PM mulling whether to cancel country’s New Year celebrations
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday said he would need another seven days to assess the Covid-19 situation before deciding whether New Year countdown events around the country could go ahead.
Speaking after a Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) subcommittee meeting on the weekend’s explosion of virus cases, Prayut said health officials and border police have tightened security but there were still gaps in the 2,500-kilometre border with Myanmar.
More than 800 new infections over the weekend have been traced to a shrimp market in Samut Sakhon province’s Muang district where the majority of workers are migrants.
The PM admitted that some migrant workers had left Thailand and then been smuggled back via illegal channels to avoid quarantine rules. He said Thai employers must be jointly responsible for following up on these workers.
He added that the public should cooperate on preventing the virus from spreading so Thailand could avoid the lockdowns seen in other countries.
The Public Health Ministry said the Samut Sakhon outbreak was still controllable.
Prayut confirmed Samut Sakhon had been locked down and thousands of locals were being tested.
“As a result, the number of infections will rise. Don't panic, the situation will be resolved,” he added.
He asked for public cooperation in catching those who smuggled migrant workers into the country, but said people should provide solid information, not just rumours.