Thai govt explains new COVID-19 command center role

[webfact]

Govt explains new COVID-19 command center role

 

FILE photo

   

BANGKOK(NNT) - The government has set up yet another center related to COVID-19, this time the COVID-19 epidemic management center chaired by the Prime Minister.

 

The government has asserted this new center is on stand-by for an escalation of the epidemic, and will not operate in redundancy with the existing two centers.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, elaborated on the roles and functions of the new COVID-19 epidemic management center chaired by the Prime Minister, saying that the center is set up to ensure integrated and unified command.

 

He said actions by officials, such as quarantine orders, involve functions under multiple laws, namely the Communicable Diseases Act, the State Administration Act, and the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act, while the evolving situation requires fast and prompt responses.

 

The existing centers, which are the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre at the Ministry of Public Health, and the COVID-19 Information Center at Government House, are not authorized to make cross-agency commands.

 

DPM Wissanu explained the new center was set up after the issue of returning overseas workers from South Korea, where some of the commands to arrange their arrival and quarantine, fell beyond the authorization of the two centers.

 

He said the new center commanded by the PM is for the time being set up to prepare for an escalation of the epidemic, while the new center does not require any additional budget to run.

 

On concerns whether Thailand will start to see a rapid increase in new cases as in other countries, DPM Wissanu said that the situation is likely, as Thailand has recently welcomed many international visitors, however the health authorities are still doing an excellent job on disease control, meaning Thailand the country that once had the second highest number of cases in the world, is now exceeded by other countries, and is currently listed 32nd.

 

He added that health officials’ high standards had kept the number of cases low, with all cases transparently reported.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2020-03-13

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[ukrules]

So they're getting ready for when it hits big which will be coming soon I guess

 

Good to see they are thinking about quarantine measures, I hope this is done on a city / town by town level and enforced by the military with only supplies being allowed through.

 

I live in Hua Hin and suspect that enforcing a quarantine there would be very easy to do compared to some of the much larger cities like Bangkok.

 

If there was a large outbreak in Bangkok I would not want to see them all fleeing and coming down to Hua Hin bringing their infections with them.

 

Edited March 12, 2020 by ukrules

[bangkokfrog]

24 minutes ago, ukrules said:

If there was a large outbreak in Bangkok I would not want to see them all fleeing and coming down to Hua Hin bringing their infections with them.

The scary thing is that if there is a mass exodus from Bangkok because of a major outbreak it will involve people fleeing back to their villages, which will quickly spread the disease nationally. Even more scary is that this will probably happen over Songkran anyway.

[Oziex1]

No explanation required we know the purpose. 

[rkidlad]

That’s it - keep setting up your command centers and your war rooms. Just make sure they’re all chaired by Prayut. He’s done such a marvelous job So far. 

[xtof2]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand the country that once had the second highest number of cases in the world, is now exceeded by other countries, and is currently listed 32nd.

That's the only point which reassures me. 

They understood it's better to be at the bottom rank rather than at the top !

[ChipButty]

I think a big problem will be around songkran where there is normally a mass exodus back to the villages our staff are not going back this year staying putt 

[smedly]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

BANGKOK(NNT) - The government has set up yet another center related to COVID-19, this time the COVID-19 epidemic management center chaired by the Prime Minister.

That is a lot of effort for just 13 people 

[smedly]

3 hours ago, ukrules said:

So they're getting ready for when it hits big which will be coming soon I guess

 

Good to see they are thinking about quarantine measures, I hope this is done on a city / town by town level and enforced by the military with only supplies being allowed through.

 

I live in Hua Hin and suspect that enforcing a quarantine there would be very easy to do compared to some of the much larger cities like Bangkok.

 

If there was a large outbreak in Bangkok I would not want to see them all fleeing and coming down to Hua Hin bringing their infections with them.

 

good to see someone on here has a handle on things

[madmitch]

I feel so much safer knowing that the beloved PM is looking after the health of everyone in Thailand.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The government has set up yet another center related to COVID-19, this time the COVID-19 epidemic management center chaired by the Prime Minister.

More centres than a box of chocolates... no-wonder people are confused about the truth.

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

13 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

More centres than a box of chocolates... no-wonder people are confused about the truth.

What truth are you talking about.

5555555

[zydeco]

I wonder if the command center they set up for the 2011 flood is still operating?

[KhunKenAP]

Any "Infection Control Doctors", or any Doctors on this Command and Control committee?

 

With the PM as Chairman, bend over and kiss your a.s goodbye.

[DrTuner]

I reckon they needed a common space to be more effectively able to liaise with their communist PR advisors from Xinhua.

[Iron Tongue]

1 hour ago, KhunKenAP said:

Any "Infection Control Doctors", or any Doctors on this Command and Control committee?

Only the very best!  ...drawn from a pool of the PM's relatives!