FILE PHOTO: Thailand’s Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha speaks during the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 23, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
BANGKOK — Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha insisted that the government would not impose a countrywide lockdown for now to stop the new Covid-19 Omicron variant from spreading.
Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said that after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Prayut advised people not to panic after the first Omicron case was reported in Thailand last Friday, while asking the public to remain confident in the country’s health system.
“The prime minister thanked public health professionals and all Thais who have been working hard to keep the infection rate low,” Thanakorn said. “He also insisted that the government has no plan to impose a countrywide lockdown at the moment.”
Thailand’s first Omicron case was detected in a 35-year-old American businessman on Friday (December 3). He had travelled from Spain on November 30 after living there for a year. The Department of Disease Control said the patient had no symptoms and was not in close contact with many people.
“Regarding screening measures for foreign visitors, General Prayut said the measures would remain the same, which include mandatory RT-PCR testing upon arrival. Visitors must remain in isolation overnight until the result turns up negative,” Thanakorn said.
“The PM has also urged business owners to strictly adhere to disease control measures, such as maintaining the social distancing practice in their establishments and fully vaccinating all staff, because keeping Covid-19 at bay is not solely the government’s job. It is everyone’s responsibility,” the spokesman pointed out.
Prayut also said that he had instructed all related agencies to inspect restaurants, shopping malls and similar establishments in their areas of responsibility to make sure they comply with disease control regulations.
“The government would like to urge people to choose only establishments that pass the Covid Free Setting standard evaluated by the Public Health Ministry for your own safety,” Thanakorn said.
When asked if a likely increase in Omicron cases would affect the reopening of entertainment venues, Prayut said the government was considering the situation carefully based on all factors.
“Nowadays we have less than 4,000 new infections per day, which indicates that the situation is improving and the herd immunity built up by our vaccination campaign is now taking effect,” Prayut added.
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