27 March, 2020
Due to escalating concerns over the spread of coronavirus disease (“COVID-19”), the National Communicable Disease Committee has declared COVID-19 a dangerous communicable disease.
According to the Communicable Diseases Act, B.E. 2558 (2015), the Ministry of Public Health (the “MOPH”) has the authority to prescribe a list of diseases which are considered “a dangerous communicable disease”, “a communicable disease under surveillance”, or “an epidemic”, as well as the certain criteria and procedures for notification if these diseases occur.
Once COVID-19 has been listed as a dangerous communicable disease, precautionary protocols to deal with the COVID-19 will be supplemented by legal measures.
As such, many companies and individuals (e.g. the owner or person in charge of a house, a business facility or any place of business) would have to comply with legal obligations under the Notification of the MOPH regarding Criteria and Procedures for Notification in the Event of the Occurrence of a Dangerous Communicable Disease, a Communicable Disease under Surveillance, or an Epidemic. These obligations include the requirement for the owners and persons in charge of the premises to notify a communicable disease control officer within three hours of finding an infected person on their premises.
We will continue to closely monitor the situation and will keep you informed if there are any further updates.
For further information, please contact:
