Provinces declare ‘soft curfew’ as virus spreads

Phuket has shut down motorcycle rental businesses in the province, and restricted the opening hours of 24-hour convenience stores. The order was issued by the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee on Wednesday (April 1).

Convenience stores will have to down their shutters from 8pm to 3am the next day.

The order takes effect on Thursday (April 2) and applies until April 30. Violators face a maximum of one year's imprisonment or a fine of Bt100,000, or both, under Section 52 of the Communicable Disease Act BE 2558.

Pitsanulok has urged residents to stay at home between the hours of 11pm and 5am, beginning today until further notice.
The order, which was issued on Tuesday, exempts goods transport vehicles and people who work between 11pm and 5am or must leave home out of urgent necessity.
The lower-northern province also ordered more venues to close their doors until April 30.
They include natural tourist sites such as national parks, waterfalls, dams and attractions at irrigation projects.
Meanwhile in the North, Lampang governor Narongsak Osottanakorn has ordered state officials to refrain from travelling to other provinces. The order is valid from today until April 30.
Those who have to travel must first secure permission from their superiors.
Sakeaow province in the east has ordered its malls and department stores to close – except for their supermarkets, pharmacies and take-home food services – from April 2-30.
Convenience stores are only permitted to operate between the hours of 5am to 11pm for the same period.
On March 31, Nonthaburi urged its residents not to leave home between 11pm and 5am in a move to reduce the rate of Covid-19 infection.
The announcement, which takes effect until further notice, does not cover vehicles transporting goods, night-shift workers or those who need to venture out of their homes due to urgent necessity.

The governor of Samut Prakan has also decided to have convenience stores shut their doors from 11pm to 5am, and is also insisting that people wear a mask outdoors. These measures will be effective from April 1 to 30.

Mae Hong Son province imposed a curfew on Wednesday (April 1) as the northern border province battles the spread of Covid-19 disease.
Governor Suwaphong Kitiphatphibun ordered residents to stay in their homes between the hours of 10pm and 4am, with the exception of medical personnel and authorised persons.
The province has also closed its doors to all foreign visitors, except diplomats and those given exemption on the prime minister’s orders. People travelling to Mae Hong Son from Bangkok and other provinces must register with village chiefs or local volunteer officials on arrival and then undergo 14 days of quarantine.
In addition, hotel and accommodation operators have been ordered to draw up lists of their guests and screen them for Covid-19. Operators have also been told to inform disease control officials of any foreign guests they are hosting.
The new restrictions appear to have been welcomed and accepted by locals as a necessary measure to curb the outbreak of deadly Covid-19 in Mae Hong Son.

Bangkok governor Asawin Kwanmuang on Wednesday (April 1) issued additional measures to curb the spread of Covid-19, which includes shutting convenience stores from midnight to 5am as of Thursday (April 2). The governor also sought cooperation from street vendors.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang said on Wednesday that eateries and convenience stores will be closed from midnight to 5am from April 2 to 30.

However, he denied reports that the BMA was considering a citywide lockdown.