BANGKOK, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was fined 6,000 baht (about 191 U.S. dollars) on Monday for not wearing a face mask, a measure aimed at helping contain the country's most severe coronavirus outbreak so far.
Prayut was fined for violating a rule, effective from Monday, as he removed his face mask while presiding over a meeting Monday at the Government House, Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said in a post on his Facebook account.
To contain the third wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, as of Monday, Bangkok and 47 other provinces have made mask wearing compulsory both in public places and outside residences. Violators may be subject to a fine of up to 20,000 baht.
As of Monday, Thailand's total caseload has risen to 57,508, nearly doubled from the beginning of this month. (1 USD equals 31.45 Thai Baht) Enditem
