A riot policeman deployed at anti-government protests in Bangkok after visiting his home in Samut Sakhon province last month has tested positive for Covid-19, according to his supervisor.
Pol Col Ekapop Tanprayoon, head of Wang Thonglang station, said yesterday that Pol Sen Sgt Maj Somyot Nuamcharoen sought a Covid-19 test at a hospital on Tuesday. The result came back positive on Wednesday.
The station chief ordered the disinfection of Wang Thonglang station and items which the infected policeman had handled, while colleagues who had worked closely with him were ordered to quarantine.
Pol Sen Sgt Maj Somyot had returned to his home province of Samut Sakhon, the epicentre of the second Covid-19 wave, on Feb 18, where he met up with friends. One later tested positive for Covid-19 and informed him of the result on Tuesday, he said. The policeman had returned to Bangkok on Feb 19 and the following day was deployed to a protest site outside parliament.
On Sunday, he was among riot police assigned to the protest site outside the 1st Infantry Regiment barracks on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Bangkok.
On Monday, Pol Sen Sgt Maj Somyot played football in the compound of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority on Rama IX Road, Pol Col Ekapop said.
Director-general of the Department of Disease Control Opas Karnkawinpong said only the family and colleagues of the officer are considered high risk, but not the protesters, especially if the officer wore a face mask. But those who think they might be infected can take the test.
He said many protesters wanted to protect their identities so wore face masks, which has eased his worries to some extent.
Meanwhile, the organiser of the Miss Grand International 2020 beauty pageant announced that two contestants, from Nigeria and Kenya, have tested positive for Covid-19. Both were admitted to Piyavej Hospital for treatment.
