Governor urges clarity on COVID rules
Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew held a special press event on Mar 31 specifically to call on the media to publicise “important COVID-19 policies of the province”.
The press were called to the old Phuket Provincial Hall, where they were addressed by Governor Narong, accompanied by Phuket Vice Governors Pichet Panaphong and Anupap Rodkwan Yodrabam.
“Today’s press conference has an important issue regarding the current situation of COVID-19, where the number of infected people in the province has dropped sequentially while preparing measures to prevent the spread during the Songkran holiday,” Governor Narong said, according to the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket)
“People will come here, and we hereby are asking people to strictly follow the measures set by the Ministry of Public Health,” Governor Narong said.
“It is also a statement on the situation of tourism in Phuket, including a tourism revitalisation plan,” he added, said the PR Phuket report.
“There is also the issue of landscaping improvements along different roads and places in order to create beauty, especially in the matter of planting bougainvillaea trees, which are the official trees of Phuket provincial, by allowing local government organisations to take action,” Governor Narong continued.
“In the past, it has been found that there have been several operations such as on Thepkrasattri Rd. It also emphasises on the cleanliness of the country as well,” Governor Narong said, concluded the PR Phuket report.
DOMESTIC ENTRY MEASURES CLARIFIED
While the report of the special press conference did not mention any of the COVID-19 requirements in effect, Governor Narong on Mar 23 issued a new provincial order to ensure that domestic tourists looking to travel to Phuket during the Songkran holidays were aware of the COVID requirements for entering the province.
Domestic travellers coming to Phuket must be fully vaccinated or present results of either an RT-PCR or ATK (antigen test kit) test issued by an approved medical service provider confirming they are not infected with COVID-19 in order to allowed onto the island, Governor Narong confirmed with the new order.
The order, No. 2056/2565, was marked to apply to all Thai nationals and foreigners arriving from within the country. The order rescinded previous provincial orders mandating the entry requirements for domestic travellers coming to Phuket, and was marked in effect from Mar 23 and to remain in effect until further notice.
Under the order, all domestic travellers must be fully vaccinated or show the results of an RT-PCR or ATK test conducted within three days of arriving to confirm they are not infected with COVID-19.
The only exemptions from the requirements are children under 5 years old travelling with parents or caregivers, persons travelling with a medical emergency vehicle, lifeguards or rescue services, and people who have recovered from COVID-19 within the previous 90 days. These people do not need to show any test or proof of vaccination in order to be allowed onto Phuket.
The requirements apply to all people arriving at any “port” to Phuket, including all boat transport piers, the road checkpoint at Tha Chatchai and at Phuket airport.
The order defined fully vaccinated as people who had received any of the following:
• Sinovac - 2 doses
• Sinopharm - 2 doses
• AstraZeneca - 2 doses
• Pfizer - 2 doses
• Moderna - 2 doses
• Sputnik V - 2 doses
• Johnson & Johnson - 1 dose administered at least 14 days before arriving
• Crossed formula - 2 doses of any of the combinations of COVID-19 vaccines as approved by the Ministry of Public Health
People under 11 years old must have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before arriving, or present RT-PCR or ATK test results issued in the previous three days to confirm they are not infected.
All travellers entering Phuket must download and install the “Mor Prom” app on their phones in order to show their vaccination history or test results. The Phuket News
Of note, has been unable to discern any difference between the entry measures for domestic travellers issued on Mar 23 and the domestic entry measures that were already in effect. The new order appeared to have been issued solely to ensure that the public are aware of the entry measures for domestic travellers as required by provincial order.
However, The Phuket News also understands that officials at the ports of entry to the island, especially at the checkpoint at Tha Chatchai may have been relaxed in enforcing the provisions. With the Songkran holidays approaching and the new order issued last night, that might have now changed.
The order included the standard warnings that as the order is being implemented under the Emergency Decree, parties may not exercise their right to object under Section 30 paragraph two (1) of the Administrative Practices Act B.E.
Any person who violates or fails to comply with the order may be punished under Section 51 of the Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558, which incurs a penalty of a fine of up to B20,000, or Section 52 of the same Act, which incurs a penalty of up to one year in jail or a fine of up to B100,000, or both.
Violators may also be punished under Section 18 of the Royal Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations, which incurs a penalty of up to two years in jail or a fine of up to B40,000, or both.