24 Jun, 2021
PHUKET: The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has outlined its key criteria for its Phuket Sandbox ‘contingency plan’, in case COVID infections start spiralling upward following the reopening of the province to foreign visitors next Friday (July 1).
Natapanu Nopakun, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Information and Deputy Spokesman of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, explained the criteria in English yesterday (June 22) as part of the CCSA’s national COVID-sitaution briefing.
Mr Natapanu noted that Phuket ranked 28th in the country for infections, adding, “So they are doing good progress there.”
He also explained that criteria for the cancellation of the Phuket Sandbox scheme “if anything adverse happens”.
“For example, if there are 90 persons infected per week in Phuket, that would be a criteria for reconsideration of the scheme once it has started, or for any adjustments,” Mr Natapanu said.
“Also if all three districts in Phuket are affected, and in that more than six villages are affected, that would be another criteria,” he added.
“If there are COVID cases and there are no linkages found and no contact tracing is possible, that would be another criteria,” Mr Natapanu continued.
“Also, if the hospital bed capacity exceeds 80%, that would be another criteria,” he added.
“If the situation becomes worse in Phuket after the opening of the province on the 1st of July with these particular criteria, then it [the box scheme] would be reconsidered,” Mr Natapanu noted.
“Some of the reconsideration of the Phuket Sandbox scheme would be possibly to decrease the level of business activity or to conduct ‘Sealed Route’ travel, and also to have more hotel quarantine,” he said.
“Also as a worst-case scenario, they would have to halt the [Sandbox] scheme in Phuket,” Mr Natapanu added.
“Of course, this is in preparation of a worst-case scenario if the province opens and something adverse happens, there are more cases and we are not able to control the infections in the province, then this would be the consideration,” he said plainly.
