COVID-19 App Will Track Business Customers, Gov’t Says

Officials inspect shopping malls in Chonburi province on May 14, 2020.

BANGKOK (Xinhua) — Thailand’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Thursday said that a tracing application, named Thai Chana (Thai Victory), has been developed and will be introduced to all business operators that will resume business on May 17 in the Second Phase easing of the lockdown restrictions.

CCSA spokesman Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin said that businesses can register online for the application and will receive a QR code, which can be posted in front of their premises for customers to scan when entering and exiting.

With the online tracing system, customers can be tracked and text messages will be sent to them in case they need to be tested, if a customer visiting the same venue has tested positive for COVID-19.

All business operators, even street food vendors, can register for the system.

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Also, the Thai Chana application is also able to inform customers if the shops they plan to visit, are crowded or not.

Taweesin said the Thai Chana app would serve 70 to 80 percent of the people who use mobile phones.

The application will facilitate the government’s attempts to quickly track people infected with COVID-19 and those in close contact with them.

The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society said Thai Chana app will be launched this Friday.

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Taweesin also said that customers could also use the app to tell the government if the shops they visited followed COVID-19 control measures.

He assured that customers’ privacy would be protected.

Only the Disease Control Department would have access to customers’ information, Taweesin said.