The change follows Phuket Provincial Order No. 5897/2564 being issued late Monday night (sept 28), revising the previous standing order issued on Aug 14, when the ban was brought into effect.
The new order maintanis that workers and their employers must still strictly comply with the Alien Working Act B.E. 2551 and the Immigration Act B.E. 2522, and the disease prevention measures prescribed by the government.
The movement of migrant workers must be approved by the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee operating under the Governor of Phuket, the order noted.
All migrant workers to move into or out of the province must first be screened and tested for COVID-19, the order added.
The order included the standard provisions that violating the order may be an offense under Section 51 of the Communicable Disease Act B.E. 2558 and may be liable of a fine of up to B20,000, or an offense under Section 52 of the act, which may incur punishment of a fine of up to B100,000 or up to one year in jail, or both.
Violating the order may also be punished under Section 18 of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration B.E. 2005, which incurs a penalty of a fine of up to B40,000 or up to two years in jail, or both, the order added.
The new order is to remain in effect until a new order is issued.
All the remaining provisions under the order issued on Aug 14 remain in effect. Any workers’ accommodation sites where more than 10% of the people living at the site are confirmed infected with COVID-19 will result in the site being placed under ‘Bubble and Seal’ isolation.
The ban on any workers leaving the accommodation site without express permission from health officials also remains in effect. In practice, the ban has been enforced as not allowing any migrant workers to leave their camps after 6pm each night, after returning to the camp from a day’s work.