On Saturday, the government announced that it would extend the current curfew and other recently imposed strict restrictions in ten provinces until August 2.
Moreover, three more provinces would be added to the group, authorities said.
The existing curfew from 09:00 p.m. to 04:00 a.m. and other coronavirus controls went into effect last Monday in Bangkok, its surrounding provinces, and some southern provinces.
Besides the capital, the other provinces affected by the strictest regulations were Nonthaburi, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, and Nakhon Pathom.
The four southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla and Yala also saw harsher controls.
According to the Royal Gazette published on Saturday, severe measures would also be imposed in Chon Buri, Chachoengsao, and Ayutthaya.
After the announcement, the total number of under-lockdown provinces amounted to thirteen.
Under the current restrictions, stores in shopping malls must close at 8:00 p.m. except for essential retailers such as supermarkets or chemists.
Ban on dine-in eateries continues. But restaurants, convenience stores, and wet markets must close from 8:00 p.m. to 04:00 a.m.
Public transport will be shut from 09:00 p.m. to 04:00 a.m.
According to the Royal Gazette’s order, the number of provinces categorized under “close surveillance” by authorities will double.
From now on, 43 instead of 24 provinces would be considered within that category due to their high infection rates, the government said.
The Royal Gazette order also said that new transportation restrictions would apply nationwide.
As of Wednesday, July 21, all public transport modes in Thailand must limit their passengers’ number to half their capacity.
The government said the restrictions would be in effect until August 2 and evaluated after a week to verify their effectiveness.
However, authorities stated that the curfew and other strict measures might be extended beyond August 2 if the outbreak worsens.
Thailand struggles to deal with the third wave of the pandemic, which has left higher numbers of cases and deaths amid a hospital beds shortage and a slow vaccination campaign’s rollout.
Daily, authorities record more new coronavirus infections and deaths.
During Sunday’s briefing, officials tallied a record-breaking 11,397 new confirmed cases after reporting an all-time high of 141 deaths the previous day.
