Thailand Bans Face Mask Export to Ensure Sufficient Domestic Supply

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BANGKOK – Thailand has imposed a ban on export of face masks and limited the number that travelers can take overseas at 30 pieces to ensure sufficient domestic supply.




The decision came after the Internal Trade Department has previously required exporters to seek permission for the export of 500 masks or more.

The Internal Trade Department’s Director-General Whichai Phochanakij on Friday announced that some exporters had divided their shipments to lower than 500 masks in each delivery.

Therefore, the Department had banned unauthorized export of face masks to ensure an adequate domestic supply in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, he said.

Each traveler was allowed to take no more than 30 facemasks overseas per trip, except patients with medical certificate could take up to 50 pieces, he said.

As of Wednesday, a Department report showed there were 28 million facemasks in domestic stock, Whichai said.