The announcement says that the emergency period is extended from June 1 until July 31 “in all localities throughout the Kingdom to ensure continuity in preventing, correcting, suppressing, restoring or assisting operations” for public benefit in emergency situations.
The emergency decree is being imposed in the country since March 25, 2020, the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It empowers Gen Prayut to directly address an emergency situation or prevent worsening conditions without approval from other authorities.
PM Prayut can in particular order bans to prevent entry to certain areas deemed prone to coronavirus infections; gatherings in crowded areas or any activity that would incite unrest.
Earlier Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for the Public Health Ministry, explained that the emergency decree can be lifted as soon as COVID-19 is downgraded to an endemic disease meaning the virus is no longer considered a major national threat requiring special measures. After that the decree can be replaced with the Communicable Disease Act and other acts for regulation of the post-pandemic life.
Since March leading national figures, including Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, have said several times that the government expects to declare COVID-19 an endemic disease in Thailand in early July, “allowing people to return to normal life as planned by the Ministry of Public Health”.
As explained on May 7 by Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO), requirements for the endemic status include low number of COVID-19 infections and deaths as well as reaching the 60% level of vaccination among the adult population and the risk group specifically. The later is yet to be achieved in Phuket.
The Cabinet on May 24 approved the extension of the emergency decree to combat the pandemic until July 31, when the criteria for endemic status is expected to have been met.
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