Two new COVID-19 cases in Thailand, involving foreigners only

Thailand has recorded two new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, including a 29-year-old Serbian football player who arrived in the kingdom in a chartered flight on July 19.

In a statement, Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said the other was a 41-year-old Finn who arrived from Denmark on July 27 and was undergoing compulsory quarantine at a state facility in Bangkok.

As the new cases involved only foreigners, Thailand continues with its unblemished record of 68 days zero local transmission.

The kingdom also recorded zero fatalities over the last 24 hours. To date, Thailand has recorded 3,312 COVID-19 cases with 58 fatalities. A total of 3,315 infected persons have recovered and discharged from hospitals while 119 remain warded.

Meanwhile, the organiser of a luk-thung (Thai folk music) concert at a charity fair in Cha-uat district in Nakhon Si Thammarat was charged after fans ignored safety measures such as wearing face mask and practising physical distancing.

Cha-uat district police chief Pol Col Thien Barnthip said the organiser, Paisant Vettayayong was charged with violating the emergency decree by failing to observe physical distancing and wearing of masks.

Bangkok Post reported that Paisant had confessed to the offence and was indicted.

The emergency decree bans mass gatherings to curb COVID-19 pandemic. Violators face up to two years in prison and a fine of 40,000 baht.

Photos posted on social media showed a packed Janey Daimodthasodchuen concert at the Red Cross Fair in Cha-uat district on Saturday night which stirred public outrage.

-- BERNAMA