After a cluster of 22 new infections surfaced from a pageant in Thailand last month, authorities warned Thai beauty queens that they may face criminal penalties for not wearing masks.
Officers stated that thirteen participants and nine individuals involved with the Miss Grand Samut Sakhon pageant, which was held in late June at a Bangkok location, tested positive for the virus.
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Thailand is in the midst of a devastating third wave of infections, with 9,539 new cases and 86 deaths reported on Saturday.
“There are likely to be many people involved in the pageant including contestants who violated rules and regulations,” Piya Tawichai, deputy commissioner of the metropolitan police told reporters in Bangkok on Sunday.
The event was granted authorization, but organisers had to follow 20 specific conditions, including the wearing of masks, according to police.
The force stated that the organisers and participants in the province-level contest were being investigated and may face criminal penalties.
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“People who attended the pageant and did not wear masks also (breached) the emergency decree and diseases control laws,” Piya told AFP.
Finalists are seen in gowns and sashes in photos posted to the event’s Facebook page, with no masks or social distancing.
AFP sought pageant organisers for comment to no avail.
Late last week, the Thai government declared a curfew that would take effect on Monday in Bangkok and nine other hotspot regions, prohibiting residents from leaving their homes between the hours of 9 PM and 4 AM.
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Thailand has recorded a total of 336,371 cases, including 2,711 deaths. Since April, the majority of the infections have occurred.
The country is rapidly running out of hospital beds, and the Thai government is under fire for its sluggish vaccine rollout and lack of testing.
