Bangkok –
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul today, May 31st, insisted that people should not remove their facial masks now and should only take them off when they are with acquaintances/family at home.
The Minister spoke again after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O’Cha disagreed with the mask mandate being removed during this time period when being asked about the Public Health Ministry’s proposal for a facial mask removal in June to the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
When asked a similar question this morning, Anutin, whose department had proposed the mandate end and who previously said that it will be up to the individual’s consideration of the situation to wear facial masks after the proposal was approved, said that it is better to wear the masks for now and only take them off only when at home with friends and family. He also stated that wearing a mask helped make others feel safe and comfortable and it wasn’t just about the wearer.
Meanwhile, the Government spokesman, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, stated this morning that there was no official policy to lift the mask mandate and encouraged people to keep wearing masks in all public areas, even if alone.
The proposal is set to go before the CCSA sometime in June, however, with both the Prime Minister and the Health Minister stating they disagree with the removal of the mask mandate, even outdoors, at this time it looks like it will not be going away at this time. The Prime Minister, TPN media notes, also leads the CCSA and is the ultimate decision maker on proposals.
