The prime minister was fined for breaching the brand new rule that everyone must wear a mask in public after disregarding it in a fantastically public way.
Prayuth Chan-o-cha was slapped with a THB6,000 fine (US$190) after he drew scorn for posting a maskless photo taken at an 11am meeting today at the Government House, according to Bangkok Gov. Aswin Kwanmuang.
According to Aswin, Prayuth violated the Communicable Disease Act and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration regulations that masks be worn at all times one is outside their residence, including when traveling inside a private vehicle with others.
“The Metropolitan Police commander, Dusit Police officers and I arrived at the Government House, and the prime minister assented to being fined,” Aswin said in a social media post.
The news came hours after Prayuth posted a photo from the morning meeting on vaccine procurement he presided over. Coming on the heels of the mask mandate, it was met with derision as a callous disregard for even pretending the rules would apply to him. The photo is no longer available.
Some people replied to Aswin, asking that he publish a receipt of Prayuth’s fine when/if he actually pays it.
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