Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has urged Thai people to keep their guard up again and exercise more caution, as well as maintaining discipline, in order to prepare for a second wave of COVID-19 infection.
In his statement televised nationwide on the Television Pool of Thailand on 17 September 2020, the Prime Minister warned the various groups of demonstrators that holding their rallies at such a time could increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission enormously.
This situation could adversely affect the livelihoods of tens of millions of Thai people. It could also even lead to economic difficulties.
The Prime Minister pointed out that he respected the opinions of the demonstrators and heard their grievances and frustration concerning political issues and the Constitution.
He said that Thailand was facing the pain from economic destruction caused by the global COVID-19 situation. It needed to urgently tackle economic problems first, and the demonstrators should not worsen the economic situation.
He urged all Thai people to get through this global crisis together, before coming back to political issues. He said that demonstrations might lead to political turbulence that would delay economic recovery, erode the confidence of business people, and affect tourist arrivals.
The Prime Minister also called for joint efforts and cooperation from everyone to overcome the fight against COVID-19.
