The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has ordered the closure of all of its 435 schools, 200 nurseries and 13 occupational training centres for five days from July 15 to 19 to prevent the spread of the A(H1N1) flu virus.
Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra announced the decision after a meeting of city administrators on Tuesday.
The BMA would also focus on a campaign encouraging people to wear a protective mask, especially in crowded places, he said.
The city would distribute two million masks to the people at various crowded locations such as at the BTS skytrain stations and Hua Lamphong railway station.
Bangkok MPs and city councillors would be asked to distribute 10,000 masks each to people in their constituencies, he said.
Billboards encouraging peple to wear a mask and wash their hands would be put up immediately at intersections in the city. All community radio stations would be asked to join the campaign to prevent the spead of the flu virus.
The BMA also planned to close all of its schools on Aug 10 and 11, a Monday and Tuesday, to allow a major clean up of the schools over five days.
The cabinet on Tuesday approved a budget of 850 million baht for the Public Health Ministry to purchase flu vaccines and antiviral medication for H1N1 patients, Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodee said.
Mr Manit said that 600 million baht will be spent on purchasing two million doses of flu vaccine from France, while the rest of the money will be spent on buying another 10 million tablets of oseltamivir antiviral medication.
The vaccine was expected to arrive in Thailand within the next four to five months, he said. The purchase of more antiviral medication will increase the stockpile of the drug to 15 million tablets.
The cabinet did not approve Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart's proposal to close schools and tuition schools nationwide for two to four weeks to stop the spread of the virus.
Earlier, Deputy Education Minister Chaiwuti Bannawat was sceptical that the proposal to bring forward the end of the semester and close schools up to a month early to curb the spread of the H1N1 flu virus would really have any effect.
Mr Chaiwuti said students would have more free time to spend at crowded places like department stores, cinemas and internet shops, which could increase the spread of the virus.
"I'm concerned because I'm not sure if those kids would actually stay at home," he said. "What if students in rural areas travel to Bangkok?"
The Public Health Ministry reported that three more people had died from the effects of the A (H1N1) virus, bringing the total number of deaths in Thailand to 24.
It also confirmed 176 new infections, bringing the total number of infections to 4,057.
The 22nd victim was a 67-year-old woman living in Bangkok. She was in the last stage of lung cancer.
The 23rd victim was a 57-year-old woman, also living in the capital. She was in the last stage of lung cancer.
The latest victim was a 32-year-old woman from Samut Sakhon. She had asthma and was overweight.
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