Phuket plans to re-open airport, ports, road link from May 16

PHUKET, May 13, 2020, Bangkok Post. This tourist island is seeking permission from Bangkok to reopen the airport, ports and permanent road access to the mainland after several days with no new Covid-19 infections detected, Bangkok Post reported.

Provincial governor Phakaphong Tavipatana said on Wednesday the province will ask the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) for approval to reopen the airport on Saturday. The current lockdown period ends at midnight on Friday.

The CAAT has ordered the airport closed since April 3 to restrict air travel as health authorities nationwide battled to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease.

Three airlines have notified the province of their plans to resume limited domestic passenger services to Phuket, at one flight a day, Mr Phakaphong said.

Provincial authorities on Wednesday also agreed to ask the Interior Ministry to allow re-opening of all sea and road links from Saturday.

People entering Phuket would be required to strictly follow the instructions of the Provincial Communicable Disease Committee, including filling out a comprehensive form so that officials can keep track of them for health checks.

Full details would be made public as soon as they were finalised, he said.

Phuket has reported no new cases since Monday. The island had 224 confirmed virus infections, second to Bangkok, but it topped the rate of the infections per 100,000 people.