Entertainment venue owners don’t agree with plan to shut them down
Owners of Chiang Mai’s entertainment venues came out against the Public Health minister’s plan to close entertainment venues to curtail the spread of Covid-19.
The measure has been submitted to the national Covid-19 prevention committee led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. The committee is expected to decide on the case today (March 16).
One of the owners of entertainment venues in the province said he doesn’t agree with the measure because it would heavily impact business. The government should come up with better solutions and prevention methods, he added. During the period following the Covid-19 outbreak, more than half of the customers to his entertainment venue disappeared, which is causing his business severe trouble, he said, warning that if the government confirms it will close the venues, around 10,000 people will lose their jobs.
With its myriad entertainment venues, pubs, bars, restaurants and karaoke shops, Chiang Mai has 10,000 people working in these facilities. If the government shuts them down, owners will cooperate, but it is inevitable that the 10,000 will lose their jobs
He said they have already followed Public Health Ministry guidelines, also checking the temperature of customers before they enter. If anyone was found to have temperature exceeding 37.5 celsius, they would be prohibited from entering.
Chiang Mai’s tourist sites and venues are bearing the brunt of decreasing tourist numbers as many, scared of contracting Covid-19, decide to stay home.