Thailand expands lockdown areas as Covid-19 cases surge

BANGKOK (REUTERS) - Thailand on Sunday (July 18) announced an expansion of coronavirus restrictions that include travel curbs, mall closures and a night-time curfew to three more provinces after the country reported a third consecutive day of record case numbers.

The country reported 11,397 infections and 101 deaths on Sunday, bringing the cumulative total to 403,386 cases and 3,341 fatalities, the vast majority from an outbreak since early April that is being fuelled by the highly transmissible Alpha and Delta Covid-19 variants.

Shopping malls will be closed and a 9pm-4am curfew will be imposed from Tuesday onwards in Chonburi, Ayutthaya and Chachoengsao provinces, an announcement on the official Royal Gazette on Sunday showed.

Bangkok and nine other provinces have already been under these restrictions, the toughest in more than a year, since last Monday, as the country battles its longest-running and most severe outbreak so far.

The government earlier said it was planning to introduce more restrictions on movement as the surging number of cases, which continue to rise despite the partial lockdowns in high-risk areas, had stretched healthcare capacity and health officials warned that the severe outbreak could continue for months.

Thai youth activists vowed to stage a protest on Sunday to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, despite a nationwide ban on public gatherings imposed by the government amid surging coronavirus cases.

Youth-led demonstrations last year attracted hundreds of thousands of people across the country, but their momentum has stalled after the authorities began cracking down on rallies and detaining protest leaders, and after new waves of Covid-19 infections broke out.

Last year, protests also broke traditional taboos by openly criticising the king, an offence under the country's strict lese majeste law that makes insulting or defaming the king, queen, heir and regent punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Most of the protest leaders who were detained have been released on bail and some took part in anti-government protests last month.

"We have to drive out Prayut even if my bail is revoked," said protest leader Arnon Nampa, ahead of the planned Sunday march from Democracy Monument to Government House in Bangkok.

The protest will also mark the one-year anniversary of the first large-scale street protests led by youth groups demanding Mr Prayut resign, a new constitution and a major reform to the monarchy.

The Thai government has earlier imposed a new nationwide ban on public gatherings of more than five people that carries a maximum penalty of a two-year jail term or a fine of up to 40,000 baht (S$1,656), or both.

The country reported a third straight day of record new cases on Sunday.

The police urged people not to join the protest and warned that those who breached the law and cause unrest will face charges.

Street protests against the Prime Minister have been held in recent weeks by several groups, including Mr Prayut's former political allies, as frustrations grow over the mounting wave of infections and prolonged pandemic damage to the economy.