Thailand’s government and emergency response centre will closely monitor the situation as pictures of overcrowded malls were widely shared on social media during the first day of the government’s easing of lockdown measures.
Thailand’s government reopened malls and restaurants on Sunday after weeks of low infection numbers but said that shoppers and mallgoers must maintain social distancing measures.
However, reports of overcrowded malls and jam-packed shopping centres were widely shared on social media raising worry that the second wave of coronavirus infections could be around the corner.
Social distancing in IKEA Thailand. pic.twitter.com/1aTzYIg1jH
— Toon Seri Anthraxxxx (@anthraxxxx) May 17, 2020
ใช่ค่ะ คุณกิตติคะ และนี่คือคิวเข้าอิเกียที่บางใหญ่ ขนาดมา 10 โมงเป๊ะ และที่สำคัญมีคิวต่อจากดิฉันอีกยาวค่ะ คุณกิตติคะ pic.twitter.com/NAjJ5o1ODb
— THE NAME™ | ทุกคนรู้ฉันใช้ภาษาไทยตลอด (@THE_NAME_TU) May 17, 2020
Today #Thailand opens malls for the first time after after they shutdown during the #pandemic & it seems like Thai ppl have forgotten about the virus. The crowd in the photo is at Mega Bangna in front of IKEA. #StayHome #StaySafe #beresponsible
— Siyana Shiyam (@sianashiyam) May 17, 2020
Photos from @RichardBarrow pic.twitter.com/R3deqZ9PIa
“The government is, of course, aware of the situation and we will be monitoring closely,” an official at the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration told Thai Enquirer on condition of anonymity.
“If it continues we will raise the issue with the relevant malls and authorities but we hope it is just a first-day aberration.”
The official said that “no option was off the table” when asked if the government would consider shutting down the country’s malls again.
The Thai government said on Sunday that it had discovered three new coronavirus cases bringing the total number of infected to 3,028 patients.
All three new patients were Thai students in state quarantine.
