Latest info for arriving in Phuket from July 1 – Sandbox update

[Thaiger]

The latest official traveller advice for the Phuket Sandbox has been announced. The infographic points out that the information is valid for Thais and Foreigners. There are no surprises although there are some prickly issues still unanswered by with the Phuket Governor’s information announced late yesterday, including clarification on exactly who can stay with an international arrival at their SHA+ hotel. Or not. There’s also no announced procedure for what happens if someone returns a positive test, or a member of their family, doing their stay on the island. Travellers will have to undergo 3 Covid tests during their stay, […]

The post Latest info for arriving in Phuket from July 1 – Sandbox update appeared first on Thaiger News.

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[AdvocatusDiaboli]

Such a nice graphic they have provided. It does highlight how easy it is for the Bangkok HiSos to get a test in Bangkok, party for a few days, travel down to Phuket within 7 days, and mix an mingle with everyone there. Great chance of picking up COVID19 and spreading the love!

[DWiener]

It's hard to imagine how this sandbox could have been handled any worse. 'Farcical' doesn't even begin to cover it. 4 days to go and still no Royal Gazette. Updated COE process starts THREE days before it opens. It's a masterclass in incompetence. "It's all gone totally sandbox" is the new metaphor for a project that has become a total disaster. They should have outsourced it to North Korea or Somalia - even they would have done a better job. How to embarrass yourself on the International stage without even trying. 

[Stonker]

5 hours ago, AdvocatusDiaboli said:

Such a nice graphic they have provided. It does highlight how easy it is for the Bangkok HiSos to get a test in Bangkok, party for a few days, travel down to Phuket within 7 days, and mix an mingle with everyone there. Great chance of picking up COVID19 and spreading the love!

Exactly.  The problem isn't tourists, or at least not fully vaccinated international tourists, but tourism.

[Bart]

Now that the sandbox makes it a bit easier, we are quite interested in visiting Thailand again (combination of relaxing, family visit and what I fear will be disaster tourism). There's a lot of info available on the Phuket Sandbox (not always easy to find or parse), but I still have a few questions, maybe some people on the forum can help me out.

 

1) I suppose Visa exempt stay up to 45 days will be possible (it's one of the options on the CoE form). The stay was extended to 45 days because of the quarantine.  Is it still 45 days with the Sandbox scheme?

 

2) When I look at the conditions for leaving Phuket to the rest of Thailand, there's a visa check. Do I really need a VISA if I wish to leave Phuket after 14 days, or can I also leave on a Visa exempt stay?

[Bart]

 

The way to book an SHA+ hotel on Agoda (for example) looks quite different from booking an ASQ package, where everything is included. This raises a few questions :

 

1) I found no information about transfers in the published rules. I saw in the pictures from AOT that there's a specific exit for the sandbox. My question : can I (a) pick up a rental car and drive to the hotel, (b) find suitable transportation on arrival, (c) book it somewhere online or (d) do I need to arrange it through the hotel?

 

2) The RT-PCR tests : for the test at the airport, the situation seems obvious, authorities take care of this and the traveller pays whatever price they have negotiated with the labs (I guess we'll know the cost soon enough).

For the 2 tests during your stay it's less clear. Can we go to an appropriate testing spot of our choice, is it arranged by the authorities or does the hotel choose a lab?

The test in Thailand seem to be quite expensive compared to the prices at home.

 

[PhayakPeter]

No interest in going whilst having to pay for 3 tests. 

[JamesE]

4 hours ago, Bart said:

1) I suppose Visa exempt stay up to 45 days will be possible (it's one of the options on the CoE form). The stay was extended to 45 days because of the quarantine.  Is it still 45 days with the Sandbox scheme?

2) When I look at the conditions for leaving Phuket to the rest of Thailand, there's a visa check. Do I really need a VISA if I wish to leave Phuket after 14 days, or can I also leave on a Visa exempt stay?

1) Yes. The 45-day visa exempt entry is in place until September 30 (if not extended). They left it in place even during April when quarantine was 7 or 10 days.

