An Estonian diplomat was denied accommodation, for 14-days of quarantine, by the management of a condominium in Bangkok last night, for fear that the diplomat’s presence may cause panic among its residents.
Mrs. Natasha Roys, vice chairwoman of PPM Company, which manages the Millennium Residence on Sukhumvit Road, said that she was notified, by the Estonian embassy in Bangkok, at about 2pm on Thursday, that one of its diplomats would check in for 14-days of quarantine, as legally required.
The embassy claimed that the diplomat had obtained fit-to-fly clearance in Estonia and would be subjected to further health screening upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi international airport.
Citing the incident, involving the family of a Sudanese diplomat who stayed at a condominium in the Sukhumvit area with a family member who tested positive for COVID-19, Mrs. Roys said that she was afraid that other residents might be alarmed by the presence of the diplomat and declined the request for accommodation.
She said that the embassy had claimed diplomatic privilege for the stay at the condominium.
Police and officials of Khlong Toey district office later arrived at the scene to help resolve the issue without success, as the condominium’s management insisted on refusing to provide accommodation to the diplomat.
It is reported that the Thai Foreign Ministry solved the problem by sending the diplomat to a state run quarantine facility in Bangkok, after the diplomat had spent almost two hours confined in a van outside the condominium.
Mr. Suchai Amorndarachanmm, director of Khlong Toey district office, told Thai PBS today that the condominium’s management had the right to refuse to provide accommodation, because the condominium is not a formal state quarantine facility.
