Thailand turns away cruise ship Westerdam over coronavirus fears, despite no infections

The Netherlands-flagged ship has already been turned away from several countries, including Japan and the Philippines

Meanwhile, on the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined in the Japanese port of Yokohama, stranded Hongkongers are growing anxious

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An aerial view of the Westerdam cruise ship in Hong Kong on February 1. Photo: Handout

Published: 2:05pm, 11 Feb 2020Updated: 1:16am, 12 Feb 2020

Thailand has barred passengers from Holland America’s cruise ship MS Westerdam from disembarking, its health minister said on Tuesday, the latest country to turn it away amid fears of the coronavirus despite no confirmed infections on board.

The Netherlands-flagged ship was sailing in a westerly direction, 96km off the southern coast of Vietnam on Tuesday morning, according to data from the Marine Traffic ship tracking website.

Holland America, owned by Miami-based Carnival Corporation, had said on Monday that passengers would disembark in Bangkok on February 13 and that there was no reason to believe anybody on board had the virus.

“I have issued orders. Permission to dock refused,” Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a Facebook post.

Thai Deputy Transport Minister Atirat Ratanasate said in a separate Facebook post that, while the ship would not be allowed to dock, Thailand “will gladly help providing fuel, medicine, and food” to the ship.

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