics will also be open as normal. However, convenience stores will have to close at 8 p.m. daily and restaurants will not be allowed to serve alcohol. Mass gatherings will be limited to 25 people instead of the previous limit of five.

At the same time, Thailand also allowed the resumption of domestic commercial flights from September 1.

On the first day of the "living with Covid-19" policy, vehicles poured onto the streets in Bangkok and the city was congested from early morning.

According to interviews with people at the Seacon Square shopping mall on Srinakarin Road in Prawet district by the Bangkok Post, people had mixed reactions to the government’s decision. They said there were both positive and negative aspects to the decision. A new wave of Covid-19 could break out, but it could also bring people back to normal life and boost the economy.

Pranom Yomchan, 62, who owns a clothing store in the Klong Thom area near the mall, was optimistic about her store reopening. She said that even with the rising number of Covid-19 cases, she believed the reopening would last because people now know more about how to take care of themselves and comply with government measures to limit the spread of the disease.

Khanh Ha