Residents in Thailand have started selling their own homemade face masks on the street in response to the coronavirus.

The cottage industry has sprung up after Covid-19 cases spread in the country and the government urged people to wear masks, making the protective equipment mandatory on public transport and in state buildings.

Many business such as supermarkets and offices have also introduced the guideline in response to the pandemic.

In parts of Bangkok, locals are making the masks on sewing machines and setting the stalls up in front of their homes and on side streets to sell the fabric face coverings for as little as 20 baht (50 pence).

The situation, with a vast oversupply of face masks and many people wearing them, is in stark contrast to the U.K. where much of the public still do not wear them and they have not been made mandatory.

Since the virus outbreak, which started in China, escalated in January and recording began, Thailand has reported a total of 2,907 cases and 51 deaths, while 2,547 patients have recovered and gone home.

Inbound passenger flights were temporarily banned and all non-residents were stopped from entering the country while all non-essential businesses such as shopping malls, bars, hairdressers and restaurants, were forced to close.

Residents are banned from gathering in crowds and must also wear masks on public transport and following social distancing guidelines.