Thai locals take part in a workshop learning how to make protective face masks from cloth as the country battles a shortage during the coronavirus crisis.
The country's government rolled out the classes nationwide, teaching residents how then can sew face mask from cloth to help protect themselves against the deadly COVID-19 diseases.
Footage from Trang, southern Thailand, shows local women joining the group and producing colourful masks from a variety of materials.
Provincial government official, Aree Khwansrisut, said more than 50 people attended the courses, including local teachers, council workers and parents.
''If people can make their own masks, it will reduce the burden on factories,'' she said.
''This training will provide knowledge and help to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus.'' Officials are also concerned with vendors hoarding mask supplies or inflating the prices.
Commerce Ministry Permanent Secretary Rit Kallayanamit said eighty-nine offenders have now been prosecuted.
The offenders who are charged for not attaching a price tag and unreasonably raise prices will be subject to imprisonment for seven years or a fine of 140,000 baht or both.
The offenders who sell face masks at a price of higher than 2.50 baht will be subject to imprisonment of not more than five years and a fine not exceeding 100,000 baht or both.
As for the production of medical masks, 11 factories in the country are now working at full capacity, increasing the national production yield to 36 million pieces per month or 1.2 million pieces per day.
All of these new face masks will be entirely managed by the face mask management center which has resolved to allocate medical masks to hospitals or medical personnel or patients first.
The hospitals of all types nationwide will be allocated 700,000 pieces per day.
Another 500,000 pieces will be allocated and distributed through various channels to other groups of people.
