Bars warned it takes proper accreditation to be a restaurant

The practice of bars and clubs tossing up a sign selling french fries and calling themselves a restaurant in order to reopen after Covid-19 restrictions ban entertainment venues from operating has been commonplace for months in Thailand. Now bars, pubs, and karaoke establishments are being warned in Bangkok that it takes more than a slapdash bite to eat to qualify as a restaurant and sell alcohol again.

A meeting of the Bangkok Municipal Authority chaired by the Deputy Governor and focusing on the Covid-19 situation in the capital city addressed the issue of fake “restaurants” reopening. The meeting instructed that bars wanting to serve food in order to reopen must be accredited with proper Covid-19 certification.

Restaurants must have an SHA and SHA+ certificate as well as be approved as a Covid Free Setting and follow all the set Covid-19 safety provisions before they are allowed to operate as a restaurant. Oddly, the need for a restaurant license did not seem to be a concern for the Bangkok Municipal Authority meeting.

Once properly accredited, the “restaurants” would be allowed as part of the tourist Blue Zone designated area to serve alcohol until 11 pm each night. Authorities have been patrolling the 50 districts of Bangkok and will continue to do so, looking for those who are violating the rules and restrictions for businesses to open as restaurants and sell booze.

The meeting about Covid-19 was called to address worries about the Omicron variant which has now been identified in Thailand. Experts are reporting that they believe the new variant is no more harmful than the Delta variant, which swept Thailand (and the world) creating by far the worst phase of the pandemic so far. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has assured that Thailand is not likely to go into another lockdown over the emergence of the new variant.

SOURCE: ASEAN Now

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Thailand’s nightlife venues to reopen on Jan 16, subject to assessment

Pubs, bars and karaoke bars in Thailand’s COVID-19 restricted zones and “sandbox” provinces may be allowed to reopen from January 16th, on the condition that they meet the required criteria and pass assessments by relevant authorities, according to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

The Public Health and Interior ministries, as well as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, have been designated by the CCSA to enforce safety measures to be imposed on these venues.

One of the required safety measures is that venues must improve their environment and air circulation system and that all staff are fully inoculated against COVID-19.

Pubs, bars and karaoke bars, located in restricted and “sandbox” areas, are given until January 16th to make preparations and improvements ahead of evaluation by assessment committees in each province.

Venues which pass the assessment will be registered and allowed to reopen for business and must strictly comply with the safety measures. If a COVID-19 infection is found in any of the venues, it will be closed down.

The CCSA, at its meeting today, agreed to reduce the COVID-19 “dark red” provinces to just Tak, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Songkhla, where infections are still spreading. The night-time curfew between 11pm and 3am is in place only in the “dark red” zone, and until November 3otth, pending a further CCSA decision whether to extend the curfew.

Bangkok is now included among the “sandbox” provinces, which also include the popular tourist destinations such as Krabi, Phuket and Phang-nga. The ban on serving alcohol in eateries has been lifted in the “sandbox provinces” and five other provinces deemed at low-risk for the spread of COVID-19 – Nakhon Phanom, Bueng Kan, Mukdahan and Sakhon Nakhon.

All the provinces classified as “dark red”, “red” or “blue” zones are required to comply with the Universal Prevention and COVID Free Setting regimens.

All international arrivals will still have to undergo an RT-PCR test and an Antigen test upon arrival as per the current practice, according to the CCSA, following the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s proposal to switch to only antigen tests to reduce the waiting time.

Source - Thai BPS World

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Bars, pubs and nightclubs in Thailand could remain closed until 2022

Bars, pubs, nightclubs and other entertainment venues in Thailand could remain closed until 2022, according to a proposal due to be considered by the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

A report surfaced in Thai media on Wednesday (Nov 10) that Cabinet ministers have proposed keeping entertainment venues closed until after the new year.

However, countdown events in five locations across the country, presumably in key tourism areas, are set to be given the green light to go ahead.

The report also said that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-Cha called on business owners within the entertainment industry “not to be selfish” with regards to reopening.

The proposals to keep entertainment venues, as well as possible easing of restrictions in Thailand, are set to be announced on Friday (Nov 11) following the conclusion of a CCSA meeting, which the PM chairs.

Despite restrictions surrounding alcohol sales in restaurants being eased in some locations earlier this month, namely Bangkok, Krabi, Phuket and Phang Nga, bars, pubs and nightclubs across the country remain closed.

 Source - ASIAN NOW

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Pubs and bars to remain closed in 17 pilot areas after November 1

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has announced the details of Thailand’s November 1 reopening to international tourists, and noted that Thais returning from abroad do not need to have health insurance with 50,000 USD coverage.

CCSA Assistant Spokesperson Apisamai Srirungson said Thais who arrive from countries and territories whose peoples are exempted from quarantine upon entering Thailand do not need to have health insurance coverage of 50,000 USD, unlike foreign tourists.

