Covid-19: Thailand postpones Songkran festival

CORONAVIRUS | Thailand announced that it has postponed next month’s Songkran celebrations until further notice after the kingdom yesterday confirmed 33 new cases of Covid-19 - the biggest single-day spike - to bring the tally to 147, with one fatality.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said that April 13-15, the dates for this year’s Songkran celebrations, are no longer official holidays.

“New dates (for the Songkran celebration) will be announced later,” he said after attending the National Covid-19 Management Centre meeting chaired by Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan o-cha in Bangkok yesterday.

Songkran is a time when thousands of Thais return to their hometowns while thousands of tourists converge on the kingdom to take part in the world’s biggest water festival.

Wissanu said other measures to contain the Covid-19 outbreak in the kingdom included temporary closure of crowded venues such as stadiums, boxing stadiums, cinemas and entertainment outlets, and suspension of activities at universities, schools as well as tuition centres.

“All measures will be tabled to the cabinet for approval today and come into effect on Wednesday,” he said.

Of the 33 new cases yesterday, 16 of them had close contact with previous patients while 17 others had travelled abroad and had close contact with foreigners.

Meanwhile, Prayuth advised Thais to cooperate with the authorities, practise good hygiene, avoid travelling aboard, to undergo 14-day home quarantine if they were returning from high-risk countries and seek treatment if they are sick.

“Please do not spread fake news as it can cause panic and do not hoard food and goods. Please have confidence in the government to handle the outbreak.

“The pandemic will remain for a while. I understand that you are suffering and facing difficulties. However, we have to endure and overcome this crisis together… Thailand must win,” Prayuth said as he also thanked all the health workers dealing with the pandemic.

- Bernama