Three months of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s salary, and those of some the government spokesperson’s team, will be spent on COVID-19 “survival boxes”, to be distributed to people in the “Dark Red” zone, according to Government Spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri.
Earlier in July, the prime minister, along with several cabinet members, declared that they will forego their salaries for a few months to help in the fight against the current wave of the pandemic, which is the most serious since the spread began early last year. Today (Wednesday), Thailand recorded yet another high of 13,002 infections, as opposed to only a few hundred per day last year.
The boxes will contain necessities for people who think they may have contracted coronavirus but can take care of themselves. Among the items will be thermometers, oximeters, pain killers, Thai herbal medicine Fah Talai Jone, surgical masks and sanitiser gel, said Mr. Anucha yesterday.
The “Dark Red” zone, or “maximum controlled and restricted” areas, are subject to strict semi-lockdown measures, which include a curfew between 9pm and 4am, voluntary staying at home, a maximum amount of working from home for state enterprises, interprovincial travel restrictions, closures of several venues, a ban on dining in and online classes only.
The zone includes Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thai, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Chon Buri, Chachoengsao, Ayutthaya, Yala, Pattani, Songkhla and Narathiwat provinces.
