Rapid test abandoned, only vaccinated or tested arrivals to enter Phuket

[snoop1130]

Phuket Vice Governor Piyapong Choowong (centre) confirmed the news today (May 14). Screenshot: PR Phuket

 

PHUKET:-- Rapid antigen tests will no longer be used to determine whether or not people will be allowed to enter Phuket from Sunday (May 16), Phuket Vice Governor Piyawong Choowong has confirmed.

 

Instead, only people who are fully vaccinated or can prove they tested negative for the virus within 72 hours of arriving will be allowed to enter, he said today after the meeting of the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee at Phuket Provincial Hall (May 14).

 

“All arrivals must be able to prove that you are fully vaccinated or tested negative within 72 hours because we will not conduct the rapid antigen test for arrivals from May 16,” he said.

 

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/rapid-test-abandoned-only-vaccinated-or-tested-arrivals-to-enter-phuket-80004.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2021-05-14

 

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[Bkk Brian]

I guess that saves finding hospital beds to all the ones entering and being tested positive after the rapid test.

 

[mr_lob]

changed the rules again??!

Say it ain't so!

[ExpatOilWorker]

Best to avoid the Plague Island until after Covid.

[LivinginKata]

Test before get on flight seems like logic .... mai

[kynikoi]

Finally, sanity. But for how long?

 

I'm sure there's gotta be forced quarantine anyway right?

[BritManToo]

Phuket seems to be in total meltdown mode.

I can't imagine any tourists (foreign or Thai) wanting to go there at any time in the near future.

If I held a lease/mortgage on a Phuket hotel, I'd just walk away from it.

[Rhacsyn]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Phuket seems to be in total meltdown mode.

I can't imagine any tourists (foreign or Thai) wanting to go there at any time in the near future.

If I held a lease/mortgage on a Phuket hotel, I'd just walk away from it.

I trust you would agree it is, in general, a pretty scenic island. It is more like a bit of desperation to get things right as leader Prayut and his crew visit tomorrow, delivering a box of vaccines I read. Covid positive daily numbers need to be in single figures leading up to......the sandbox project 

[TheFreqFlyer]

8 minutes ago, Rhacsyn said:

I trust you would agree it is, in general, a pretty scenic island. It is more like a bit of desperation to get things right as leader Prayut and his crew visit tomorrow, delivering a box of vaccines I read. Covid positive daily numbers need to be in single figures leading up to......the sandbox project 

The sandbox project is pure theater and isn't going to happen on time (or even at all). 

 

An informed reader over on Richard Barrow's Facebook page said (in summary) "This is a mafia ruling - made by the Phuket governor and his cronies. The governor's term is nearly over and he's about to be replaced by a new guy. The governor hates foreigners and this whole sandbox project is pure theater. He knows it's not going to happen". 

[TheFreqFlyer]

12 minutes ago, Rhacsyn said:

I trust you would agree it is, in general, a pretty scenic island. It is more like a bit of desperation to get things right as leader Prayut and his crew visit tomorrow, delivering a box of vaccines I read. Covid positive daily numbers need to be in single figures leading up to......the sandbox project 

It's gone from scenic and magical to hell on Earth. Already over a year ago, they were doing door to door temperature checks. Not sure if they managed to cover the whole island but that was the stated goal. Soon they will probably mandate vaccination or throw refusers in jail (at least Thais). 

[BMW Overlander]

I am Phuket resident and will be driving back to Phuket on 20th. Where to do rapid test before arriving to island? Is there a link or list of places where to do this?

[Xonax]

I guess that they must have been getting too many false positive test resluts.

We have just cancelled a planned trip to Phang Nga early next month, as we would have to transit via Phuket Airport. Getting a covid test before arriving from Bangkok and probably again a week later when returning from Phang Nga is just not acceptable. Getting a false positive test result would definitely also be a risk to avoid.

Edited May 15, 2021 by Xonax

[Caldera]

How many more times will they need to flip flop on this matter? Tedious!

 

From 76 other Thai provinces, no such news stories, they seem to be first class attention seekers in Phuket.

[wensiensheng]

11 hours ago, Rhacsyn said:

I trust you would agree it is, in general, a pretty scenic island. It is more like a bit of desperation to get things right as leader Prayut and his crew visit tomorrow, delivering a box of vaccines I read. Covid positive daily numbers need to be in single figures leading up to......the sandbox project 

I know a bit about Phuket, I’ve lived there 13 years. A couple of years ago I was sitting in my car, in a traffic jam, wall to wall cars in both directions, between central mall and tesco lotus.

 

the radio was on and the local English station was burbling on about being in paradise island. I looked around me and in all directions all I could see was cars and concrete buildings. I turned to my wife and said “ does this look like paradise to you”.

 

it’s better now, less traffic, but the buildings remain. Even on previously scenic routes, say, driving over the hills from nai harn to kata, so many buildings now, and still being built.

 

so I wouldnt agree with you on the pretty scenic comment. It’s getting harder and harder to find a scenic view that isn’t marred by some kind of ugly building or pile of trash.

 

you’re probably right on the vaccine thing.

[Deli]

33 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

I know a bit about Phuket, I’ve lived there 13 years. A couple of years ago I was sitting in my car, in a traffic jam, wall to wall cars in both directions, between central mall and tesco lotus.

 

the radio was on and the local English station was burbling on about being in paradise island. I looked around me and in all directions all I could see was cars and concrete buildings. I turned to my wife and said “ does this look like paradise to you”.

 

it’s better now, less traffic, but the buildings remain. Even on previously scenic routes, say, driving over the hills from nai harn to kata, so many buildings now, and still being built.

