Bars on famous Khaosan road in Bangkok are now closed in light of the latest wave of COVID-19. The city will be conducting COVID-19 tests on some 500 people in this area using the royally bestowed mobile unit, as bar owners figure out what to do after the Songkran holidays.
Shops, clubs, and bars on Khaosan road are now closed, and Songkran events cancelled for yet another year. Clubs and bars owners have agreed to shut down their venues during year’s Songkran, following the current wave of COVID-19 cases, many of which are linked to nightlife venues.
An on-site testing service will be provided on Khaosan road for some 500 people to determine their exposure to COVID-19. The collection of specimens will be conducted by a royally bestowed mobile biosafety unit, arranged by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
With around 1,000 people asking to be tested, the city is now coordinating with related agencies to ensure everyone can get tested. Testing appointments have been made based on the sequence of requests.
Ms Yada Pornpetrumpa, a representative of businesspersons on Khaosan road, said an agreement has been reached to close down businesses over this Songkran holidays to prevent visitors from flocking in, as it’s the volume that makes current disease control measures ineffective.
She said business owners will be discussing their measures once again after Songkran, while commenting that the closure order affecting entertainment venues should be implemented zone-by-zone, or only with venues found violating the measures, in order to allow the economy to go forward.
Meanwhile, some 300,000 kites have been raised over the central walking street to celebrate the Songkran festival. For the second year now, the road once famous as a water fight landmark is dry, and has been since the beginning of the pandemic. Almost all shops, bars, and clubs are closed, with only a few people coming to take photos of the Khaosan road area. (NNT)
