The CCSA will meet mid-week to consider a sixth phase of lockdown restriction easing, by allowing the entry of foreign migrant workers, from Thailand’s neighboring countries, to ease the labour shortage and enable economic rehabilitation, said CCSA spokesman Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin on Sunday.
Relaxation of entry restrictions on certain foreign tourist arrivals, visitors to trade exhibitions and film crews will also be considered at the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, he said, adding that a subcommittee of the CCSA, headed by the Secretary-General of the National Security Council, will meet Monday or Tuesday to consider whether the state of emergency will be extended again.
Thailand reported three new COVID-19 cases today, all in state quarantine.
One is a 60-year old Thai office worker, who returned from Singapore before entering state quarantine. An asymptomatic case, he tested positive for COVID-19 on July 17th.
The second, also a Thai man arriving from Singapore, tested positive on arrival on July 17th and was immediately admitted to hospital.
The third, a 39-year old Thai man arriving from Sudan on July 18th, with a cough, tested positive on arrival and was sent for treatment at a hospital in Samut Prakan province.
Cumulative infections in Thailand, to date, total 3,249, with 3,096 recoveries and 95 others still in hospital. The death toll remains 58.
Regarding swab tests in Rayong, in connection with the Egyptian military mission, 5,201 people have been cleared of the disease, out of 6,015 who have undergone swab tests. Results of the other 814 tests are still pending.
In Bangkok, 364 people have been tested and cleared of the disease.
Dr. Taweesin said that global COVID-19 situation is of serious concern, as the number of new infections has increased from several tens of thousands to about 200,000 each day, and it is unknown when the figures will peak.
The CCSA spokesman dismissed, as groundless, an allegation on the “Mam Po Dum” twitter account claiming that infected Thai nationals were flown into Thailand to justify the extension of the state of emergency, in an attempt to pre-empt student protests, citing four recent flights, bringing home 600 Thais, 40 of whom were found to have a fever.
He said that the figure of 600 arrivals is correct, but the figures of those with a fever are wrong.
