reader Posted July 13, 2020 Posted July 13, 2020 From The Nation Prawit seeks crackdown on illegal migrants as they could spread Covid-19 Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan has asked the Army and other agencies to strictly monitor border crossings and industries for any illegal migrant workers as they could spread Covid-19 to Thais. Prawit’s spokeman Lt-General Kongcheep Tantawanich said the deputy PM instructed the Internal Security Operations Command, the Army, police, and the Labour Ministry to deal with illegal migrant workers at borders areas as well as inside the country. He also wanted migrant labourers in each industry to be checked. Kongcheep said more illegal workers were found after the lockdown was lifted. The Army has also been asked to coordinate with the border troops of neighbouring countries, especially Myanmar and Cambodia, to tackle the problem. At the same time, police have been ordered to crack down on illegal migrants and networks transporting them from the borders to cities. =========================================================================================================================== From Bangkok Post Health scare in Rayong, visiting Egyptian delegate had Covid-19 Health authorities are checking all venues visited by an Egyptian soldier and other members of his delegation during their stay in Rayong, after he tested positive for the coronavirus. The visit has also revealed lax screening procedures at U-tapao airport in Rayong. The visitors stayed here en route to a one-day trip to China, where they had unexplained military business, and again on the way back. They were allowed to go outside the hotel where they were staying during their visit. The group did not need state quarantine because they were here less than 14 days, but they were required to undergo a virus test. The places they went to included a shopping centre, which has not been identified. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration spokesman, said on Monday officials from Bangkok will join local staff in the eastern province in checking for coronavirus contagion at all places they went to, and people who were in close contact. The health scare follows a positive result returned from the lab on Sunday after tests on a swab taken from the 43-year-old soldier. It showed he was infected with the Covid-19 virus. He was one of the three new confirmed cases announced by the CCSA on Monday. The other two were Thais returning from working in Kuwait and Bahrain. The soldier and 30 others, including crew of their aircraft, departed Egypt on July 6 and went to the United Arab Emirates. They went on to Pakistan the following day, Tuesday, and arrived at U-tapao airport in Rayong on Wednesday. The UAE, Pakistan and Egypt are all hotspots for Covid-19 infections found in Thais returning home from overseas. The information posted on the CCSA Facebook page said the group stayed at a hotel in the province. The team left U-tapao for Chengdu, China, on Thursday. They returned shortly before midnight the same day, and went to stay at the same hotel. Dr Taweesilp said health officials tested them on Friday, and there were unconfirmed signs that the soldier might have caught the virus. The group returned to Egypt on Saturday. The test result confirming the infection came back from the lab on Sunday. The spokesman said the hotel where he and other members of the delegation stayed was being cleaned . They visited other places during their stay in the province, including a shopping centre, he said. He would not name the places. Quote
