Phuket Airport General Manager Monchai Tanode chaired a working group meeting yesterday (Jan 26) to finalise upgraded screening guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of Nipah virus and maintaining public health confidence among travellers and tourism operators.
The measures follow guidelines issued by the Ministry of Public Health and are based on protocols previously used during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Monchai said.
Under the new rules, airlines operating flights from areas affected by Nipah virus infections are required to brief flight crews and ground staff to wear personal protective equipment during check-in and boarding, as recommended by the Department of Disease Control.
Passengers arriving from affected areas who present with high fever or respiratory symptoms will be required to show a Fit to Fly medical certificate. If a passenger becomes ill during a flight, they must remain seated, and the airline is required to immediately notify air traffic control to coordinate with the International Infectious Disease Control checkpoint for on-arrival management.
All airlines flying from high-risk areas must also distribute Form T.8 (Health Declaration) to passengers prior to landing in Thailand, in accordance with Section 39 of the Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558 (2015). Completed forms must be presented to communicable disease control officers before passengers proceed through immigration.
Aircraft arriving from affected areas will undergo sanitary inspections, and in the event of a suspected case on board, airlines will be required to disinfect the aircraft before its next departure, under the supervision of international disease control officers.
Phuket Airport has also prepared designated parking bays for aircraft arriving from high-risk locations, along with isolation rooms, patient transfer routes and specific baggage-handling procedures in the event a sick passenger is identified.
For patients travelling from India and Bangladesh for medical treatment in Thailand, the originating hospital must conduct a Nipah virus PCR test prior to departure. Officials warned that failure to comply with disease control orders is punishable by a fine of up to B20,000 under the Communicable Diseases Act.
The upgraded measures came into effect at 12:01am on Jan 26, with designated aircraft parking and screening at Gate 15 scheduled to begin on Jan 28. Phuket Airport currently receives direct flights from Kolkata, India, with one airline operating five flights per week.
Phuket Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn confirmed that the province is closely monitoring the situation in cooperation with the International Infectious Disease Control checkpoint, particularly for passengers arriving from West Bengal, India.
Authorities noted that risk assessments will be conducted on an ongoing basis, and screening measures may be adjusted in line with announcements from the Ministry of Public Health.
Phuket Airport reiterated its readiness to enforce strict public health measures and coordinate with all relevant agencies to ensure the safety and confidence of passengers and airport users.