Nine penalised for shunning face masks
So far, nine people have been fined for stepping out of their home without a face mask, Court of Justice spokesman Suriyan Hongwilai said on Wednesday.
The Interior Ministry last week ordered 63 provinces where cases have been rising to launch stringent measures to ensure people wear masks in public. Under the regulations, violators will face fines of up to THB20,000 as per the Communicable Disease Act.
“Surat Thani reported two cases with three defendants. The provincial court initially set their fine at THB2,000 but halved it when the defendants confessed,” he said.
“Ayutthaya reported two cases with two defendants, each of whom was fined THB4,000 but the court halved the fine after confession.
“Yala reported four cases with four defendants. Two were hit with a THB2,000 fine each, which was halved thanks to confession, and the other two fined THB1,000 each, which was also halved for the same reason,” he added.
Suriyan added that each judge can use his or her discretion to determine the fine, which will depend on the severity of the offence.
“People should keep an eye out for announcements from the authorities and strictly follow regulations related to the Covid-19 situation for the safety of themselves and others,” he added.