Bangkok, 18 February, 2020 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to provide a summary of disease control measures implemented by Thailand’s airports, airlines and relevant public and private sectors to prevent further spread or importation of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country.
COVID-19 control measures at Thailand’s international airports
Since the beginning of this year, the Department of Disease Control,
Ministry of Public Health has been implementing surveillance protocol at international airports including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi and Samui as well as the U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport.
These airports are serving direct flights from affected areas, which
according to the Department of Disease Control currently include the People’s Republic of China (including Taipei, Taiwan), Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region, Japan, Singapore and other reported
outbreak countries (https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/eng/index.php).
Air passengers and crew members on incoming direct flights from
affected areas are subject to fever screening by thermo scanners and infrared
thermometers. The surveillance is also expanded to outgoing flights bound for th
eaffected areas.
Any traveller with no fever will receive a health beware card and be
allowed to enter the country. If any traveller has a body temperature above 38
degrees Celsius and has COVID-19 symptoms including coughing, sneezing, panting
or a runny nose, the person will be isolated as a patient under investigation
(PUI) and be transferred to a designated hospital for quarantine or treatment. Other
travellers who have been in contact or sitting near the PUI will be brought to a
tracking system for disease surveillance for 14 days in accordance with the
disease prevention and control standards.
These international airports have also taken numerous proactive
steps to maintain high hygiene standards, including extra and frequently sanitising
of high-traffic areas including check-in counters, passenger lounges, restrooms,
luggage trolleys, railings, push buttons at elevators, and handrails on shuttle
buses. Cleansing alcohol gels have been installed throughout the airports.
All travellers will receive health advice (health beware cards) from
the immigration officials and officers at the points of entry. The card is
available in Chinese, English and Thai. They are also given the daily
recommendation for preventing COVID-19: to frequently wash hands with water and
soap or use alcohol gel, avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth, and strictly
comply with the recommendations “eating cooked food, using serving spoons and
washing hands.”
COVID-19 control measures at Thailand’s domestic airports
Similar health surveillance measures have also been implemented by the
Department of Airports at all its commercial airports throughout Thailand
including nine airports in the North (Lampang, Phrae, Nan, Mae Hong Son, Pai,
Mae Sot, Tak, Phetchabun and Phitsanulok), nine in the Northeast (Buri Ram,
Nakhon Phanom, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Loei, Roi Et, Udon Thani, Sakon
Nakhon, and Ubon Ratchathani), and 10 in the South (Krabi, Chumphon, Nakhon Si
Thammarat, Hua Hin, Narathiwat, Surat Thani, Ranong, Trang, and Pattani).
Other airports implementing health surveillance measures include
Bangkok Airways’ Sukhothai and Trat Airports.
Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has issued updates
and recommendations on the prevention of the COVID-19 for aviation operators in
the country. It also offers advice for the people on how
to protect themselves from the COVID-10 while travelling by air.
COVID-19 control measures by Thailand’s airlines
Thai Airways International and Thai Smile Airways
Thai Airways International (THAI) and Thai Smile Airways have set up
a crisis management operations centre on the implementation of preventive
measures. Steps taken include passenger screening and ground service measures,
inflight service measures, aircraft preparation and disinfection measures,
aircraft interior cleaning measures, employee preventive and precautionary
measures, cargo and commercial mail transportation measures, and meal
preparation measures.
Bangkok Airways
Bangkok Airways’ health surveillance and preventive actions include
performing primary screening of passengers for signs of related respiratory
symptoms, intensifying hygiene measures aboard the aircraft, and providing
protective face masks to crew members and ground service staff to wear when on
duty.
Nok Air
Nok Air has implemented daily sanitising of its aircraft on all
flights. Its crew members are to wear protective face masks and monitor
passengers for related respiratory symptoms.
Thai AirAsia
Thai AirAsia have taken steps to maintain high hygiene standards on
board its aircrafts, including sanitising the aircraft and extra cleaning of
high-traffic areas.
Thai Lion Air
Thai Lion Air’s active measures have included sanitising of its
aircraft on all flights and providing information and recommendations for the
people on how to protect themselves from the COVID-19.
Flight changes and cancellations
Several airlines have also announced fee waiver policies for flight changes
and cancellations, credit accounts and refunds on reserved tickets for flights
to affected destinations. Please contact the respective airline that you have
reserved flight tickets to the affected cities during the current time for
specific terms and conditions.
TAT would like to reiterate that:
• Thailand has
effective health surveillance systems for disease control.
• The Thai public
and private sectors across the nation have stepped up hygiene measures.
• Thailand’s tourism
and travel activities go on as usual.
Reminders: Local and international tourists are advised to adhere to
everyday hygienic habits: avoid eating uncooked food; use serving spoons and
wash your hands.
Useful contacts:
• Department of
Disease Control Call Centre 1422
• TAT Contact Centre
1672
• Tourist Police
1155
The post Summary of Thai aviation industry’s Coronavirus Disease 2019 control measures appeared first on TAT Newsroom.
