Thursday Covid UPDATE: 32 deaths and 4,887 new infections

The public health ministry has announced 32 new Covid-related deaths and 4,887 new infections from the past 24 hours. 2,835 of the new cases are from 2 of Bangkok’s largest prisons (below).

• In another major blow to Thailand’s worst bout of Covid-19, 2,835 inmates from the Bangkok Remand Prison and the Central Women’s Correctional Institution, 2 of the largest prisons in the capital, have now been confirmed as infected with Covid.

Anti-government protester, and detainee, Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawatta­nakul made the revelation when she had been released on bail on her Facebook page saying that she had contracted the virus whilst in custody. She said that “many inmates have infections”, forcing the Corrections Minister to come clean with the full situation.

• The Thai government is set to subsidise up to 100,000 one way air fares to the island once it’s opened up.

The TAT’s Yuthasak Supasorn says Phuket will attract 30,000 – 40,000 visitors under its Sandbox reopening program. He said they’ve had discussions with Thai Airways and Thai Smile about the subsidy scheme – the local airline brands are going through bankruptcy proceedings at the moment with a clear threat of being declared bankrupt as soon as next week.

Mr Yuthasak also said Thai tourism would “gear up” towards a goal of “3-4 million visitors in Q4 after another 9 tourism areas in country are also re-opened.