7-Elevens Now Included in City Hall’s Coronavirus Timeline

A medical worker monitors security cameras at Thammasat University Field Hospital for coronavirus patients on Jan. 11, 2021.

BANGKOK — The Bangkok City Hall appears to have ended its controversial policy of omitting the mention of convenience stores owned by an influential conglomerate in its travel history of coronavirus patients.

A travel timeline of an infected student published by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration now includes mentions of 7-Elevens at MBK and Victory Monument. A health official from the City Hall previously told Khaosod English that the convenience store chain operated by CP All wasn’t included in its timelines due to fears of possible legal action – a revelation that prompted much criticism online.

The unnamed student, who was dubbed “Patient 293,” reportedly visited 7-Eleven stores at Victory Monument and MBK shopping mall multiple times from Dec. 15 to Dec. 26. He later tested positive for the coronavirus on Jan. 4, after losing a sense of taste and smell.

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A total of 157 new COVID infections were recorded on Wednesday, including 24 in the capital city alone, according to the government pandemic center.

The latest figures brought the tally of confirmed coronavirus cases in Thailand to 10,991. More than half of the accumulated cases – 6,753 – were found since the second wave of the outbreak surfaced on Dec. 15.

“It’s not even been a month,” center spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin said at today’s news conference. “Every province has a risk.”

Taweesin said that 80 percent of people in high-infection areas like Samut Sakhon, the epicenter of the current wave, would need to use field hospitals.

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However, the spokesman also said the 157 new infections showed a trend of lowering, or “stabilizing” infections since recent spikes. Tuesday saw 287 infections, while Monday saw 249. No new deaths were reported on Wednesday.

“All Thais working together to pull the curve flat on the graph. Thank you all,” he said.

New infections reported today include a 9 month old girl in Bangkok, and 25 new patients in Samut Sakhon ranging from 5 to 59 years old. Of the 25, 24 are Thai nationals and one of them a Myanmar citizen.