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PM Prayut isolates after Phuket Sandbox delegate confirmed COVID positive

PM Prayut isolates after Phuket Sandbox delegate confirmed COVID positive

PHUKET: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is working in isolation after a visiting delegate who joined the festivities to mark the opening of the Phuket Sandbox scheme last Thursday confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19 after returning to his home province of Surin.

COVID-19Coronavirushealth
By The Phuket News

Monday 5 July 2021 05:51 PM


Veerasak Phitsanuwong (left), President of the Surin Chamber of Commerce, takes a selfie with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in Phuket last thursday (July 1). Photo: Veerasak Phitsanuwong / Facebook

Veerasak Phitsanuwong (left), President of the Surin Chamber of Commerce, takes a selfie with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in Phuket last thursday (July 1). Photo: Veerasak Phitsanuwong / Facebook

Veerasak Pisanauwong, President of the Surin Chamber of Commerce, posted on his Facebook page earlier today (July 5) that doctors had confirmed that had tested positive for COVID-19.

Mr Veerasak did not report experiencing any signs of infection, but added that he was now under medical observation in hospital as per instructions by Surin health officials.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri announced this afternoon that PM Prayut is now working without any visitors “in the case someone is infected with COVID-19”, reports BBC Thailand.

"The Prime Minister will therefore use this time to perform his duties by monitoring and administrating [with people] who will remain in their own areas to alleviate the concerns of the parties and individuals involved," Mr Anucha said.

The Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) has reported that they have contacted Mr Veerasak to ask for details in order to draft a timeline of his movements in travelling to Phuket and where he went during his visit to the island.

Mr Veerasak reportedly left Phuket on Saturday evening (July 3), two days after meeting the prime minister.

The PPHO said health officers were drafting a list of high-risk contacts and investigating the infection as is standard procedure.