Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has categorised the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as Ebola zones, effective today, as the Department of Disease Control (DDC) steps up screening and health monitoring of all arrivals from the two African countries.
DDC Director General Montien Kanasawadse said that the department had adopted two measures to prevent the spread of this dangerous virus to Thailand.
First, all airlines are required to ensure that passengers arriving in Thailand from these two African countries provide their information through the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system. Thai passengers arriving from either of the two countries are required to register through the Thai Health Pass in the airport of arrival.
The airlines must submit a list of these passengers to the communicable disease control checkpoints in airports in advance. They are also required to screen and assess the risk profiles of passengers from the point of departure, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Second, health officials at the port of arrival in Thailand will check the QR codes of passengers arriving from Uganda or Congo at the arrival gates, or even at the aircraft door, if it is a direct flight from the either of two countries.
The passengers must submit their documentation to health officials before going through the immigration process. They will have their body temperature checked and are required to provide information about their accommodation, including phone number, so health officials can monitor their health during their stay in the country for up to 21 days.
Thai citizens are advised to avoid visiting the two countries unless necessary and will be required to report to health officials upon their return to the Thailand.
