Thailand's Ministry of Commerce said Wednesday that surgical mask factories were allowed to sell products directly to local markets instead of sending them to the state as required before during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand.
The Ministry's Internal Trade Department has confirmed that surgical mask factories can sell masks directly to markets, however the price of each mask is capped at 2.50 baht (0.080 U.S. dollar) a piece.
"The number of local factories producing surgical masks had increased from nine to 30 and their combined production capacity increased from 1.2 million masks to 4.5 million masks a day," said Whichai Phochanakij, chief inspector at the Internal Trade Department.
Whichai said that Thailand is inching towards 80 days free from COVID-19 community transmission and there were enough supplies for the general Thai users.
He said hospital staff and frontline health workers, airport staff use about two to three million surgical masks a day.
However, Whichai said that his department is continuing to restrict surgical mask exports in case there is a local shortage of supplies.
Cumulative infections in Thailand, to date, are 3,356, with 3,169 recoveries and 58 deaths, while 129 others are still being treated in hospital.