COVID-19: In Thailand, Relief For Business Owners As Some Sectors Reopen

By Linda Khoo Hui Li BANGKOK, May 4 (Bernama) – Nattaporn Khongsuan and her staff busily rearranged tables and chairs with a distance of 1.5 metres to adhere to social distancing guidelines set to prepare for the reopening of her shop. The 45-year-old owner of a noodle shop on Sukhumvit Road was thrilled when the government announced the reopening of six types of businesses and venues – including street food stalls, shops and restaurants outside shopping malls in the kingdom – starting Sunday (May 3). “I have been waiting for this moment since the authorities closed down dine-in services at the end of March. “It’s a relief to reopen dine-in for customers. I can’t wait to see regular customers sit and dine. It’s not the same-sized crowd we will usually expect to see dining out, but I’m happy for any revenue,” she told Bernama. The authorities laid out strict guidelines and safety practices in order for the eateries to resume business. Among others, tables must be kept 1 to 1.5 metres apart, prohibition of alcohol consumption in the premises, temperature screening for customers and employees before entry, and the limit of the number of customers at a dining table to two persons. “The number of people dining-in has reduced as we need to observe social distancing in the restaurant. But most importantly, all these added measures are to ensure customers’ comfort. “Everyone must play their role so we could return to the normalcy,” she said. Hair salon owner, known as Wanna, 61, donned a face mask and held a thermometer to greet clients at the entrance to protect staff and customers from a potential infection. She said only hair cut, shampoo and blow are allowed under the new guidelines. “Customers are required to make appointments while hairstylists must wear mask and face shield to contain the spread of the deadly virus,” she said. Wanna added that equipment must also be disinfected after every use, and the premises will take a break for at least 20 minutes for cleaning every two hours. “I have mixed feelings about the reopening… it is not business as usual. Limited services and limited customers, as many prefer to stay home now,” she said. Starting Sunday, six types of businesses and venues nationwide are reopened with guidelines to avoid a second wave of COVID-19 infection. The businesses and venues include markets, eateries outside shopping malls, wholesale and retail businesses, parks and outdoor sports facilities, barber shops and hair salons, pet grooming shops and pet hotels. Only running and cycling are allowed at parks, while team sports such as aerobic dance, tai chi, basketball and volleyball are forbidden due to potential risks of infections. Shopping malls, cinemas and theatres, gyms and spas, as well as indoor sports venues including boxing stadiums are to remain closed to avoid large gatherings. The government will observe and evaluate the situation every 14 days. --BERNAMA