BANGKOK — Thailand reported zero new infections Monday, the same day most businesses reopen and curfew is repealed under “Phase 4” of lockdown easing.
Spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin of the government pandemic center said no new case was found in the last 24 hours. Under Phase 4 reopening measure, international schools, exhibition halls, and sports venues can also reopen.
“We are the number one in Asia in dealing with COVID-19,” Taweesin said.
One new case, a returnee from the US, was reported Sunday, while five returnees from Saudi Arabia were found infected on Saturday. All are currently in state quarantine.
Of the total 3,135 cases found in Thailand in total, 691 or more than a fifth are imported cases. A total of 2,987 people have recovered while 58 people have died and currently 90 people are hospitalized for COVID-19.
Taweesin continued to urge residents to continue wearing masks.
Alcohol can now be served in restaurants, hotels, food courts, and so on starting Monday – but bars, pubs, karaoke bars, and beer halls continue to be closed. Soapy massage, or commercial sex services, cannot reopen as of yet.
Merchants at Yaowaraj market were able to reopen their night markets in the early morning hours of Monday welcoming a bevy of shoppers.
But the lifting of curfew had an unintentional fatal effect as well. A man named Natchanon Makmul died after crashing his motorcycle under the BTS Krung Thon Buri station in the early hours of Monday; he wrote on his Facebook earlier that night that he would go out and celebrate the end of curfew.
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