The Role of International Law for Covid-19 in Thailand

Abstract

Since the outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) which forced World Health Organisation (WHO) to announce this disease as Public Health Emergency of International Concern. As a member State, Thailand must strictly comply with the international health regulations and enforce its own legal measure in accordance with international obligations. Consequently, international law plays a vital role in addressing COVID-19 situation in Thailand through legal enforcement including the protection of the right to health, the right to information relating to COVID-19 and the protection of healthcare goods and services. Such measures aim at widely and indiscriminately protect the basic rights of people who are entitled to equally receive information. Furthermore, quarantine measures, travel restrictions and social-distancing were adopted so as to prevent the spread of COVID-19 which shall be equally applied with transparency including setting time limits and indiscrimination to avoid and mitigate adverse impacts on human rights as much as possible.