Mor-Chana not required
The Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) ‘s announcement that essentially coerced people into downloading the Mor-Chana application caused mass panic and confusion. The application quickly reached the number 1 most downloaded applications on iOS overnight.
Translation: “Thai Gov is crazy. Thai-Chana, Mor-Chana. We will win and all that crap. Give me a break!”
“So everyone needs to own smartphones and has internet now? What about poor people? Where’re the common senses?”
“This is bullsh*t.”
Image credit: jakethetect, noong_pum, phingunnnnnnn
Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, the spokesperson of the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), apologized for announcing the punishment for people who do not have a Mor-Chana application on their phone.
It is recommended, not required
Dr. Visanuyothin emphasized that the application is not required to download, but it is recommended.
The apology post
Image credit: Dr. Visanuyothin official Facebook page
“I apologize for the misunderstanding,” Dr. Visanuyothin posted on his official Facebook page. “The full sentence is if you are infected with Covid-19, withheld information, and we cannot find the application on you, you will then face the punishment.”
Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-o-cha also confirmed this matter. According to Thai PBS, he stated that it is okay if a person can note down their trip history, but he urged people to download the application.
What is Mor-Chana exactly?
Mor-Chana, meaning Doctor Wins in Thai, is a location tracking application using GPS and Bluetooth technology. According to the Digital Government Development Agency (DGDA), Mor-Chana was developed by a cooperation of public, private, and government organizations.
The DGDA also says that the application only collects location data, and the application is designed from the ground up to preserve the anonymity of the users.
Alternatives for Mor-Chana
While the DGDA confirms the application transparency, many Thai people are still skeptical about the application. Fear not; you can always use any substitute applications to record your trip history, such as Google Maps.
On Google Maps, you can set-up your location history tracking by going into the Your Timeline tab. Google Maps then collects your visited locations automatically. You can also clear your history at any time with a touch of your finger.
So if you can remember your trip history, either with notes, Google Maps, or Mor-Chana, you have nothing to worry about.
Featured image adapted from: infoquest
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