Pol.Gen. Aswin Kwanmuang, Governor of Bangkok, revealed after presiding over the BMA Communicable Diseases Committee Meeting, No. 9/2021 dated April 16, 2021, that the meeting had considered the current situation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and resolved to agree and act in compliance with the regulations of Thailand’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced on April 16, 2021. Bangkok was declared the maximum-control zone (red zone) and must abide by various measures for at least 14 days starting from April 18, 2021 onwards. The measures includes: restaurants can provide dine-in services until 21.00 hrs., and sell takeaway food and beverage, without the sales and consumption of alcoholic beverage on the premises, until 23.00 hrs.; entertainment venues, pub, bars, karaoke shops, establishments for bath services, and massage parlors will be closed; shopping centers, department stores and community malls will close at 21.00 hrs. (game machines or amusement arcades, playthings, gaming centers, and amusement parks are not allowed); convenient stores can open from 04.00 to 23.00 hrs.; all levels of educational institutes and tutorial schools stop providing in-person teaching and learning activities in the classroom; and outdoor exercising places, fitness centers, and gyms can open until 21.00 hrs. Moreover, organizing of any activities where more than 50 people gather is prohibited. Holding of banquet and party with more than 50 people must request for permission from the district office located in the area beforehand. The BMA will expedite the public relations requesting for cooperation from business establishments and companies to work on alternate working days, on staggered hours arrangements, or work from home as much as possible.
Pol.Capt. Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, BMA Spokesman, revealed that the BMA had been prepared to accommodate a soaring number of COVID-19 patients and could accept the total of 9,183 COVID-19 patients. At present, 4,939 patients are hospitalized and the BMA can still accommodate another 4,244 patients. The plan for admitting patients is divided into 3 stages. The first stage is to increase capacity of the BMA affiliated hospitals to accommodate more COVID-19 patients both in hospitals under the BMA or other hospitals in the area of Bangkok Metropolitan. The second stage is to convert hotels into the area for surveillance of COVID-19 symptoms or hospitels for the patients with an asymptomatic COVID-19 infection or those with mild or moderate symptoms. The third stage is to set up full-scale field hospital to accommodate COVID-19 patients. At the moment, the BMA is ready to accommodate the patients at Erawan 1 Hospital (Chaloem Phrakiat 84 Phansa Stadium in Bang Bon District) and Erawan 2 Hospital (Bangkok Arena Sports Center in Nong Chok district). With regard to the delays in pick-up service for patients, the BMA has accelerated to increase its work capacity on this matter by assigning Erawan Center under the BMA Medical Service Department to work in collaboration with the BMA City Law Enforcement Department and the 50 District Offices in providing vehicles to pick-up and send the remaining patients to hospitals so that they can receive fast and safe treatment.
