The CCSA, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, decided to extend the emergency decree today, for the sixth time, until the end of September, as proposed by the National Security Council, in order to continue to control the spread of COVID-19.

The existing state of emergency is due to expire on August 31^st.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that the CCSA has not considered a proposal to extend the operating hours of night entertainment venues to 2am, instead of midnight, or a proposal for cinemas and sports stadia to drop social distancing in their premises.

He added that the Public Health Ministry is waiting for a letter, from the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, to be sent to the UK’s Oxford University about collaboration in vaccine trials in Thailand.

Thailand recorded one new COVID-19 case today, among those quarantined after recently returning from abroad.

According to CCSA spokesman Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, the new case is a 56-year old Thai office worker employed in Singapore, who arrived in Thailand on August 7^th, on the same flight as three other passengers, who were later found to be infected with the coronavirus. The man entered state quarantine in Chon Buri province and tested positive in a second test, conducted on August 18^th.

Dr. Taweesin disclosed that, since 20^th July, Thailand recorded an average of 30 new cases per week and most of them were asymptomatic.

Although the Thai people, in general, are familiar with these figures, he said the Prime Minister wants the public to realize the importance of the figures, because they show the efficiency of Thailand’s efforts to control the spread of the infection.

Cumulative infections in Thailand, to date, are 3,390, with 3,219 recoveries and 58 deaths.  113 others are still in hospital.

Globally, Thailand now ranks 115th in terms of total infections.