Dr. Apisamai said Thais and foreigners who are not fully inoculated against COVID-19 will have to enter quarantine for 7, 10, or 14 days depending on the conditions met by each individual.

The CCSA has also announced the designation of 17 provinces as pilot areas for tourism. These include Bangkok, Krabi, Phang Nga, and Phuket, in addition to specific localities in Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Trat, Buriram, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi, Ranong, Rayong, Loei, Samut Prakan, Surat Thani, Nong Khai, and Udon Thani.

Entries into areas that are piloting tourism programs would need to fall in line with the conditions set in the respective area, such as full vaccination of the entrant and a local capacity to control outbreaks.

Curfews in any of the aforementioned areas will be lifted at 11 pm on October 31. However, the CCSA is banning the holding of activities involving more than 500 people that could present Covid infection risks in these tourism pilot areas. Entertainment venues, pubs, bars and karaoke shops in these areas will have to remain closed for the time being.

Cource - ASIAN NOW

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#Bangkok, Soi Cowboy Gets The Green Light To Open Until Midnight

 Go-go bars on Soi Cowboy have been informed Monday night that they can open until midnight while down the road at Nana Plaza chrome pole palaces have been told to close under the latest BMA order shuttering “high risk” businesses and sporting venues.

It what has become an all too familiar scenario when it comes to enforcing orders, venues of the exact same type receive different directives due to their location and interpretation of orders by the local police district commander.

While Soi Cowboy gets the green light to open for business, only the Nana Plaza beer bars such as Stumble Inn, Big Dogs, Morning Night outside on Soi 4 plus ground floor venues with an outside terrace bar such as Twister BKK, Lollipop, Witchcraft and The Beer Garden inside the Plaza are permitted to open until midnight leaving all the go-go bars closed.

Note: It is highly likely this decision to allow go-go bars on Soi Cowboy will be overturned at some point on Tuesday.

Earlier on Monday the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration issued new measures in a bid to curb the spread of the latest outbreak of Covid-19 from the shrimp market in Samut Sakhon province.

Between Tuesday 29th December 2020 and Monday 4th January 2021 venues deemed “high risk” will be either closed completely or bound by a number of restrictions including closing times and live entertainment.

Source Stickboy Bangkok

Bangkok, Sukhumvit Soi 4 Beer Bars Open

 

 Following the news that numerous venues including nightclubs, karaoke bars, massage parlours and go-go’s have to close for 7 days to curb the spread of Covid-19 things have become confusing for some due to so many misleading posts and updates on social media.

 

Bars and pubs CAN open until midnight daily providing they follow all the social distancing and health measures previously outlined by the BMA.

 

This includes the bars on the front of Nana Plaza such as Big Dogs, Morning Night and Stumble Inn.

 

Bars inside the Plaza such as Twister BKK, Lollipop and others on the ground floor with an outdoor bar terrace are also permitted to open until midnight. Go-go bars will remain closed during this period.

 

While pubs across the capital have been granted permission to continue operating, I hear that officials overseeing Patpong have told a number of bars they must close.

I suspect there may be more of this in the days ahead.

Source Stickboy Bangkok

Thai pub's new rules for Re-opening - Don't Laugh

A meeting between the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)’s special taskforce committee and entertainment venue operators resolved that pubs, bars and entertainment venues could be allowed to open from July 1 provided they strictly observe following 22 practices:

• Controlling the number of patrons to ensure the venue does not get congested;

• Checking every customer and staff member’s temperature;

• Providing alcohol-based hand sanitising gel at all entrances and other areas as necessary;

• Ensuring groups are no bigger than five;

• Ensuring customers queuing to be seated maintain social distancing;

• Ensuring all tables are at least 2 metres apart or are partitioned;

• Ensuring seats are at least one metre apart;

• Ensuring all venues are properly ventilated;

• Only eating and drinking is allowed;

• Beverages can only be served individually, and shared jugs or ice buckets are prohibited;

• Serving staff are required to wear a mask or face shield at all times;

• Stage or performance area must be partitioned, and audience must be at least 2 metres away from the stage;

• Event comperes or speakers are required to wear a face shield at all times;

• Patrons are not allowed to be loud or walk around the venue if not necessary;

• If the sharing of food or beverages cannot be avoided, everyone at the table must be provided with an individual serving spoon or glass;

• Toilets must be cleaned every 30 to 60 minutes;

• All tables, chairs and frequently touched surfaces must be cleaned regularly;

• No sports matches or competitions that will attract large groups of people are allowed;

• No video gaming or pub games like pool and darts will be allowed;

• Social distancing measures must be observed in smoking areas;

• No service personnel or public relations representatives are allowed to sit with customers.

Source - The Nation