An update on the COVID-19 domestic travel screening and control measures for Phuket that have now been extended through to 31 August, 2021.
The new Phuket Provincial Orders No. 4626/2564 and No. 4627/2564 will be in effect from 17-31 August, 2021. The Orders extended the upgraded screening measures for domestic travel to the island and the tightened rules for business and activities prone to the spread of the disease.
The existing measures in place essentially remain unchanged for the extension. However, an amendment has been made that allows Phuket residents and those who work in Phuket permanently to enter the island from 17 August, 2021. Residents must be registered as such and have a Phuket listed address, while those working in Phuket have to show a confirmation document issued by their company to the checkpoint officials.
Fully vaccinated international tourists visiting under the ‘Phuket Sandbox’ programme, who do not need to quarantine, can still enter and exit Phuket per the existing rules and regulations.
Phuket Provincial Order No. 4627/2564: Screening for domestic arrivals
- People and drivers of all kinds of vehicles are banned from entering Phuket via the Tha Chatchai mainland gateway, by water via every marina and pier, and by domestic air travel via Phuket International Airport, except for:
- Medical emergency vehicles carrying patients and medical personnel, or volunteers;
- Vehicles transporting medical supplies;
- Vehicles transporting consumable goods, agricultural products, livestock, and animal feed;
- Vehicles transporting cooking gas fuel;
- Banking and finance vehicles;
- Logistics vehicles for the post and newspapers;
- Vehicles transporting construction materials, engine and spare parts for maintenance;
- Shippers of import-export products at the Phuket Deep Sea Port, oil depot port (PTT Phuket) and other cargo areas;
- Vehicles transporting materials, raw materials, telecommunications, energy, automotive, aircraft and other industrial basic maintenance components;
- Residents and permanent workers in Phuket (must have documentation proof);
- People travelling under the Phuket Sandbox and their vehicle driver (must have documentation proof);
- Personnel officially assigned in charge of communicable disease control;
- Any government officials with the necessity to travel to and from Phuket;
- People with an international air ticket out of Phuket on the actual date of travelling only (must have documentation proof);
- People who are required to appear in the courts;
- Any other cases with substantial reasons to enter Phuket upon consideration of the officials at Phuket’s checkpoints.
*People and vehicles mentioned above will only be allowed to enter Phuket under the conditions that they must:
– Have received 2 doses of the Sinovac or Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before arrival,
OR
– Have received the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine as the first dose and AstraZeneca as the second dose at least 14 days before arrival,
OR
– Have received 1 dose of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least 14 days before arrival,
OR
– Have recovered from COVID-19 for less than 90 days,
AND
– Have received a negative test by an RT-PCR or Rapid Antigen test no more than 72 hours from the test date.
- Children and adolescents aged 6 to under 18 years who are unable to be vaccinated must have received a negative test by an RT-PCR or Rapid Antigen test no more than 72 hours before arrival.
- Students under 18 years old who are unable to be vaccinated but need to commute in and out of Phuket for education must have an identification card as proof. They are required to contact the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office for a COVID-19 test by an RT-PCR method. The certificate for the test result can be used up to 1 month from the test date.
- People with a valid appointment certificate for the 2nd dose of inoculation in Phuket must have received a negative test by an RT-PCR or Rapid Antigen test no more than 72 hours before arrival.
- All travellers into Phuket must register their entry in advance via the website www.gophuget.comand be ready to show their registration to a disease control officer before entering Phuket.
- Travelling by land transport through the Tha Chatchai checkpoint CANNOT be done during the hours of 23.00-04.00 Hrs.
Phuket Provincial Order No. 4626/2564: COVID-19 Control Measures
Extension of the closure order for businesses and venues prone to the spread of disease
- Entertainment businesses and venues; such as, pubs, bars, karaoke, massage parlours, and bath venues;
- Fighting cock/bull/fish venues, horse racetracks, and racetracks of all types;
- Snooker and billiard venues;
- Game stations, and games and Internet shops;
- Boxing stadiums, boxing gyms, and martial art gyms;
- Public and private swimming pools or other similar locations and all types of pools (SHA+ hotels are allowed to open their pools for guests only);
- Educational institutions of all types, except private schools where the number of attendees per class not exceed 5 people.,
Ban on the gatherings of people
- Gatherings of more than 50 people, except events organised by authorities;
- Drinking liquor or alcoholic beverages in public areas, beaches, parks, playgrounds, roads along canals, roads around reservoirs, or public waterways.
Restrictions on organising events and ceremonies
- Organising of parties, carnivals, housewarming and large celebrations are NOT allowed, except traditional ceremonies which are unable to be postponed; such as, funeral ceremonies, ordination ceremonies, wedding ceremonies, religious days.
Integrated control measures for businesses and venues prone to the spread of disease
- Department stores, shopping malls, community malls, convenience stores, and similar are allowed to open per normal hours, except for games machines and amusement parks;
- Restaurants and eateries are allowed to open per normal hours, and offer dine-in services without the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages;
- Fresh markets, flea markets and walking streets can open under strict disease control measures, but must operate at only 1 customer per 4 square metres of the area capacity;
- Convenience stores can open from 04.00 – 23.00 Hrs. (must close from 23.00 – 04.00 Hrs.);
- Sports venues are allowed to open until 21.00 Hrs., but are not allowed to conduct any kind of sport with physical contact. Audiences and gatherings are also banned;
- All kinds of indoor sports venues, gyms, fitness centres, yoga centres, aerobic classes, and badminton clubs can open until 21.00 Hrs.
TAT would like to remind all travellers to continue with the D-M-H-T-T-A precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19: D – Distancing, M – Mask wearing, H – Handwashing, T – Temperature check, T – Testing for COVID-19, and A – alert application.
Source: TAT Newsroom
