Since the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration has been known for sending mixed signals. But the unpredictable nature of the outbreak means the government can no longer afford to mince its words when it comes to disease-control regulations. It has to be firm in underscoring that its rules apply to everyone.
With the border effectively open again to international tourism despite the continued increase in new Covid-19 infections -- from about 8,000 cases daily for the past few months to 10,490 cases daily as of yesterday -- the entire administration must understand that there is very little room for error. A slip-up will not only threaten the viability of the country's latest attempt to jumpstart the flagging economy, but also undermine public trust in the government, whose ambiguous approach to containing the disease is starting to border on being elitist and unscientific.
The entire administration must understand that "actions speak louder than words" is not merely an overused proverb. In fact, in the face of uncertainty, rules and rhetoric mean nothing to the individual actor, who is more likely to make his or her decision based on social cues from the surrounding environment.
