Thailand worries about weekend holiday trips

The break will see Thais returning en masse to their rural family homes from the cities where many work. A spokesman for the COVID-19 center, Taweesin Witsanuyothin, said the risk of spreading the virus during the weekend "is our real concern.” The Transport Ministry says it's preparing for 7.6 million people traveling between provinces.

Thai authorities are urging vigilance as the country celebrates its first long holiday weekend after lifting most COVID-19 restrictions. The break will see Thais returning en masse to their rural family homes from the cities where many work.

A spokesman for the COVID-19 center, Taweesin Witsanuyothin, said the risk of spreading the virus during the weekend "is our real concern.” The Transport Ministry says it's preparing for 7.6 million people traveling between provinces. As part of the easing of restrictions, Bangkok's elevated Skytrain no longer requires that sitting passengers keep an empty seat between them and that all keep a meter (3.2 feet) from each other.

Thailand has had 3,180 confirmed cases of COVID-19 including 58 deaths. For more than five weeks, the small number of new cases has been limited to infected Thais returning from abroad..