VZCZCXRO9540
OO RUEHAST RUEHCHI RUEHDH RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHNH RUEHPB
RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHBK #1435/01 1670717
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 160717Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7290
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 6672
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 7502
RUEHSV/AMEMBASSY SUVA 0470
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 001435 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
DEPARTMENT FOR OES/IHB:JJONES,CPATTERSON; EAP FOR DHANNEMAN 
DEPT FOR USAID/GBH 
USDA FOR FAS AND APHIS 
HHS FOR CDC 
USCINCPACLO FOR AFRIMS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC CASC TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR AMGT
MG, ECON, EAID, WHO, TH 
SUBJECT:  MGSF01: 150 Thai H1N1 cases; Interagency Coordination 
Starting 
 
BANGKOK 00001435  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
¶1. SUMMARY. The Thai Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of 
Education held an interagency coordination meeting on June 9 to 
discuss preparedness plans for the outbreak of H1N1 within the 
country.  A representative from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control 
(CDC) who attended the meeting found the coordination encouraging, 
with information and recommendations current, accurate and 
reasonable.  As of June 15, Thailand has confirmed 150 H1N1 cases; 
more are expected in the coming weeks as Thai students return from 
abroad. END SUMMARY. 
INTERAGENCY COORDINATION MEETING 
-------------------------------- 
¶2. (SBU) On June 9, officials from the Ministry of Public Health 
(MoPH) and Ministry of Education met to discuss H1N1 preparedness 
plans.  The 40 participants included senior public health and 
education officials, representatives from the private sector, at 
least 10 members of the Thai press, and a representative from the 
USG's Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  The meeting was chaired by 
Dr. Paichit Warachit, the Deputy Permanent Secretary for Public 
Health.  More meetings between the MoPH and the Ministry of 
Education are planned.  The CDC participant found the Thai 
government's first real interagency coordination encouraging, with 
information and recommendations current, accurate and reasonable. 
Points made at the meeting include: Some H1N1 cases are to be 
expected among returning students; close coordination between the 
two Ministries was essential to limit and contain H1N1 transmission 
among students in Thai schools and universities; and that the 
Ministry of Education has final authority regarding school closures, 
acting on the guidance of the MoPH. 
STUDENTS RETURNING FROM ABROAD 
------------------------------- 
¶3. (U) According to information presented at the meeting, hundreds 
to possibly thousands of Thai student travelers, mostly college age, 
will be returning from language study, work study and general travel 
in North America during the next two to four weeks.  The next 
semester at Thai Universities will be starting soon, with concern 
that returning students infected with H1N1 could start multiple 
outbreaks at their schools.  The government will implement 
prevention and control efforts and will focus on students returning 
from work and travel in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and 
European Union countries.  Information and awareness campaigns have 
been recommended, with emphasis on non-pharmaceutical interventions 
such as frequent handwashing, respiratory etiquette, appropriate use 
of face masks, environmental measures, and regular exercise and 
health maintenance.  AFS International Programs, a global student 
exchange organization, will postpone large gatherings of retuning 
students.  Travelers returning from overseas are being advised to 
stay home for 3 to 7 days, and to see a doctor if they experience 
flu-like symptoms.  Dr. Passakorn Akkarasewee of MoPH requested that 
the Ministry of Education assign points of contact at schools and 
universities to ensure effective coordination. 
SYSTEM FOR ACCESSING OUTBREAK STATUS 
------------------------------------ 
¶4. (U) Thailand has also designed a system to indicate outbreak 
status throughout the country.  Situation "A" means there are no 
cases; situation B means there are few cases, mostly from travelers 
returning to the country; and situation C means there is widespread 
outbreaks in schools and communities.  Different geographic areas 
can have different "situations," depending on local conditions. 
Health officials hope for most of Thailand to stay in situation B, 
although Pattaya is in situation C due to a recent string of 
outbreaks. 
 
CURRENT OUTBREAK STATUS OF H1N1 
------------------------------- 
¶5. (U) As of June 12 Thailand has confirmed 150 cases of H1N1 and 
more are expected in the coming weeks.  Two Taiwanese claimed to 
have been infected with H1N1 during their visit to Pattaya.  MoPH 
officials confirmed 21 H1N1 cases in Pattaya.  Five boys attending 
the same school in Bangkok have also been confirmed with H1N1; the 
school is now closed for one week to prevent further H1N1 while the 
school is cleaned.  Chiang Mai has confirmed its first case of H1N1. 
 Dr. Surasingha Wisarutrat, Medical Officer at the Chiang Mai Office 
of Public Health confirmed one case of H1N1 in a Chiang Mai 
University student who recently returned from summer work and travel 
in the U.S.  The student is currently under quarantine at Chiang Mai 
University Hospital. 
 
BANGKOK 00001435  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶6. (U) The Pattaya and other cases were confirmed using the more 
accurate Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test kit, which is in use 
by all  government hospitals.  Private hospitals are permitted to 
use either PCR or a 'quick test' which only tests for Influenza A 
and B, after which the MoPH uses PCR to confirm H1N1. 
¶7. (SBU) Dr. Wisarutrat believes the MoPH is prepared to deal with 
the returning Summer Work and Travel (SWT) program students; MoPH 
made public announcements asking people with flu-like symptoms to 
stay home or see a doctor.  MoPH is also recommending publicly that 
anyone traveling in public transportation wear a mask, wash hands 
frequently, and use hand sanitizer.  The Chiang Mai Office of Public 
Health also has a telephone hotline for the public. (Note: the SWT 
program allows students on school break to hold temporary jobs in 
the U.S. while on J-1 NIVs; these are typically summer student jobs 
such as working at Disney World or fast food restaurants.  The 
program is quite popular with Thai students.  End Note.) 
¶8. (SBU) COMMENT: The June 9 interagency meeting was a step in the 
right direction toward opening a productive and active line of 
communication between the Ministries of Public Health and Education. 
 It will hopefully lead to more interagency cooperation especially 
with regard to worst-case scenario planning for a widespread 
pandemic in Thailand that will need to involve police and other 
agencies.  END COMMENT. 
 
¶9. (U) POC is ESTH officer Hal Howard, howardhh@state.gov. 
 
GRIFFITHS