BANGKOK • Thailand is considering an extension of its state of emergency to Sept 30 to prevent a second wave of coronavirus cases, as it reports its first Covid-19 case outside the state quarantine area after almost three months without a local infection.

The one-month extension, when approved by the Cabinet, would be the fifth since the initial order in March.

The emergency allows the government to enforce mandatory quarantines and streamline disease-control plans without multiple approvals from various agencies, according to General Natthapol Nakpanich, deputy army chief and deputy leader of the national Covid-19 task force.

Officials are wary as the virus re-emerged recently in places including Vietnam and New Zealand. Also, a student-led protest movement sweeping Thailand could make it difficult to control spreading if an outbreak occurs.

"The worry is that many people will be too complacent after seeing no new cases in the country for many days," Gen Natthapol said, adding that the extension of emergency rules will help the authorities to control risks but will not affect peoples' daily lives or their right to protest.

A crowd of more than 10,000 people held a demonstration in Bangkok on Sunday, one of the largest protests in recent years, to demand an end to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's military-led administration and call for the monarchy's powers to be reined in.

While most protesters wear masks, they do not follow physical-distancing practices.

But health officials said they are preparing for a possible second wave and drafting action plans.

Thailand has detected 3,382 infections so far, with new cases in recent weeks found in people already in state quarantine after returning from abroad.

Breaking a streak of more than 80 days without any new cases from community transmission detected, a Thai returnee from Dubai, who spent 14 days in state quarantine before being released, returned with symptoms yesterday, said the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok.

"The detection of new local cases won't be a shock or a surprise. It could happen," said Dr Tanarak Plipat, deputy head of the disease control department at the Health Ministry. "The focus will be on avoiding a large outbreak in the country."

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said yesterday that Thailand will introduce more stimulus measures to boost tourism, jobs and consumption hit hard by the pandemic.

South-east Asia's second-largest economy suffered its biggest contraction since the 1998 Asian financial crisis in the second quarter as the pandemic put the brakes on vital tourism and domestic activity.

With borders closed to foreign visitors since April, the government plans more incentives to spur local tourism and add more jobs, while other measures will be decided later, Mr Supattanapong told a briefing. The tourism and employment perks are expected to be put to Cabinet for approval next week, he said.

BLOOMBERG, REUTERS, THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK