The provincial administration of Thailand’s southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan has ordered the closure of several more types of venue, which are considered to represent a high risk for COVID-19 transmission, as daily new infections surge.
The superintendent of Hua Hin district police, Pol Col Paitoon Promkhien, was also abruptly transferred to an “inactive post” at the operations centre of the provincial police office, for allegedly allowing some pubs in Hua Hin, including the Maya Pub, to operate beyond the 1am mandatory closing time.
The Maya Pub held a mini concert, featuring singer and entertainer Joey Boy, on March 30th. Infections of many people were later linked to this nightspot.
Prachuap Khiri Khan Governor Pallop Singhaseni said today (Thursday) that he has signed an order to close several more venues, to prevent the virus from spreading further.
The venues to close until further notice are amusement parks, water parks, children’s playgrounds in the open or in malls, public swimming pools, cock and fish fighting rings, movie theatres, cram schools, health spas, with the exception of traditional Thai massage parlours or foot massage, boxing training camps, fitness clubs, internet cafes, game and snooker halls and martial arts schools.
The governor also said that entertainment events and parties, held either in public or on private property, are banned, except for weddings, ordinations and funerals.
98 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the province today, raising the total, since April 1st, to 525. The province has now been classified as a COVID-19 Red zone.
More than 6,000 people in the province have, so far, been screened for COVID-19 and only some results are known. The 51 Fashion Hua Hin Hotel, the Hua Hin Golf Villa Hotel, the Ratchamongkol Rattanakosin Technology University, the Prachuap Sao Ao Hotel and the Thanarat barracks in Pran Buri district have been set aside to be used as field hospitals.
More facilities will be made available if there are more patients, said the governor, adding that he is awaiting instructions from the CCSA as to whether it is time to impose a lockdown of the province.
