Justice minister in isolation after aide infected with Covid-19

Justice minister in isolation after aide infected with Covid-19

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin. (File photo)
Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin. (File photo)

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin has placed himself in 14-day home isolation after one of his associates was diagnosed infected with Covid-19.

Mr Somsak announced he was in home quarantine on Wednesday, after the CSI LA Facebook page disclosed that a close aide of Mr Somsak was found infected with the virus and had earlier dined with the minister at Cafe De Tree restaurant in Sukhothai on April 12.

The justice minister said he did go to the restaurant that day and met several close associates.

Beforehand, he had checked with the public health office and was assured that eating in a reastaurant was not banned. He returned home after spending a short time at the restaurant.

Mr Somsak said he returned to Bangkok on April 14. On April 19 he heard that one of the associates he met at the restaurant had Covid-19.

He immediately ordered his office to advise Government House that he would be absent from the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. He called doctors from the Corrections Hospital to test all people living in his house, including himself, for the virus.

On April 20, the test results came back. All were negative.

A second round of testing was scheduled for April 27. In the meantime, he would remain in 14-day home isolation, Mr Somsak said.

Mr Somsak received a first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine on March 16, along with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and some other cabinet ministers.

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