BANGKOK: A spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health Dr Rungrueng Kitphati confirmed that the quarantine requirement applied to all passengers from the high-risk countries listed and that officials would be checking after arrival to see that they are in compliance if they fail to report on daily basis.
The Thai Ministry of Public Health has put into place its quarantine order which now applies to 6 countries and territories as published on Thursday in the Royal Gazette and which became effective today. The new provisions involve all passengers being obliged to report their quarantine status to authorities daily.
Thailand has finally clarified the new quarantine provisions for inbound travellers in the midst of the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
The regulations were published in the Royal Gazette on Thursday and are effective from Friday 6th March 2019.
The following countries and territories are included in the order: China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, Hong Kong and Macau.
Five countries were removed from the original list – Germany, France, Taiwan, Singapore and Japan
Five countries were removed from the list published online last Tuesday by Minister of Public Health, Anutin Charnvirakul. These were Germany, France, Taiwan, Singapore and Japan.
The new order means that all passengers from the high-risk countries listed must self-quarantine on arrival in Thailand for 14 days and notify authorities of their ‘health status’ once every 24 hours.
The punishment for failure to comply with the law will be a fine of ฿20,000.
Those found to be displaying symptoms of the virus and found to have failed to inform authorities may face penalties or be quarantined at government-controlled facilities or hospitals for testing.
Ministry of Public Health spokeswoman clarified that the quarantine was mandatory and will be verified for each passenger with daily reporting
The new provision was clarified by Public Health Ministry spokesperson, Dr Rungrueng Kitphati, to Reuters.
‘Thais and foreigners who come from these places would have to go through self-quarantine for 14 days. At home or in a hotel room. They would have to report themselves to the authorities every day or officials will come to check on them,’ Dr Rungrueng explained.
The new regulation is made under the Communicable Disease Act of 2015 and specifies the countries or territories listed as ‘dangerous communicable disease areas’ subject to quarantine.
Decision represents a compromise between public safety and the already challenged economy
The decision is a compromise from the earlier list as Thai authorities do what they can to balance the demands of public safety and the economy where the tourism sector accounts for 11% of GDP.
Impetus for the new moves was the migration of Thai workers from South Korea home
The impetus for the announcement, this week, was the threat posed by between 5,000 and 10,000 Thai migrant workers returning from South Korea, a country that has been hit hard by a virulent outbreak of the virus in the city of Daegu.
Latest virus case is UK man – infections now at 48 with 1 death as Thai prepares for migrant wave
Intensive preparations are underway, organised by senior ministers and the Thai military, to provide quarantine camps for the returnees which will be supervised by voluntary medical personnel from the country’s provincial administrations.
The current number of infections in Thailand officially stands at 48 with one death. The latest case, announced on Friday, is a UK national detected while in transit and enroute to Hong Kong.
Further reading:
Quarantine for high-risk country passengers still pondered with 4 new cases from Italy and Iran
Strong indications that Thailand will introduce high-risk zones and mandatory quarantine orders
Health Minister in an outburst against western foreigners as 7 more are infected by the coronavirus
Investigation into the death of a 35-year-old man from the virus as foreign passengers detained
