Phuket intends to introduce its own measures of protection against COVID-19

The Phuket government sent a request to Bangkok to provide the island with the right to introduce its own measures of protection against the coronavirus, which go beyond national restrictions. They did this in connection with cases in Bangkok and Rayong, where the coronavirus was detected in people who have already managed to make contact with other people.

In Bangkok, the virus was found in the daughter of a Sudanese diplomat. At the airport, she passed the COVID-19 test, but at the time of receiving the result, she had already taken a taxi with her family to the condominium and used the elevator in the building.

In Rayong, the virus was found in an Egyptian soldier who had previously visited a large shopping center as part of a group of other military men.

Both diplomats with their family members and members of official state delegations (including the military) are among the persons who, upon arrival in the country, are not placed in state quarantine centers for 14 days in quarantine.

The question of whether this could happen in Phuket was raised at a meeting of the Phuket Epidemiology Committee on July 15. The relevant concerns were expressed by the mayor of Phuket Town, Somjay Suvansupana.

    Everyone is worried and does not want the situation that happened in Rayong to be repeated in Phuket. Both the Phuket administration and other officials continue to support efforts to control and protect against the pandemic. With regard to the exclusive position of privileged visitors, in this matter, the Phuket authorities are obliged to comply with the orders of the CCSA (Bangkok's COVID-19 Situation Administration Center), ”said Vice Governor of Phichet Panaphong Province.

The vice governor added that the authorities have already sent a request to the capital to grant Phuket the right to establish its own requirements for persons who can fly from abroad without a mandatory 14-day quarantine.