Phuket Town lockdown lifted except Downtown Market, Market 2

After active Covid-19 testing revealed a reasonably low number of infections, the majority of last week’s lockdown in the centre of Phuket Town has now been lifted, aside from the market. The municipality fresh market at the heart of the lockdown will still remain closed for several more days.

Several other market areas will remain shuttered for the duration of their original closure period. The Phuket City Municipality Fresh Market 2, located near Robinson department store, will stay closed for 2 more days until Friday, and the Downtown Market in front of the Phuket City Municipality Fresh Market 1 will still be closed until the end of the weekend.

Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew announced that the area he had cordoned off for a week, set to expire last night at midnight, would be allowed to reopen. 1,360 people were tested for Covid-19 by the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office and the Phuket City Municipality Medical Department.

5 Covid-19 infections were found within the 860 Thai people tested, and 13 positive test results were uncovered in the 500 migrant workers tested. This amounts to only about 1.25% of those tested being infected with Covid-19, a number considered low enough to reopen the Phuket Town location.

While the area within the perimeter of Ranong Road, Soi Phuthorn and Bangkok Road will be reopened, the markets are not fully prepared to reopen. The market needs to be thoroughly cleaned and vendors need time to set up and ready their stalls for business again.

Government officials thanked everyone involved in testing and reopening the area.

SOURCE: The Phuket News