PM doesn’t know if members of his Cabinet frequented Bangkok Covid hotspots

The Thai PM says he can’t say if members of his administration visited bars and entertainment venues where a cluster of Covid-19 infections has been reported. Prayut Chan-o-cha says he doesn’t know if ministers partied in the Thong Lor area of Bangkok, which was reported as a new hotspot of infection last week. On Saturday, out of 71 new cases reported, 40 had links to nightlife venues in the Thong Lor and Ekkamai areas.

Yesterday, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 194 new cases of the virus, 87 of which were in and around Bangkok. 69 have ties to nightlife establishments, including 45 in the capital, 9 in the central province of Samut Prakan, 7 in Chon Buri, in the east of the country, 2 each in the central province of Nonthaburi and in Chumphon in the south, and 1 each in the central provinces of Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Pathum Thani, and in the eastern province of Sa Kaew.

Bangkok and the central provinces of Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, and Nakhon Pathom, have been designated, “red zones under maximum control”. Bars and other entertainment venues in 3 districts in Bangkok – Klong Toey, Watthana, and Bang Khae – have been ordered to close for the next 2 weeks, while bars and restaurants outside of those districts must close by 9pm and are prohibited from selling alcohol. Meanwhile, out of 4 new cases reported in Chiang Mai, 3 are linked to Bangkok entertainment venues. Chiang Mai bars and restaurants that serve alcohol have been ordered to close by 11pm from now until April 30.

According to a Nation Thailand report, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says people frequenting nightlife establishments can easily spread infection as they don’t comply with disease prevention measures while moving from bar to bar.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand