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Updated May 5th, 2020 at 17:13 IST

Parks, restaurants start to reopen in Bangkok

Restaurants are open, parks are unlocked, alcohol is on sale and hair salons are back in business: a sense of normality is returning to Thailand after a month or so of restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

Parks, restaurants start to reopen in Bangkok
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Restaurants are open, parks are unlocked, alcohol is on sale and hair salons are back in business: a sense of normality is returning to Thailand after a month or so of restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

At exactly at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jae Kaeng restaurant, an institution in Bangkok, prepared for lunchtime.

For the first time since mid-March, customers were allowed to dine in, rather than take away the eatery's signature duck and goose dishes.

But as in all too-good-to-be-true situations, conditions apply.

The government has decreed that all restaurants must provide hand washing at the entrance, and must take customers' temperatures before allowing them in.

Tables must be at least 1.5 meters (5 feet) apart and must be cleaned after every customer.

And staff must ensure there's a screen between diners if two sit at the same table.

Thailand may be easing lockdown, but it's doing so cautiously.

Supornthip Traisupamongkol feels almost like a pioneer in a strange land, and said the experience of eating out feels odd.

"This is the first time. Does it feel normal? It does not feel normal," she said.

"I am not used to eating out anymore. I have been eating at home for more than a month."

The financial shock of the crisis of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, has put Jae Kaeng's owner into the red, so any move towards normality – even with conditions – is welcome.

But Chutima Simanon is unsure how soon business will pick up.

"We are facing a communicable disease," Simanon said.

"If people gather in one place, we could risk getting infected. I think people don't want to go out yet. Many customers are still doing takeaways. They don't want to sit at a restaurant yet. And if they come in a big group, they can't sit together anyway."

Among other moves, authorities have reopened city parks, including Bangkok's main inner-city green space, Lumphini Park.

Everyone entering must have a mask and undergo a temperature check.

On Tuesday, park visitors jogged or walked around the lush surroundings.

For the time being, team sports are still forbidden, as is use of public exercise equipment.

Large gatherings are also banned.

For the park's abundant wildlife, it isn't such good news.

They've had the park to themselves for the past few weeks and now will have to cede the ground, once more.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those with mild or no visible symptoms.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.

Thai health authorities reported a total of just under 3,000 cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, including 54 deaths.

There have been single-digit increases in new cases for more than a week, leading to optimism that the country has the rate of transmission under control.

 

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Published May 5th, 2020 at 17:13 IST

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