Prachatai English - News

Bangkok’s Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said today (1 April), following a Bangkok Communicable Disease Control meeting, that all restaurants, street food stalls, and convenience stores will be asked to close between midnight and 5.00 am from 2 April in an additional measure to contain the transmission of COVID-19.

The governor also said that rent will be suspended at all of Bangkok’s 11 roaming markets, which have been affected by the Bangkok Metropolitan Agency (BMA)’s COVID-19 control measures.

Aswin insisted that this is not a curfew, and that he will be collaborating with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to press charges against anyone who releases rumours that the BMA will be implementing a curfew.

Meanwhile,  Phuket is now in lockdown after its Provincial Governor Pakkapong Tawipat announced on 29 March the decision to close all entry and exit points, with the exception of air travel, until 30 April, banning all vehicles and vessels from entering the island via its land checkpoint and waterways, except for those carrying essential items or medical emergency vehicles or vessels.

Phuket also closed all its international ports, prohibitng ships and people from entering or leaving the province, except for cargo ships, whose crew will not be allowed to disembark and must leave immediately upon finishing their mission. 

Sumut Prakan’s Provincial Governor Chatchai Utaipan announced yesterday (31 March) that convenience stores within the province will be closed between midnight and 5.00 am. They will also be required to provide hand sanitizer and make sure that there is space for customers to stand at least a metre apart. Customers and staff will also be required to wear face masks at all times.

Markets will also be required to provide hand sanitizers for both sellers and customers. Market managers must also make sure that sellers and customers know they have to wear face masks. 

Nonthaburi has also asked all citizens not to leave their residence between 11.00 pm and 5.00 am of the next day starting from 31 March, unless absolutely necessary or unless they are working during those hours.

As of 1 April, Thailand has a total of 1,771 COVID-19 cases, most of which are in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, and a death toll of 12.

The National Multimedia Group announced yesterday (31 March) that it will be cutting the salaries of all its employees and suspending all employee benefits due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business.

The media conglomerate, which owns three newspapers, two online news agencies, a publishing house, a digital TV station, and the English-language The Nation online newspaper, announced that it will be cutting the salaries of all its employees, starting from today (1 April). It will also discontinue employee benefits not directly related to work or safety, and discontinue all compensation beyond salaries, such as travel expenses and phone bills.

The announcement said that no employee will be allowed to work overtime. The group will also allow department managers to put their staff on unpaid leave, and to lay off employees if absolutely necessary.

The announcement said that the COVID-19 pandemic, which affects every business sector in Thailand, is causing a severe and unavoidable impact on the company’s business activities, and that it needs to implement measures to keep itself afloat during the crisis. It also said that the company may consider lifting certain measures if the situation improves.

Also, its CEO, Chai Bunnag, will not be receiving a salary or compensation from the company during this time.