EVEN as Thailand added 305 new coronavirus cases over the 24 hours to this morning (Jan. 7) tighter control of Chonburi, one of five provinces clamped down, led to a two-hour long queue to get a permit to travel to other areas of the country, Amarin TV reported.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said of the 305 new cases and one additional death, 193 were domestic infections with 109 found through proactive testing of migrant workers while two overseas travellers were placed under state quarantine and one slipped away.
This takes the total to 9,636 confirmed patients with 4,521 discharged from hospital while the one additional death raised the toll to 67.
The patient who died is an 88-year-old Thai man who had been suffering from cancer.
The two overseas travellers who entered state quarantine are from Russia and Turkey and the one who skipped quarantine is from Myanmar.
Meanwhile in Chonburi over 300 people had queued up at 9 a.m. this morning to get a travel permit to leave this province which is next door to Bangkok.
This is in keeping with CCSA having imposed the strictest coronavirus control on five provinces, which aside from Chonburi includes Samut Sakhon, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat.
Some of them were grumbling after having to wait two hours to get the permit with most of them trying to drive to Bangkok and other nearby provinces.
They suggested that an online processing system be launched or local officials be allowed to issue the required document.
Mueang Chonburi district chief Mr. Sukon Suwansaksin and Maj. Chalermchai Kraiwicha of the Internal Security Operation Command as well as some other officials were present to help smooth out the issuing of these permits.
Sukon said the queue is very long today which is the first day of the new procedure but the situation would improve if the Interior Ministry allowed village headmen to issue the travel document.
CAPTION:
Top: The queue for travel permit in Chonburi this morning. Thai headline says, “queue for inter-provincial travel document.” Photo: Amarin TV
