Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, the digital economy and society minister, has been diagnosed infected with Covid-19, putting other Palang Pracharath Party MPs at risk.
Mr Chaiwut revealed on Monday that after feeling unwell he took an RT-PCR test and the result was positive for Covid-19. Which variant was not known yet.
He was being treated at a hospital and still had a fever and a headache. The infection had not reached his lungs. He believed he caught the virus while in Chiang Mai on Jan 20.
Mr Chaiwut said he would take part in a cabinet video conference on Monday, but would not be able to join Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, the PPRP leader, in an evening campaign walk in Lak Si area ahead of the Jan 30 by-election for Bangkok's constituency 9.
Government chief whip Nirote Sunthornlekha, a PPRP MP for Nakhon Sawan, said there could be a problem since he had been close to Mr Chaiwut while at a meeting of party MPs last week.
After the meeting, they attended House meetings on Jan 20-21, putting all MPs in the House at the time at risk.
Asked whether he would seek to postpone this week's House meetings, Mr Nirote said he would discuss the matter with House Speaker Chuan Leekpai.
Mr Nirote said he would ask PPRP MPs to take RT-PCR tests.
Atthakorn Sirilatayakorn, a PPRP list-MP and member of the government whip, said there would be a video-conference meeting of government whips on Wednesday.
Mr Atthakorn also believed Mr Chaiwut's being infected could lead to a problem. All PPRP MPs who attended last week's party meeting might have to be quarantined. This would mean none of the bills on the House agenda would be passed. he said.
