BANGKOK: Foreigners living in Thailand are among those affected by the strict restrictions enforced by the government due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As cases continued to rise in Thailand, the government had imposed a six-hour curfew, banning people from leaving their homes between 10pm and 4am, except for medical staff.
According to the Bangkok Post, the neon-lit capital here turns into a ghost town after city residents scrambled to get home ahead of the deadline.
J. Geoffrey Walsh, a retired British expat in Bangkok, said the partial lockdown had changed his life.
“I live in an apartment on Wireless Road. The area is much quieter than it was. I go out twice a week to do grocery shopping at a supermarket at Central Chidlom,” he told the Bangkok Post.
Walsh said he spent his time reading books and following the news on Covid-19.
He expressed concern about the government’s communication with the public and its handling of visa requirements for foreigners living in the country.
“I have to submit 90-day reports and also renew my retirement visa at the end of April every year, but if I go to the Immigration Bureau, I won’t be able to observe the one-metre social distancing rule.”
Following the outbreak, the Immigration Bureau had reminded foreigners that they could notify the government of their residence and stay for more than 90 days through registered mail or via online services.
However, many complained that the online system was unreliable. These methods of application were also not available for long-term visa extensions.
Li Min, 49, a Thailand-based reporter from the China Media Group, said she relied on phone interviews and went out to shop only when necessary.
“It’s sad, as Thailand is a tourism country and it’s quiet now even for domestic tourists,” she said.
“However, it’s quiet at night, there’s no noise from motorcycles or tuk-tuks, so I sleep soundly these days.”