Days after a pitched battle between rival monkey gangs rocked Lop Buri in central Thailand, dozens, perhaps hundreds of monkeys have ransacked an old town hall building in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan, forcing staff to flee. It’s believed in both instances that the drop in tourism caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus, combined with dry weather and drought, has created a food shortage for the animals, forcing them to forage.

The old town hall building is located about 100 metres away from Khao Chong Krachok mountain, where the monkeys are believed to have come from. The monkeys have torn apart the roof, electrical wires, the ceiling, lights, and office equipment. Officials of various departments working in the building have been forced to find makeshift temporary quarters.

Thailand has added the UK, USA and several other countries to the list of countries it regards as being “high risk” for Covid-19 coronavirus contagion. The list now includes: Japan, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the UK and USA.

“Travellers arriving from the countries with ongoing local transmission are required to be under observation (supervision without quarantine) in order to ensure self-monitoring for no less than 14 days until the end of the infectious period or the reason for suspicion.”

“Travellers must record their own symptoms in the reporting system and monitor their symptoms strictly as required by the MOPH.”

“The traveller must notify the disease control officer about the places he/she visits, so that a surveillance officer can closely monitor his/her movement and contacts.”

The bars, pubs and clubs in Pattaya are bracing for orders from the government to shut to stop the spread of coronavirus in crowded areas.

Comments made by health minister and deputy prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul after a meeting have instilled the feeling that time is up for Thailand's biggest entertainment resort, at least for now.