(CNN) – In an effort to stem the tide of the coronavirus, Thailand has banned food, drinks and any printed material except security information cards on domestic flights. Airlines will have to follow regulations or may face possible penalties from their regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.
This is the second time that such a move has been made. Thailand previously banned food and drink on board on April 26, 2020, but the ban was lifted on August 31.
Chula Sukmanop, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), confirmed the move to CNN.
“The cleaning time after each stop of the domestic flight is extremely short, since operators tend to make the return as quickly as possible and I think it is unlikely that operators will be able to completely clean all these items. Therefore, having non-essential reading materials on-board would create more risk of exposure to the virus, “he said.
This does not mean that passengers will have to find a way to pass the time during the flight without reading material. They can bring their own magazines or newspapers on board, but they will likely be asked to take these items with them when they disembark. The CAA ban applies to anything that would be distributed on board, such as menus, duty-free catalogs (not a problem for domestic trips) or in-flight magazines.
It is also prohibited to consume food or drink on domestic flights, even if the passenger brings it on board, as a mask must be worn at all times.
According to a statement from the CAAT, the cabin crew can provide water if the passenger requests it, which can happen in situations where, for example, someone needs water to take medicine.
Domestic air travel in Thailand is currently at about 40% of normal capacity.
The decision took effect on December 31.