A customer communicates to a bank teller through a plasic screen to prevent coronavirus infection in Bangkok on April 6, 2020.

BANGKOK (Xinhua) — The Thai government on Monday categorically dismissed rumors that a 24-hour curfew would shortly be imposed nationwide from the upcoming Friday, compared to the six-hour curfew currently.

Thaveesilp Wisanuyothin, spokesman of the government-run Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), dismissed the 24-hour curfew rumors widely circulated in social media. A daily curfew between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. were imposed from April 2.

Read: Prayut Says 24-Hour Curfew May Follow as 4 New Virus Deaths Reported

Thaveesilp commented such unconfirmed hearsay may have stemmed from a written directive recently sent from the Ministry of Interior’s Permanent Secretary Chatchai Phromlert to all provincial governors calling for “preparations to upgrade the measures and operations” against the COVID-19 pandemic at local level throughout the country.

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Many people may have been misled or misinterpreted the message as a step to be promptly taken in advent of curfew around the clock, according to the CCSA spokesman.

Thailand has reported 51 new cases on Monday. Given the number of cases reported on daily basis by the Ministry of Public Health, no such thing as a 24-hour curfew will be declared anytime soon, according to the CCSA spokesman.

Thaveesilp commented such unconfirmed rumors have merely sent panics and that those who might share untruthful, misleading content such as the 24-hour curfew could possibly be faced with severe legal penalties under current emergency rule.