Strict checkpoints were in place around Ranong province in southern Thailand, an area close to the border with Myanmar, on Tuesday (December 22), after an explosion of cases linked to a fish market sparked panic across the country and a rise in online anti-Myanmar hate speech.

Footage shows officials scanning vehicles entering the province to prevent the spread of the virus.

The area, which is also a busy port region, has strong links to the Samut Sakhon seafood market on the outskirts of Bangkok, where at least 821 workers have positive for the virus in recent days. Around 90 percent of them were said to be asymptomatic.

The Burmese migrant workers have been banned from leaving the compound and locals have had to deliver supplies of fresh food and water to them. There are believed to be more than 1,000 workers trapped inside the market area, which includes hundreds of shabby homes.

It came as several people in neighbouring areas tested positive following recent trips to the market, sparking fears of a second wave erupting in the country, which has largely kept the pandemic under control.

Deputy governor of the province, Surasak Polyangsong, said the first case was found last Thursday, and since then, more than 2,000 people have been tested.

He said that an estimated 10,000 tests on people living and working in and around the market would be carried out using mobile labs this week.

Schools near Samut Sakhon have been ordered to shut while commuters between cities were advised to work from home. New Year events in the capital Bangkok have also been cancelled.

Thailand - which closed its borders in March and has enforced mask-wearing - has so far recorded 5,716 cases of coronavirus and 60 deaths.

The Al Jazeera news network cited one Thai comment on YouTube as saying: "Wherever you see Myanmar people, shoot them down."

Another comment quote by Reuters news agency said migrant workers diagnosed with COVID should remain untreated.

Hundreds of comments classified as hate speech have been found on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, according to the independent Social Media Monitoring for Peace group, Reuters reported.

Strict checkpoints were in place around Ranong province in southern Thailand on Tuesday (December 22) after an explosion of cases linked to a fish market sparked panic across the country.

Footage shows officials scanning vehicles entering the province to prevent the spread of the virus.

The area, close to the border with Myanmar and a busy port region, has strong links to the Samut Sakhon seafood market on the outskirts of Bangkok, where at least 821 workers have positive for the virus in recent days. Around 90 per cent of them were asymptomatic.

The Burmese migrant workers have been banned from leaving the compound and locals have had to deliver supplies of fresh food and water to them. There are believed to be more than 1,000 workers trapped inside the market area, which includes hundreds of shabby homes.

It came as several people in neighbouring areas tested positive following recent trips to the market, sparking fears of a second wave erupting in the country, which has largely kept the pandemic under control.

Deputy governor of the province, Surasak Polyangsong, said the first case was found last Thursday and since then, more than 2,000 people have been tested.

He said that an estimated 10,000 tests on people living and working in and around the market would be carried out using mobile labs this week.

Schools near Samut Sakhon have been ordered to shut while commuters between cities were advised to work from home. New Year events in the capital Bangkok have also been cancelled.

Thailand - which closed its borders in March and has enforced mask-wearing - has so far recorded 5,716 cases of coronavirus and 60 deaths.