Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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Thai Health Official: No Mandatory Coronavirus Quarantine for High-Risk
Country Arrivals

Zsombor Peter

   BANGKOK - An official at Thailand's Health Ministry on Friday denied
   news reports that the government had ordered the compulsory quarantine
   of all arrivals from the four countries hardest hit by the novel
   coronavirus whether or not they were infected or showing symptoms,
   after days of mixed messages.

   The government labeled China, Iran, Italy and South Korea -- along with
   Hong Kong and Macau -- "dangerous communicable disease areas" on
   Thursday. The same day, Reuters news agency reported that all arrivals
   from those areas would have to quarantine themselves for 14 days,
   either at home or in their hotels, citing Health Ministry spokesman
   Rungrueng Kitphati.

   Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had announced the compulsory
   quarantine for arrivals from the countries and territories on Facebook
   on Tuesday -- along with France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan
   -- but deleted his post soon after and closed the account the next day.
   He told local media that the list needed revising.

   On Friday afternoon, Tanarak Pipat, deputy director-general of the
   Health Ministry's disease control department, told VOA that there was
   no mandatory quarantine order for arrivals from any country for the
   time being.

   "No, not yet," he said. "We did not quarantine the travelers."

   Asked whether the government might yet impose a compulsory quarantine
   on arrivals from any country, Tanarak replied, "maybe, just maybe."

   The AFP news agency reported that the government was "recommending"
   that arrivals from the four countries self-quarantine, however, and
   insisted that they report to authorities on their health status daily.

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