All nine Thai airlines have suspended flights, while the main hotels in the province have closed and said they will not receive new tourists.
Beaches will be closed to all visitors.
Starting March 30, Thailand has put its popular island resort Phuket on lockdown due to the surge in coronavirus cases. All transportation to the island has been banned, except by air.
However, all nine Thai airlines have suspended flights, while the main hotels in the province have closed and said they will not receive new tourists. All beaches on the island, along with zoos, and animal shows, will be closed to visitors as well.
The province has also closed the following: Shopping malls, pharmacies, shops, entertainment venues, spas, restaurants, amulet markets, golf clubs, pet-service shops, beauty clinics, barber and tattoo shops, and swimming pools of both government and private organizations.
According to local governor Pakkapong Taweepat, these measures will last for at least a month. Meanwhile, vehicles and vessels providing essential goods, and services are exempted.
This drastic move is timely as the Health Ministry says that Phuket has one of the country’s biggest clusters of coronavirus cases.
Commander-in-chief Luechai Ruddit also said that the Thai Navy has prepared 1,200 extra beds at its facilities to prepare for patients with Covid-19.
Currently, the fatalities due to coronavirus in the country have risen to seven.
