Thailand’s Emergency Decree, invoked since March 24th, 2020 and extended 19 times, as a measure to contain the spread of COVID-19, will end on September 30th.
As a result, the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will be automatically dissolved, said CCSA Spokesman Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, adding that all the regulations, announcements and orders issued by the prime minister and the cabinet under the decree will also be revoked.
The CCSA’s decision to revoke the Emergency Decree is, however, subject to cabinet approval, expected next Tuesday, according to General Supot Malaniyom, secretary-general of the National Security Council.
The revocation of the Emergency Decree will coincide with the reclassification of COVID-19, from a “dangerous infectious disease” to an “infectious disease under watch” by the National Communicable Disease Committee, and Thailand entering a post-pandemic era on October 1st.
After the dissolution of the CCSA, Dr. Udom Kachinthorn said that the cabinet will designate the tasks, heretofore undertaken by the CCSA, to various ministries, pending the amendments to the Communicable Disease Act to replace the Emergency Decree.
Even if there is an outbreak of new COVID-19 variants, he said that precautionary measures have been put in place to cope with the situation and all the ministries concerned will be able to perform the CCSA’s tasks during the transition period.
Before the CCSA meeting today, Dr. Udom told the media that, from October 1st, there will be no longer be a need for checks of vaccination status or ATK tests, but people must take care of themselves by not lowering their guard.
People will have to live with COVID-19 for another year,until COVID-19 becomes an endemic disease like flu, he added.
He noted, however, that only between 30% and 40% of Thai people have received their third booster doses, which is still short of the target of at least 70%.
