Navy Preps Virus Quarantine Center for ‘Little Ghosts’

A worker disinfects a tavern in Khon Kaen on March 6, 2020, after a "little ghost," or undocumented Thai worker returning from South Korea, ignored self-quarantine request and dined there.

BANGKOK (Xinhua) — The Thai navy has prepared a place in eastern Thailand for the quarantine of Thai nationals returning home from South Korea amid the COVID-19 outbreak, navy spokesman Vice Adm. Prachachart Sirisawat said on Thursday.

The navy’s place, which has several buildings normally used as reception houses for navy officers and guests on Ao Dong Tarn beach in the premises of Sattahip naval base in Chonburi province, has been prepared for use to quarantine some 200 people who will be among the Thais coming from South Korea, according to the navy spokesman.

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Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said several other military spots have been prepared for quarantine.

Thousands out of a total of over 22,000 Thai nationals, currently employed in South Korea, are expected to return home shortly while hundreds have already returned and have been thermo-scanned at airports. Nine of those returnees were found to have a fever and are currently quarantined for a 14-day period.

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Meanwhile, another four COVID-19 cases have been reported in Thailand, bringing the total to 47 on Thursday, according to Disease Control Department Director General Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai.