BANGKOK, Sept 10 (NNN-TNA) – Thailand’s Phuket International Airport, said, it held a dress rehearsal for international arrivals, amid the COVID-19 pandemic to conform with the Thai government’s “Phuket Model” programme, once the scheme is approved by the Cabinet.
The rehearsal covered every step, from beginning of tourist arrivals to temperature screening, filling out health related documents, and taking tourists to quarantine facility.
“This is a mandatory dress rehearsal, as the Thai government wishes to see the ‘Phuket Model’ as the pilot project to welcome tourists during the pandemic,” said Thanee Chuangchoo, general manager of Phuket International Airport. “Also, all incoming passengers will need to thermo-scan, and then go through a COVID-19 swab test.”
He said, if any passenger demonstrates signs of illness, his/her medical certificate and fit-to-fly papers will be closely inspected.
All inbound visitors will need to download the Airports of Thailand (AOT) application, before they undergo immigration and customs formalities. They will then be transferred to their quarantine facilities.
However, if anyone is found to have a temperature, he/she will be isolated from others and monitored. If the condition worsens, they will be sent to hospital.
The “Phuket Model” is a scheme initiated by the government, to open up the popular resort island to healthy tourists for long term stay.
The scheme was launched, in a bid to reboot the economic and tourism sectors of Phuket, that is badly hit by the pandemic.
The “Phuket Model” was slated for Oct. However, the plan is being shelved and debated, when Thailand discovered a new local COVID-19 case in Bangkok, after a 100-day mark of free local transmission.
A large portion of Phuket residents also expressed fear that, by allowing foreigners in, the island may risk a second wave of infections.– NNN-TNA
