ASEANews HEADLINES: BUSINESS: BANGKOK Thailand- Firms eye partial lockdown

Local businesses favour a partial lockdown, especially in areas with severe infection numbers to reduce the economic impact.

Many business leaders warn a total nationwide lockdown would cause huge losses for the country’s economy and massive harm for enterprises.

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Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the group disagrees with reinstating nationwide restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19, as happened during the first wave last year.

He said the impact would be enormous and the business sector cannot tolerate any more total lockdowns.

Mr Sanan proposed the government introduce tighter measures for provinces with severe outbreaks, while speeding up mass vaccination for as many people as possible.

Boonyong Tansakul, chief executive of Zen Corporation Plc, the operator of Zen Japanese restaurant, Tummour and AKA chain, agreed, saying huge losses are anticipated if the government reinstates a nationwide lockdown.

“At the end of June, the government announced a ban on dining in at restaurants. It seems we are already in a partial lockdown,” Mr Boonyong said.

He insisted the only way to control the pandemic spread is to speed up mass vaccination, with a emphasis on crowded, urban areas.

If the government insists on total lockdown measures, it should offer remedies for affected people and businesses, either through soft loans or subsidies for fixed costs, said Mr Boonyong.