To date, no one has displayed signs of the deadly viral respiratory illness. Its full name is Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.

Each of them will be paid Bt500 a day for helping the authorities in their efforts to contain the spread of thw dangerous disease.

“We plan to put all the 40 people who had close contact with the patient under close medical surveillance,” Disease Control Department director general Dr Amnuay Gajeena said yesterday.

Thailand confirmed on Sunday that it had detected the second Mers case.

The second patient is a 71-year-old Omani who entered Thailand via a flight last Friday for medical treatment.

“He is now in a stable condition,” Amnuay said.

The Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute successfully treated the first Mers patient in Thailand. That person is also an Omani.

The institute’s director Dr Chariya Sangsajja said the current Mers patient would have to pay his own medical bills.

The Public Health Ministry plans to write to the Omani embassy in Bangkok to request that the country tightens its Mers screening of people travelling out of its territory.

“We will also inform the World Health Organisation about this case. Mers, after all, is a dangerous communicable disease,” Disease Control Department deputy director general Dr Opart Karnkawinpong said.

Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee revealed that Thai embassies and consulates worldwide were instructed to explain to the international community that the Mers situation in the Kingdom was under control. Sek urged people returning from countries with Mers outbreaks who developed a fever and a cough or suffered from a respiratory problem within 14 days of arrival seek medical attention immediately.