Kickboxing match in Bangkok leads to spike in infections

 Kickboxing aficionos came from all over Thailand to attend a major Muay Thai match at Bangkok's indoor Lumpini Stium on March 6. Dozens or more went home unknowingly carrying coronavirus.

wayward boxing fans led an inevitable rise in infections this month that forced government to abandon its less than sturdy approach to combating COVID-19 that has failed to inspire public confidence.

As of Friday, confirmed cases from three boxing stiums in Bangkok totaled 72, more than a fifth of national toll of 322. An actor, a major-general, a politician, a boxing trainer and a slew of ordinary fans are among coronavirus cases from March 6 event.

It's feared hundreds more in all corners of country could be viral time bombs. Health officials take threat seriously.

" more people who report mselves, easier it is for us to track down ors with virus before it's too late." said Dr. Thaveesin Visanuyothin, a spokesman for Public Health Ministry.

But even as Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha this past week announced measures to fight spre of COVID-19 — including postponing a major three-day holiday, shutting down schools and allowing provincial governors to close any garing spaces — he insisted country was not going into shutdown.

He told his countrymen crisis h not yet reached Phase 3, a pandemic that would be triggered by significant domestic transmission of virus. How that would be determined is hard to judge, especially because Prayuth's government has been criticized for a lack of transparency and consistency in releasing information.

Even a crackdown implemented this week on arrivals sends a mixed message. Inste of banning international flights, as several nations have done, foreign visitors must have health certificates affirming y are free of virus. requirement is impractical, because in many if not most countries, it's hard to even get tested without showing symptoms of illness.

Any illusion that Thailand would somehow avoid a spike in infections was dispelled this month with discovery of a cluster case from a single discrete source. infected people were a group of millennials who were reported to have been partying at an upmarket Bangkok nightspot with a visitor from Hong Kong. Health authorities scolded partygoers for sharing drinks and cigarettes.

Just days later, a local celebrity in Muay Thai circles posted a message on his Instagram account. Muay Thai is national sport, with a devoted fan base nationwide spanning social classes.

"This is NOT a joke, for those that have been in close contact with me last few days please take precautions. I have Covid-19 virus#covid 19," said March 13 message from Matw Deane Chanthavanij, next to a video of him wearing a black surgical mask.

Some people initially derided his post as a publicity stunt, for which he could be criminally prosecuted. It also exposed a second, potentially more dangerous cluster: Lumpini Stium boxing crowd.

Matw Deane, as he is usually called, is an actor, model, singer and athlete. 41-year-old Australian-born Eurasian is also a serious devotee of Muay Thai, and even owns a boxing gym.

He was a master of ceremonies at Lumpini Stium match, stepping into ring to interview boxers and promoters and hand out prizes to winners of a raffle.

air-conditioned hall was hosting first big Muay Thai event of season. Eleven bouts started at 6 p.m and ended just after midnight. crowd of about 5,000 roared every time punches and kicks were exchanged.

“We were squeezed against each or. Normally place isn't that crowded,” said Suwan Jitpinit, who traveled from his hometown in Sukhothai province, a 420-kilometer (260-mile) drive.

“At or regular events, re would be about 1,500 to 2,000 people in stium but because this was a special match, re were many more people,” recalled 37-year-old boxing critic. He stayed in Bangkok for a match at anor stium before going home on March 10.

On drive home, he began to feel feverish and was shivering so much he h to ask someone else to drive. When he arrived that evening, he went to a local hospital and was diagnosed with tonsillitis. Not feeling any better three days later, he sought help from a bigger hospital in nearby Phitsanulok.

After hearing news about Matw Deane, he asked to be tested for coronavirus. result came back positive. His wife was infected too, and ir village in Sukhothai is now under quarantine.

Ordinary boxing fans from or provinces, both near Bangkok and in north, norast and south, have also tested positive for disease.

Among m: a local politician who is especially diligent in attending to his constituents in a province east of Bangkok.

According to reports in Thai media, between time he attended Lumpini match and when he tested positive, Kitti Paopiamsap, he of Chachoengsao provincial ministration organization, attended six weddings, six funerals, three community meetings (two of m with elderly), three Buddhist ordinations, three fairs and at least four or public meetings.

"It is s that boxing event has aggravated situation," said Pinit Polkhan, who shared announcing duties with Matw Deane and like him caught virus. "Certainly, boxing industry is taking a hard hit, and whole country as well."