CHON BURI: Eighty-three Thai students who returned from Italy have been released after undergoing a mandatory 14-day quarantine at the Royal Thai Navy's reception centre in Sattahip set up to screen Thai returnees from countries hard hit by Covid-19.
The students, who were from various parts of the country, had been studying in Italy under the American Field Service (AFS) cultural exchange programme. Seventy-seven arrived in at U-tapao airport in Sattahip on a flight from Italy on March 15 and the rest joined them later.
Yesterday morning, they were taken by buses and vans chartered by the navy to bus stations in Bangkok and Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports en route to their hometowns. They were then to enter self-isolation for a further 14 days as stipulated in orders issued under the emergency decree by the governors of their respective provinces.
Provincial public health chief Apirat Katanyutanon thanked the navy and health personnel for their help, and also thanked residents of Sattahip, host district of the facility. All had been tested three times for the virus and the results were negative, he added. Dr Apirat advised them to stay at home once they reached their destinations.
Writing on behalf of all parents, Jitra Padungsak, mother of Ruangrungkham Khamsom, also known as Khwankhao, a student from Lampang, on Facebook posted thanks to AFS Thailand, the Thai embassy in Rome, the navy, the Public Health Ministry and other concerned agencies for bringing their children home from coronavirus-ravaged Italy.