The Defence Ministry will donate 20 mobile negative pressure cabinets to Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Myanmar to support their efforts to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Negative pressure cabinets allow medical staff to safely collect respiratory secretions from patients infected with Covid-19.
Ministry spokesman, Lt Gen Kongcheep Tantravanich, said on Wednesday that the donation reflected the necessity for joint regional efforts to fight Covid-19.
Each cabinet consists of a plastic frame with a transparent enclosure, and pressure and disease transmission control system. Lt Gen Kongcheep said that military medical units in the four neighbouring countries could use the mobile cabinets at their hospitals.
The spokesman of Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), Taweesilp Visanuyothin, said that at the CCSA agreed to extend an emergency decree for another month to curb the spread of Covid-19. He said the CCSA will propose this to the cabinet meeting on Oct 27.
He said numerous countries expressed their desire to obtain Special Tourist Visas, corresponding with the Thai government's intention to attract more travellers. It also planned to allow flight transit in airports, as well as yachts and cruise ships to bring passengers into the country that can generate over two billion baht in income.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a press briefing on Wednesday that the first group of Chinese travellers entered the country on Tuesday and another group of foreign tourists are coming after the Thai government lifted the travel ban to restore the economy reeling from the pandemic.
However, he would like to assure the government has followed all health measures such as the 14-day quarantine that will prevent the spread of Covid-19. The 40 Chinese visitors from Guangzhou will be accommodated so that the disease control measures will be as pleasant as possible. He added the ministry plans to shorten the quarantine period to 10 days for tourists so that the country can welcome more tourists in the future.
"No matter what, we still believe in quarantine, what we have done in the last six months. Our quarantine system has shown we have the ability to control the spread of the disease 100%. It's rare that those who finish quarantine spread the disease," he said.