BATED BREATH
TOURISTS, LOCALS ANTICIPATE FURTHER EASING OF COVID RESTRICTIONS
Tourists and local residents across Phuket reliant on the tourism industry were waiting in anticipation of further easing of COVID restrictions this week after it was announced that the Test & Go entry scheme will resume from next Tuesday (Feb 1) and the alcohol serving time has been extended to 11pm, already in effect since last Monday (Jan 24).
Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) Spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin announced in Bangkok on Jan 20 that the CCSA had approved the reinstatement of the Test & Go entry scheme to allow vaccinated international visitors to enter Thailand.
Travellers must obtain a Thailand Pass and submit proof of prepayment for accommodation at a governmentapproved hotel/s, such as SHA Extra Plus (SHA++), on Day 1 and Day 5, and proof of payment for two RT-PCR tests, one on Day 1 and another on Day 5 of their stay, he said.
The prepayment for Day 1 must include accommodation, a test and a prearranged transfer from the airport to the hotel. Travellers can book two different hotels for the accommodation on Day 1 and Day 5. However, on both Day 1 and Day 5, they must stay within the room for the RT-PCR test result.
Mr Taweesin also announced that from Jan 24 all “restaurants” serving alcohol in “blue” and “yellow” zones may do so, and allow patrons to consume alcohol on the premises, until 11pm.
“The number of tourism pilot [blue] zones will remain the same, with eight entire provinces and parts of 18 additional provinces included. Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Krabi, Chon Buri, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phang Nga and Phuket are the eight tourist pilot provinces,” Mr Taweesin said.
Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew as of Tuesday (Jan 25) had yet to formalise the extension of the alcohol serving time to 11pm by provincial order, though many licensed venues across the island stayed open until 11pm on Monday night.
As previously reported by The Phuket News, the 9pm alcohol curfew came into effect in Phuket on Jan 9 with police ordering all bars to stop serving alcohol, and usually to close. Patrols along Bangla Rd in Patong were conducted each night...
...to enforce the shutdown.
The CCSA’s announcement of the easing of COVID restrictions on Jan 20 came the same day that officials in Phuket launched a campaign targeting tourists to ensure they wore face masks while in public areas.
Police began patrolling Bangla Rd, Patong, on Jan 20 to begin enforcing heightened measures to get tourists to wear face masks in public areas.
Patong Police Chief Col Sujin Nonbordee led an assembly of police officers, health officials and officers from Patong Municipality at the police box at the beach end of Bangla Rd at 7pm, where he handed down the order that the initial stage of the campaign is to raise awareness among tourists only.
“By joining together to campaign for people and tourists, both Thais and foreigners, to wear a mask to prevent the
spread of COVID-19 Bangla Rd area,” was the aim of the patrols last night, explained Col Sujin.
No fines were to be imposed at this stage, he added.
The patrols were launched “due to reports that some tourists do not comply with Thailand’s public health measures, such as refusing to wear a cloth or face mask and gathering together to dine together. This could lead to the spread of the
Omicron strain of COVID-19 that is spreading widely in the area now,” Col Sujin said.
Joining the assembly and ensuing patrol of Bangla Rd was Patong Mayor Chalermsak Mannesri and Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay Pinsuwan.
The officers spoke with tourists, staff and business operators on Bangla Rd “to clarify and understand the issue of not wearing a mask in public”, said a government report of the Bangla Rd campaign.
“In the epidemic situation of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), there will be a penalty of a maximum fine of 20,000 baht under the Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558, which tourists understand and are ready to cooperate in good compliance with such measures,” the report added.
However, it has long been noted that by the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Bangkok in late November, that first time offences for not wearing a face mask in public areas is to be no more than B1,000.
Meanwhile, police and other officers launched their own campaign in Phuket Town also on Jan 20 to inform tourists to wear a mask while in public.
Leading the campaign which marched along the streets of the Phuket Old Town
area were Phuket Town Mayor Saroj Angkanapilas and Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Anupap Rodkwan Yodrabam.
Military officers, police officers and public health officials joined the entourage, which toured popular tourist streets of Thalang Rd, Yaowarat Rd, Ranong Rd and Phang Nga Rd.
“The campaign is for local residents and tourists, both Thais and foreigners, to wear a mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by walking along roads that are tourist attractions in the Old Phuket Town area, said Mayor Saroj.
“Most of the people, and tourists, almost everyone wears a mask, but only some of them don’t,” he said.
“Officers spoke with tourists, who understand and are cooperating in following [the COVID measures] well,” he said.
Mr Anupap noted, “Although the number of infected people in Phuket has decreased lately, there are still some tourists, both Thais
and foreigners, who do not wear masks. Therefore, this campaign has been launched for tourists to wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which is the concern of the provincial governor.” “The governor has already asked for cooperation from the consuls in Phuket to inform tourists to wear masks, as well as asking for cooperation from hotel operators where tourists stay,” he added.
The campaign will be rolled out across the island, Mr Anupap said.
“After this we will synchronize with officials in each district and integrate [campaign efforts] with relevant agencies, including the military, police, administrative departments and public health officials, to patrol various areas, especially important tourist attractions of Phuket,” he said.
“If you see tourists or other people not wearing masks, the law will be enforced in accordance with the order of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 of Phuket
Province,” he warned, without clarifying exactly which penalties will be enforced.