SONGKHLA, April 28 (TNA) – The southern Sadao border
checkpoint which was closed last week after an officer was found to have been
infected with the coronavirus will be reopened on Thursday for Thai returnees
from Malaysia.
After Thailand closed its land border as part of the state
of emergency and lockdown orders in late March, the authorities decided to
allow Thai citizens to return through some 20 border crossing on April 18.
But last Wednesday, an officer at Sadao border checkpoint
was confirmed to have contracted with coronavirus prompting authorities to
close it. Main point of entry has then
switched to Pedang Besar checkpoint, also in Songkhla.
Immigration officers and workers have disinfected the
facilities while allowing only cargo trucks to cross.
Officials said on Tuesday the checkpoint would be ready on
Thursday to open for Thai migrant workers stranded in Malaysia amid COVID-19.
So far, all Thai returnees from Malaysia have been tested
negative with coronavirus. They have
passed health screening and then taken 14-day quarantine at local
facilities. The first group who arrived
on April 18 will be released from quarantine
center on May 1.
Meanwhile, the officials gave an update on the 42
illegal migrant workers from several countries who were confirmed on Saturday to
have infected with the new coronavirus while being detained at Songkhla
Immigration Detention Center.
The patients are nationals of Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia,
Yemen, Cambodia and India.
Six of them were sent to hospitals on Tuesday, officials
said; five of them developed pneumonia and the other was pregnant. The rest are treated at the center’s health
service.
All in all, there were 115 migrants being detained at
the center. (TNA)
