Lockdown on Phuket's Patong to curb Covid-19

Lockdown on Phuket's Patong to curb Covid-19

The entire area of tambon Patong in Kathu district of Phuket is locked down to curb the Covid-19 spread. (Photo by Achadtaya Chuenniran)
The entire area of tambon Patong in Kathu district of Phuket is locked down to curb the Covid-19 spread. (Photo by Achadtaya Chuenniran)

PHUKET: Patong area in Kathu district of this southern island province has been ordered locked down to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

An order signed by governor Pakkapong Tawipat, director of the provincial emergency administration centre, says the lockdown is necessary as more than 80% of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the province were workers at visitors to entertainment venues and other workplaces in Soi Bangla in the Patong Municipality.

Moreover, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases has continued to rise.

The order is effective from Sunday until further notice.

Under the order, people and vehicles are not allowed to enter or leave the Patong area, except for vehicles transporting consumer goods, cooking gas, fuel, post parcels, printed materials and fuel.

Also excluded are ambulances and other vehicles used for emergency medical operations.

Those who want to be excluded from the lockdown must seek permission from communicable disease control officials.

Checkpoints to screen for the virus are to be set up at Siko on Phra Barami road in tambon Kathu, at the Simon Cabaret on Sirirat road in tambon Patong and in front of Ban Kalim School on Kamala-Patong road. The district officer or assistant district chiefs are to run these checkpoints.

Phuket's public health office, with support from Kathu district and the Patong Municipality officials, is to take the temperatures of all people in tambon Patong. Those suspected of being infected with the virus must be put in isolation or quarantine at venues prepared for this purpose.

Public places, roads, houses and shops in tambon Patong must be cleaned and sprayed with disinfectant.

Any hotels in tambon Patong that need to keep their employees at work must provide them with living quarters until they have finished their jobs.

As for employees who want to return to their home provinces, the hotels must submit their names to the leader of the Tha Chat Chai checkpoint to seek permission for them to leave the province. This must be done by April 7.

Residents in the area are asked not to leave their houses to prevent them from contracting the virus and possibly spreading it to other people.

Violators of this order are punishable under under Section 52 of the Communicable Diseases Act of 2015 and liable to up to one year in jail or a fine of up to 100,000 baht or both. They may also be liable to punishment under the executive decree of 2005 for administration in emergency situations.

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