BANGKOK, April 2 (TNA) –Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha ordered a new measure to slow down incoming travels of foreigners while Thais are asked to suspend their homecoming trips between April 2 to 15.
The prime minister as chairman of the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) ordered all agencies concerned to issue measures to slow down travels of incoming foreigners and Thais except for those who had sought for permission earlier, said the spokesman of the CCSA, Dr Thaweesin Wissanuyothin.
The new measure to slow down arrivals is in effective from today until April 15.
The Public Health Ministry reported three more Covid-19 deaths and 104 new cases on Thursday, saying that foreigners and Thai returnees from overseas were among new infections.
The new measure came after a death of a Thai man on a southern-bound train to Narathiwat. He returned home from Pakistan and was found to be infected with the Covid-19 after his death, prompting many railway staff and train passengers to be placed under quarantine.
Thai nationals need to monitor themselves 14 days before their homecoming trip and have to travel with fit-to-fly medical certificates.
However, there are some loopholes and failures to cooperate with the guidelines, the spokesman said. In response to this, the new measure to limit arrivals was issued to reduce losses.
Regarding AFS Thai exchange students, who plan to return home, he said they could possibly expose to the virus during homecoming trips, so they are asked to suspend their trips in line with the government’s measure. They can delay their trip until the situation improves and they have to self-quarantine after arrivals.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has worked closely with AFS International to help them travel home safely under effective and systematic procedures, said Deputy Director-General of the Department of Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Natapanu Noppakhun. (TNA)
