Phuket restrictions to stay in place until at least the end of the month, exemptions apply

[Thaiger]

Phuket’s restrictions will stay in place until at least the end of the month. This includes closing off the island to visitors, with exceptions. This move is in response to the rising Covid cases in the region. The exception to the rule is Phuket residents and visitors associated with the “Sandbox” scheme. Also, people who have had 2 doses of Sinovac or at least 1 dose of AstraZeneca/Pfizer/Moderna/Johnson & Johnson 14 days before getting to Phuket. Yet another exception is people who have recovered from Covid in the last 90 days. Travellers will have to show a negative RT-PCR/Antigen test […]

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[Craig]

But there will still be no restrictions for stray dogs that keep you company.   

[BIGGLES]

With all those who are exempt from the entry restrictions, might aswell just say the island is open.

I said when the restrictions were first announced,  that the policy had more exemptions in it, than there are holes in a sive.

With all these "restrictions" in place, I wounder why the infection rate is going up and up?

 

[oldcpu]

 

I don't plan to leave the Island, but I am curious as to what proof they will ask for to prove residency for any foreigner ('resident' of Phuket) who does return to Phuket?

I wonder if for Thai people it may be (in part) showing their "Blue Book" indicating where they live?

I also wonder if foreign (non-immigrant or work-visa) who have a Yellow Book or the 'pink' (unofficial Thai ID card) indicating the place where they are resident,  if they could use that as proof of them being considered a Phuket resident (or in the case of a foreigner on a work visa have some paperwork from their Phuket employer) ? 

If after this update becomes effective, I would be most curious to read of the experience of any foreigner/resident of Phuket in successfully returning to Phuket (after having left).

 

Edited August 15, 2021 by oldcpu

[oldcpu]

4 minutes ago, BIGGLES said:

With all those who are exempt from the entry restrictions, might aswell just say the island is open.

 

I don't think local tourists from outside of Phuket can visit, so from their perspective, the island is still closed.

4 minutes ago, BIGGLES said:

With all these "restrictions" in place, I wounder why the infection rate is going up and up?

Indeed - with the various exemptions, its possible that is contributing to the # of new cases.

I also have thoughts that the limited testing in Phuket ( ~100 tests/day in June and ~200 tests/day in July) meant there were various clusters 'festering' that were not (and maybe still not) detected.  Recently more official testing is taking place, but IMHO the testing is still relatively small.  I believe more testing would give the local government better information to support their coming up with policies to help them handle (best they can) this pandemic.

[Stonker]

32 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

I don't plan to leave the Island, but I am curious as to what proof they will ask for to prove residency for any foreigner ('resident' of Phuket) who does return to Phuket?

I wonder if for Thai people it may be (in part) showing their "Blue Book" indicating where they live?

I also wonder if foreign (non-immigrant or work-visa) who have a Yellow Book or the 'pink' (unofficial Thai ID card) indicating the place where they are resident,  if they could use that as proof of them being considered a Phuket resident (or in the case of a foreigner on a work visa have some paperwork from their Phuket employer) ? 

If after this update becomes effective, I would be most curious to read of the experience of any foreigner/resident of Phuket in successfully returning to Phuket (after having left).

Your driving licence shows where you live.

[shanghailoz]

35 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

I don't plan to leave the Island, but I am curious as to what proof they will ask for to prove residency for any foreigner ('resident' of Phuket) who does return to Phuket?

I wonder if for Thai people it may be (in part) showing their "Blue Book" indicating where they live?

I also wonder if foreign (non-immigrant or work-visa) who have a Yellow Book or the 'pink' (unofficial Thai ID card) indicating the place where they are resident,  if they could use that as proof of them being considered a Phuket resident (or in the case of a foreigner on a work visa have some paperwork from their Phuket employer) ? 

If after this update becomes effective, I would be most curious to read of the experience of any foreigner/resident of Phuket in successfully returning to Phuket (after having left).

Probably the usual form you get from Immigration

i.e. a  Residence Certificate

 

I'll let you know in a week or two (assuming I head back to Phuket)

 

Edited August 15, 2021 by shanghailoz

[Stonker]

39 minutes ago, BIGGLES said:

With all those who are exempt from the entry restrictions, might aswell just say the island is open.

I said when the restrictions were first announced,  that the policy had more exemptions in it, than there are holes in a sive.

With all these "restrictions" in place, I wounder why the infection rate is going up and up?

Exactly - there are so many exemptions, including discretionary, that it's meaningless.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

2 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Exactly - there are so many exemptions, including discretionary, that it's meaningless.

Discretionary ….. oh Brown Envelope. The discrete amount of notes hidden within. 

[MikeW]

With the number of new infections shouldn't Phuket be a red zone 

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

1 hour ago, MikeW said:

With the number of new infections shouldn't Phuket be a red zone 

You should know by now, Phuket is special. 

[oldcpu]

2 hours ago, MikeW said:

With the number of new infections shouldn't Phuket be a red zone 

I think Phuket may be "orange" (?) ... 

While Phuket numbers are really ugly, not on a per capita basis, as compared to the rest of Thailand, Phuket has significantly less per capita new daily cases and not as bad in regards to Pandemic spread.

Edited August 15, 2021 by oldcpu

[Bangkok_Gary]

I hate those packs of mangy yapping dogs on Thai beaches...

[AussieBob]

5 minutes ago, Bangkok_Gary said:

I hate those packs of mangy yapping dogs on Thai beaches...

