Thailand’s Prime Minster Receives Fined for Not Wearing Face Mask

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut has allegedly been fined 6,000 baht (US$190.00) for failing to wear a face mask during a meeting with his vaccine procurement advisers.

Bangkok authorities made mask-wearing compulsory starting Monday. They clarified on Monday it is required even when in a vehicle of more than one person.

Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang posted on Facebook on Monday afternoon he had filed a complaint against the premier with police.

City Hall sprang into action after social media had criticized the PM. His Facebook showed him sitting with his face unprotected at the head of a meeting table at around 11am while everyone else was wearing a mask.

The photo, (above) which was later removed, was meant to promote the meeting on vaccine procurement at Government House.

On his Facebook post in the afternoon, Pol Gen Aswin wrote Gen Prayut had asked him to check whether he had done  wrong.

“I told the Prime Minister he violated a Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announcement, which requires everyone in the capital to wear a mask at all times while outside his or her home or residence. Violation results in a fine up to 20,000 baht under Section 51 of the 2015 Disease Control Act,” he wrote.

Since investigators may determine the fine for the offence based on a fining regulation, Gen Prayut was asked to pay 6,000 baht for not wearing a face mask.

The Bangkok governor, accompanied by the police chief and police investigators, then went to Government House to charge the PM and Gen Prayut Chan-o-chaagreed to pay the face mask fine, wrote Pol Gen Aswin.

While the maximum fine for the offence is 20,000 baht, officials may consider charging less based on the regulation on fining, which stipulates 6,000 baht for the first-time offence, 12,000 baht for the second and 20,000 baht for the third onward.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha received his first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by AstraZeneca on March 16, 2021.

According to the CDC says fully vaccinated people can now safely gather indoors, in small gatherings with other people who are fully vaccinated – no mask required. But it’s important to note that fully vaccinated people should continue to wear face masks and maintain physical distance while in public spaces

The vast majority of people who are vaccinated will be protected from Covid-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, vaccinated people may still be able to transmit the virus, even though they do not display any symptoms.