 

so I wouldnt agree with you on the pretty scenic comment. It’s getting harder and harder to find a scenic view that isn’t marred by some kind of ugly building or pile of trash.

 

you’re probably right on the vaccine thing.

 

Traffic was a freaking nightmare when they built the tunnels and the island was full of Chinese at the same time. Once constructions and Chinese were gone ( raods were and are still in dire conditions, though ), things changed remarkable to the better. A lot of buildings, yes, but visitors have to stay somewhere, no ? Now the big bad reset, massive destruction of lifes, livelyhoods and business. A sad picture. I'm a resident for more than a decade, too, and still like Phuket, though would like to see some things changed, which I rather don't mention here.

[Nurseynutcase]

14 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Phuket seems to be in total meltdown mode.

I can't imagine any tourists (foreign or Thai) wanting to go there at any time in the near future.

If I held a lease/mortgage on a Phuket hotel, I'd just walk away from it.

 

Many already have left - including bar owners and shop owners

[Excel]

14 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Phuket seems to be in total meltdown mode.

I can't imagine any tourists (foreign or Thai) wanting to go there at any time in the near future.

If I held a lease/mortgage on a Phuket hotel, I'd just walk away from it.

Guess those crooks that live there  will want to return there from time to time though

[Venom]

Shooting themselves in the foot again? ????

[bluedoc]

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

PHUKET:-- Rapid antigen tests will no longer be used to determine whether or not people will be allowed to enter Phuket from Sunday (May 16), Phuket Vice Governor Piyawong Choowong has confirmed

 

[AlfHuy]

Probably there were not many takers to pay 500Baht

[AlfHuy]

16 hours ago, TheFreqFlyer said:

The sandbox project is pure theater and isn't going to happen on time (or even at all). 

 

An informed reader over on Richard Barrow's Facebook page said (in summary) "This is a mafia ruling - made by the Phuket governor and his cronies. The governor's term is nearly over and he's about to be replaced by a new guy. The governor hates foreigners and this whole sandbox project is pure theater. He knows it's not going to happen". 

Phuket sandbox failed to attract HI-SO, high spending Trillionaires, Jetset, private jet owners.

[luk AJ]

On 5/14/2021 at 8:52 PM, kynikoi said:

Finally, sanity. But for how long?

 

I'm sure there's gotta be forced quarantine anyway right?

Sanity? I have a company 5km from Sarasin bridge mainland and we have to deliver our customers every day. Many are located in Phuket, so yesterday our trucks were blocked at the checkpoint entering Phuket. Before, rapid tests were available at the checkpoint and it is this one they abandoned. So all businesses are cut off! Insanity!

[Poet]

The only feasible future for the entry of foreigners into Thailand is verified vaccinations.

The tourism authorities are trying to dance around this and leave open the alternative option of testing + quarantine because, currently, only 60% of Israeli citizens, 38% of US citizens, 33% of UK citizens, 12% of EU citizens, and 3% of Indian citizens are fully vaccinated.

Another sticking point is that, although Israel has had its "green pass" system since February, and the UK vaccine verification app is launching today, it could be months before the EU beaucracy get around to releasing their version. The Thai authorities cannot officially announce that they will only be accepting vaccinated visitors until their main tourist-providing countries actually have a verification scheme in place.

My hunch is that Thailand's testing + quarantine option will be wound down in June and, by July, entry will only be granted to verifiably vaccinated visitors from countries with a "zero covid" level of infection, which means less than 100 per million of population. Israel currently has 72 per million, UK 673, France 10,000, and USA 18,000. Judging by Israel, it would appear that most countries can expect to reach this level once they get over half their population fully-vaccinated. So, the US and UK should be there by June, while the EU should be there by early 2022.
 

Foreigners living in Thailand may be required to get vaccinated before their visa is renewed. Those who do not wish to get vaccinated may have some trouble returning to their home countries if, as expected, the major airlines stop accepting unvaccinated passengers this summer.

 

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, Poet said:

The only feasible future for the entry of foreigners into Thailand is verified vaccinations.

The tourism authorities are trying to dance around this and leave open the alternative option of testing + quarantine because, currently, only 60% of Israeli citizens, 38% of US citizens, 33% of UK citizens, 12% of EU citizens, and 3% of Indian citizens are fully vaccinated.

Another sticking point is that, although Israel has had its "green pass" system since February, and the UK vaccine verification app is launching today, it could be months before the EU beaucracy get around to releasing their version. The Thai authorities cannot officially announce that they will only be accepting vaccinated visitors until their main tourist-providing countries actually have a verification scheme in place.

My hunch is that Thailand's testing + quarantine option will be wound down in June and, by July, entry will only be granted to verifiably vaccinated visitors from countries with a "zero covid" level of infection, which means less than 100 per million of population. Israel currently has 72 per million, UK 673, France 10,000, and USA 18,000. Judging by Israel, it would appear that most countries can expect to reach this level once they get over half their population fully-vaccinated. So, the US and UK should be there by June, while the EU should be there by early 2022.
 

Foreigners living in Thailand may be required to get vaccinated before their visa is renewed. Those who do not wish to get vaccinated may have some trouble returning to their home countries if, as expected, the major airlines stop accepting unvaccinated passengers this summer.

 

There is a plan in place for Phuket opening, has been for quite some time now and authorities have been very consistent about this plan.

 

So your hunch is wrong.

[Poet]

13 hours ago, stevenl said:

There is a plan in place for Phuket opening, has been for quite some time now and authorities have been very consistent about this plan.

 

So your hunch is wrong.

You are literally posting in a thread about a news article reporting a sudden and major change to the current rules regarding entry to Phuket.

That you regard the Thai authorities as "very consistent" is hilarious and in keeping with your long history of posting absolute nonsense in this forum.