The news follows officials in Bangkok last Thursday announcing that all “recreation areas” were allowed to re-open from May 1. However, that prompted much confusion in Phuket whether or not beaches on the island were considered “recreation areas” in Phuket.
Ms Bussya told The Phuket News today that the ongoing ban on all visitors to any beaches in Phuket was ratified by order of the Phuket Governor that is dated as issued on May 1, and marked as coming into effect on May 3, and publicly posted on the PR Phuket official Facebook page on Monday night (May 4).
The provincial order issued by Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana is a blanket order continuing all bans unless otherwise noted in two annexes attached to the order. Annex 1 is a list of places that are allowed to open. Annex 2 is a list of all places that must remain closed until further notice – and includes “all beaches”. (See below.)
Of note, while the provincial order is marked as created on May 1, it directly refers to and includes a QR code to link to a 126-page compilation of orders dated as issued by the Ministry of Public Health on May 2.
Regardless, in the order on Monday Governor Phakaphong ratified that the island is to remain under lockdown with all non-essential and unauthorised passage onto and off the island banned until further notice.
Annex 1 of the order, lists the places in Phuket that, unless otherwise ordered, are allowed to reopen in accordance with the Ministry of Health order from Bangkok as follows:
- Airport (already ordered closed until May 15), bus terminal, hospitals, restaurants, convenience stores, booths, vendor stalls are allowed to open, but alcohol sales must be take-away only.
- Parts of shopping malls and community malls are allowed to open only as follows: essential goods departments, pharmacies, telecommunication shops, banks and official offices and kiosks. Restaurants may open but to serve takeaway only.
- Markets, convenience stores, retail shops are allowed to open, but there must be body temperature checks and controls on customer congestion.
- Hospitals, clinics, dental clinics and other kinds of medical places are allowed to open.
- Golf courses are allowed to open, but must not allow any large gatherings of people.
- Outdoor sport centers are allowed to open, but visitors must maintain social distancing.
- Public parks, activity areas, sports complexes may open outdoor areas, but eating is not allowed in these areas.
- Barbers and salons are allowed to open, but must not have people waiting inside.
- Pet shops are allowed to open, but must not have people waiting inside.
Annex 2 lists the places that must remain closed until further notice as follows:
- Boxing stadiums
- Venues for cock figthing and fish gambling
- Water parks
- Zoos
- Theatres
- Massage shops
- All kinds of entertainment venues
- All kinds of spa centers
- Martial art schools
- Kids areas, both in department stores and public parks
- Game and Internet cafes
- Tattoo shops and fortune-teller booths
- Amulet booths
- Snooker centres
- Beauty clinics
- Venues that open for people to do fishing
- Swimming pools in government-operated areas, hotels or other shared accommodation
- All beaches
- Private nurseries (kindergartens)
- Rental car showrooms
- All kinds of hotels, except those are being used as field hospitals (or otherwise already specifically allowed to remain open)
- Tour operation centres
- All types of schools
- All kinds of events that create large gatherings of people
- Walking street markets, except vendors selling essential goods
- Construction sites, except official development projects
- Government offices open for making and renewing ID card and other documents
- Department of Transport offices and registered driving schools, except for renewing driving licenses, training sessions, car driving training, and booths set up by officials.
- Department of Land offices, except for performing selected activities