vic2244 Posted April 2, 2003 Report Share Posted April 2, 2003 Will be coming to BKK this coming Friday from Hong Kong, wondering whether anybody have an update on the SARs screening at Don Muang airport? Especially from flights coming back from Hong Kong and Singapore. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yehtmae Posted April 2, 2003 Report Share Posted April 2, 2003 Anyone coming from a SARS country (Hong Kong, Singapore, China or Vietnam) to Thailand must now undergo a 14 day home detention quarantine period, or face 6 months jail. New regulations announced today. This is getting serious (By the way, I think this thread should stay in General, rather than being moved to Health) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yehtmae Posted April 2, 2003 Report Share Posted April 2, 2003 The Bangkok Post article: House detention for Sars suspects Must stay home for 14 days or face jail Aphaluck Bhatiasevi All travellers returning from Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Singapore and Taiwan must stay home for at least 14 days or face legal action, the Public Health Ministry announced yesterday. The latest measure _ the fourth announced by the ministry in two weeks under the Dangerous Communicable Diseases Act _ took effect yesterday following cabinet approval. The new measure, aimed at preventing an outbreak in Thailand of severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), effectively bars people returning from countries with a high incidence of the disease from public places for at least two weeks. They must immediately contact a hospital nearest to them should they develop symptoms such as a high fever, a cold, muscle aches or a sore throat, the announcement said. Violators are liable to a prison term of up to six months and a fine of not exceeding 10,000 baht. The new measure also affected Pavina Hongsakul, adviser to Labour Minister Suwat Liptapanlop, who recently returned from Hong Kong, said Diseases Control Department chief Charal Trinvuthiphong yesterday. He added the measure empowered health authorities to keep in quarantine anyone returning from a Sars-affected country if that person was suspected to have contracted the disease, also known as atypical pneumonia. Hotels with large numbers of tourists from Sars-affected countries must post public notices on the risk of the disease and preventive measures, the ministry said in its announcement yesterday. Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan said though the new measure would not be completely effective in terms of movement control, it empowered health officials to keep suspected Sars carriers in isolation at specific areas for a flexible period until it could be confirmed they were not infected. Cabinet yesterday turned down the ministry's proposal that people be barred from travelling between Thailand and any of the countries listed as high-risk destinations. Public health permanent secretary Vallop Thainuea yesterday voiced concern over the possibility of travellers ignoring the ministry's warning for them to avoid high-risk destinations, as well as the problem about people entering Thailand from southern China and Vietnam by ship or by land, both legally and illegally. ``We've asked diseases control officials at all border checkpoints, particularly in Chiang Rai, to be on alert,'' he said. He was against requests from some foreign embassies based in high-risk countries to send their nationals suspected to have contracted Sars to Thailand for treatment, saying that would greatly increase the risk of disease transmission. Bjorn Melgaard, the World Health Organisation representative to Thailand, said Bangkok was on the right track with its preventive measures. Cabinet yesterday ordered state officials to put off all meetings with their counterparts from Sars-affected countries. A medical team based at Don Muang airport has been reinforced from 2-3 members to about 10, said Dr Charal. Nurses from hospitals in Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani have also been mobilised to assist officials at the airport. Chidchai Sakornbadee, of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said 97% of tour groups in Thailand had cancelled their planned trips to Sars-affected countries, while half of inbound tours also cancelled their plans to visit Thailand. However, it was still too early to say how big a loss the disease would inflict on the Thai tourism industry, he said. Meanwhile, state hospitals were complaining about shortage of masks for their staffs. Dr Vallop said the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation has already been asked to buy them in bulks for distribution to state hospitals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 2, 2003 Report Share Posted April 2, 2003 Coming from the US on EVA through Taipai later this month....hope this doesn't affect me! :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic2244 Posted April 2, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2003 Wondering whether this applies to all tourists coming from Hong Kong and Singapore? What happened to those only in for a week or so, somehow it just doesn't make sense. Or, does the 14 days only apply to residents? Hope someone can shed some light on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yehtmae Posted April 2, 2003 Report Share Posted April 2, 2003 Everyone, even people just transiting through an airport in one of those countries. That's how seriously they're taking it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic2244 Posted April 2, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2003 But the headline says "House detention for Sars suspects" not tourist, somhow it's very conflicting. Hope I can hear from someone who just arrive today, 2 April 2003 to share their experience at the airport with us (those coming in from Singapore or HK) so that for those who are coming that way later in the month would know what to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 2, 2003 Report Share Posted April 2, 2003 I'm only passing through for 2 days on my way to UK!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khwaimaisabai Posted April 2, 2003 Report Share Posted April 2, 2003 Says vic2244: it's very conflicting. Hi vic, It is conflicting. The report from Bangkok Post is what was printed in the paper this morning and reading it, I thought it seemed a bit OTT. In the business section there is a piece about the impact on tourism where it says that house detention is for suspects only and there is a picture of someone checking for suspects. My guess is that there was a misprint or something that made the main article misleading. If it is correct, then one good thing would be no visits from Regional Office for a while. Reports on actual experiences would be useful. Khwai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted April 2, 2003 Report Share Posted April 2, 2003 In the business section there is a piece about the impact on tourism where it says that house detention is for suspects only and there is a picture of someone checking for suspects. My understanding is any suspect will be subject to quarantine in hospital or military barracks behind bars, not house detention. House detention is for everyone coming from an infected area that does not appear sick and is for 14 days now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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