Monday's Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) warned that there is still a risk of new Covid-19 infections, citing over 3,000 illegal migrant workers being caught trying to sneak into Thailand.
The alert came despite the fact that Thailand registered its 42nd consecutive day on Monday, on which no new local transmissions occurred.
Over the past month alone more than 3,000 illegal migrant workers were detained while trying to sneak into Thailand, CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said, citing a report provided by security authorities.
The Immigration Bureau had caught and detained many of them, including some who had made their way into the inner provinces, while some had been sent back to their own countries, he added.
"So, when traveling this long holiday, it is really necessary for all to never let their guard down [against Covid-19] because many of those who have infiltrated the country illegally that be among you," Dr Taweesilp said.
He also referred to findings from a recent survey conducted by Suan Dusit Poll which showed that two-thirds of people were feeling comfortable about the situation in Covid 19.
He said that was worrying and still urged everyone to wear face masks, wash their hands frequently, and keep social distance until an effective vaccine was found.
As for the government's policy to bring in international patients pursuing care for non-Covid-19 diseases, he said a total of 1,169 such people from 34 countries and 1,521 accompanying friends and family had enrolled for such a cause to visit Thailand over the next three months.
All of those people would be required to prove that they had tested negative for Covid-19 within 72 hours of leaving their country, plus undergo a mandatory Covid-19 screening test at the airport upon arrival in Thailand to confirm that they were still free from the virus and stay in
hospital for at least 14 days before leaving, he said.
"I want people to trust in this system's safety principles, which will help reinvigorate the economy of the world," he said.
The director-general of the Department of Disease Control, Suwant tochai Wattanayingcharoenchai, said three patients — from Burma, the Maldives and Qatar — had arrived in Thailand during the first five days of July under the medical programme. The CCSA reported on Monday five new confirmed cases of Covid-19-- four Thai men and a Thai woman who had returned from Kuwait.
As the number of Thais left stranded overseas rises due to lockdowns by Covid-19, there has been a request for priority to be granted to repatriating 49 Thai nationals currently trapped in the UK and in need of urgent medical treatment.
According to Dr Taweesilp, the CCSA is trying to coordinate with British authorities to give precedence to those in most urgent need.
Source Bangkok Post
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