Borders re-open 2nd day

More Thai workers streamed in from neighbouring countries, as borders reopened for a second day after immigration officials promised to keep all checkpoints open until the last person registered on their returnee list makes it back.

In Sa Kaeo, deputy governor Nattachai Nampoolsuksan yesterday inspected the Aranyaprathet checkpoint at the Cambodian border, where hundreds of Thais crossed into the country from Poipet.

It was the second day of crossing for Thais who registered to return. So far, at least 600 Thai citizens have made it back, including some 400 who came yesterday, according to immigration authorities. They expected all registered returnees to pass across the border within the next few days.

Border checkpoints were shut after the announcement of the Emergency Decree last week. However, some have since reopened temporarily to allow Thai citizens stranded on the other side of the border to return.

After clearing immigration, returnees were bused to a health screening facility at Ban Kilo Song School where health checks were performed before they begin their 14-day quarantine at designated venues.

In the southern border province of Songkhla, about 1,000 Thai workers returned from Malaysia amid tight security yesterday.

Strict border screening procedures were in effect. Only those with medical certificates and who have registered with the Thai embassy in Kuala Lumpur were allowed in.

Meanwhile, deputy army spokeswoman Col Sirichan Ngathong said the army disinfected 2.1 million square metres of Bangkok from March 18-31.