Phuket Is Defeating COVID19 — Here Are 15 Reasons Why
Photo: The Thaiger
Watching the COVID19 outbreak since January, it is heartbreaking to see all of the unnecessary deaths, panic, and ignorance seen in so many countries. As an American ex-pat in Thailand, it has been impressive to watch the organization and the swift spring into action of the Thai government.
Below is a list of what I witnessed happen in Phuket, Thailand that helped to get us to a point where we feel safe on the island. With zero cases in the last week at a standstill of 227 and 2 deaths. Thailand confirmed it’s first COVID19 case on February 1, 2020.
There was calm before the storm…
Initially, when news of the COVID19 broke out in China, Thailand was the first country to confirm the virus had begun to travel with it’s first confirmed case. As the Chinese are number one for the tourism GDP in Phuket, this was a major concern on how to handle this crisis and to keep the relationship tight.
To continue tourism during the high season, the Phuket airport remained open with all countries being welcomed until around March. For the longest time, it felt like a “wait and see” period not really knowing what was being reported with accuracy and what was going to be done.
Then like a hurricane, around the time when Italy broke out and this was truly a worldwide outbreak, the Thailand government must have felt secure in springing into action, and boy did they.
It can be guessed that the swift storm was for a variety of reasons such as:
1) To protect the country and people from this widespread disease
2) To be looked at positively in the efforts done on the virus from a world perspective
3) To eventually promote Thailand as a safe health haven to foreigners living in countries with governments that handled the crisis badly
15 Ways Phuket & Thailand Took Action On The COVID19 Threat
1 | Temperature Checks & Fit To Fly Certificates
When the outbreak happened, the airport started temperature health checks, with the Chinese and later to “high risk countries” in special lines. A failed temperature check before your flight would mean you couldn’t board. Failed temperature checks into the Kingdom would mean a quarantine. High risk countries such as China were asked and recommended to quarantine themselves initially before later, requiring facilitated quarantines.
As we saw the outbreak spread to Europe and other western countries towards mid-March , “Fit to Fly” certificates were mandatory. This included a health certificate from a doctor displaying you were healthy and no symptoms of COVID19. Also required was $100,000 minimum health insurance.
Photo: The Phuket News
2 | Airport, Sea & Land Closure
On April 10, 2020, Thailand closed off Phuket by air, land and sea. We will patiently await and report news of any reopening.
Photo: The Phuket News
3 | Automatic Visa Extensions Until July 31, 2020
Initially Visa extensions were from April 8, 2020 through April 30, 2020. This left a lot of foreigners nervous about what happened the day of April 30, 2020. Many foreigners were in a place where they could not get a flight home or risk getting stuck due to travel bans.
As many foreigners became uneasy about visa status and having to go into crowds, Thailand did something unheard of. In Phuket, they granted all foreigners Visa amnesty for THREE additional months with no fees attached. This reduced the crowds at immigration and welcomed foreigners to stay.
4 | COVID19 Classified As Dangerous Communicable Disease (Communicable Disease Act 2015)
In 2015, Thailand passed the Communicable Disease Act which allows them to place laws on protecting citizens from communicable diseases. Thailand announced on March 11, 2020 COVID19 was classified under this law and they were able to lawfully impose measures to protect the health and safety of the country.
Any violations of the decrees can incur a maximum penalty of up to one year in prison or a fine of up to B100,000, or both.
Photo: Bangkok Post
5 | Contact Tracing
The cases have been traced one by one and reported how each came into contact with an infected person.
Photo: Bangkok Post
6 | Lockdown
Phuket went into lockdown on April 13, 2020 until a phased reopening began on May 3, 2020. The lockdown included:
- Beaches Closed
- No Alcohol Sales
- All Non-Essential Businesses & Services Closed
- All Entertainment Venues and Fitness Events Closed
- Schools Closed
- And More!
7 | Curfew
A curfew was instated from 8:00pm until 4:00am. Nobody was to be outside their homes.
