Phuket partially lifts lockdown, booze ban to prepare for sandbox tourists

The venues allowed to open as of Monday are:

• Schools and tuition centres

• Shopping complexes and community malls (gaming centres, children’s zones remain closed)

• Restaurants and cafes (alcohol can be consumed until 11pm)

• Convenience stores and supermarkets

• Stadiums, fitness centres and badminton courts

• Hair salons and barbers

• Snooker clubs (3pm to 11pm)

• Internet cafes

• Cinemas, theatres and waterparks (6am to 8pm)

Phuket residents are also allowed to consume alcoholic beverages in public areas like the beach or parks, and celebrations or religious gatherings can be held provided there are no more than 200 participants.

However, entertainment venues, boxing stadiums and animal fighting arenas remain closed.

From July 1, Phuket will be the first province to kick off Thailand’s drive to revive its tourism industry by allowing foreigners to arrive under a “sandbox” scheme.

Under the scheme, tourists who can prove they are fully inoculated against Covid-19 and test negative can fly into Phuket and move around freely without having to quarantine.

After 14 days in Phuket, tourists can then travel to other parts of Thailand.

Deputy PM Supattanapong Punmeechaow said recently that Phuket authorities are working hard to ensure the province can reopen without a hitch on July 1.