Thailand’s exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was infected with COVID-19 in Dubai, but he has already recovered from the contagion.

Thaksin told the BBC’s Thai service that, in August, he felt sick and lost his sense of smell and taste. He went to see a doctor and tested positive for COVID-19.

He added that he was treated at two hospitals, one in Dubai and another in Abu Dhabi, without the need of a respirator.

He was discharged from hospital either on September 12th or 13th, but before leaving the hospital he underwent seven tests to make sure that he was clear of the virus.

The former Prime Minister said he suspects he contracted the virus at a food centre in Dubai.
“I may have dropped my guard, did not wear face mask all the time. I went to buy food and ate it.

Sometimes, we may not wash our hands regularly and our hands may have come into contact with the virus and we use our hands to rub our eyes and get infected,” said Thaksin, adding jokingly that he could not afford to eat in a restaurant all the time and has to eat in a food court.