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

Tourists enjoy the view from the terrace of a resort on Koh Yao Yai island in the Andaman Sea on November 23, 2020. AFP FILE PHOTO

BANGKOK — Nine types of venues in Phuket, Thailand are allowed to reopen before its sandbox tourism scheme kicks off on July 1.

The venues allowed to open as of Monday are:

• Schools and tuition centers

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

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

• Convenience stores and supermarkets

• Stadiums, fitness centers and badminton courts

• Hair salons and barbers

• Snooker clubs (3pm to 11pm)

• Internet cafes

• Cinemas, theaters 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.