Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong announced the order at 6:30pm last night (Jan 3).
Under the order, all educational institutions, including kindergartens and vocational colleges, across Phuket must suspend on-site classes from today (Jan 4) through Jan 14.
Classes will continue through online instead.
Special consideration will be given to schools that must hold some form of in-person classes before Jan 14, V/Gov Pichet noted.
“For the schools that need to open on-site [classes], they may do so from Jan 11, but all ‒ 100% ‒ of the students and educational personnel must be tested by ATK in order for such classes to be held to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” he said.
Under the order, Phuket Provincial Order No. 1/2565, signed by Narong Woonciew, all educational institutions on the island have no choice but to close for seven days.
Before any classes resume, all students and educational personnel must be tested by ATK and the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) must be informed in advance.
As of yesterday, 13 schools had already announced that onsite classes had been suspended:
- Muang Thalang School
- Anubaan Phuket School
- Darasamuth School
- Phuket Wittayalai School
- Satree Phuket School
- Muang Phuket Municipal School
- Phuket Municipal Kindergarten
- Bang Neaw School
- Plookpanya School
- Baan Samkong Municipal School
- Piboonsawasdee Municipal School
- Putta Mongkol Nimit School
- Wat Kajorn Rangsan Municipal School
All schools across the country have been asked to assess the risk in their own areas and to cease on-site classes for at least a week over concerns of COVID-19 spreading.
Education Minister Trinuch Thienthong was highly concerned over the recent spread of COVID-19 and its potential to further disrupt studies after the New Year holidays, and had urged schools under Obec to comply with all necessary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.