Thailand will relax COVID-17 measures as of May 19
As of May 17, Thailand will relax a number of Covid-19 measures. From that moment on you can eat again under certain conditions in a restaurant in the dark red zones. Chiang Mai will become an orange zone and Chon Buri (including Pattaya) will go from dark red to red.
Effective May 17, 2021, the easing applies to modified COVID-19 destination areas in Thailand until further notice. The maximum and strict controlled area or 'dark red zone' used to cover six provinces, but now only includes four provinces: Bangkok and three other provinces – Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan.
The number of 45 'red zone' provinces goes back to 17 provinces:
- CENTRAL REGION: Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ratchaburi and Samut Sakhon.
- EASTERN REGION: Chachoengsao, Chon Buri and Rayong.
- NORTHERN REGION: Branch.
- SOUTHERN REGION: Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Ranong, Songkhla, Surat Thani and Yala.
56 provinces will be or are orange:
- CENTRAL REGION: Ang Thong, Chai Nat, Lop Buri, Nakhon Nayok, Samut Songkhram, Saraburi, Sing Buri and Suphan Buri.
- EASTERN REGION: Chanthaburi, Prachin Buri, Sa Kaeo and Trat.
- NORTHERN REGION: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Kamphaeng Phet, Lampang, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Nan, Nakhon Sawan, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phrae, Sukhothai, Uthai Thani and Uttaradit.
- NORTHEAST REGION:Amnat Charoen, Bueng Kan, Buri Ram, Chaiyaphum, Kalasin, Khon Kaen, Loei, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Nong Khai, Roi Et, Sakon Nakhon, Si Sa Ket, Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani and Yasothon.
- SOUTHERN REGION: Chumphon, Krabi, Pattani, Phang Nga, Phatthalung, Phuket, Satun and Trang.
Dining in restaurants/food and beverage outlets is as follows:
- Dark red zone: Limited dinner services are allowed until 21.00 PM and takeout is allowed until 23.00 PM.
- red zone: Dinner services can be extended until 23.00:XNUMX PM.
- Orange zone: Dinner services may resume normal hours.
The consumption of alcoholic beverages while dining remains prohibited throughout the country.
Other measures remain in place in all areas, including the obligation to wear face masks and the closure of entertainment venues (pubs, bars, karaoke bars and massage parlours). In addition, shopping malls, department stores and other centers are only open until 21.00 p.m. and no sales-promoting activities are allowed.
Gatherings of more than 20 people are prohibited in the dark red zone, gatherings of more than 50 people are not allowed in the red and orange zones.
Markets and convenience stores in the dark red and red zones are only allowed to open between 04.00 a.m. and 23.00 p.m., while those in the orange zone are allowed to open at normal opening hours.
People in the dark red zone are currently being urged to cancel or postpone interprovincial travel.
Source: TAT news
I still don't understand what the (continuing) ban on serving alcohol in restaurants is for.
With alcohol in their bodies, people become “loose”, think less, which increases the chance of breaking the rules. That's the reason. Unfortunately.
Can someone tell me what this means practically PER type (color) PROVINCE if we want to travel around Thailand in terms of when you should or should not be quarantined per province or, for example, a negative test? Where can this be checked?
Ps We are both Covid vaccinated
Hi Diana,
I live in Chiang Mai.
No one can tell you this for the simple reason that things can change here day by day, it's hard to follow. The government places more responsibility with the governors of the provinces. This means that provinces with the same color code do not enforce the same restrictions, it is confusing.
It is best to read the news about this every day.
So far (and this too may change) being vaccinated has no influence on whether or not you have to go into quarantine. When you are vaccinated, you can still be infected with the virus and pass it on to others.
Goodbye,
Thank you for your response Geert, but can you also please specify where I can find information per province and their own limitations?
Does anyone have practical experience with crossing several provinces? And if so, what were the possible. Limits?
I assume that you no longer have to quarantine upon arrival in Chiangmai. Right?
It's all a bit strange, rising contamination figures, no or hardly any vaccinations and then relaxing again, seems like the Netherlands that have always been behind the facts for over 1 years and now finally seem to be doing well.
Compare NL against all 196 countries on this globe and you will see that we have not done so badly.
Now that the virus is also present in all regions in Thailand, they are in the same situation as Europe since the spring of 2020 and so people will now probably relax and tighten again in relation to rising and falling waves. And so we have to wait until enough Thai people are vaccinated to really get it under control. So that will have to wait until early next year before it is more or less under control. So it will be another lost year for tourism.