Two schools close in city because of virus scares

Two schools in Bangkok, Samsenwittayalai and Sainampeung, will be closed on Wednesday as a result of coronavirus scares.

Samsenwittayalai School announced its closure on its Facebook page on Tuesday, saying the decision came after its board learned that a Mathayom 2 student and his family stayed at the same hotel in Rayong where a visiting Egyptian soldier who later tested positive for Covid-19 was staying.

On July 8, an Egyptian military delegation arrived at U-Tapao airport in Rayong and stayed for a few days before resuming its journey back home.

Twenty seven of the 31-strong group broke self-quarantine rules by visiting a shopping mall in the area before they left the country on Saturday.

One of the soldiers was later found to be infected with the coronavirus. In response, the Centre for the Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) criticised the Egyptian embassy for arranging hotel accommodation for members of the delegation instead of putting them in a state-approved quarantine facility.

According to Thai Airways International (THAI), seven ground crew members have been placed under a 14-day quarantine period and will be tested for Covid-19, after coming into contact with the Egyptian military delegation.

Similarly, Sainampeung School announced on Facebook that it will be closed from today until Friday after the daughter of a Sudanese diplomat living in a condominium on Sukhumvit 26 was found to be infected with the virus.

The school said the closure is in accordance with Education Ministry regulations.

Students will learn through the internet at home, while staff members with urgent tasks will be on duty, as usual, it said.

In other news, the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) plans to ask the CCSA to consider scrapping social distancing policies in schools with no recorded Covid-19 infections.

Amnat Wichayanuwat, secretary-general of Obec, said schools under its jurisdiction, except the one in Rayong, have not had problems since the new term began July 1.

Mr Amnat said the agency will assess the situation again after one month and propose a plan to the CCSA to increase the number of students in uninfected areas.