152 returnees report to authorities

Immigration officers try to negotiate with Thai travellers who landed back in the country at Suvarnabhumi airport on Friday, saying they had not heard the government's request for overseas Thais to delay their trips back home. (Immigration Bureau photo)
Immigration officers try to negotiate with Thai travellers who landed back in the country at Suvarnabhumi airport on Friday, saying they had not heard the government's request for overseas Thais to delay their trips back home. (Immigration Bureau photo)

All 152 Thai people mistakenly allowed to go home after returning to the country on Friday have reported to the authorities as requested, police said on Saturday.

On April 3, a total of 158 Thais arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport on five flights -- three from Japan and one each from Singapore and Qatar.

Health officials reportedly explained to them that they were required to undergo a 14-day quarantine at facilities arranged for them by the state under the emergency decree.

But only six of them agreed to be sent to a hotel in Bangkok, a quarantine location prepared by authorities, according to reports. The 152 others were said to have refused, saying they had not been informed about it in advance, and a commotion started.

Maj Gen Kosol Choojai, who was in charge of the EOC at Suvarnabhumi, met them for talks and then allowed them to go home. 

On Saturday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha chaired a meeting of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. It was decided that the 152 Thais who had returned to their homes must report themselves to authorities by 6pm on Saturday for state quarantine.

A military source said Maj Gen Kosol would face an investigation for his handling of the situation.


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Vocabulary

  • allow: to let somebody/something do something; to let something happen or be done - อนุญาต, ยอมรับ
  • authority (noun): a person or government agency who has the power to make decisions or enforce the law - เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
  • commotion: a sudden short period of noise, confusion or excited movement - ความสับสนวุ่นวาย
  • emergency decree (noun): a situation where the government takes on special powers in a dangerous situation and the rights of the people are often limited in some way - ประกาศภาวะฉุกเฉิน  
  • handle: to be able deal with a situation - ควบคุมได้, จัดการได้
  • quarantine (noun): a situation in which a person or animal that might have a disease is kept separate from other people or animals so that they do not catch the disease - การกักบริเวณ, การจำกัดบริเวณ
  • refuse (verb): to say or show that you will not do something; to say or show that you will not do something that someone has asked you to do - ปฏิเสธ
  • state: government - รัฐ
  • undergo: to experience something which is unpleasant or which involves a change - ประสบ (เหตุการณ์ในด้านลบ)

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