The kingdom is expected to record about 100,000 new Covid-19 cases per day following the Songkran holiday, according to the dean of Siriraj Hospital's medical school.

According to government figures, 50–60% of Covid-19 patients who died in the past 30 days were unvaccinated, while 30% received a second dose more than three months before and 5–10% had been inoculated with a single dose.

Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of Siriraj Hospital's medical school under Mahidol University, said most of those deaths were either people who weren't fully vaccinated or weren't vaccinated at all.

Fully vaccinated means two doses plus a booster shot, he said. Some 85-90% of those who died were members of vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with underlying health conditions, he said.

According to Dr Prasit, more than 1 million people aged 60 and over have not been vaccinated.

"The message is: Don't think one can be safe from the virus by staying at home. The virus can come knocking on your door during the festival when children and grandchildren come for a visit," he said.

Dr Prasit said that before Covid-19 could be declared an endemic, fatalities must be brought down to 0.1% or less of all infection cases. If 20,000 people get infected a day, there should be no more than 20 deaths, he said.

The current fatality rate accounts for 3–4 times the acceptable 0.1%, he said, adding daily caseloads could be between 50,000 and 100,000 after the Songkran festival.