Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha insisted on the necessity to extend the state of emergency for one more month and said the 5th round of business lockdown relaxation was aimed at helping poor and jobless people.

He announced the decision of the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration today. As its head, Gen Prayut said special measures and the imposition of the executive decree on public administration in emergency situations resulted in the effective control of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and therefore the government needed to extend the state of emergency under the decree.

The imposition of the emergency decree empowered the government to make swift responses to control the disease including the suspension and resumption of businesses and activities and changes to international travel policies which normally are subject to numerous procedures.

The prime minister said that the government did not intend to abuse the emergency decree to limit anyone’s rights but it was concerned about COVID-19 spreads in other countries.

According to Gen Prayut, CCSA endorsed the 5th round of business/activity resumption to support businesses and the travel of business people and the government was worried about the hotel business.

The business types that posed high risks of disease transmission were allowed to resume to help poor and jobless people and general people should cooperate with disease control measures, he said.

Source: TNA