The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration announced on Thursday that there would be no national lockdown but that coronavirus control zoning was being imposed.
It is based on the number and degree of new cases, and New Year festivities are only permitted under strict conditions.
Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, CCSA spokesman, said there are four zones for COVID-19 control measures that are now being applied to provinces. They are red zone, orange zone, yellow zone, and green zone.
The red zone, which stands for maximum control and a considerable number of COVID-19 cases, currently covers Samut Sakhon province only, the epicenter of the latest COVID-19 outbreak, he explained.
In this zone, infected and at-risk people as well as at-risk businesses and activities are quickly identified. Besides, infected people are admitted to a field hospital and at-risk people are quarantined.
At-risk premises are closed and are allowed to operate hours limited. Transporting migrant workers out of the area is prohibited.
Also, transport of Thais is restricted and impacts on business and industries.
Work from home is maximized and education moves online. Moreover, authorities imposed utmost COVID-19 restrictions for workplaces, factories, and worker’s dormitories.
Fishing is allowed but fisherman and seafood must undergo active and continuous COVID-19 tests.
The orange zone is for the control zone and areas with more than 10 cases and rising while the yellow zone refers to high surveillance areas with no more than 10 cases.
The green zone is for areas with no cases or likelihood of infection.
The measures in those three zones are gradually relaxed in accordance with the degree of the coronavirus infection.
Transport of migrant workers out of the control zone is banned. It covers provinces surrounding Samut Sakhon, including Bangkok, Samut Songkhram, Ratchaburi and Nakhon Pathom.
The high surveillance zone comprises 25 provinces.
According to the Bangkok Post, those are Saraburi, Samut Prakan, Suphan Buri, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Uttaradit, Chachoengsao, Kamphaeng Phet, Phetchabun, Ayutthaya, Phuket, Phetchaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachin Buri, Krabi, Khon Kaen, Chai Nat, Udon Thani, Phichit, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Sawan and Ang Thong.
The surveillance zone (green) goes for provinces without an infected case.
New Year celebrations are banned in the maximum control zone, unless they are entirely online, as Dr. Taweesilp stated. There could be parties in the control zone but with a limited number of attendees.
People can organize celebrations in the two other zones, but they must be downsized and avoid crowded gatherings.
Dr. Taweesilp said the zone control designations of the several provinces could change depending on the situation there.
