Maj Gen Sermphan told the press that he was aware of the reports, claiming that the man had been found at Khlong Luek, in Aranyaprathet District, Sa Kaeo province.
However, Phuket Provincial Police have not been informed that the reports are identifying the correct man, now named as Osmond Chihazirim Nzere, 27.
“And there is no corroborating evidence,” Maj Gen Sermphan said.
“If the police in that area find that this is the patient being sought, he must be detained and taken into custody by the Phuket Provincial Police, as the Phuket Immigration Superintendent has filed a complaint in the case of overstay,” he added.
According to official reports released yesterday, Mr Nzere had entered Thailand on a Non-Immigrant Education visa on Oct 21 last year. On entry he was permitted to stay 90 days, which expired on Jan 18.
Maj Gen Sermphan said that police in Phuket had tracked Mr Nzere leaving a hotel in Patong on Tuesday night. He was seen entering a white sedan, which police had tracked making its way through Kalim, Kamala and into Cherng Talay.
“The last time we saw the car on CCTV it was heading to Ban Pasak, Cherng Talay,” Maj Gen Sermphan said.
“The car passed through the Cherng Talay Lotus intersection and arrived at the junction at Cherng Talay Police Station, then turned left towards Ban Pasak. From there it disappeared,” he said.
Mr Nzere is the first confirmed case of monkeypox in Thailand. The search for him began after he failed to appear for a doctor’s appointment for follow-up treatment as an outpatient.
Health officials have confirmed that Mr Nzere is infected with the mild strain of monkeypox from West Africa, which evokes only light symptoms.
People can contract the disease through contact with secretions or wounds of those infected, or by touching objects contaminated with secretions.
“If someone has a fever or a history of fever along with one or more of the symptoms including sore throat, headache, body aches, back pain, enlarged lymph nodes, and a rash, blisters or pustules, they should see a doctor to confirm whether they are infected,” said Dr Weerasak Lorthongkham, Director of Vachira Phuket Hospital.
Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong yesterday said people can still travel to Phuket as usual, as the infections are usually not serious.
“People usually recover from being infected within two to four weeks all by themselves,” he said.