Dont we all.  It is one of 'those' issues we all hope one day that Thai society will face and address.  Some people say it is a religious belief issue - but that is not 100% correct - it is a Thai issue.

Bali is mainly Hindu and that religion is very much like Buddhism and they also revere Buddhist 'saints' like Buddha.  In Bali some years ago there was an outbreak of rabies amongst the local dogs and over time it became very serious (and bad for tourism).  The authorities clamped down hard - all dogs had to be vaccinated or put down.  They rounded up all the strays and put them down - the vast majority of owners got their dog vaccinated - those that did not had their dog taken away (people reported them) and most then p[aid for vaccinations, and those that refused had their dog put down. There was a campaign in the scoold to teach Bali children what rabies is and what happens if they catch it, and how to prevent it (the older generations were not so supportive).  They ensured all medical locations had plenty of rabies vaccinations in place and available. They started capturing and testing the wild monkeys etc and ascertaining their levels of rabies.  The end result - they have dramatically reduced the amount of rabies outbreaks and although not completely eradicated amongst dogs it is very low.

Stray dogs are the 'carrier' for rabies in Thailand, they get it and then pass it on to others, and that is how the vast majority of humans get it. Except of course for those that play with monkeys and get scratched. Dont go near wild monkeys or bats and dont touch soi dogs - ever.  

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

That settles it for me. I'm booking a trip to Kabul.

[King Cotton]

31 minutes ago, Bangkok_Gary said:

I hate those packs of mangy yapping dogs on Thai beaches...

Me too, but this is the Kingdom of Dog.

[Patongphil]

9 minutes ago, Lawyers_Guns_and_Money said:

That settles it for me. I'm booking a trip to Kabul.

Me too - see you there!!

[King Cotton]

10 minutes ago, Patongphil said:

Me too - see you there!!

Ha-ha! Yes, even that might be less worrisome! And thanks for this, your second post . . . sorry I missed your debut!

Hello, Patongphil and welcome to Thaiger Talk

Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself in 'Introductions'. It's good to pick-up on those sometimes differing regional or geographical perspectives.

And check-out the Guidelines, too, when you get a free minute. They're there to help us all enjoy our time here.

Happy posting

King Cotton

Edited August 16, 2021 by King Cotton

[AussieBob]

 

19 minutes ago, Lawyers_Guns_and_Money said:

That settles it for me. I'm booking a trip to Kabul.

 

9 minutes ago, Patongphil said:

Me too - see you there!!

Kabul maybe - but stay away from Somalia guys. 

[oldcpu]

 

I have an expat friend who is a resident of Phuket, who needs to leave Phuket (for elsewhere in Thailand) for a couple of days (with a good reason - and not just random tourism desire).  To try and optimize his chances of being assured to allow to return to Phuket, he has gone to the local city hall of his Phuket subdistrict, to get a letter authorizing him to leave and return (he is not one of the identified 'essential' categories).

He has been vaccinated (AZ).  He noted his 'tabien baan' (yellow book) has just now enabled him to get such a letter (and that his 'pink ID' also helped).  

He noted another westerner, trying the same thing (who had a Thai driver's license but not a 'tabien baan') was refused such a letter by the local city hall (ie Thai driver's license, is not sufficient, despite it having one's address on it).

He leaves Phuket soon.  I should know within a week if he is able to return successfully.

Edit: ... re 'the driver's licence' (not helping) and 'the pink-ID' (which he claimed helped, albeit IMHO likely not essential) ... please don't shoot the messenger.

Edited August 16, 2021 by oldcpu

[THETRUTH]

I was under the assumption that local arrivals were banned altogether -- vaccinated or not. Now they say vaccinated people are still welcome? I'm confused. Well, at least they are adopting the same lockdown measures of closing down bars etc. So I am not tempted after all.

Edited August 16, 2021 by THETRUTH

[King Cotton]

30 minutes ago, THETRUTH said:

I was under the assumption that local arrivals were banned altogether -- vaccinated or not. Now they say vaccinated people are still welcome? I'm confused. Well, at least they are adopting the same lockdown measures of closing down bars etc. So I am not tempted after all.

You're confused? . . . we're all bloody confused. And that's a FACT!  . . . I believe.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

47 minutes ago, THETRUTH said:

Now they say vaccinated people are still welcome? I'm confused.

Their wives and mistresses still require to do their weekend shopping trips to Bangkok, Hua Hin and the like. Do you think the Phuket politicians going to stop that? Or if they don’t have so many exemptions their receipt of brown envelopes may dry up. 

[oldcpu]

3 hours ago, oldcpu said:

I have an expat friend who is a resident of Phuket, who needs to leave Phuket (for elsewhere in Thailand) for a couple of days (with a good reason - and not just random tourism desire).  To try and optimize his chances of being assured to allow to return to Phuket, he has gone to the local city hall of his Phuket subdistrict, to get a letter authorizing him to leave and return (he is not one of the identified 'essential' categories).

Thinking about this some more, I believe this Phuket official subdistrict letter in essence puts him under the "exceptions" clause and not under the Phuket residents reentry clause, ... where without this letter he would not be considered an exception.

... i.e it's likely he doesn't need this letter ( unless Phuket entry regulations are tightened again in this dynamic pandemic situation). ... ie the friend is just being ultra conservative to ensure he can re-enter Phuket.