Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha has ordered the country's healthcare institutions to prepare for a surge in COVID-19 infection after celebrating Songkran when people return to work. Songkran was celebrated from April 13 to 17.
As of April 17, 128 new deaths related to COVID-19 have been registered and 17,775 new cases of infection have been registered.
The number of new cases of COVID-19 infection has continued to decline over the past two weeks, while mortality is slowly increasing.
Health authorities have constantly warned about a possible increase in morbidity during Songkran, when Thais traditionally return to their home provinces for the Thai New Year.
The Ministry of Health recommends that people monitor their well-being during the week after the holidays for signs of illness and do not go to work at this time.
Some doctors in Thailand predict that daily cases could reach 100,000 within a few months after Songkran.