All flights from Egypt will be barred from landing in Thailand, following an incident last week when members of an Egyptian military mission defied Thai regulations by not confining themselves to their hotel in Rayong.

One of the group was later found to be infected with COVID-19, causing alarm among residents of the province.  Several schools were closed today, as a precautionary measure, as health officials try to trace people who might have been in close contact with the Egyptians.

Deputy Army Commander-in-Chief, General Nataphol Narkpanich, in his capacity as deputy chief of the committee to consider the easing of lockdown restrictions, said today (Tuesday) that the CCSA’s subcommittee will propose that the Government bar the landing of all flights from Egypt for the time being.

Additionally, the subcommittee will propose a review of privileges granted to foreign diplomats, military missions and their families, which exempt them from the mandatory 14-day quarantine imposed on all other foreign arrivals.

General Nataphol said that the case of the Egyptian military mission was not a system error, because all officials had performed their duties properly. Rather, the problem occurred because the soldiers broke the rules.

Apart from venturing out shopping during their brief stay in Rayong, it is reported that the delegation also refused to be tested for COVID-19 by Thai health officials, and that the Egyptian Embassy had to be asked to intervene to convince them to cooperate.

Related stories: Rayong hotel where an infected Egyptian stayed partially closed

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Some Rayong schools closed Tuesday over COVID-19 Egyptian soldier