Thailand Free of Swine Flu; Now Even a Better Holiday Choice!

With panic stretching across the popular vacation destination of Mexico and the U.S., it’s time to head to Thailand for sun, fun and diving in Pattaya. The Land of Smiles has no reported cases of the “Mexican Flu” and is ahead of many countries in detection of the disease.

Thailand and other Asian neighbors, such as Vietnam and China, learned valuable lessons from the SARS and Bird Flu outbreaks early this decade and have dusted off thermal scanners at airports and carefully screening those who enter the country to prevent spread of the new influenza strain. According to this story in U.S. newspaper Newsday.

Governments dealing with the swine flu threat have drawn on these experiences
and put in effect emergency plans. Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Japan,
Indonesia and the Philippines dusted off their thermal scanners to check for
signs of fever among arriving passengers from North America. South Korea, India
and Indonesia also announced screening.

Thai authorities today cleared a woman who was suspected to have the killer bug after returning from Mexico and no other confirmed cases have been reported in the country nor anywhere else in Asia. According to Channel News Asia:

Thai health officials said only a handful of people have tripped thermal scanners set up to detect flu symptoms at Suvarnabhumi Airport. All of them had elevated body temperatures, but they were not caused by swine flu.

Authorities said the most likely way for the deadly virus to enter the country is though air travel.

Like other nations in Asia, Thailand is trying to minimise that risk. There are no direct flights between Thailand and Mexico – the country hardest hit by swine flu. But connecting flights through Europe will be screened for any passengers showing flu symptoms.

In fact, Thailand is screening people at its three major international gateways and has five units at its disposal.

They beep upon detecting anyone passing the scanner gates with a body
temperature above 37 degrees Celsius, which is standard for humans. Each unit
comprises an infrared thermal camera, a processor and a monitor to show the
results of readings.

Since each gate can scan large groups at a time – not just people in a row
- passenger flow should go smoothly at arrival lounges in those airports, said
Lilit Sirisapjanant, a public health official stationed at Suvarnabhumi.

Thai Airways International, the largest carrier to the Land of Smiles, has imposed preventative measures of its own.

ACM Narongsak Sangapong, THAI’s Senior Executive Vice President, Corporate Secretariat, and Acting President, said that the airline has set up a Crisis Management Operations Center (CMOC) to issue the preventive measures.

The airline is conducting regular deep-clean fumigation with EcoTru 1453 on board flights flown to and from high-risk countries for approximately 30-40 minutes prior to next flight departure.

36 common touch points are being disinfected as an additional precaution by cleaning items in the passenger seat pocket, aircraft interior, passenger seat, galley, and lavatory on board THAI aircraft, in addition to regular on-ground cleaning upon flight arrival and increased cabin lavatory cleaning during flight.

THAI has also installed special High Efficiency Particulate Arrestor called TRUE HEPA air filters on all its aircraft, which is the finest filtering 0.001 micron particles for clean air that is 99.999% particle-free.

Airbus and Boeing have guaranteed that TRUE HEPA air filters will keep the air throughout the aircraft as pure as in hospital units.

As an additional precaution THAI will change their TRUE HEPA air filters on all aircrafts more often than the recommended standard.

THAI’s cabin crew will be on constant alert for passengers who display possible flu symptoms, especially those who have respiratory problems, such as coughing or sneezing.

Surgical masks are available for passengers to wear to prevent the spread of infection. Passengers who have possibly contracted the swine flu will be separated and the cabin crew will contact the international infectious diseases unit prior to
flight landing.

THAI has also provided influenza vaccinations for the Company’s flight crew and cabin crew annually, for the past 3-4 years.

Furthermore, THAI ensures that contract farming is conducted with regard to fruits, vegetables, and meats used in meal preparation, according to the Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) for hygienic meals on board.

THAI’s ground staff has also been put on alert to observe passengers at the check-in counter and boarding gate for possible influenza symptoms.

If a passenger exhibits symptoms, the probable case must be reported to the physician on duty at the airport and if there are any doubts to the passenger’s condition, staff are allowed to refuse boarding.