PHUKET: Phuket officials have tabled making further changes to the requirements for domestic visitors to enter the province in the hope of providing a means to boost the island’s flailing economy.

Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong explained at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (Sept 18) that the meeting was being held specifically to consider solving the problems of people affected by the announcement of Phuket Province Order 5407/2564 on travel screening measures for entering Phuket.


The order was issued by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew on Sept 11 and came into effect on Wednesday (Sept 15).

Those present at the meeting yesterday, including senior island officials and representatives from the island’s private sector, agreed to ease the measures currently in effect to help boost the island’s economy while maintaining measures to protect people from infections being brought onto the island from the mainland.


The meeting attendees resolved to present to the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee for consideration to allow all groups to travel to Phuket under following conditions:




Arrivals must be fully vaccinated


Arrivals must provide evidence of testing negative for COVID-19 by RT-PCR method or ATK swab test within seven days before arriving


Arrivals must have the MorProm app installed on their phones and must register their travel details through the gophuget.com web platform


As for air travel, which has limitations in the methods of detecting infection, it was agreed to propose having checkpoints set up at airports providing flights to Phuket where passengers can bring their own ATKs to conduct COVID tests before being allowed to board their flight.




Mr Pichet emphasised strongly that the proposal was just the opinion of the joint meeting between government agencies, the private sector and administrative departments to prepare to be presented to the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee for further consideration.


“This is to facilitate those who want to travel to Phuket, both for tourism and in other cases, under the principle to reduce infections from being brought toPhuket while helping to improve the island’s economy,” Vice Governor Pichet said.

Phuket officials mull easing domestic entry requirements