Bangkok extends COVID-19 controls until 31 May 2021

Bangkok, 17 May, 2021 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to provide the latest updates that Bangkok’s temporary closure order has been extended for two more weeks, or until 31 May, 2021.  The order was previously in place from 26 April – 9 May, 2021, then extended to 17 May, 2021.

While the existing temporary closure and relevant measures for businesses and venues remains in place, there is some relaxation for dine-in services at restaurants per the Royal Thai Government’s announcement (Thailand relaxes COVID-19 measures from 17 May 2021).

Shops selling food or beverages are now allowed to open for limited dine-in services until 21.00 Hrs., and take away is allowed until 23.00 Hrs. However, consumption of alcoholic beverages while dining in continues to be prohibited nationwide.

The rest of the restrictions remain in effect, which includes:

The mask mandate requiring everyone in Bangkok to ‘always correctly and properly wear sanitary or fabric face masks outside their residence or accommodation. Violators are liable to a fine not exceeding 20,000 Baht.

The temporary closure order involves the following businesses and venues:

1. Buildings and places of schools, tutorial schools, and all types of educational institutes;
2. Entertainment venues, any establishments providing similar services to those of entertainment venues, amusement places, pubs, bars, karaoke shops, or other similar venues;
3. Massage parlours;
4. Establishments for bath services and establishments for steam bath and herbal steam;
5. Cockfighting rings and cockfighting training rings;
6. Bullrings, fish fighting rings, or other similar sport arenas;
7. Cinemas, theatres, and playhouses;
8. Water parks and amusement parks;
9. Playgrounds and playground equipment for children;
10. Zoos and animal display venues;
11. Skating rings, rollerblading arenas, or other similar activities;
12. Snooker and billiards halls;
13. Bowling alleys and game machine arcades;
14. Gaming centres and Internet cafes;
15. Public swimming pools or other similar businesses;
16. Fitness centres;
17. Exhibition halls, trade fair centres, and convention centres;
18. Museums, national museums, local museums and those similar museums, learning centres, science centres for education, science parks, science and cultural centres, historical sites, ancient monuments, and galleries;
19. Public libraries, community libraries, private libraries, and book houses;
20. Nurseries (except those operated in hospitals with admission for overnight stay as a regularity), early childhood development centres, and preschool child development centres;
21. Elderly care centres (except admission for overnight stay as a regularity);
22. Boxing stadiums and boxing training gyms;
23. Martial arts schools (gyms);
24. Premises for tattooing or piercing of skin or any parts of the body, and manicure and pedicure shops;
25. Social/ballroom dance schools and academies;
26. Horse racing courses;
27. Amulet and Buddha statue trading markets and centres;
28. Weight-loss centres, aesthetic clinics, medical clinics for beauty service, and cosmetic clinics;
29. Health-related establishments (spa shops, health massage shops, beauty massage shops), and establishments for Thai traditional massage and foot massage;
30. All types of competition venues;
31. Places of entertainment or places for public performances or recreation;
32. Places providing services on meeting rooms, catering rooms, catering venues, and other those similar places;
33. Beauty salons and barber shops (to be opened only for shampooing, cutting, layering, dressing, and service users waiting for service in shops are not allowed);
34. Public parks, botanic gardens, and flower gardens;
35. All types of indoor and outdoor sports venues, golf courses and driving ranges, and swimming pools for sports or marine activity in ponds.

In addition, there are integrated control measures for the follow businesses and venues:

1. Shopping malls, shopping centres, community malls, or similar establishments can open for operation by their regular time until 21.00 Hrs.
2. Convenience stores, supermarkets, night markets, all-night markets, and walking streets can open for operation by their regular time but no later than 23.00 Hrs. Stores or venues specified above, which are regularly open for 24-hour services, can open for operation from 04.00 Hrs.
3. Any activities prone to disease spread; such as, meetings, seminars, banquets, distribution of food or things, parties, camping, film or television programme production, religious activities, Dharma practice, and meetings with senior relatives, can be organised but the number of attendees must not exceed 20 people.
4. In case where the number of attendees exceeds 20 people but no more than 1,000 people, organisers shall request for permission by submitting the working plan and disease control measures to the district office in charge of the area before organising the said activities.
5. In case where the number of attendees exceeds 1,000 people, organisers shall request for permission by submitting the working plan and disease control measures to the BMA’s Health Department before organising the said activities, except those operated by government agencies or ones implemented in the venues designated as quarantine facilities. Organisers shall comply with the disease prevention and control measures for inhibiting the spread of disease.

Any persons who violate or fail to comply with this order shall be guilty of an offence under Section 52 of the Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558 (2015), which shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one (1) year or to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand (100,000) Baht, or to both and shall be guilty of an offence under Section 18 of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situation B.E. 2548 (2005), which shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two (2) years or to a fine not exceeding forty thousand (40,000) Baht, or to both.

For regular updates on the tourism-related COVID-19 situation in Thailand, visit the TAT Newsroom via www.tatnews.org; Facebook (tatnews.org); and Twitter (Tatnews_Org).

For additional information and assistance relating to Thailand’s tourism, contact the TAT Contact Centre 1672 or Tourist Police 1155.