Phi Phi residents talked into letting tourists stay
The deputy governor of Krabi province has called on residents of Phi Phi Island to allow the 300 or so foreign tourists to continue staying on the island so the spread of Covid-19 can be contained.
Deputy governor Somkuan Khan-ngern met the villagers on Thursday (April 9) after learning that they were concerned about tourists spreading the virus.
“We spoke at length about this issue and finally the villagers agreed to let the tourists stay until the end of their vacation,” he said, adding that Phi Phi was ideal for containing tourists instead of having them be quarantined in hotels on the mainland.
“The Phi Phi hospital has an intensive screening process for tourists and is ready to conduct further tests to gain local people’s confidence,” he said.
“Since foreigners’ way of life is different from that of Thai people and they do not like wearing masks, we have called on the island’s police to strictly enforce the law,” he said, adding that residents have been urged not to panic.
“Hotels that do not have guests have been urged to close temporarily. Krabi province now has 16 Covid-19 patients, with the two newest cases found in Koh Lanta district,” he said.