2) Apparently there's some kind of paperwork scheme with a verification that you have completed your 14-days in the sandbox. What I read said that this would include a stamp on your visa so would probably coexist with your exempt stamp if that's how you entered.

[TorontoJeff]

I'm still struggling to understand if you can take a connecting flight.  Can I fly from North America and connect through Hong Kong or does it need to be direct?

[russelwilliams1]

3 tests? Doesn't make sense when you are already double vaccinated.

That's 4 tests if you want to leave phuket and see your partner. Somebody is making money from us 

[Davefrombrisbane]

At the moment it just seems too hard to travel to Thailand with their requirements and Australia's.  I  have had my two jabs, ready to go. But, Australia has fortress mentality,  need government approval to leave the country, and then what happens when I return. Fully vaccinated, test negative countless times and still have to do 14 days quarantine.  Will this ever end, and if yes when ?

[Johnbkk]

The rules are stated to apply to both foreigners and Thai's. So if my Thai wife and I enter, does that mean my wife must now also have USD$100,000 insurance cover? That was not a requirement for her, if we entered quarantine in Bangkok. If it is the case that Thai's now must have insurance and a pre-departure Covid test, by the time you add up all the costs, I am not even sure it is less expensive than a 2-week stay in Bangkok quarantine.

[skatewash]

9 hours ago, Bart said:

Now that the sandbox makes it a bit easier, we are quite interested in visiting Thailand again (combination of relaxing, family visit and what I fear will be disaster tourism). There's a lot of info available on the Phuket Sandbox (not always easy to find or parse), but I still have a few questions, maybe some people on the forum can help me out.

1) I suppose Visa exempt stay up to 45 days will be possible (it's one of the options on the CoE form). The stay was extended to 45 days because of the quarantine.  Is it still 45 days with the Sandbox scheme?

2) When I look at the conditions for leaving Phuket to the rest of Thailand, there's a visa check. Do I really need a VISA if I wish to leave Phuket after 14 days, or can I also leave on a Visa exempt stay?

1) Yes, visa-exempt entry is accepted and was changed from 30 to 45 days permission to stay and will remain in effect for visits between 22 December 2020 - 30 September 2021.  You can extend for 30 more days by applying at the immigration office for 1,900 baht.

2) No, you don't, you can enter the rest of Thailand having arrived on a visa-exempt entry.  The guidance was awkwardly worded.  They will check you passport and other documents that show you have been in Phuket for the 14 day stay that is required in order to be allowed to leave Phuket and travel to the rest of Thailand.  If you arrive visa-exempt the only thing for them to check in you passport is your entry stamp which will show the date entered and that you were given 45 days permission to stay.

[skatewash]

9 hours ago, Bart said:

The way to book an SHA+ hotel on Agoda (for example) looks quite different from booking an ASQ package, where everything is included. This raises a few questions :

1) I found no information about transfers in the published rules. I saw in the pictures from AOT that there's a specific exit for the sandbox. My question : can I (a) pick up a rental car and drive to the hotel, (b) find suitable transportation on arrival, (c) book it somewhere online or (d) do I need to arrange it through the hotel?

2) The RT-PCR tests : for the test at the airport, the situation seems obvious, authorities take care of this and the traveller pays whatever price they have negotiated with the labs (I guess we'll know the cost soon enough).

For the 2 tests during your stay it's less clear. Can we go to an appropriate testing spot of our choice, is it arranged by the authorities or does the hotel choose a lab?

The test in Thailand seem to be quite expensive compared to the prices at home.

These questions are a little harder to answer accurately.  It seems from the latest I've read that safest answer to question 1 would be (d).  I've seen discussion that the transportation from airport to hotel must be SHA Plus approved, that one cannot book a rental car.  

The second question is even harder to answer.  If you can my suggestion is to do at your hotel for the convenience (not having to travel to an outside lab and back).  The ballpark price is around 3,000 baht per RT-PCR test from what I've heard.

Hopefully, better answers to these questions in coming days.

[skatewash]

4 hours ago, TorontoJeff said:

I'm still struggling to understand if you can take a connecting flight.  Can I fly from North America and connect through Hong Kong or does it need to be direct?

