PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha said via his adviser this evening (Dec. 23) that only New Year countdown events organised by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) have been cancelled, meaning not those staged by the private sector, Matichon newspaper said.
Ms. Natreya Thaweewong, the Prime Minister’s adviser who clarified this cancellation via Line messaging app to Government House reporters, also said that there will not been an urgent meeting of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) executive committee tomorrow as had been previously reported with the next meeting to take place in the New Year.
However CCSA emphasised that only New Year events that BMA is organising are being cancelled.
Earlier Bangkok Governor Pol. Gen. Asawin Kwanmuang told agencies under his jurisdiction to consider cancelling the New Year countdown and prayer ceremony at Larn Khon Muang near the Giant Swing. Similar events planned by district offices were also to be cancelled.
This follows The World Health Organisation urging people to cancel some of their holiday plans to protect public health, as the Omicron variant spreads globally, BBC said.
“An event cancelled is better than a life cancelled,” said WHO head Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that “difficult decisions” must be made.
A number of countries have acted to try to halt the spread of the variant, including imposing travel curbs.
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Dazzling New Year fireworks at Chao Phraya River. Photo: Kizamaya (CC BY 2.0)
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