Several Inmates Escape Thai Prison Amid Riot Over COVID-19 Fears - Justice Minister

BANGKOK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th March, 2020) Riots erupted in a prison in the northeastern Thai province of Buri Ram due to fears among inmates of a COVID-19 outbreak in the facility, Thai Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin said on Sunday, adding that several prisoners have managed to escape.

"A large group of prisoners staged riots and started a fire in a prison in Buri Ram. The fire began in the prison canteen at a time when many security officers were busy installing isolation cells for patients with infectious diseases,"� Somsak said during a news report broadcast on the NBT channel.

According to the minister, who is also in charge for the detention facilities, the unrest began as rumors spread in the prison about several inmates allegedly being infected with the novel coronavirus.

He said the situation was already under control at this moment and an investigation underway.

"During the riot and the fire, several inmates escaped. There is no exact information about the number of fugitives yet, but seven of them have already been caught," Somsak said.

As per the Thai Ministry of Public Health, there are only two inmates with verified COVID-19 across the country's detention facilities. Since last week, the Thai government has banned visits of family and friends to prisons until further notice.

The COVID-19 tally in Thailand is 1,388 cases, including seven fatalities and 97 recoveries, as of Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University.