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Thailand extends state of emergency as Covid-19 cases, deaths surge, SE Asia News & Top Stories

BANGKOK (BLOOMBERG, REUTERS) – Thailand will extend a nationwide state of emergency to tackle the coronavirus pandemic for another two months as the deadliest phase of the outbreak to hit the nation so far shows no signs of easing.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, headed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, on Friday (May 21) approved the extension of the emergency through the end of July, according to spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin.

The decree, which allows the government to streamline disease-control plans without multiple approvals from various agencies, has been in place since March last year.

Thailand is battling the third wave of outbreak that has quadrupled the nation’s case count in just seven weeks, with deaths jumping sevenfold. The wave of infections, which started in Bangkok’s night entertainment venues in early April, has now spread to crowded…

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