Venues in Phuket selling alcohol must apply for new permit

First, they shut all the bars and entertainment venues selling alcohol in Thailand. Then they said those venues could reopen, but not as a boozy bar, rather as restaurants, who eventually were allowed to sell a bit of alcohol again, now until 11 pm . But now in Phuket, entertainment venues that were originally licenced to sell alcohol but then got licenced to serve food (so they could sell alcohol) must now get a new license to sell alcohol in their bar turned restaurant turned bar again.

In a new twist for the saga of entertainment venues in Thailand during Covid-19, Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong announced that bars that reopened as restaurants must now register to get a new permit to sell and allow consumption of alcohol on their premises.

At a Phuket Provincial Hall meeting yesterday, the new regulation signed by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew was announced that would allow venues that obtained the new licence to sell alcohol until 11 pm. But the licences will only be issued to those venues that meet the newest Covid-19 safety measures, with health officials needing to first confirm they are following the Thai Stop Covid 2 Plus as well as the SHA++ standards.

These requirements have technically been the rule for months, but this new permit would make it official that rules are being followed. In addition to standards of social distancing, masking, and sanitisation, all staff must be fully vaccinated and take an antigen test once a week.

Qualified venues can apply with a 3-page application at one of the 3 officially designated District Offices in Thalang, Kathu (which includes Patong), and Muang (which includes Chalong, Karon, Kata, Phuket Town, Rawai, and Wichit). Vice Governor Pichet explained the process to get approved.

"Business establishments such as pubs, bars, karaoke venues that wish to change to a restaurant must apply for a permit from the District Disease Control Operations Center. The District Disease Control Operations Center will conduct standard inspections as required by the Ministry of Public Health. Then the Phuket Provincial Communicable Disease Committee will approve the restaurant that has passed the standard to start for business."

SOURCE: The Phuket News