In an attempt to protect citizens and visitors from the coronavirus (COVID-19), but without causing undue harm to tourism, Thailand has ordered all pubs, entertainment venues, massage parlours and theatres in Bangkok to close for a period of two weeks, starting from tomorrow (18/3).
Thailand’s government has confirmed that sporting arenas, concerts and other potentially crowded events will also be affected by the closures, with many events and festivals cancelled as a precaution. The shutdown is Thailand’s most drastic move yet for combatting the pandemic, and follows a recent surge in confirmed cases of the virus.
On a positive note, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha confirmed Thailand will not shut its borders, though visitors should expect further measures to be put in place to detect the virus and stem its spread. One such directive would be for travellers to present a medical certificate confirming their good health. This follows the recent adjustment to the VoA exemptions.
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