2 local cases in Bangkok contribute to Sunday total of 14 new Covid-19 cases
2 people have been identified in Bangkok as locally infected with Covid-19. The announcement follows a week of revelations coming out of the north from the Chiang Rai border crossing into Myanmar where Thai prostitutes and workers have been crossing back into Thailand, infected, without going through any quarantine procedures.
Thailand recorded 14 new cases of the coronavirus today, including 2 local transmissions in the capital, Bangkok, for a total of 4,086 cases in Thailand since the start of the outbreak in February. No new deaths were reported.
Although the details of the Bangkok cases are not currently available at this stage the likelihood is that they are connected to the leaky Burmese border which has seen over 600 people now being tracked by Thai health authorities as they’re being considered “high risk” of exposure to the Covid-19 virus. 10 people have now been officially identified as infected from the mini-cluster.
Yesterday officials called on those who were at Singha Park in Chiang Rai on November 29 between 7.30pm and 11pm to come forward for testing., as well as passengers on Nok Air flight DD8717 from Chiang Rai to Bangkok on November 28 and Thai Lion Air flight SL533 from Chiang Rai to Bangkok on November 29.
Authorities are also tracking a number of women who crossed over the border from Tachaliek in Myanmar, just across the border from Mae Sai in Chiang Ria, and caught buses to Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok and Bangkok.
The hot spot for the infections has been traced back to a high-class brothel and party venue, parading as a hotel, in Tacaliek. Up to 150 Thai women have been working there, in various capacities. Just 1.5 kilometres from a permanent immigration checkpoint on the Thai-Myanmar border in Mae Sai, the hotel is now recognised as one of the biggest entertainment venues in Tachileik after being in business for 5 years. It has Chinese, Burmese and Thai owners.
How the Thai women crossed back into Thailand without detection or going through immigration and quarantine has become part of a wider investigation into the small outbreak. A 32 year old Chiang Mai man, who was employed at the 1G1-7 Hotel in Myanmar has also tested positive for Covid-19 after sneaking across the border into Thailand.
