Bangkok:
To allay Thai public concern over COVID-19 being spread by Thai workers returning from South Korea, Thailand’s Prime Minister confirmed today that all the returnees, from the cities of Daegu and Gyeongsang, will be quarantined, for a mandatory 14 days, at appropriate facilities near their residences, whether they are infected with the virus or not.
Thai returnees from the other South Korean cities will undergo a 14-day home quarantine if they are not infected and do not exhibit flu-like symptoms upon their arrival at Thai airports.
The Prime Minister stressed that the Government has a duty of care for every Thai citizen, even if some worked illegally abroad, such as in South Korea.
The Prime Minister chaired an emergency meeting with several governmental agencies today, to discuss appropriate measures to cope with the return of Thai workers from South Korea and to allay public concern over a possible COVID-19 outbreak if some of the returnees are not properly quarantined.
At a news conference, after the emergency meeting, the Prime Minister asked the public to have faith in the stringent screening processes adopted in Thailand and overseas, noting that the Thais returning from South Korea were screened prior to boarding their flight, and those with a fever will be seated separately, with their own toilet and will be provided with face masks.
Upon arrival in Thailand, the workers will go through a further and tougher screening process.
Tens of thousands of Thai citizens are likely to start to return home to Thailand as the situation with the Coronavirus in South Korea worsens. The South Korean government has also given amnesty for overstayers and will not blacklist anyone leaving or fine them. Many of the Thai people returning allegedly work in the massage and entertainment industry in Korea and likely have close contact with many South Korean Nationals.
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