Bangkok car riders must wear face masks if 2 or more people in car
Bangkok car riders now must wear a face mask if more than 2 people are in the car. The City Hall made the announcement yesterday, as part of the measures by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration aimed at stopping the spread of Covid-19. Family members in the same car aren’t being excluded from the rule. Questions on social media have signaled confusion surrounding wearing masks in cars, but now the news is out that, indeed, anyone in a car with 2 people or more, must mask up or face a 20,000 baht fine.
The mask-wearing mandates have seen stricter enforcement as Thailand has seen daily new Covid infections in the thousands, sparking more questions over locking down the capital. Just yesterday, it saw 901 infections and 4 deaths, prompting a partial lockdown for the capital. Even Thailand’s PM, Prayut-Chan-o-cha was fined for not wearing a mask at a cabinet meeting.
Bars and nightclubs are linked to the majority of Covid-19 cases reported in Bangkok over the past month. Data from Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration show that nearly two-thirds of the recent wave of Covid-19 infections in Bangkok traced back to entertainment venues.
Now, a full lockdown decision is expected tomorrow for Bangkok. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration is expected to make the recommendation which will be forwarded to the full committee chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. The CCSA will also discuss a proposed 21 day quarantine for those travelling from Covid-19 hotspots abroad. The recommended hot spots include India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
In Phuket, which has seen a large number of daily new infections, government officials have threatened to strictly enforce the 20,000 baht face mask fine and contact consular officials for foreigners that refuse to mask up. The vice governor of Phuket has issued a stern warning that all people are required to wear face masks in public at all times.
Today, Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Disease Control has reported 2,179 new Covid-19 infections and 15 deaths.
