Thousands of visitors thronged Bang Saen beach in Chonburi province on Wednesday (June 3), which was a national holiday to celebrate HM Queen Suthida's birthday.
The renowned tourist attraction was reopened to the public on Monday (June 1) following more than two months of lockdown during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Police officers as well as staff from local administrative agencies were dispatched to regulate traffic near the beach areas which were packed with tourist vehicles and caused more than two kilometres of congestion. They estimated that there were at least 5,000 visitors visiting the beach on Wednesday.
Police from Saen Suk Station said that food vendors and canvas beds are still not allowed on the beach, but people still poured in with their own mats and picnic baskets. Sale and consumption of alcohol is also prohibited. “We have dispatched officials to advice visitors to the beach to maintain social distance and wear masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” said one of the police officers.
Chonburi has reported zero cases of Covid-19 for 40 days.