The Tourism Authority of Thailand says plans to re-open Phuket to foreign tourists are likely to be delayed as a result of the country’s first local case of Covid-19 in over 3 months. TAT governor, Yuthasak Supasorn, was speaking as officials visited Phuket to meet with local businesses and discuss disease prevention measures.
The government had been hoping to allow around 200 Australian and New Zealand visitors to come to Phuket, provided they tested negative for Covid-19 prior to departure and carried out 14 days’ quarantine on arrival. After 14 days, they would be free to leave their quarantine accommodation and travel around Phuket, although travel elsewhere in Thailand would require an additional 7 days’ quarantine.
Unfortunately, this plan also fails to take into account that Australians are currently not allowed leave their country and the New Zealand government is advising its citizens not to travel overseas. In any case, it now looks like it’s hit another bump in the road, as authorities confirm the Kingdom’s first case of community transmission in over 100 days.
However, Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai from the Department of Disease Control says it’s unlikely the Bangkok DJ who has tested positive for Covid-19 is a super-spreader. The 37 year old tested positive while carrying out 14 days of quarantine after being imprisoned for drugs offences.
Suwannachai says the man did not have direct contact with customers while working as a DJ. There are thought to be around 708 people who have had contact with the man, with 140 classified as high-risk. One of the high-risk contacts became a “Patient Under Investigation” after developing a fever, but has since tested negative for the virus.
Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reports that domestic tourism in the Kingdom is not doing as well as officials had hoped. Over the long weekend, hotels were at 30% and approximate spending calculated at around 8.8 billion baht. However, Yuthasak says tourism has improved since July, adding that the government is adding extra incentives to its domestic tourism stimulus package.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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