Violators of social distancing measures and other rules deployed to fight the coronavirus outbreak will face immediate legal action, the security chief of the Covid-19 fighting agency warned on Sunday after fans mobbed a cinema.
His warning was issued after fans thronged Paragon Cineplex on Friday evening for a promotional meet-and-greet event with Anan "Ying" Wong and Wanarat "War" Ratsameerat. The acting duo have appeared together in many TV series, with En of Love the latest.
Photos on social media showed fans of the duo tightly packed teogether to take photos with their idols wihout regard for social distancing rules.
Defence Forces chief Pornpipat Benyasri said all businesses must comply with the rules on screening visitors and enforcing social distancing standards to prevent the comeback of the virus, according to Maj Gen Theerapong Patamasing Na Ayutthaya, the Royal Thai Armed Forces spokesman.
Any businesses violating the measures will face the maximum legal penalty, added Gen Pornpipat, who is in charge of security for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
Siam Piwat Co, the operator of Siam Paragon, on Saturday ordered the cinema complex in the shopping centre to close for three days from Sunday to improve safety and health measures for moviegoers in the wake of the incident. It also apologised for the "inappropriate" use of the space, resulting in safety rules set by the company being ignored.
The theatres at Siam Paragon are owned by Major Group, which rents the space from Siam Piwat. Major Group, a listed company on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, posted a Facebook message apologising for the event and saying it placed great importance on the welfare of moviegoers.
Cinemas are among the mild-risk businesses allowed to reopen on June 1 after a decline of new coronavirus patients and deaths in the country. But they have been ordered to maintain safety measures as the restrictions are eased.
The CCSA plans to open higher-risk businesses such as daycare service centres and nightclubs in the next stage, providing Covid-19 numbers remain low.
