As public panic in Bangkok, Thailand ensued this week after Thai authorities announced there was a “cluster” of coronavirus infections linked to Siam Paragon, Siam Center and Siam Discovery malls, mall operators came out today saying staff at the Pathumwan area malls are not Covid-19 spreaders.
In a statement, by Siam Paragon, Siam Center and Siam Discovery, mall operators insisted only 129 people have been infected with Covid-19 in the last two months out of more than 35,000 working at the three malls.
That is fewer than 0.5% of all staff, both full and part-time, working at the malls.
They also stressed the malls are correctly disinfected per recommended guidelines at the end of every day, and that staff are some of those being vaccinated at the Siam Paragon vaccination site.
CCSA graphic points to Siam Paragon, Siam Center and Siam Discovery
The panic over infections in the Pathumwan area ensued after a briefing on Friday by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), during which a graphic was shown with arrows pointing to Siam Paragon, Siam Center and Siam Discovery malls.
129 infections were said to have been recorded in that area.
As the mall operators explained later, most of the 129 found to have been infected with Covid-19 more than likely caught the virus at their accommodations or while they were going about their daily lives.
After all, just like in every case of Covid worldwide, it is impossible for anyone to pinpoint where an infection occurred, and infections occur everywhere — in private accommodation, on public transportation, in shops, restaurants, offices and schools.
With Thailand’s economy already devastated by the government’s ongoing lockout of international visitors for almost 15 months, the last thing Siam Paragon, Siam Center and Siam Discovery needs then is for a panic caused by the CCSA that could deter people from visiting the malls.
Should that occur, the jobs of 35,000 people could be at risk.
This is also the second time in just two days the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has caused a public panic connected to Bangkok shopping malls.
On Wednesday, they announced 23 infections had been linked to a shopping complex in the Lad Prao area of the city.
They did not, however, name a specific shopping complex leading operators of complexes in the area to deny any connection to, the infections.
The following day, the CCSA was forced to clarify their comments, and name the specific mall.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s current total case count of Covid-19 infections is 174,796, with 2,817 new cases recorded today. Daily recoveries are now higher than new cases, however, which is one piece of good news surrounding the Covid-19 virus in Thailand.
