Phuket extends Covid entry restrictions to May 12
Phuket’s governor has extended the Covid-19 restrictions and entry measures until May 12, after they were set to expire at the end of April. Phuket Governor, Narong Woonciew, announced the orders following a meeting with 14 foreign consuls and embassy representatives on Tuesday.
Phuket Immigration have since warned that foreigners who skirted the Covid prevention measures and acted “socially irresponsible”, would face legal action and may even be deported.
For those already in Phuket who travel outside and return, the same testing requirements will remain in place with few exemptions. Thai citizens do not have to pay for the test according to the order. For foreigners, the price is 500 baht.
If the rapid antigen test results are positive, it is mandatory that the person immediately goes to the hospital for isolation and treatment.
Recently, such foreigners have been called out for not wearing face masks, with a fine of 20,000 baht being announced for those who ignore such rules. Now, those rules have been extended, including all pubs, entertainment venues and bars being forced to close until May 12.
All classes in which people physically attend at any educational institutions or language schools are against those rules. Only those arriving at an establishment for academic testing are allowed to continue to do so. Mass gatherings have also been limited to 30 people. The detailed wording on mass gatherings includes:
“Unless authorised by the competent official, or is an activity performed by a competent official, or is an activity in an area designated as a quarantine facility. Any such activities that are authorised must follow Covid protection measures.”
There is no further explanation as to what kinds of mass gatherings would be included in that category of being able to receive authorisation. Previously, the mass gathering rule was limited to 50 people.
Gambling, cockfighting, fish fighting, Thai boxing, card games, or any other kind of spectator activities are banned. Training for different sports is also prohibited as well as snorkelling and diving tours. All private kindergartens and nurseries will continue to be closed, except kindergarten boarding schools.
The checkpoint at Tha Chatchai, at the north end of the island, is closed from 11pm to 5am daily. Only ambulances, vehicles transporting essential items and medical supplies are allowed to cross during those hours, or anyone else with special permission. For those drivers who want to enter Phuket during the checkpoint’s opening hours, they must present a rapid antigen test, showing a negative result for Covid-19 that was taken within 72 hours of arriving at the checkpoint.
Drivers can also pass through if they are fully inoculated against Covid. If they have met neither requirement, they must undergo a rapid antigen Covid test- at their own expense if they are foreign- if they are arriving from these provinces…
Chon Buri
Bangkok
Prachuap Khiri Khan
Samut Prakan
Samut Sakhon
Nakhon Pathom
Pathum Thani
Nonthaburi
Nakhon Ratchasima
Tak
Udon Thani
Songkhla
Suphanburi
Rayong
Khon Kaen
Sa Kaeo
Nakhon Sri Thammarat
Narathiwat
Surat Thani
SOURCE: The Phuket News
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