Sathit hints Songkran fun can go ahead

Thailand may be able to contain the current spread of Covid-19 in time to celebrate the Songkran festival in April if all sides cooperate well in efforts to bring down infections, the government said yesterday.

Last year’s Songkran festival was postponed due to the first outbreak of Covid-19.

With the resurgence of the virus since the end of last year, the number of daily Covid-19 cases is projected to exceed 100 for the next two months, if nothing is done to flatten the curve, Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha said yesterday.

However, if both state officials and the general public joined hands in containing the spread of the coronavirus, there is a chance the spread can be contained and people will get to celebrate the Songkran water festival in April, he said.

New cases could remain high for a while longer because the current control measures are not as strict as they were during the first outbreak, he noted.

The reason for this is the government has to be wary of the economic impacts caused by the restrictions being made too stringent, he said.

Mr Sathit confirmed more measures are on the way to help ease the economic impact from the containment measures on vulnerable groups of people.

Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin also urged all parties to work together to flatten the curve of new Covid-19 cases.

Only 18 provinces remained free of Covid-19 cases yesterday after Roi Et reported its first infection, a 48-yearold employee who previously worked at a karaoke bar in Chon Buri’s Si Racha district, in the new outbreak, said Dr Taweesilp.

Thailand yesterday recorded a total of 287 new Covid-19 cases, 278 of which were local transmissions, he said.

Of the 278 local transmission cases, 125 were located during an onsite search and testing in Samut Sakhon, one of the infection hot spots.

The cumulative number of Covid19 cases in the country rose to 10,834 yesterday, including 67 deaths, he said.