Bangkok: The government has declared Congo and Uganda as areas with a dangerous infectious disease outbreak, at risk of Ebola. Today, Ms. Lalida Periswiwatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that on May 20, 2026, the Royal Gazette published an announcement from the Ministry of Public Health regarding areas outside the Kingdom of Thailand that are designated as zones affected by dangerous communicable diseases, specifically Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), B.E. 2569 (2026). This designates the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Uganda as zones affected by dangerous communicable diseases, and will take effect from May 21, 2026 onwards.
According to Thai News Agency, this is in line with the World Health Organization (WHO)'s monitoring of the situation, which declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) following the discovery of a large number of infected individuals and deaths, and the risk of cross-border transmission.
The Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office stated that the government has instructed relevant agencies to upgrade surveillance measures and closely monitor the situation to build public confidence in public health. The Ministry of Public Health, through the Department of Disease Control, has intensified screening of travelers from high-risk countries at international border crossings. Travelers from affected areas must register in advance via the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system for foreigners and the Thai Health Pass system via the website https://thaihealthpass.com for Thai citizens. Measures will also be implemented, including symptom screening, temperature checks, medical history taking, and continuous monitoring for 21 days.
Furthermore, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has integrated its work with the Ministry of Public Health, airlines, and relevant agencies to enhance public health measures in the aviation sector, establishing three key measures: publicizing and providing public health information to passengers prior to travel; screening passengers at point of origin includes verifying registration information and assessing for suspected symptoms; and providing information to disease control officers at checkpoints for timely disease tracking and surveillance.
Simultaneously, relevant agencies have rehearsed contingency plans for handling suspicious passengers, both those detected on aircraft and those exhibiting symptoms after arrival in the country, to ensure continuous, rapid, and effective situation management.
'The government affirms the readiness of Thailand's public health system to monitor, prevent, and control dangerous communicable diseases. All agencies are working closely together to ensure public safety and build confidence. Therefore, the public is urged to follow information from government agencies and strictly adhere to public health guidelines without panicking,' Ms. Lalida said.