The Thai Embassy in Singapore made clear yesterday that Thailand was not imposing a mandatory quarantine on all travellers from Singapore, amid confusion sparked by conflicting statements from the authorities in Bangkok.

The embassy said the Thai government welcomes all nationalities to Thailand and that quarantine is not required if travellers are healthy.

“Arriving passengers from Singapore need not have to go for quarantine if they are healthy, but do take note that they have to comply with the health screening procedure conducted by the Thai authorities upon arrival at the port of entry,” said an embassy statement.

There had been uncertainty about Thailand’s quarantine policy since Tuesday, when Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul posted on Facebook a message and document declaring that people coming from 11 virus-hit areas would need to quarantine themselves for 14 days.

The places listed were South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Germany, Japan, France, Singapore, Italy and Iran.

However, the post was deleted hours later.

Then during a press conference yesterday morning, Public Health Ministry spokesman Taweesilp Wisanuyotin had said: “Those returning from countries where there is an outbreak, if you have a fever, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, and problems breathing, please contact medical institutes so you can be treated or put in isolation…

“For those with domicile in Thailand, please self-quarantine in your residences for 14 days and strictly follow the guidelines.

“Those without domicile in Thailand, please provide evidence of your accommodation to the disease control officials so (you) can be tracked.”

Visitors who do not give a valid Thailand address for contact tracing will be deported to places where they came from, he added.

When pressed for details, Mr Taweesilp implied the measures he described had not come into effect but could become mandatory.

“There will need to be an announcement first.

“When there is an announcement on the high-risk countries, then the 14-day (self-quarantine) needs to be applied. People will need to do what we advise,” he said.

NO QUARANTINE IF HEALTHY

Arriving passengers from Singapore need not have to go for quarantine if they are healthy, but do take note that they have to comply with the health screening procedure conducted by the Thai authorities upon arrival at the port of entry.

STATEMENT FROM THE THAI EMBASSY IN SINGAPORE

As of yesterday evening, there was no quarantine announcement from the government.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha also told a separate press briefing that all Thais returning from the South Korean city of Daegu and the north Gyeongsang province will be quarantined in government facilities.

The country is bracing itself for an influx of returning Thais from South Korea, which has the highest number of coronavirus cases outside China – more than 5,600 cases and 34 deaths.

There are more than 150,000 Thais working illegally in South Korea.

Currently, there is no law enforcing self-quarantine, but the authorities have legal power to quarantine those suspected to have dangerous communicable diseases.

About one million Singaporeans visit Thailand each year and travel agents here say they are wary of potential restrictions from Thailand.

Ms Alicia Seah, director of public relations and communications at Dynasty Travel, said: “Travel sentiments are already weak.

“If the advisory becomes compulsory and Thailand imposes a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine on arrival, it will definitely further lower travel confidence.”

Thailand has designated Covid-19 – the illness caused by the coronavirus – a dangerous communicable disease.

It has reported 43 confirmed coronavirus cases and one death – a 35-year-old Thai male retail staff who also had dengue fever.

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