The popular street, famed for its nightlife venues, has seen a mild resurgence in the number of visitors since the Nov 1 reopening of the country that launched the Test & Go entry scheme.
Although promoted as a “no quarantine” policy, the Test & Go allows vaccinated travellers to enter Thailand with one night in hotel quarantine while waiting for their COVID tests results.
Dr Kajornsak, who has previously served as Chief of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO), arrived in Phuket to review COVID prevention measures last Thursday, the PPHO announced in a report posted on Saturday night (Nov 13).
Joined by current PPHO Chief Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon and PPHO Deputy Chief Dr Anon Kaewbamrung, Dr Kajornsak led officials from the Office of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board and from the Phuket office of the Department of Disease Control in conducting the inspections along Bangla Rd, the PPHO report said.
The inspection team also visited establishments, shops and restaurants in Phuket Town, the report added.
The purpose of the inspections were to carry out the PPHO campaign to inform patrons and operators of venues of the regulations under the Alcohol Control Act B.E. 2551 and related laws.
The inspection teams also aimed to “raise awareness, recognise and motivate for business owners and the public as well as give advice on various practices to comply with COVID-19 prevention and control measures”, the report added.
The PPHO report marked no infections at any of the venues inspected, and reported no breaches of any laws or regulations of any kind.
However, The Phuket News over the weekend was informed of a cluster of eight infections at one “restaurant” on Bangla Rd, where the infected have been asked to stay at home.
The inspections come as the number of tourists arriving on the island has risen since Nov 1.
According to the Phuket Reopening Daily Report issued by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), from Nov 1-14 a total of 10,130 people have arrived in Phuket under the Test & Go scheme, compared with 5,769 people who have arrived under the Sandbox scheme.
A further 56 arrivals entered ‘Alternative Quarantine’ while five arrivals were in transit only.
Yesterday alone (Nov 14) saw 1,776 Test & Go arrivals, along with 364 Sandbox arrivals and five Alternative Quarantine arrivals, all arriving on 13 international flights, marked the report.
In total, 76,576 people have entered the country under the Test & Go scheme since Nov 1, the report noted.