Phuket pleads to reopen airport, port and road access

The nation's biggest tourist island is seeking permission from Bangkok to reopen its airport, ports and permanent road access to the mainland after several days with no new covid-19 infections detected. Provincial governor Phakaphong Tavipatana said Wednesday that the province will ask the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) for approval to reopen the airport on Saturday. The current lockdown period ends at midnight Friday. The CAAT ordered the airport closed since April 3 to restrict air travel as health authorities nationwide battled to contain spread of the coronavirus disease. Three airlines have notified the province of their plans to resume limited domestic passenger services to Phuket, at one flight a day, Phakaphong said. People entering Phuket would be required to follow the instructions of the Provincial Communicable Disease Committee, including filling out a form so officials can keep track of them for health checks.<br/>