The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) is expected to decide on Friday whether to extend the nation-wide state of emergency that has been imposed since late March.
Headed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the CCSA on Friday will consider a proposal by the National Security Council (NSC) recommending a one-month extension of the emergency decree until the end of June to control the outbreak.
NSC Secretary-general General Somsak Rungsita said the Council on Thursday agreed that the emergency decree was still essential to address the outbreak.
Representatives from public health, public health, intelligence agencies as well as the private sector also attended the meeting.
The recommendation was primarily based on public health standpoint to ensure nation’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and prevent a second wave of infections, he said.
With the emergency decree, the government would have legal mechanisms to effectively carry out strict enforcement until the pandemic subsided, General Somsak said.
Since Sunday, Thailand has eased business shutdowns in the second phase of lockdown relaxation, allowing large businesses including shopping malls to reopen.
But the state of emergency remained instrumental to control the outbreak that could wreak havoc on people if the virus infections surged, he said.
For the national curfew currently imposed between 11 pm-4 am until the end of May, the NSC would decide whether to lift or extend it on May 27, according to the NSC Secretary-general.
General Somsak also insisted that the main reason for the NSC to extend the emergency decree was to protect public health.
Government critics and the opposition have lashed out that the government intended to declare state of emergency for political gain and suppress anti-government movements.
“I can assure you that there is no politics involved in the decision-making… it is for public health reason, not political, whatsoever,” said General Somsak. (TNA)
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