The government has decided not to announce a nationwide lockdown during the New Year period because the Covid-19 situation is not severe, Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Tuesday morning.
He added that the government will review the situation again before Children’s Day on January 9.
Wissanu also said foreigners were not to blame for the new wave of infections, but was related to Thais who sneaked across borders.
He also said that provincial governors have the power to exercise virus-dealing measures under the emergency decree and the Communicable Disease Act.
The governor of Tak province has ordered the suspension of four activities in Mae Sot district from Monday to January 3, namely taxi services and gatherings of more than 20 people.
Tak governor Pongrat Piromrat announced he was temporarily suspending all taxi services in Mae Sot district until January 3, and that organisers of religious ceremonies involving more than 20 people are required to seek permission from the district chief.
People have also been advised to avoid eating at restaurants or spending much time in public places like bus stations, airports and other such service areas.
Hair and nail salons can open under condition that they only provide cutting, washing and styling services. Customers are not allowed to wait inside the salon for their turn.
Meanwhile, all theatres, pubs, entertainment venues, snooker clubs, gaming centres, internet cafes, karaoke, public pools, cockfighting rings, gyms, exhibition halls, museums, boxing stadiums, martial arts schools, tattoo outlets, clinics, massage shops, walking streets and flea markets will be closed for seven days.
Bangkok and most provinces on Tuesday morning were free from the hazardous haze but five areas still face dust levels exceeding the approved standard.
The Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation reported at 7am that the situation of PM2.5 dust particles was quite satisfactory.
The record in Bangkok and its vicinity showed that the dust level was in the range of 13-54 micrograms per cubic metre.
Only some parts of the capital, Saraburi, Lopburi, Nongkhai and Khon Kaen provinces had dust levels exceeding the standard of 50mcg per cubic metre.
The PM2.5 record in the northern region was 8-49 mcg per cubic metre, the Northeast had 15-61mcg per cubic metre, the Central and the West had 14-57mcg per cubic metre, the East had 16-37mcg per cubic metre and the South had 4-22mcg per cubic metre.
After meeting with the panel on communicable diseases, Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang has okayed a few steps to deal with the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the capital, Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, said on Monday.
At the meeting, city authorities agreed to close horse racing and other animal sports venues as well as certain service establishments from Tuesday until January 4.
Restaurants will be allowed to stay open, provided they observe all virus-curbing measures. Live music and performances can still be provided, but members of the audience are not allowed to dance or sing, and hostesses are not allowed to entertain clients. Food and alcohol can be served as normal, but all dining places must close before midnight.
Bangkok had 108 confirmed Covid-19 cases as of press time.
A school teacher won praise on social media for releasing his timeline immediately on Facebook, after he was informed he was infected with Covid-19.
On Monday, the teacher at Rayongwittayakom School acknowledged his health status at 6pm and then posted his timeline later on his social media.
On December 23, the teacher had travelled to Rambhai Barni Rajabhat University in Chanthaburi province at 7am and was back in Rayong at 4pm. He visited a fitness club named “Golden Golf and Sport Club” and dined with a trainer who later was found to be infected.
On December 24, the teacher worked as usual from 7.40am to 4.30pm, shopped at Central Plaza Rayong from 4.45pm to 5.15pm, and taught students a special class from 5.15pm to 7pm. He also worked at the fitness club until 9.30pm.
On December 25, the teacher worked as usual from 7.40am to 4.30pm, before returning home and staying until 7pm. He then went to the Central complex and dined with his friends at a branch of Sizzler. He also shopped at Tops supermarket from 8.40pm to 9pm.
The patient added that he had suggested to his friends to go for a checkup and quarantine themselves.
On December 26, the teacher worked at the school for additional classes on Saturday. He went to Central Plaza Rayong after 4.30pm and came to know at the time that his trainer was infected with coronavirus. The teacher decided to return home immediately and quarantine himself.
On December 27, the teacher and his mother went to a hospital for checkup.
On December 28, he stayed at home with fever, and was informed at 6pm that he had the infection.
The Chanthaburi Provincial Public Health Office launched urgent measures on Monday to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, asking people who had visited risky areas to monitor their symptoms.
The office added that people who have respiratory symptoms, such as fever, cough or runny nose should undergo self-quarantine, wear face mask and see the doctor.
Areas that posed a risk for infection and the dates when people carrying the virus had visited those places are as follows:
1. All gambling areas nationwide from December 14-26.
2. Chanthaburi Bus Terminal on December 20 from 4pm to 5pm.
3. Suea Hoi restaurant in Rayong’s Muang district on December 22 from 9pm to 10pm.
4. A restaurant inside Thet Banthoeng theatre in Rayong’s Muang district on December 23 from 6pm to 7pm.
5. Wat Pa Khlong Kung on December 20 and 26 from 1pm to 3pm.
Chanthaburi on Tuesday reported three new Covid-19 cases of persons who had visited gambling den in Rayong.
They were two males aged 34 and 54, and a 53-year-old woman. Two patients lived in Muang Chanthaburi district, while another one lived in Makham and Muang Chanthaburi district.
“We would like to ask people who visited risky areas in Rayong on December 14-15 to show themselves to health workers or the village headman, so that we can contain the spread of Covid-19 as soon as possible,” an official in the province said.
The baht opened at 30.13 to the US dollar on Tuesday, strengthening from 30.16 at close on Monday, Poon Panichpibool, Krungthai Bank’s markets strategist, said.
The strengthening of the baht was in line with the rise of other Asian currencies, after the US stimulus package was approved, he said.
He added that the baht would move in a range between Bt30.05 and Bt30.20 to the US dollar, as transactions were low at the end of the year.
Police in Lampang province found the charred body of a man in a burning house, in a suspected case of self-immolation.
Ngao Police Station was alerted on Monday to the fire at a house in Ban Mai Jaroen Suk village in Luang Tai subdistrict of Ngao district.
Firefighters took around 10 minutes to put out the flames in the wooden two-storey house.
Police found the charred body of Sawas Wikaha, aged 59 years, a farmer and owner of the house in the damaged house. Police contacted his wife who reportedly said that they had separated for about four months. Sawas reportedly went to her and asked to get back together before the incident, but she refused.
One of the deceased’s relatives reportedly told officials that Sawas had been under a lot of stress after splitting up with his wife and they earlier had caught him buying a bottle of gasoline but he did not reveal the purpose. They took away the gasoline from him, but they suspected that Sawas might have bought a new bottle.
Police are investigating other evidence and have sent the body for autopsy to determine the cause of death.
National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk on Monday signed an order transferring four senior police officers of Muang Rayong police station to the Provincial Police Operation Centre 2, a news source revealed.
The four officers will no longer serve under their original command and will remain under the chief of Provincial Police Operation Centre 2 until further notice, as per the order.
Rayong police chief Pol Maj-General Paphatdet Ketphan had earlier been shifted to an inactive post after health authorities tracked more than 90 cases and one death in the eastern province to illegal gambling.
The four senior officers who have been shunted away are:
Pol Lt-Colonel Kiattiphong Kromkhunthod, the superintendent (crime suppression);
Pol Lt-Colonel Kosol Kerdmanee, superintendent (investigation);
Pol Lt-Colonel Khamphan Kwanthong, inspector (investigation);
Pol Colonel Thana Wisetchai, inspector (crime suppression).
The Royal Thai Police will set up an investigation committee to look into the matter for possible dereliction of duty or abuse of power by police officers, added the source.
Wissanu Krea-ngam
Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang
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