PoorSucker

For my COE the Stockholm embassy required a return ticket. Bought a refundable ticket to Singapore and it was accepted.

Think they have time, when I picked up my visa at the Stockholm embassy we were 3 people getting a visa.

Plenty of bars open in Phuket when I arrived 10 days ago. Now on Samui, nothing open.

My experience. Came to Phuket 10 days ago. Came first off the plane (get a good seat) Paperwork checked before immigration. 1. COE 2. Proof of vacation. 3. Health insurance 4. SHABA hotel booking. 5. Negative PCR-test before flight. Went through immigration. Got my luggage. Outside airport, first PCR test. Taxi to hotel. Waiting 3h until PCR-test came in. Hotel staff called me telling I'm cleared (also got email from testing center) Rented a bike and went to a bar for a well deserved gin tonic. I'm now on Samui, my son is here. Much more closed down than Phuket, if you're planning Samui, don't. Heck yeah, Phuket much more attractive.

Especially during Christmas ????

Northern Finnish restaurant with reindeer stew.

cXbPN4V.mp4

Arrived in Phuket last week initial test results came in 4h

https://www.gouda.dk/erhverv/nyheder/coronavirus

Cheapest hotel in the Samui + is 30.000 baht for a week. This is why I went to Phuket the first week for 650 baht/night.

Most travel insurance are void because governments does not recommend travel to Thailand. I got a special covid insurance when I arrived here 10 days ago.

I'm in the sandbox thing right now. 7 days in Phuket to start with. No problem getting a beer in Phuket. The police came every night at 11pm to shut down the bars. No arrests. Now 7 days on samui. Not allowed to drive a motorbike, my 10 year old son can't stay with me. I was better off in Phuket.

It's considered second week and I'm free to move around.

If you enter the Samui program first week you are stuck with the hotel. You can only do tourist excursions with the hotel. This is why I spent first week in Phuket.

I came on a single entry B-visa. Only had to show the 100K Covid insurance for 14 days. The embassy in Stockholm still demanded a ticket out for my COE. I bought a premium refundable ticket to Singapore after my initial 14 days.

Hi my fellow Samui Expats. I'm back in Thailand I'm in the Phuket sandbox 7+7 program right now. Flew Stockholm to Phuket via Doha with Qatar airways. When arriving in Phuket Airport they check all your paperwork. 1. COE 2. Proof of vaccination. 3. Negative PCR test 72h before departure. 4. SHABA hotel booking. 5. Insurance Here's a tip, pay extra for a seat closest to exit. There will be a long long wait. I got off first and was first served after first and Business class. After that you pass immigration. Pick up your luggage. At the exit of the airport you will take your first of three PCR tests. Took a taxi to my hotel in Patong for 640 baht. Waited for 4h and got an email confirming my negative test. Hotel staff called me to inform that I'm free to roam Phuket. Was not denied beer in Phuket, although beer was served in mugs... The Samui Extra Plus only have a few hotels for the first seven days starting at 30.000 baht for a week, second week there are more and cheaper hotels to choose from. My hotel in Phuket is only 650 baht per night. Same as my hotel on Samui second week. Also in the Samui program you're stuck in your hotel for a week, it's just a stupid money grab by the participant hotels. In Samui Airport everybody was crammed into the same snake line to show my papers. Must have been the single moment that I could be infected during my stay so far. Now I'm in my Samui hotel. They informed me I can't ride my own motorcycle, must use taxi mafia. I'll rather walk. Comparing Phuket and Samui sandbox. Phuket wins by far, can't recommend the Samui variety. It seems Samui still goes for money grab in every situation.

There's not going to be a high season before charter flights are available. You can open up Thailand but if there's no easy way to travel nobody will come.

Fully vaccinated with Pfizer outside Thailand

Fly Singapore airlines or Qatar airways directly to Phuket. When you come to Phuket you take a PCR test at the airport. You get result within 6h and are then free to enjoy Phuket. Not like the Samui + program where you can't leave the hotel. Also Phuket sandbox hotels are a fraction of Samui + hotels. Stay 7 days in the sandbox program and then fly to Samui for another 7 days in sandbox program.

Traveling in to Samui via Phuket sandbox. Easy choice. 7 nights in Samui SHA plus+ hotel : 30.000 baht. Can not travel freely for a week. 7 nights in Phuket SHA Plus+ hotel : 4.500 baht. Free to have fun in Phuket.

That app does not work on my Samsung galaxy S7.

They counted after the picture was taken... Guess some items went "missing"