Ebola outbreak response — Thailand tightens entry and quarantine rules
Travellers from DR Congo and Uganda face stricter Ebola controls in Thailand, with quarantine breaches punishable by jail or fines
Thailand has warned that travellers who breach Ebola quarantine or isolation orders could face prison terms and heavy fines, as health authorities move to tighten border health controls for arrivals from DR Congo and Uganda.
The National Communicable Disease Committee has approved stronger measures for people who have travelled from or transited through countries declared dangerous communicable disease zones for Ebola virus disease. The latest measures cover the Democratic Republic of Congo, or DR Congo, and the Republic of Uganda.
Under the new approach, disease control officers will no longer only keep travellers under observation. Instead, arrivals will be placed under quarantine or isolation for at least 21 days, depending on whether they show symptoms.
Travellers with no symptoms will be quarantined at locations designated by communicable disease control officers. Those showing symptoms will be isolated at state hospitals designated by the officers.
The committee also agreed to ask relevant agencies to require all travellers arriving from or transiting through DR Congo and Uganda to enter Thailand only through Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Thailand’s tougher measures come as several countries are tightening border health controls in response to the Ebola outbreak. Canada has announced a 90-day entry ban on residents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan from May 27, while travellers recently visiting affected areas will face 21-day quarantine measures from May 30.
The United States has also introduced similar restrictions, barring non-US citizens who had recently travelled from the three countries from entering the country. The Bahamas is also preparing restrictions on travellers who visited the affected countries within the previous 21 days, with the measure expected to remain in place for at least 30 days.
The Department of Disease Control has been instructed to prepare quarantine facilities for arrivals entering Thailand from 6pm on May 27, 2026.
Dr Montien Kanasawat, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said after the third National Communicable Disease Committee meeting of 2026 that Thailand had not found any Ebola cases so far.
However, he said the disease was severe and had an incubation period of up to 21 days, making strict prevention necessary. The Public Health Ministry has therefore declared both countries dangerous communicable disease zones to allow tougher control measures.
He said Thailand had upgraded measures for travellers from DR Congo and Uganda, while the Department of Disease Control would closely monitor developments and review appropriate measures periodically.
Health officials also warned that travellers who disobey disease control orders could face legal penalties under the Communicable Diseases Act BE 2558 (2015).
Those who refuse to comply with an order requiring isolation or quarantine under Section 34(1) face a fine of up to 20,000 baht under Section 51.
Those who violate an order prohibiting them from leaving an isolation or quarantine facility under Section 34(7) face up to one year in prison, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both, under Section 52.
“I ask all travellers to provide their travel history truthfully so that disease prevention and control can be carried out effectively. I also ask the public to have confidence in Thailand’s surveillance system, which is fully prepared in terms of personnel, medical supplies and high-level laboratories,” Dr Montien said.
Dr Anek Mungaomklang, deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said that as of May 26, 2026, 53 travellers from the two Ebola-affected countries had entered Thailand.
Of these, 12 arrived from DR Congo and 41 from Uganda.
He clarified that the previously cited figure of 100 people referred to those reported as having filed travel documents to leave the two countries. Only 53 had entered Thailand, while the others continued to other destinations.
“The 53 travellers are from 16 nationalities, including Chinese, American, Vietnamese, Saudi Arabian and Korean nationals. Most entered Thailand for tourism and to wait for onward travel to other countries. None has shown any symptoms so far, and all remain under quarantine measures for disease prevention,” Dr Anek said.
