His remarks came after the report of a locally transmitted COVID-19 case among a VIP group.
On the recent proposal to cut quarantine days from 14 to 10 days for arrivals from lower-risk countries, the Minister of Public Health said the focus must now be shifted to pre-departure protocols, as new cases are still being found upon arrival despite a requirement that all passengers bound from Thailand must present a COVID-19 negative certification.
He said the 10 and 14 days quarantine duration do not have much difference medically, however the government will for now keep the quarantine duration at 14 days to alleviate the general public’s concerns.
Mr Anutin said the Thai embassies and airlines must step up their measures to minimize the chances of infected persons from arriving in Thailand, while reassuring the Thai public will be given priority over the plan to reboot tourism.