Sadao immigration officer contracts Covid-19 after spat with Malaysian
An immigration officer at Songkhla’s Sadao border checkpoint has been infected by the Covid-19 virus, Pol Maj-General Peerawat Boonloy, who oversees the Immigration Division 6, said on Wednesday (April 22).
“The officer told me that on the morning of April 9, he was checking cargo trucks entering the border checkpoint and that he was wearing a mask while performing his duties,” Peerawat said. “However, the driver of a truck from Malaysia refused to have his temperature checked and started shouting at him.”
He said the Songkhla Immigration Office is currently checking on the Malaysian driver as it is believed he may have infected the immigration officer.
“The immigration officer went to see a doctor on the morning of April 19 because he felt feverish, only to learn later in the day that he had been infected,” he said. “Considering the timeline, it matches with the incubation period of the disease.
Peerawat said the Songkhla Provincial Public Health Office and the provincial governor have been told about this issue.
“We have put all 46 immigration officers at the Sadao checkpoint under quarantine. They will be replaced by officers from the Padang Besar checkpoint as the Padang Besar border is currently closed,” he said.