Back in mid-December last year, as Thais largely adapted to and enjoyed the "new normal", under the impression that Covid-19 had been placed under control, they were shocked with reports of a new outbreak in Samut Sakhon.
No one could have blamed them for their optimism, since all the figures regarding infection cases released by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) seemed favourable.
From one case, a woman, infections rose sharply, and Samut Sakhon, a tiny province where several thousand migrant workers work in the seafood industry, went into tight lockdown, followed by surrounding provinces including Bangkok, cascading like a domino effect. The government then conducted a crackdown on the labour-smuggling network, as the infection cluster was blamed on migrant workers.
Shortly before that, a dozen Thai workers who had returned from Myanmar's Tachilek, a Covid-19 hotspot, were found to have the virus.
Even this month, city areas close to Samut Sakhon like Bang Khun Thian and Bang Bon were still struggling with the virus threat.
However, this week, the country was reminded of the Samut Sakhon phenomenon again, with massive infections found among migrants at the Immigration Bureau's detention centres in Suan Phlu and Bang Khen.
On Saturday, it was reported that 297 migrant detainees tested positive for Covid-19. The following day, the number rose to nearly 400.
According to CCSA assistant spokeswoman Apisamai Srirangson, of tests conducted on 1,888 immigrants from March 11 until Saturday, 98 were positive. As of Tuesday, the accumulative number was nearly 400.
There are 1,615 immigration detainees at the detention centres, with Myanmar, the majority, followed by Vietnamese and Cambodian nationals.
In response, the two centres stopped accepting new detainees. Initially, a 120-bed field hospital was set up at the Royal Thai Police Sports Club on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road. As of yesterday, hospital capacity had doubled to 300 beds. But authorities did not provide updated infection cases.
While active case findings are under way, authorities have rushed to deny -- probably out of fears of creating a public panic -- that this is a third wave of the outbreak. They may argue that those migrants are contained in restricted areas, and there might be hope that infections could be limited.
But the fact is there are people who came into contact with the detained migrants, for example immigration police and cleaners who until last Saturday may not have protected themselves very well. If that is the case, some of those who picked up the virus inadvertently may have transmitted it to those around them, and this could well be a disaster.
There are reports that vaccinations have been provided to immigration officers who have been in contact with immigration detainees. But the number is too small; only 70 officers have been vaccinated.
There have been no reports of infections among immigration officers -- yet.
After the Samut Sakhon incident, it would be hoped authorities handling migrants could have done it better. This does not mean the migrants must face discrimination but, if common sense prevails, authorities have to take precautions and plug all the loopholes. If not, they run the risk of failing the public through complacency and carelessness.
What is needed now is damage control measures, quick and efficient.