Dr Thawat Suntrajarn, director-general of the Disease Control Department, said his department had in the past received cooperation from several international organisations and border countries on exchanging information, laying out measures to prevent outbreaks of disease and screening suspected patients travelling between countries.

Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Malaysia share land borders with Thailand.

While inspecting a disease control office at Aranyaprathet district bordering Cambodia, Dr Thawat said that many traders - both Thais and Cambodians - as well as numerous tourists travelled through this border checkpoint every month.

 In February alone, some 400,000 people crossed into Thailand via this checkpoint.

Several deadly diseases such as bird flu, HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria are still spreading in Cambodia, he said, adding that special medical screening is being given to people entering Thailand from Cambodia.

For example, while 158 foreigners who had contracted malaria in Cambodia had crossed into Sa Kaeo province for medical treatment in 2005, the number rose to 223 last year. So far this year the number is at 47, Thawat said.