Restaurants may soon be allowed to resume dine-in services for fully vaccinated customers.
The Public Health Ministry is seeking approval from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) for a gradual reopening of restaurants. The move coincides with a decline in new infections over the past few days.
"The Covid-19 situation appears to be improving. Certain restrictions should therefore be lifted," said Kiattiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for public health, on Tuesday.
He made the remarks after Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met with representatives from various business types that were ordered to close when infections across 29 provinces were increasing.
The ministry will ask the CCSA to consider allowing restaurants to provide dine-in service, with certain restrictions, Dr Kiattiphum said.
For instance, a restaurant would only be allowed fill half its maximum capacity in order to ensure social distancing, he said.
Other outdoor businesses, as well as fitness and sports clubs, will be next to reopen, he said.
Once reopened, restaurants, shopping malls and other businesses will be required to adopt a "Covid-free" approach in their trade. They will be required to set aside enough space on their premises to allow social distancing and ensure adequate ventilation.
They must assist their staff to get vaccinated and regularly test them for Covid-19, he said.
The Department of Disease Control is now mapping out details of the latest Covid-19 restriction easing plan, he said.
