Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, withheld approval today for the Public Health Ministry’s proposal to partially replace the 14-day mandatory quarantine with “area quarantine”, under which arrivals from abroad will be isolated for 10 days in a hotel and another four days outside the hotel.

CCSA spokesman Dr. Taweesin Wissanuyothin said today that the CCSA wants the Public Health Ministry to study the area quarantine proposal further, because there is public concern about safety, if the mandatory quarantine period is to be shortened to 10 days, and to resubmit the proposal within 4 weeks.

He said that the area quarantine scheme is intended for foreign tourists from low-risk countries, who could be isolated, for example, in a lodging at a golf course for the last four days.

Dr. Taweesin explained that the CCSA wants to make sure that the easing of the mandatory quarantine period is considered carefully, otherwise it might backfire.

Today, the CCSA did approve a subcommittee’s decision to extend the state of emergency by another 45 days, from December 1^st to January 15^th, to cover the New Year holiday period and the World Badminton Tournament, which is due to be held in Thailand.