On July 14, 2020, at 11:30 AM, at the Government House, the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), represented by Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, CCSA spokesperson, announced the results of a special meeting of the small CCSA committee regarding the case of an Egyptian soldier testing positive for COVID-19 in Rayong province. The meeting approved three resolutions as follows:

1. The CCSA will review the relaxation of quarantine measures for individuals in diplomatic missions, particularly spouses, parents, or children of such individuals.

2. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is instructed to cancel the previously approved entry permits for eight flights of the Egyptian Air Force (July 17-20 and July 25-29, 2020).

3. The approval for relaxed entry into the Kingdom under State Quarantine measures as per provisions 12 (2), (3), and (11) will be postponed, and the control measures will be reviewed for stricter enforcement.

"We would like to take this time to review the entire system to reassure the public before allowing foreign nationals to enter, and we will examine the details more thoroughly than before,"

Provision 12 (2) states that individuals with exemptions or cases designated by the Prime Minister or the head responsible for emergency situation management may be allowed to enter the Kingdom as necessary, with conditions and timeframes possibly specified.

(3) Individuals in diplomatic missions, consulates, international organizations, or representatives of foreign governments or agencies working in Thailand, as well as their spouses, parents, or children.

And (11) non-Thai nationals permitted to enter the Kingdom under special arrangements or short-term business travelers.

As for the daily COVID-19 infection situation, there were 7 new cases reported, 6 from Egypt, 1 from the United States, all in state quarantine facilities, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 3,227. There were no additional deaths, maintaining the total at 58, with 3,091 recoveries and 78 patients currently hospitalized.

"Prayuth, CCSA Chairman, takes responsibility for the Egyptian soldier's COVID-19 case, orders strict measures on all flights"

On the same day, General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, stated after a Cabinet meeting regarding the COVID-19 case involving the Egyptian soldier in Rayong that it should not have happened, as it shows a lack of respect for regulations and discipline, and a disregard for the public interest. As the director of the CCSA, he takes responsibility for this matter, but emphasized the importance of finding ways to close any loopholes.

"Today, we have sent a team to gather in-depth information and check contact areas, as well as register entries and exits on the Thai Chana platform. Additionally, further testing will be conducted for those who had contact and those concerned about being in the area during that time to ensure everyone feels as comfortable and secure as possible."

He also instructed the CCSA to review the relaxation measures for embassies, emphasizing that all ambassadors must comply with regulations. The approval for flights from abroad, whether military or otherwise, must adhere to established measures. It is irresponsible to breach agreements and regulations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been tasked to discuss with embassies and ambassadors to prevent such incidents from occurring again. All flights of this nature have been suspended, and no approvals will be granted until rectifications are made. The CCSA has not halted these matters.

"We should have confidence that our public health standards can accommodate this, but it should not have happened. I apologize to the Thai people and will ensure that we address many issues that have arisen unexpectedly, some of which were unforeseen or due to certain shortcomings. I emphasized in the Cabinet meeting that the CCSA must rectify and review everything, especially the relaxation measures, as they impact public confidence and safety, which should not have occurred. I assure you that we will do our best and ask for time for the CCSA to resolve these issues," General Prayuth stated.

Another concern is the laxity in various sectors, both among the public and businesses. I have emphasized the need for stricter monitoring, especially in nightlife venues, pubs, and bars, which must be closed immediately if they do not rectify their practices. This is a collaborative effort; if they do not comply, they must be suspended until corrections are made. I reiterate the importance of wearing masks, hand washing, checking in on the Thai Chana platform, and maintaining social distancing. We have seen that our efforts have resulted in maintaining one of the highest public health safety standards in the world.

Regarding vaccines, progress is being made, and preparations are underway for human trials. We need to find thousands of volunteers to test the vaccine and must submit it for verification with foreign countries. If we can achieve this among the top in the world, it will be a point of pride for Thailand, and importantly, it will ensure Thailand's safety from this disease. Thanks to the medical teams, especially Chulalongkorn Hospital and many other hospitals that have contributed.

When asked whether a lockdown prohibiting foreign nationals from entering would be implemented, General Prayuth stated that a review would be conducted first. If we say to close everything, we must find measures appropriate to the situation. We are currently monitoring where people are going and if there are any infections. I ask the public to help monitor this as it depends on many individuals. If everyone does not follow the regulations, the system will face issues. The military aircraft was only meant to transit; they were supposed to leave immediately but ended up staying overnight and were taken to hotels by a company. According to regulations, they must stay in hotels, but it appears there was inadequate control. I have ordered strict measures in all areas to prevent any setbacks in our progress.

Regarding the reception of tourists, I have already instructed the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to prepare in advance. The approval or disapproval will depend on the situation both domestically and internationally. We will not rush; otherwise, problems will arise again. If a large number of people enter and some do not adhere to discipline, issues will occur. Therefore, we will not relax in this area, but we are not at the point of a complete lockdown or prohibition. We must find stringent measures in sensitive areas, such as for diplomatic staff, families, state quarantine, and VIP business travelers. We need to review the measures, ensure staff readiness, and ensure sufficient testing supplies at all airports.

When asked if flights should be completely suspended from entering the country, General Prayuth stated that we need to review for a short period to identify any loopholes in the measures. It is not about closing the airport but rather a slight delay to determine what appropriate measures can be taken. For cases like this that should not have occurred, we need to consider how to address them. We cannot completely stop everything because many are waiting to return to Thailand, and various businesspeople still need to come to oversee their operations. Diplomats must travel, and leaders must meet for high-level discussions. These require strict measures, but we should not blacklist those countries.

When asked if the extension of the Emergency Decree would be reconsidered, General Prayuth replied, "We are not discussing that yet; there is still a month left. If we talk about it now, it will become another issue. We will monitor the situation, okay?"

Regarding border enforcement, the Prime Minister stated that strict measures must be applied everywhere. The key issue lies with people; there are a number of officials overseeing the borders. Today, officials have set up barbed wire fences and are enhancing surveillance with cameras and drones. They must act quickly because people used to cross the water, and now they are doing so again. It is crucial to track these individuals, but I sympathize with them as they are also in distress. Thailand is the safest, but they must enter through the correct channels.