Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin has apologised on for sparking public uproar with his threat of prison for people who conceal their travel information.
Netizens vented anger after Taweesin announced
that people might be jailed for not installing the MorChana contact-tracing app on their phones. Social media users pointed out that many people don't have smartphones capable of running apps.
Taweesin responded by apologising for the confusion on
his personal Facebook. He clarified that the legal penalty only applied to Covid-positive individuals in the 28 red provinces who have no records of travel, including on the MorChana app. The penalty -- up to two years in jail and/or a maximum fine of
Bt40,000 -- would be strictly applied in the five locked down provinces of Samut Sakhon, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat, he said.
The MorChana app identifies the Covid status of users according to four colour codes -- from green for low
risk to red for high risk -- and tracks their location.