Thai army moves to protect troops in South Sudan amid Ebola risk
The Thai army is assessing the protective equipment needs of its troops in South Sudan after the Africa CDC widened Ebola risk areas.
The Royal Thai Army has ordered urgent preparations to support Thai personnel stationed in South Sudan after the country was included in areas considered at risk of Ebola, with a Thai military engineering unit deployed there.
Col Richa Suksuwanon, deputy army spokesman, said on Monday (May 25) that the army was closely monitoring the Ebola outbreak, which originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has raised concerns because of cross-border travel.
He said the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) had recently expanded the list of Ebola-risk areas to cover 10 additional countries, including the Republic of South Sudan.
South Sudan is the mission area of the Thai–South Sudan Task Force Engineering Company, Richa said.
In response, the army chief issued an urgent order for staff departments, medical units and relevant agencies to prepare necessary supplies, assess what equipment and support personnel may still require, and speed up assistance to Thai troops serving in South Sudan.
Army chief urges units to stay alert to evolving threats
Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, spokesman for the Royal Thai Army, explained that the issue was discussed during a meeting of army subordinate units at Army headquarters in Bangkok.
Gen Pana Klaewplodthuk, commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army, stressed that security threats today are increasingly diverse and continue to evolve, Winthai said.
The army chief instructed all army units to adhere to the army’s policies and operational guidelines to ensure missions are carried out in a coordinated and effective manner.
