SURAT THANI: An Israeli tourist arrested on Koh Samui after leaving his Bangkok quarantine hotel without a Covid-19 clearance was flown to Bangkok on Monday night for legal proceedings.
Ohad Baruch, 29, arrived in Thailand on Dec 17 on a Test & Go travel package. He quarantined overnight at a hotel in the Sukhumvit area, pending an RT-CPR test result, but did not wait for the result. He left the hotel and went to Koh Samui in the South.
Thong Lor police in Bangkok obtained a warrant from the South Bangkok District Court for his arrest on Dec 21.
On Dec 22, Mr Baruch surrendered to police at a restaurant at Bang Rak beach in tambon Bo Phut.
He was given three RT-CPR tests on Koh Samui and the results were negative. Regradless, he had since been kept in quarantine at Koh Samui Hospital.
On Monday, about 6pm, Koh Samui tourist police took him from the hospital to Samui airport.
Mr Baruch was flown in police custody from Samui on Bangkok Airways Flight PG 172, which departed at 9.40pm and landed at Suvarnabhumi airport about 10pm. He was handed over to Thong Lor police.
He is charged with violating Covid-control measures issued under Section 9 of the 2015 Executive Decree for Administration in Emergency Situations. The offence carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and/or fine of 40,000 baht.