COVID-19: Thailand reports two more deaths; Bangkok shops to close midnight to 5am
Bernama/Bernama
April 02, 2020 01:35 am +08
-A
+ABANGKOK (April 1): Thailand, which today confirmed 120 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths, announced that all shops in Bangkok, including supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants and street food stalls, will be closed from midnight to 5am from April 1 to April 30.
This is to stem the spread of the virus in Thailand’s capital city as the total number of cases in the kingdom rose to 1,771, with 12 fatalities.
Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang, who announced the latest measures in a statement after chairing a meeting with the Bangkok Communicable Disease Committee, said that all public and private parks, including those at condominiums and communities, would also be temporarily closed from tomorrow until April 30 to prevent large gatherings.
Since the outbreak in January, Bangkok has recorded 850 positive cases.
As the state of emergency takes effect nationwide in Thailand from March 26 to April 30, all shopping malls, entertainment outlets and sports venues have been ordered to close while supermarkets selling food and daily necessities, markets selling fresh products, pharmacies and convenience stores are allowed to remain open. Restaurants and cafes are also open but can only offer takeaway and delivery services.
Under the emergency decree, non-resident foreigners are barred from entering the kingdom. However, Thai nationals, members of diplomatic corps, foreigners with work permits and those working in the goods transportation sector will be allowed entry.
Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesperson Thaweesilp Wissanuyothin said the two new deaths recorded today involved a 79-year-old Thai man from Yala, southern Thailand, who attended a wedding in Kelantan, Malaysia in early March, and a 58-year-old businessman who returned from England last month.
“To date, 416 patients have been discharged while 1,343 are still being treated at hospitals, including 23 in critical condition.
“Of the total, 1,500 patients are Thais while the remaining 271 are foreigners,” he said.
Meanwhile, plans are afoot to grant automatic renewal of tourist visas for visitors who arrived in the kingdom after March 1.
Deputy spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Natapanu Nopakun said Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan o-cha was aware of the long queues at the Immigration Office at the Chaengwattana Government Complex.
“It is already in the pipeline that we will grant automatic extensions of visas for those who arrived after March 1.
“The proposal was approved at the Cabinet meeting yesterday. The related ministry and agency will make the official announcement later,” he said.
Natapanu said Thailand was also providing assistance to its nationals, including students from the American Field Service (AFS) cultural exchange programme and workers overseas, to return home.
“The relevant agencies are doing their utmost (best) in helping Thai nationals to undertake the journey home. The Foreign Ministry, Public Health Ministry and other agencies will ensure their return and that all public health measures are imposed,” he said.
To date, about 500 AFS students have returned home while another 300 are still stranded around the world, he added.
