Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Thailand did not need a lockdown as the latest COVID-19 outbreak would be under control.
After chairing a meeting of the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), Gen Prayut said that with pubic cooperation, Thailand would be able to control the outbreak and a national lockdown was unnecessary.
Instead, parts of provinces would be subject to different levels of disease control measures in accordance their respective COVID-19 situations.
He also said that the government planned to register illegal migrant workers because businesses needed migrant workers.
Gen Prayut said that CCSA would work out proper measures to allow people to celebrate New Year. He assured that based on information from the Public Health Ministry, the COVID-19 situation in Thailand was controllable and ongoing control efforts were satisfactorily effective.
CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin said Samut Sakhon was the area under the maximum disease control zone. Meanwhile, the disease control zone covers Samut Songkhram, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Pathom and Bangkok. The close watch area involves Saraburi, Samut Prakan, Suphan Buri, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Uttaradit, Chachoengsao, Phetchaburi, Phetchabun, Ayutthaya, Phuket, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachin Buri, Krabi, Khon Kaen, Chai Nat, Udon Thani, Phichit, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Sawan and Ang Thong.
On Thursday Thailand logged 67 new COVID-19 cases. They included 58 cases of local infection and 55 of them were linked to Samut Sakhon. (TNA)
