Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana explained this morning (May 2) that the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior had issued a formal letter ordering the provincial government to make sure all people leaving Phuket were issued a document confirming that they had been screened for the virus by a health official or been in self-quarantine in Phuket for at least 14 days.
Other requirements notified by Interior Minister’s office included Phuket officials notifying the destination provinces which people were returning home, providing those travelling a document to prove they are permitted to return home and list the provinces through which they must travel in order to return home, and maintain a list of all people approved to travel home and maintain a record of when they left the province.
All of these provisions were already accounted for in the Phuket provincial government’s initial project launched on Thursday, which has already seen more than 40,000 people register to return to their home provinces.
The news follows the Phuket Check Point in Tha Chatchai being overwhelmed by people wanting to leave Phuket yesterday, forcing officials to close the bridge heading off-island within hours of it being re-opened.
People arriving at the Phuket Check Point are now to show officers their “Fit To Travel” document to prove they had been approved to leave the island.
This will speed up the process of officers granting permission for people to cross the bridge, said the announcement last night.
The document is freely available at a special website set up at: https://www.phuket.go.th/FIT-to-Travel
People who have already registered to leave the island may obtain their “Fit to Travel” by entering their 13-digit government ID card number.
The Fit to Travel document is also available at the district or local administration organisation (municipality or OrBorTor) where the person registered.
People who have been issued a Fit to Travel document are to wait for further instructions informing them of when they will be allowed to leave the island, the announcement said plainly.
When leaving the island, they are to present the document to officials at the Phuket Check Point.
Those who have yet to register can still do so online at through the website https://www.phuket.go.th/FIT-to-Travel
The direct link to the page to register is here: https://phuket.depa.cloud/inform.php
Alternatively, people can now register and receive their “Fit to Travel” document (once approved) at the following locations:
- Mueang District Office
- Wichit Municipality
- Kathu District Office
- Kathu Municipality
- Thalang District Office
- Srisoonthon Municipality
To register people must provide personal information, their destination and vehicle details.
People can register today (May 2) from midday to 8:30pm and from tomorrow (Sunday) through to next Friday (May 8) from 8:30am to 4:30pm, said the announcement last night.
People must wait for approval before presenting themselves at the Phuket Check Point to leave the island, it added.
People who register will be later advised of their travel details, the announcement explained.
Under the initial plan, officials were to allow 5,000 to leave Phuket each day, with 2,500 allowed to leave from 5am to midday in the “morning” session and 2,500 people allowed to leave from midday to 8pm in the “afternoon/evening” session.
People wanting to leave the island were urged to register as soon as possible.
Foreigners are allowed to register to leave the island. However, without a Thai ID card, it is presumed they must present themselves in person at one of the six government offices listed above in order to be issued a Fit to Travel.
When people arrive at their destinations, they are required to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.