‘Red zone’ arrivals face quarantine in Phuket

The new high-level precautions to prevent COVID-19 from being brought onto the island were announced at the meeting of the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee at Phuket Provincial Hall late yesterday afternoon (Jan 6).

The news was publicly posted by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) last night.

The new requirements apply to all people arriving from the 28 red zone’ provinces, both tourists and people registered as living in Phuket, said the PR Phuket report.

However, the new precautions will come into effect only after an official provincial order has been issued, PR Phuket noted.

In order to be allowed to enter Phuket, all people arriving from any of the 28 provinces currently declared red zones must first register through the go.phuget.com web platform, announced the report.

However, the web platform is not operational just yet, PR Phuket noted.

The go.phuget online registration system, operated by Phuket Provincial Police, was first launched in the wake of the COVID-19 national lockdown last April, but was quietly – and confusingly – dropped out of service by June.

The web platform will be relaunched and is expected to be online by Jan 9, PR Phuket noted in its report.

All people travelling to Phuket are asked to register through the Mor Chana COVID-tracking app, said the report.

People arriving from the eight “highest risk” provinces must be screened and must show their permission to travel as issued by a competent official at the traveler’s “place of origin”, the report noted.

The eight provinces were named as: 1) Bangkok (Nong Khaem, Bang Phlat, Bang Khae, Bang Khun Thian Districts); 2) Samut Sakhon; 3) Rayong; 4) Chonburi; 5) Chanthaburi; 6) Samut Prakan; 7) Nonthaburi; and 8) Nakhon Pathom.

All arrivals from these areas must observe a 14-day quarantine either at a ‘Local Quarantine’ venue or at the Phuket resident’s home.

All arrivals from the eight provinces will be asked to undergo swab tests for COVID-19, which will cost B3,000 each, said the PR Phuket report.

The arrivals will have to pay for the swab tests, but those with state welfare cards will not have to pay the full price, it was explained yesterday.

People arriving from any of the remaining 20 of the 28 red zone provinces will be required to observe the 14-day quarantine, but the swab tests will not be mandatory.

Governor Narong yesterday also announced that an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) was to be set up to receive reports of all arrivals from the 28 risk provinces.

All village heads, health volunteers and local residents were asked to be alert for any strangers or newcomers in their areas, and to report finding any such people to local health officials.

“The operation and implementation of the above guidelines will be carried out only when the provincial announcement is officially released,” PR Phuket report explained.

“However, at this time, people who enter the Phuket area by land, sea and air can enter as normal but will have intensive screening, and [we] ask for everyone’s cooperation to install the Mor Chana application,” it added.

this too thanks the criminal who and the flu p(l)andemic

Finally, as I expected already quite a while, quarantine time in sight for domestic travelers coming to Phuket  in order to avoid a Phuket Province lock down. So, the plan to have this and next 3 months having extra long weekend holidays is of the table. It is health wise to risky, and impossible when there is Q-time installed.

How are they going to police home quarantine? Everyone in the house cannot leave for 14 days, dream on

What about the people that are at present in ASQ in Bangkok and are directed to Phuket ?  Will they start a new quarantine and new swab tests just after completing a first quarantine in BKK  and having done three swab tests  ?