Recalcitrant workers ignore quarantine and create panic
Some Thai labourers who returned from South Korea this week are stirring panic among people by ignoring the need to be in quarantine, and travelling in public places.
South Korea is one of the high-risk countries for the new coronavirus (Covid-19).
This week, numerous Thai illegal laborers returned from South Korea to their hometowns with an order to be in quarantine for 14 days, for those who passed the airports’ screening point.
Some labourers are, however, not staying at home and some are even travelling around. This has created alarm among the people and the owners of the establishments they visit.
On Friday (March 6), The Mall Bangkae department store in Bangkok closed shops at risk of Covid-19 from March 6 to 8, for cleaning and sterilising, after being visited by a labourer who had just returned from South Korea.
Meanwhile, the owner of ‘Muay Hitech’ salon, Nilprapa Boonpim, announced on Friday she would close her business in Chaiyaphum province, after acknowledging that one of her customers had just come back from South Korea.
Another labourer apologised immediately after an alarm was raised in Chiang Mai by her posting on social media her photo in a pub – almost as soon as she had returned home.
In addition, a woman posted on Facebook on Tuesday (March 4), that she was very bored staying at home. This woman had previously visited retail stores and restaurants in Uthai Thani province, drawing netizens’ attention and comments.
The woman was then invited to test for Covid-19 infection at Nong Chang Hospital in the province. Preliminary results said that she was not infected.
There has also been a case of a labourer visiting Phi Phi Islands in Phuket province. The woman clarified on her social media that she had already been tested and found to be free from Covid-19 infection.
