Vice Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengphaet, Commander of the Third Naval Area Command and head of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre, was present at Ao Por Pier and confirmed that foreign yachts are now permitted to enter the country, with yesterday the first day.
“All officials must follow the preventive measure orders of the Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha,” commented Vice Admiral Choengchai.
“Yachts are permitted to anchor near Naka Island, Pa Khlok Sub-district, Thalang District,” he added.
“I coordinated the Public Health team from Vachira Phuket Hospital to provide swab testing to all crew aboard. No crew will be permitted to make land on Phuket until the 14 day isolation period has been served and all officials have correct records in place.”
Phuket Marine Department Acting Chief Nachapong Pranit confirmed to The Phuket News the three yachts were from overseas, one from Austria and two from Malaysia, and all had requested to achor at Phuket yesterday.
“One of the yachts from Malaysia which came from a port at Langkawi is called Cayenne and is manned by a British and French couple,” said Mr Nachapong.
“The other from Malaysia is Investigator ll and the Austrian yacht is Crabby,” he added.
According to Mr Nachapong, Crabby and Investigator ll had previously been based in Phuket before the COVID-19 lockdown started. They had become stuck on open waters due to no country permitting them to make land. Once the ruling for overseas yachts to enter Phuket was confirmed they decided to return here.
All three are now anchored at Por Bay and will undergo the mandatory quarantine and health safety precaution measures before they are permitted to come ashore.
Mr Nachapong added that there are further yachts expected to enter Phuket waters and follow the same proceedure today.
“They will also have to follow the safety measures required in order to control and prevent the spread of COVID-19,” he concluded.
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