PM Prayut insists no plans to drop face-mask requirement in Thailand

Thailand’s PM and Defense Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, insists that Thailand has no plans to drop the requirement to wear face-masks. The PM asked the spokesperson to emphasise this point to the residents saying wearing masks was still “a necessary behaviour”.

Last week, the Permanent Secretary of the Public Health Ministry, Kiattiphum Wongrajit, said that the ministry proposed to adjust the Covid-19 prevention measures by allowing people in some zones and provinces to remove their face masks in some circumstances. Those areas had to be “ready” according to the requirements, including low Covid infection numbers, the vaccination rate and the medical readiness. Media had been spreading news of the proposal and an announcement on the changes was expected before tomorrow.

But that speculation has now been quashed.

According to the government, Thailand’s mask policy is quite clear. The Government Spokesperson, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, says there was never any official policy to drop the mask requirement.

“After the cabinet meeting yesterday, the Thai PM Prayut would like to emphasise the importance of wearing a mask because it was a necessary practice to prevent the spread of Covid-19.”

Yesterday, the Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, also warned people not take off their face masks in public areas.

“Wearing a mask in a crowded area was a good even if there was no pandemic. People could decide when to wear a mask and when to take it off. Wearing it when there were many people, and removing it when staying with family or friends.”

SOURCE: Thaipost | Thansettakij