Anti-government hashtags continue to trend for second consecutive day

Anti-government hashtags continued to trend for a second successive day in Thailand as the outrage over the government mismanagement of a coronavirus scandal continued unabated.

The controversy stemmed largely from the case of an Egyptian military official who was allowed to enter the country and stay at a Rayong hotel before transiting to China for a military drill. The Egyptian official later tested positive for coronavirus.

Unlike the rest of the returning population who have to isolate in state quarantine for 14 days, the Egyptian officer and his delegation was able to transit freely because of his military status.

As a result, over a thousand people in Rayong have had to self-isolate for 14 days and the city could be under lockdown should more cases get discovered.

Two hashtags trended on Twitter from Tuesday night to Wednesday #รัฐบาลหัวควย (the government is a dick) and #ประยุทธ์ออกไป (Prayut get out).

Many internet users used the hashtag to express their displeasure at the government being held to a different standard to the rest of the population. Many families and students have been stuck overseas as Thailand slowly repatriated its citizens citing the limited amount of space in state quarantine.

That the government allowed foreign dignitaries to travel freely in and out of the country was a particular source of ire for the commenters.

The government apologized on Tuesday for the foul up with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha offering his personal apology to the nation.

But for many internet users it was too little, too late.

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