Officers at the checkpoint estimate that the number of vehicles coming onto the island will soon average 10,000 a day, up from the average 1,000 vehicles per day under the previous control measures, said one report by Phuket officials.
Under the new measures, the checkpoint is now open again 24 hours a day.
The relaxed measures for people coming into Phuket were announced by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew on Monday, and the official order posted online later that night.
The new easing of the COVID test requirement applies to visitors arriving at any port of entry to the island: by road via the Phuket Check Point at Tha Chatchai; by plane via Phuket airport; or by boat via any of the piers and ports on the island.
Phuket officials earlier this week launched an intensive public-awareness campaign to inform people about the new relaxed measures that came into effect yesterday.
The new measures specifically regard domestic travellers ‒ that is, people already in Thailand ‒ wanting to come onto the island. The requirements apply to all people entering Phuket, including island residents who leave Phuket and want to return.
The public notices, including a video explaining the Oct 16 entry requirements, issued so far have been in Thai language only, though Phuket officials have repeatedly in the past posted notices in English to assist non-Thai speakers. A new notice explaining the new provincial entry rules for domestic arrivals in English is expected soon.
Phuket officials on Wednesday re-posted one notice explaining the Oct 16 rules again after they became exasperated by the number of people not understanding the word “or”.