The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is setting up six pre-admission centres, with the first being at Wat Saphan in Klongtoey and the second at the health promotion centre in Petchkasem Soi 69, to accommodate asymptomatic cases and those with mild symptoms, while they are waiting for hospital beds.

Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said today (Friday) that the centres will help ease congestion at general and field hospitals, as well as at “hospitels”, and solve the problem of many asymptomatic and mild symptomatic cases being stuck at home while they wait to be admitted to hospitals.

The main objective of the pre-admission centres, however, is to separate those tested positive for the virus from their families and communities, to reduce the spread of the disease, he said, adding that the centres, which follow the model of the one at Wat Saphan, are not much different from field hospitals, as there will be officials at the facilities to look after the patients around the clock.

The pre-admission centre at Petchkasem Soi 69 will have a 100 patient capacity. Other centres are to be established soon starting next week.

Meanwhile, the Army Development Unit of the Supreme Command has expanded the facility at Busarakham field hospital, in Impact Muang Thong Thani, by adding 1,500 beds in the Challenger 2 conference hall.