The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has said they will take legal action against 3 people found to have contracted COVID-19 and hidden their prior movements from authorities.
They are in the “cluster” of infections linked to Techin “DJ Matoom” Ploypetch.
BMA spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang said yesterday a total of 24 infected people had now been found to be linked to the DJ Matoom cluster. 4 of their published accounts, case numbers 645, 647, 657 and 658, contained incomplete information, forcing the BMA to add “Information not given”.
Under pressure from reporters and social media users, Mr Kwanmuang updated the timeline of case number 645, saying that person had stayed at home in Phasi Charoen district on 17th-18th January.
He was awaiting further information from the three others – case 647, who is a singer (no information between 14th-20th January), case 657, who is a PR manager (no information between 17th-21st January) and case 658, a state official (no information between 10th-12th January or 14th-21st January).
“The BMA’s disease investigation team are probing the cases of concealed information,” he said. “We will update their timeline once we get the information”.
“But if they are still concealing information, disease control officials will file complaints with the police.”
The State of Emergency says any infected person who hides information or gives a false statement to officials can be jailed for up to two years and/or fined up to 40,000 baht.
Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told Channel 3 the spread of COVID-19 was caused by ignorant people who broke the law and deserved condemnation.
“Being condemned in society is more painful than paying a fine and facing legal action,” he said.
Mr Charnvirakul also said the timelines of infected people must be investigated and hotels would also face legal action if they allowed prohibited activities such as alcohol drinking or staying open past the permitted time.
