Bangkok Post

PM denies lockdown poll ‘set up’

- MONGKOL BANGPRAPA

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has denied the government commission­ed an opinion poll on whether the emergency decree imposed to contain the Covid-19 pandemic should be extended.

The premier yesterday dismissed media reports that the survey was carried out on the government’s orders to gauge public views on whether the decree should remain in place.

It was reported on Monday that the government has asked the National Intelligen­ce Agency to conduct a poll on the impact of the decree to help it determine whether to lift it completely or only partially next month.

The reports came as the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administra­tion (CCSA) expressed concerns over a possible second wave of the Covid19 scourge.

The country has witnessed a steady decline in the number of new infections in recent weeks which has led to some restrictio­ns on public activities being relaxed and the reopening of some businesses.

Gen Prayut said yesterday the authority to cancel the emergency decree rests with the CCSA. That decision could also depend on how well people cooperate in maintainin­g anti-virus discipline, he added.

Public health issues take priority in considerin­g whether to keep or scrap the emergency decree. Even if infections go down to zero, the country cannot afford to be complacent, the prime minister said.

Officials are out there looking at how people are responding to and the success of the first phase of relaxed restrictio­ns, according to Gen Prayut.

“What has been reopened can also be re-closed, if people do not stick to the [health safety] rules,” he said.

On May 7, CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesilp Visanuyoth­in said a further relaxation of restrictio­ns could begin on May 17 unless the number of new Covid-19 cases soars.

Yesterday, Gen Prayut said the CCSA would decide on Friday whether to ease restrictio­ns further.

Meanwhile, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirak­ul said yesterday’s cabinet meeting discussed how the authoritie­s should handle the further easing of Covid-19 rules. Revoking the decree was not discussed.

The cabinet attaches importance to disease containmen­t measures and assesses the success of their implementa­tion, he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Taweesilp said no decision had yet been reached on what sectors or activities the second stage of easing restrictio­ns would cover.

He was referring to informatio­n shared in the media that claimed the shooting of films and commercial­s involving no more than five people could soon resume.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Thailand