Thailand’s government announced on Monday that it had discovered 745 new Covid-19 cases with the majority of cases being in migrant dormitories.
Of the new cases 152 were locally transmitted cases.

54 provinces are now reporting positive Covid-19 cases with the hardest-hit provinces still Samut Sakhon, Rayong, Chonburi, and Bangkok. The newest province to report a coronavirus case was Prachuap Kiri Khan.
An infected woman, 25, has Chiang Mai residents on high alert following health officials’ report that the woman had visited several places in the province including entertainment venues before traveling to Phrae and Lampang.
The timeline of the infected woman showed that she visited several places like Mee Chok and Kampoeng flea markets, a wedding, a CD store, 5 night clubs and bars including Warm Up Cafe bar, Tha Chang Cafe, Infinity Club, Pretty Exclusive Club, Star Avenue Lifestyle Mall, Tesco Lotus Kham Thiang store, Central Festival Chiang Mai.

According to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), 28 provinces are to be considered as highly-controlled areas starting this week.
These highly controlled provinces that are in partial lockdown include; Bangkok, Tak, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Lopburi, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Nakhon Nayok, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Suphan Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Chachoengsao, Prachinburi, Sa Kaeo, Samut Prakan, Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Trat, Rayong, Chumphon, and Ranong.

The first set of prevention measures which will be in effect between January 4 and February 1 include;
- Limiting closing time for all venues
- Temporarily closure of high-risk venues for spreading the virus
- Search and arrest group of people who meet for illegal purposes (i.e. gambling dens)
- Avoid activities that leads to a large gathering
- Avoid traveling between provinces
- Temporarily closure of schools or online teaching if possible
- Encouraging the work-from-home model
- Travel restrictions for people traveling in and out of highly-controlled areas (i.e. checkpoints)
- Active case findings which include testing and investigations of locally transmitted cases
The CCSA will reassess the outbreak situation on February 1. If the outbreak worsens, they might deploy the second stage of the prevention measures which could include;
- Further limitations on opening hours
- Temporarily closure of high-risk venues for spreading the virus
- Highly active searching and arrest group of people who meet for illegal purposes
- Banned on activities that leads to a large gathering
- More restrictions on people traveling between provinces
- Temporarily closure of schools or online teaching without unnecessary activities
- Accelerating and adding the work-from-home model for public and private agencies
- Accelerating active case finding efforts
- Curfew for some districts if needed
The Ministry of Education announced on January 2 that all public and private schools in 28 highly controlled provinces will be close from January 4 to January 31 or until further notice. Classes can be conducted online or take-home workshops only.
The Thai Retailers Association (TRA) has also announced on January 2 that the closing time for all malls will be at 9 p.m. from January 4 onwards until further notice.
The CCSA said that local administrations can decide on several measures by themselves, including which areas would be under the stricter restrictions and which areas might be allowed to be open.
For Bangkok, the list of high-risk venues that are now temporarily closed can be found here.
List of what can still be done
- The use of buildings that are considered to be high-risk venues and schools can be done if the activity is related to online teaching, childcaring, public activities that are beneficial to the public with persimmon from the governor only. Small schools in rural and border areas with less than 120 students can also stay open if they do not have the online capability.
- Meetings, seminars, and social gatherings such as weddings that have been approved by the governor can be arranged in quarantine areas.
- Dining in restaurants is still allowed but additional measures could be applied, based on the local authority, such as in the case of Bangkok where takeaway only is applied for the night time.
- The selling of alcoholic drinks is permitted but drinking them inside restaurants or convenience stores is not allowed.
- Malls can still open but following the announcement from the TRA, all of them will now close after 9 p.m.
- Traveling between highly-controlled provinces is still allowed but checkpoints are being set up to discourage people from doing so. Travelers will have to provide reasons and show evidence of their traveling purposes at these checkpoints. They might be asked to be tested for the coronavirus as well so traveling could be inconvenient and more time-consuming.