The important thing seems to be that you must (currently) fly into Thailand and land in Phuket and only Phuket.  You can do connecting flights to get to Phuket as long as all those connections are outside Thailand.

To be specific, it does not appear to be possible to arrive in Bangkok and transfer to some sort of special flight to Phuket so that you could be processed for the Phuket Sandbox in Phuket.  This may be possible in the future, but if it's possible to do now none of the details have been released and I wouldn't know how to tell you to do it.

[AussieBob]

3 hours ago, Davefrombrisbane said:

At the moment it just seems too hard to travel to Thailand with their requirements and Australia's.  I  have had my two jabs, ready to go. But, Australia has fortress mentality,  need government approval to leave the country, and then what happens when I return. Fully vaccinated, test negative countless times and still have to do 14 days quarantine.  Will this ever end, and if yes when ?

I am also in this 'penal colony' and cannot leave - even NZ is now closed. 

Be prepared for lockdowns in Brissy - the NSW spread is happening fast and will probably get there soon.

Yes it will end - On the 12th of ........ 

 

[King Cotton]

9 hours ago, Bart said:

Now that the sandbox makes it a bit easier, we are quite interested in visiting Thailand again (combination of relaxing, family visit and what I fear will be disaster tourism). There's a lot of info available on the Phuket Sandbox (not always easy to find or parse), but I still have a few questions, maybe some people on the forum can help me out.

1) I suppose Visa exempt stay up to 45 days will be possible (it's one of the options on the CoE form). The stay was extended to 45 days because of the quarantine.  Is it still 45 days with the Sandbox scheme?

2) When I look at the conditions for leaving Phuket to the rest of Thailand, there's a visa check. Do I really need a VISA if I wish to leave Phuket after 14 days, or can I also leave on a Visa exempt stay?

So many questions in need of answers, most of which are in the hands of Thai bureaucrats . . . patience required, sadly.

 

Hello, Bart and welcome to Thaiger Talk

Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself in 'Introductions'. It's good to pick-up on those sometimes differing regional or geographical perspectives.

And check-out the Guidelines, too, when you get a free minute. They're there to help us all enjoy our time here.

Happy posting

King Cotton

[DFPhuket]

4 hours ago, TorontoJeff said:

I'm still struggling to understand if you can take a connecting flight.  Can I fly from North America and connect through Hong Kong or does it need to be direct?

Direct flight means that for the sandbox you must directly enter the country via the Phuket airport, not indirectly via Bangkok. You can stop as many times as you'd like on your way to Thailand, but your entry into the country (and immigration) must be at Phuket. 

[AussieBob]

19 minutes ago, skatewash said:

These questions are a little harder to answer accurately.  It seems from the latest I've read that safest answer to question 1 would be (d).  I've seen discussion that the transportation from airport to hotel must be SHA Plus approved, that one cannot book a rental car.  

The second question is even harder to answer.  If you can my suggestion is to do at your hotel for the convenience (not having to travel to an outside lab and back).  The ballpark price is around 3,000 baht per RT-PCR test from what I've heard.

Hopefully, better answers to these questions in coming days.

I agree about 1.  And I would say that 3000 will be a minimum charge - probably way more.  The reason is that the tests must be organised by the hotel - they will have to organise someone to come and do tests on each day - or organise transport to an approved testing facility (their choice). Be prepared to be taken in an expensive car/van to an expensive private hospital and to be charged a lot for that - negative view I know, but that is definitely a possibility so plan for it if you are coming - and ........ good luck.

[King Cotton]

4 hours ago, TorontoJeff said:

I'm still struggling to understand if you can take a connecting flight.  Can I fly from North America and connect through Hong Kong or does it need to be direct?

Currently, the rules state that transit airports are permitted, provided that designated lanes are adhered to. For example, Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport, although in what, according to the Dept of Disease Control, is a red, high-risk country, can be transited en-route to Phuket.

 

Hello, TorontoJeff and welcome to Thaiger Talk

Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself in 'Introductions'. It's good to pick-up on those sometimes differing regional or geographical perspectives.

