The Samut Sakhon provincial administration has decided to lock down two sub-districts in Muang district, including four major factories, where more than 7,000 employees, mostly migrant workers, are infected with COVID-19.
Deputy Governor Thipat Kattachamart, acting on behalf of the governor, issued an order on Friday, declaring parts of Nadee and Tha Sai sub-districts to be Bright Red Zones, to prevent the spread of the contagion.
Under the severe measure, workers at any factory are forbidden from leaving their lodgings or the zone, unless going to work in their factories or returning to their lodgings. If a worker has an emergency which requires them to leave their lodging, permission must be sought from authorities.
The workers are also banned from visiting stores, markets or public venues and are required to download the Mor Chana and DDC Care applications for disease tracing and investigation.
Businesses are required to make sure that their employees strictly follow the measures, while owners or managers of dormitories, apartments or rented houses are to ensure that their tenants remain inside, unless going to work, and keep a lookoutfor outsiders.
The Bright Red Zone starts at Wat Panthuwong and runseastward along Liab Khlong Samwa Pasawat Road up to the lane next to Ban Bang Ping School, then heads south along the road to the Kanda housing estate on Rama 2 Road and west along Rama 2 Road to a bridge across Tha Chine river, then runsnorth to Wat Panthuwong.
Provincial officials explained that the strict lockdown is necessary to prevent about 30,000 high-risk people from travelling freely, which may pose a risk of the spread of the disease if there are asymptomatic cases among them.
