The order re-posted in English today was the original order issued by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew on Apr 20 and is the first ‒ and only ‒ order issued in Phuket in English during the current outbreak.
The order in English language was originally posted online by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department on Apr 22.
The Phuket News posted its report online on Apr 21.
The order is dated as in effect from Apr 22 through Apr 30.
The dating of such COVID-prevention-measure orders has become standard practice as they can be quickly and easily extended with another fresh “blanket order” extending the previous order issued.
However, The Phuket News notes that several key policies have been implemented since the original order was issued on Apr 20.
Most important among them for Phuket residents is that Phuket people who leave the province and return now face having to undergo a rapid antigen test to return home if they are unable to prove they are fully vaccinated or present a COVID-free certificate issued within 72 hours of arriving.
The order re-published in English today recognises only 17 red zone provinces that this requirement was originally applied to.
However, Phuket was originally designated a “red zone” province along with the 17 other red zone provinces by the Centre of COVID Situation Administration (CCSA) in Bangkok.
Further, Phuket officials have since added Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Surat Thani and Narathiwat to the list of “red zone provinces” that the rapid test requirement applies to.
Also yet to come into effect is an order mandating the closure of all bridges onto and off Phuket ‒ there are three of them ‒ from 11pm to 5am each night.