PoorSucker

11 minutes ago, geisha said:

PoorSucker Hi,  so the initial rule where you had to fly direct , home country to Phuket is not actual ?

i have two options, Emirates France Phuket via Dubai,  or , Singapore Airlines Paris via Singapore. 
Is this good, thanks !

Yes.

Not directly from your homecounty.

You must fly directly into Phuket, can't transfer in Bangkok 

41 minutes ago, SteveMdmt said:

"650 baht/night  for my 4 star hotel."  Where did you stay PoorSucker ?

The Lantern,  soi sansabai.

Crawling distance from soi Bangla.

1 hour ago, rskdev21 said:

So, basically $900.00 USD for 7 day's?

Yes.

My first seven days I stayed in Phuket instead. 

650 baht/night  for my 4 star hotel. 

On 9/25/2021 at 3:49 AM, sqwakvfr said:

Phuket sounds more attractive

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. 

On 9/22/2021 at 9:43 AM, hioctane said:

All the more reason you should have travel insurance especially in this environment. Self insuring simply isn’t an option anymore.

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.

22 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Are you stuck in the hotel room for a week, or do you mean that in the first week an arrival to Samui has to remain on hotel grounds for the first week ?

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. 

16 hours ago, gearbox said:

What visa did you use to come back and did you have to provide 40/400 health insurance for the CoE in addition to the 100K Covid insurance?

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.