BANGKOK — The 151 soldiers returning from a military exercise in Hawaii may be held at the Suan Son Pradipat Resort in Hua Hin to observe their condition, a military commander said, though a receptionist at the resort said she hasn’t heard about the plan.
“We’re currently seeking permission to see if we should use state quarantine arranged by the government COVID-19 center,” 2nd Region Army commander Lt. Gen. Tanya Kiatisan said.
“We suggested using an army-run hotel,” the general said. “We will likely use Suan Son Pradipat since it has enough space for all the troops.”
The soldiers are currently in a joint military exercise with the U.S. army called Lightning Forge 2020 at the Schofield Barracks in Hawaii from July 1 to 21. They are scheduled to return on July 22.
The soldiers were initially meant to quarantine at Sripattana Hotel in Nakhon Ratchasima province before changing the venue due to inadequate space, Lt. Gen. Tanya said.
But a woman picking up the phone at the army resort Thursday who refused to give her name said that they could neither confirm nor deny anything about the troops staying there.
She said the hotel had not received specific orders about their quarantine yet.
The soldiers’ return comes just after an infected Egyptian military man who tested positive for COVID-19 was allowed to visit shopping malls in Rayong, shutting down local tourism and spurring thousands to isolate themselves.
A foreign diplomat who recently returned from Sudan and his infected 9-year-old daughter were also allowed to stay in their condo in Bangkok, officials said, causing much criticism.
