The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), and major construction companies in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Nonthaburi, have been instructed by the CCSA to tighten up preventive measures at about 400 construction site worker housing facilities, after the discovery of clusters of COVID-19 infections at sites in Laksi and Wattana districts.
CCSA Spokesman Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, said the CCSA discussed cluster infections in some worker housing facilities today and expressed concern that similar clusters could erupt at other sites, due to their cramped conditions and the mix of nationalities among the workers.
The latest estimate, by the BMA, shows that there are about 24,600 Thai workers and about 34,600 migrant workers, from Myanmar and Cambodia, scattered across about 400 construction sites in Bangkok and the three neighboring provinces.
In Wattana district of Bangkok, Dr. Taweesin said that the infection rate among the workers is about 14.25%, compared to 8.85% in Suan Luang district.
He hinted that the Samut Sakhon model might have to be adopted if the worker housing infections spread.
In Samut Sakhon, during the peak of infections among Myanmar migrant workers earlier this year, their dormitories and the Central Shrimp Market were locked down and barricaded, with those inside prohibited from leaving, and entry by outsiders banned.
