Chiang Rai’s Main Land Borders to Remain Open for Border Trade

Thailand’s Interior Ministry has ordered provincial governors to strictly control land border crossing activities in Northern Thailand. The ministry also ordered the temporary shutdown of entertainment venues. Above all to reduce public gatherings in order to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

All temporary checkpoints were closed and one permanent border pass is to remained open in each border province. An exception was given to Chiang Rai that bordered two countries, Laos and Myanmar. Temporary checkpoints operate largely to facilitate border trade.

The Interior Minister has also given provincial governors the power to close their permanent border crossings and quarantine visitors from risk countries. All Thais will be strictly banned from crossing the border into neighbouring countries to reduce covid-19 risks.

“I stress that people need to cooperate with instructions from the government to reduce transmission. Please do not gather or go to other provinces,” Minister Anupong Paojinda told the media.

Thailand has already imposed a ban on most international flights. By issuing regulations that are deliberately bewildering and almost impossible for a normal traveller to fulfill. They also include a requirement for a medical certificate stating that the person is free of Covid-19.

Thailand reported 50 new infections, taking its tally to 322, a health official said Friday. The majority of the cases are located in Bangkok.

A group of 41 new cases is linked to earlier infections, while another, of nine, centres on overseas arrivals and contact with foreigners, Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director-general of the disease control department, told a news conference.

Thailand has had only one death in the outbreak, with 43 patients having recovered and gone home. Meanwhile 278 covid-19 patients are still recovering in hospital.