And check-out the Guidelines, too, when you get a free minute. They're there to help us all enjoy our time here.

Happy posting

King Cotton

[King Cotton]

4 hours ago, russelwilliams1 said:

3 tests? Doesn't make sense when you are already double vaccinated.

That's 4 tests if you want to leave phuket and see your partner. Somebody is making money from us 

Yes . . . welcome to Thailand!

 

Hello, russelwilliams1 and welcome to Thaiger Talk

Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself in 'Introductions'. It's good to pick-up on those sometimes differing regional or geographical perspectives.

And check-out the Guidelines, too, when you get a free minute. They're there to help us all enjoy our time here.

Happy posting

King Cotton

[King Cotton]

31 minutes ago, skatewash said:

The important thing seems to be that you must (currently) fly into Thailand and land in Phuket and only Phuket.  You can do connecting flights to get to Phuket as long as all those connections are outside Thailand.

To be specific, it does not appear to be possible to arrive in Bangkok and transfer to some sort of special flight to Phuket so that you could be processed for the Phuket Sandbox in Phuket.  This may be possible in the future, but if it's possible to do now none of the details have been released and I wouldn't know how to tell you to do it.

Thanks for being so helpful to your fellows . . . that will be appreciated.

 

Hello, skatewash and welcome to Thaiger Talk

Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself in 'Introductions'. It's good to pick-up on those sometimes differing regional or geographical perspectives.

And check-out the Guidelines, too, when you get a free minute. They're there to help us all enjoy our time here.

Happy posting

King Cotton

[King Cotton]

1 hour ago, Johnbkk said:

The rules are stated to apply to both foreigners and Thai's. So if my Thai wife and I enter, does that mean my wife must now also have USD$100,000 insurance cover? That was not a requirement for her, if we entered quarantine in Bangkok. If it is the case that Thai's now must have insurance and a pre-departure Covid test, by the time you add up all the costs, I am not even sure it is less expensive than a 2-week stay in Bangkok quarantine.

Just one of the many questions that, sadly, TT forum isn't able to answer.

Maybe the TATnews will help; here's its URL that can be copy/pasted into your browser . . .

 

https://www.tatnews.org/2021/06/thailand-confirms-reopening-plan-from-1-july-2021/

 

 

Hello, Johnbkk and welcome to Thaiger Talk

Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself in 'Introductions'. It's good to pick-up on those sometimes differing regional or geographical perspectives.

And check-out the Guidelines, too, when you get a free minute. They're there to help us all enjoy our time here.

Happy posting

King Cotton

 

[King Cotton]

3 hours ago, Davefrombrisbane said:

At the moment it just seems too hard to travel to Thailand with their requirements and Australia's.  I  have had my two jabs, ready to go. But, Australia has fortress mentality,  need government approval to leave the country, and then what happens when I return. Fully vaccinated, test negative countless times and still have to do 14 days quarantine.  Will this ever end, and if yes when ?

An exasperating scenario, for sure.

 

Hello, Davefrombrisbane and welcome to Thaiger Talk

Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself in 'Introductions'. It's good to pick-up on those sometimes differing regional or geographical perspectives.

And check-out the Guidelines, too, when you get a free minute. They're there to help us all enjoy our time here.

Happy posting

King Cotton

[King Cotton]

36 minutes ago, DFPhuket said:

Direct flight means that for the sandbox you must directly enter the country via the Phuket airport, not indirectly via Bangkok. You can stop as many times as you'd like on your way to Thailand, but your entry into the country (and immigration) must be at Phuket. 

I question that, since the TATnews site specifies that transiting via BKK is permitted. But, with so many conflicting directives from TAT, CCSA, etc, it's difficult to know, for sure, which to believe.

 

Hello, DFPhuket and welcome to Thaiger Talk

Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself in 'Introductions'. It's good to pick-up on those sometimes differing regional or geographical perspectives.

And check-out the Guidelines, too, when you get a free minute. They're there to help us all enjoy our time here.

Happy posting

King Cotton