Interior Ministry: No 24 hour curfew, for now
The Interior Ministry has officially denied rumours that Thailand will soon enforce a 24 hour curfew. A statement from Deputy Interior Minister Niphon Bunyamanee was clear:
“The ministry recently dispatched an order to provincial governors to prepare 5 measures in case the Covid-19 situation escalates. These preparations are not for a 24 hour curfew.”
“The authority to announce extension or expansion of the curfew rests with the Covid-19 Administration Centre at Government House. The Interior Ministry will be mainly responsible for ensuring people in all provinces have access to necessary consumer products and medical supplies, and local agencies are ready to comply with any new government policies.”
Yesterday an urgent communiqué was sent to all governors of all of Thailand’s 76 province outlining the 5 new measures expected of them under the state of emergency declared last week
- Prepare a local quarantine area. This must include an investigation/detention center, field hospital, food, beverage, donation points and public relations points for news providers and news outlets. If there are budgetary restrictions potentially preventing these actions the provincial governor must immediately report to the Ministry of the Interior for an expanded line of credit to help address these urgent actions.
- Ensure it is made very clear by local, regional and provincial governors that the message should be Do Not Travel unless completely essential. Checkpoints should be in place and all officials should be working to ensure that people are encouraged to stay at home and practice social distancing.
- All officials should also have and rehearse a disaster response plan. (There is no current national ban on travel, however several provinces have taken stricter measures.) Measures should be in place to prevent stockpiling of essential goods and hoarding, especially those who wish to profit by reselling needed goods. Any offense should be strictly prosecuted per the law.
- Plan for a transportation system of essential goods, such as food and medicine, and clearly state and develop points for food and beverages to be given to residents who need assistance.
- All provinces must report to the Ministry of the Interior on the status of their current plans by 6:00 PM every day.
SOURCE: The Nation / The Nation | The Pattaya News
