The superintendent of Thonglor police station, Pol Col Duangchote Suwancharas, and Pol Lt-Col Thanakorn Ngamyen, the inspector for suppression affairs, have been transferred to the operations centre of Metropolitan Police Bureau’s (MPB) 5th Division, effective today, pending an investigation into their conduct in connection with the Thonglor COVID-19 cluster.
Police Maj-Gen Sophon Sarapat, commander of the 5th division of the MPB, who ordered the transfers, also appointed Pol Col Kampanart Arunsri, deputy superintendent of the 5th division, asacting superintendent of Thonglor police.
The entertainment venues in the Thonglor area of Bangkok areknown as favorite hangouts for Bangkok’s elites, including politicians, senior government officials, business executives and celebrities. They have been blamed for being the origin of the third wave of COVID-19 in Thailand, which has spread to most of the country and has, so far, infected more than 1,000 people in Bangkok alone.
In the neighbouring province of Nonthaburi, the provincial health office reported 48 new COVID-19 cases today, including a 4-month old baby. Most, however, work at nightspots in the province.
Meanwhile, a new field hospital, set up by City Hall at the sports stadium in Bang Bon district, is scheduled to open tomorrow.
Bangkok city said it has prepared three other field hospitals and arranged for several hotels to be turned into hospitals which,with the field hospitals, can accommodate up to 5,000 patients.
