Bangkok (VNA) - The Cabinet of Thailand on August 25 approved a one-month extension of the state ofemergency through September 30 to control the COVID-19 pandemic as the nation seeks to prolong its streak of goingthree months without a local infection.
TheCabinet’s move was in line with the proposal from the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said government spokesmanAnucha Burapachaisri.
Thepowers under the state of emergency, and its fifth extension since the initialorder in March, allow the government to act quickly in case of a crisis, headded.
TheCabinet also approved keeping the value-added tax rate at 7 percent for another year through September 2021, according toRatchada Thanadirek, another government spokesperson.
PrimeMinister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s Cabinet also approved a budget of 1 billion baht (31.7 million USD) to support production of a vaccine.
As of August 25, Thailand hasreported 3,402 COVID-19 infection cases, including 58 deaths./.