This helped with keeping people inside and with crime. If found in violation, you are subject to max fine of 40,000 Baht and/or 2 years in prison.
8 | Travel Between Districts Not Allowed Except Essential Workers
We were not allowed to go between different districts (even if they were only a 7 minute car ride). This allowed containment and tracing until numbers began to drop.
Photo: Khaosod English
9 | Mandatory Masks
You can not step outside without wearing a mask or be fined upwards of 20,000 THB and possible jail time.
Leadership all wore masks at the very beginning of the outbreak and there was little tolerance socially if seen without. This including posting photos of those choosing to not wear masks online.
10 | Door-To-Door Health Checks
In Phuket, a group of volunteers went knocking on doors to do random health checks to ensure the safety of the communities and well being of people.
Photo: Centara Hotel Resorts
11 | Temperature Checks + Hand Sanitizer At Every Shop
The moment you arrive, you are met by a worker decked out in PPE gear armed with a laser thermometer and hand sanitizer.
A Thai woman scans a QR code to check-in before entering a shopping mall in Phuket, Thailand.
Photo: Central Facebook
12 | QR Code Check-Ins
Yep, that’s right — QR codes are not dead in Asia. If you go to a shop anywhere, be expected to check-in with your QR code reader and check out for tracking.
Phases of reopening after lockdowns in Thailand, evaluated every 14 days.
Photo: Bangkok Post
13 | Phased Reopening With Possibility Of Shut Downs
Thailand had a plan that was displayed for people to understand the easing out of the lockdown measures. The phases are assessed every 14 days, and can either regress or progress.
The Thailand New Year “Songkran Festival” was postponed due to COVID19
Photo: ScandAsia
14 | Postponing Holiday Festivals
Thailand’s New Year “Songkran Festival” April 13–15 was postponed to a later date to contain the virus.
Thailand begins to prepare 3rd stimulus package of 500B Baht
Photo: Bangkok Post
15 | Stimulus Payments
Without a doubt, Thailand was a country that got hit hard with Tourism making up around 20% of the GDP. Add on the virus began at the high season (when most business make the majority of their income).
Thailand is on it’s 3rd stimulus package as reported by Bangkok Post.
1st: 400 Billion Baht into the economy
2nd: 117 Billion Baht cash handouts “No One Left Behind”
3rd (on the way): 500 billion Baht
Despite the stimulus payments, it is easy to understand the Thai people are still in need of more because of the erupt job losses and income. Many are still waiting to receive payments, sadly.
And Now…
Tourism Authority of Thailand begins promoting new slogan “Amazing Trusted Thailand” Photo: PBS News
Amazing Trusted Thailand Slogan Is Born
Although slogan is met with a bit of criticism from locals, after taking the extreme measures to keep the people safe they have begun their rebrand with the slogan name “Amazing Trusted Thailand”.
Before the Tourism Authority of Thailand carried the name “Amazing Thailand” so they simply added in the “Trusted”.
The branding is marketed toward “higher quality” tourists as opposed to mass backpacker crowds as reported by Bangkok Post.
Summary
Thailand Government response came like a storm, most likely to not only protect the country from disease but be remembered as a country that reacted during this pandemic to flatten the curve to ultimately prevent deaths and sickness.
The response has felt organized and with the continued measures and more stimulus payments into the Thai economy, Thailand’s efforts through my eyes as a foreigner can be applauded.
Thailand will go on to promote it’s country as a safe place to travel and live for foreigners because of it’s efforts to flatten the curve.
My guess is that there are a lot of people who are unhappy with their government’s response, especially those who lost loved ones or continue to have health issues will have a constant reminder on how their country let them down.
Initially with the fresh memory or the next 1–3 years, I can only imagine the marketing as a healthy safe haven will have success.
So how will Thailand begin this promotion and revive tourism (which makes up a significant portion of it’s GDP) while continuing to keep the country safe from this disease? Only time will tell…
