Instead of a mandatory curfew, the Nonthaburi provincial administration has decided to seek the cooperation of people living in this province, neighbouring Bangkok, to stay at home between 9pm and 4am until further notice.

An order, signed by Governor Sujin Chaichumsak on Friday, in his capacity as head of the provincial communicable disease committee, said that the voluntary curfew is urgently needed in light of the continuing spike in new COVID-19 infections in the province.

154 new infections were reported there yesterday, raising the total in the province, since April 1st, to 1,400 with one fatality. 1,075 are still being treated in hospitals.

The same order also seeks cooperation from the private sector, by advising their employees not to sit together while eating and to wear face masks all the time when they are outdoors.

Meanwhile, a new batch of 500,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine from China arrived in Thailand today (Saturday), raising total Sinovac vaccine doses received to date to 2.5 million.

Dr. Vitoon Danvibul, director of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization, said that the newly-arrived vaccine will be sent to the Medical Science Department for examination, before being distributed to hospitals to be administered to the 18 to 59 age group.