“In general, the entering and checking process at the checkpoint was good and smooth. Arrivals who want to enter the island prepared their documents to show to officers,” said a report by the Phuket office of Public Relation Department, also repeated through national state news agency NNT.
“However, about 30% of arrivals could not present required documents to officers and were denied, as they had come from the 34 provinces. Most of them had been fully vaccinated but were unable to present a test result,” the report explained.
“Most arrivals knew the stricter measures, in effect from July 15-31, and understood about the necessity of the measures to control and protect against the current outbreak,” the report added.
The new requirements were issued by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew through a provincial order on Sunday (July 11) and do not apply to children under 6 years old traveling with parents.
From July 15-31, all arrivals from red or dark red-zones must be ‘fully vaccinated’ (or received one injection of the AstraZeneca vaccine) at least 14 days before arriving, or they must have been discharged from hospital from recovering from COVID-19 no more than 90 days before arriving.
However, they MUST ALSO provide evidence that they tested negative for the virus through an RT-PCR test or a Rapid Antigen Test no more than seven days before travelling to Phuket.
The mandatory test requirement will apply to all people arriving from the 10 ‘dark red’ “highest control and restricted” areas and the 24 ‘red’ “highest control” provinces, listed in the provincial order as:
Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Ayutthaya, Chachoengsao, Suphan Buri, Saraburi, Chainat, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Sawan, Ang Thong, Udon Thani, Prachinburi, Sing Buri, Lop Buri, Samut Songkhram, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chon Buri, Rayong, Nakhon Ratchasima, Tak, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Krabi and Ranong.
Meanwhile, all arrivals from yellow or orange zones must be ‘fully vaccinated’ (or received one injection of the AstraZeneca vaccine) at least 14 days before arriving, or they must have been discharged from hospital from recovering from COVID-19 no more than 90 days before arriving.
However, while Phuket officials have been consistent with the definitions given above through repeated reports, videos and press conferences explaining the new entry requirements, the infographics released to explain the new rules both in Thai and English have not matched the rules introduced.
According to the infographics released, people may still enter Phuket if they are fully vaccinated but do not present any test results certificate (see images in gallery above).
As evidenced by the PR Phuket report itself today, this is incorrect.