OREANDA-NEWS. The Thai authorities for the third time extended the temporary ban on the arrival at the country's airports of all international passenger flights as part of the fight against the spread of the new coronavirus. This is stated in a decree issued on Monday by the Civil Aviation Administration of the kingdom.

According to the document, the ban on international passenger flights arriving in Thailand, which was initially introduced from April 4 to 6, was extended until April 18, and then until April 30, will now be valid until May 31. The measure does not apply to state or military aircraft, emergency landing, humanitarian aid, medical and rescue flights, repatriation, and cargo aircraft. However, people arriving in Thailand using one of these methods should go to 14-day quarantine.

The initial restriction came into effect two days after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-Ocha asked him to temporarily postpone trips to Thailand in a televised address to the people. Thus, the government planned to buy time to prepare quarantine centers for new arrivals from abroad.