BANGKOK -- Authorities in Thailand are imposing fines of up to 20,000 baht for people who fail to wear face masks in public in 48 provinces, as the government struggles to cope with a new wave of coronavirus cases that is straining the medical system.
Despite rapidly rising numbers, there currently are no nationwide lockdowns, curfews or travel bans, though individual provinces have been allowed to issue their own restrictions, including mandatory quarantines for visitors from other provinces. Forty-eight of the 76 provinces have imposed fines for not wearing face masks.
The high number of cases has created shortages of hospital beds and intensive care units. It has also underlined the government's failure to obtain adequate supplies of vaccines. Less than 2% of Thailand’s 69 million people have been vaccinated. Apisamai Srirangsan, a spokeswoman for the national Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said the government on Thursday will discuss whether to impose additional measures in some areas, including the country’s two major cities, Bangkok and Chiang Mai.