Tourism operators have expressed concerns over mpox as the first suspected case of a more transmissible strain of the virus was detected in Thailand.
Operators urged the government to extend preventive measures and communicate with private operators and related industries.
Earlier this week, Thailand reported a European patient who travelled to Africa might be infected with the more serious Clade 1b strain of mpox.
The World Health Organization has declared mpox a global health emergency, but noted it is not "a new Covid" as authorities know how to control its spread.
Adith Chairattananon, honorary secretary-general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said tourism operators are demanding clear preventive guidelines and possible scenarios to tackle mpox in Thailand.
"We don't want to face a worst-case scenario, which is a spike of infections and eventually a lockdown, as happened with Covid-19," said Mr Adith. "Preventive measures typically require lower budgets than trying to control an outbreak when it's too late."
He said preparing appropriate measures for the possible spread in the early stages is not an overreaction because the private sector and tourists should be informed of the facts.
Related authorities should also discuss guidelines for tour guides or tour operators who regularly accommodate groups of African tourists.
Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said hotel operators have learned from Covid-19 that any new virus outbreak is harmful for the industry.
This issue should be taken more seriously because, compared to a few decades ago, the spread of particular diseases might not be a critical matter for people at this level.
Mr Thienprasit said during the administration of former premier Srettha Thavisin, the immigration process at airports had been improved to be faster, but airports should now reintroduce screening measures to prevent importing more cases.
For instance, airports could manage specific gates and areas for flights from Africa and other risk areas, along with screening the travel history of passengers and setting up a disease control point.
Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas at the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the agency so far hasn't rated mpox as a critical risk factor for tourism.
However, its headquarters and overseas offices are constantly monitoring the case development and potential effects on tourism and travel sentiment.
Mr Siripakorn said the African market is a small contributor to Thailand's inbound tourism, with 122,067 arrivals in 2023.