A concurrent mixed-methods study was conducted to examine the factors influencing COVID-19 prevention and control behaviors and to describe the management model implemented in Mae Sai District, a Thai–Myanmar border community, from June 2022 to May 2023. Mae Sai reported 21,890 confirmed cases and 12 deaths during the pandemic, underscoring the severity of the outbreak and the need for an effective local management model. Quantitative results indicated that attitudes, social support, participation, and service accessibility significantly influenced preventive behaviors among the general public. Among volunteers, perception and attitude were also significant, whereas only social support and participation were influential among government officials. The management model identified in this study demonstrated effectiveness through its coordinated multisectoral operations, high community compliance, and rapid cross-border communication. The model consisted of five components: emergency preparedness drills, organizational management through district and subdistrict disease control centers, a unified incident command system led by the district chief, coordinated domestic and international operations, and enforcement of control measures at formal checkpoints, natural crossings, and within communities. Successful implementation depended on strong collaboration among government agencies, volunteers, private organizations, local communities, and partners in Myanmar. This framework may serve as a practical guideline for managing other communicable diseases and enhancing preparedness for future health threats.

Background: Malaria elimination in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) is still struggling with barriers in border regions, where population mobility, occupational exposure, and health system fragility continue to drive ongoing malaria transmission. Tak Province is a typical example of such challenges along the Thailand–Myanmar border. Qualitative evidence of the lived experience of frontline health actors is crucial for the design of contextually placed elimination strategies. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted in Khane Chue Subdistrict, Mae Ramat District, Tak Province, a malaria‐endemic area bordering Myanmar. A total of 17 informants participated: 13 village health volunteers, two health workers and two non‐governmental organization staffs. Semi‐structured instruments were developed to suit each group of participants and used to guide the in‐depth interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse data, applying both deductive and inductive coding. Results: Five factors related to malaria prevention behaviours were identified: cross‐border mobility and migration; occupational exposure of agricultural and forest workers; a knowledge–behaviour gap related to malaria risk normalization and availability of free treatment; lifestyle routines that coincide with peak vector biting hours; socioeconomic and environmental vulnerability. Five programmatic bottlenecks were also prominent: funding cuts after USAID's exit, human resource shortages and low rates of compensation for community health workers (CHWs), fear‐based avoidance of health care services by undocumented migrants, poor uptake of long‐lasting insecticidal nets and compounding external shocks such as Myanmar's political instability and COVID‐19 pandemic. Conclusion: Malaria control in this border area is influenced by the interaction of many behavioural, environmental, and health system determinants on multiple levels. To achieve elimination will need migrant‐inclusive health policies, occupation‐specific vector control, active surveillance for a prolonged period, cross‐border programmatic coordination and stable financing. Findings provide specific recommendations for health planners in similar border contexts in Southeast Asia.