London Lowf

It took 43 hours to get the result of my test #2 taken at JungCeylon - that timing doesn't exactly encourage me to book a pre-flight test with the same facility when I eventually leave Phuket! I'm glad I took a credit for test #3 rather than save it for future use.

Well, my dentist was open and so they didn't know either. Also, plenty of municipal workers cleaning up beach road as usual. Wonder if the bars along Bangla will be open later!

Rode past Patong office an hour ago and "Closed" notice in window and forlorn looking customer in front- I confirmed to him that today is the 13th. Iwould assume Phuket Town will be the same.

That's a good deal by UK standards - I'm sure when I looked about a month ago it was £139. If you live quite close to the airport then that's the way to do it, maybe go there by tube the day before you fly. Otherwise, with the 3-hour check-in you would need to be there 6 hours before your flight?

That's good to know.

OP - download your COE again the day before you travel. I've heard nothing from the embassy just I've just done mine and the boxes "Condition of Stay" have been removed and so I'm assuming that means I will only need to do 7 days + 2 tests. Whether I'll get a refund is an unknown.

I have the Moto G7 Power - the Thailand Plus app downloaded and is sitting there in my app list but will not open!

I am due to fly to the Sandbox tomorrow and my COE was issued on 21st September. I have heard nothing from the embassy but, after reading this thread and out of curiosity, I downloaded my COE again. The boxes "Condition of stay" are no longer there! I would suggest that anyone who had their COE issued in September for an October arrival should download again the day before they travel.

When I mentioned airport testing I meant at the departure airport so for me that would have been LHR - although I do see that they test at Exeter so I could stop off on the way for a test!

This may be bad news for the OP. It seems that the time of the swab may be the defining moment - I've just received my negative result (within 19 hours!) and the "Sample Date" is printed bold and also gives the exact time, i.e. 29/09/2021 13:56. The test date is simply 30/09/2021. In addition, the Australian sample above also has the swab date/time highlighted. I would say that's pretty conclusive. On the plus side it would seem that most international airports do have a last-gasp testing service.

From the London embassy website.... "COVID-19 test result with a laboratory result indicating that COVID -19 is not detected (COVID test must be by RT-PCR method), issued within 72 hours before departure" ......so it's 72 hours from the issue of the test result, not from the time of the test. Don't know where you are but I got tested earlier today at a branch of UK Boots the chemist and they quote a maximum of 48 hours but the tester said it should be about 24 hours.

Well, I am booked into a very cheap Patong hotel for the Sandbox but also have a great medium-term apartment booked in Kamala - if I have to keep the 14 day booking I will just use Patong for sleepovers - assuming that there's anything to sleepover from!

PS: You have booked a refundable hotel and yet they've given you a CoE? I didn't think that was allowed, but maybe I misread the rules.

I arrive for the Sandbox on the 3rd October and have also paid for 14 days SHA+ and 3 tests. I sent a similar enquiry to the London embassy last week when this news broke and have not received a reply. I am therefore assuming that my CoE is still valid and I will attempt to get part-refunds on arrival but, quite honestly, it's not a huge amount of money and as long as I can gain entry to Phuket then I will not lose any more sleep over this whole PITA.

Thanks for the advice - this is how I used to dress to ride, but it would look a bit silly down beach road on a PCX! I'm not a risk-averse person, although to some folk that would mean I'm stupid.

In previous years I've always worn a cycle helmet when riding a motor scooter around Phuket - partly because the lids supplied with hire scooters are next to useless, and partly because the push-bike ones are light, comfortable and ventilated. It's never been a problem at road blocks and I've noticed that quite a few expats/tourists do the same thing. So, my question is - is this still okay or have the cops clamped down on this in the last couple of years?

Not on an ipad, but the London Embassy form application gave "invalid" for my contact phone numbers and email in Firefox and Chrome no matter how I formatted them, but it finally worked in MS Edge, which I guess is not an option for you. So, my advice is to suck it and see with whatever browsers you use and don't get too frustrated if one doesn't work - just try another.

That little card is a joke - mine was pre-filled just with the date and name of the jab, and then I later wrote in my name myself! The Thai embassy in London require a "Certificate of Vaccination" and that card is not one. As said above, register on the NHS and download the proper paperwork. It's very simple.

This from my COE:- "Note to airlines: Flight changes (due to flight delay or cancellation ONLY) are permitted within 72 hours from the original flight time without the need to issue a new Certificate of Entry, provided that all other required documents are still valid." If you book the same flight with the same airline but just a day later then I don't think you will have a problem. Can't see any problem with the insurance as you seem to be covered for longer than your stay.

Caught me out too - IIRC you do not try to click the icon in the blue box (it does nothing) but there's a similar icon just below the file that is waiting to be uploaded. Once you hit that you will get the customary egg-timer (or similar) to show the progress.

I am going in on the Phuket Sandbox next Sunday, 3rd October. I'm not a computer geek and found the London Embassy website (and Thai websites in general) a little "flaky" - gave up with Firefox and Chrome (would not accept contact phone numbers, no matter how I formatted them) but MS Edge worked for some unfathomable reason! I bought insurance from AXA Thailand and applied for my pre-registration on 14th September and it was approved within four working hours and got my six-digit PIN. Booked and paid in full for SHA+ hotel and PCR tests and applied for COE on 21st September and within 24 hours it was approved and I now have all of my documentation ready to fly apart from my pre-flight PCR test result. Altogether, including booking flights, 60-day TR visa, hotel, insurance, PCR tests, etc. I've probably spent six hours at my keyboard. I've heard nothing from the embassy to say my COE is invalid or cancelled, but this morning I did get a Health and Safety email from Thai Airways so, as far as they are concerned, I'm good to go. Fingers crossed!

Thanks Espanol. I hope to see a post from you soon telling us where you can buy a beer at a bar in Patong!

Me again! Everything is arranged and I have my COE from the embassy. At no point have I been asked to pre-book a taxi so part of my original question remains - will I be able to book an SHA+ taxi on arrival at HKT?

Thai Airways are flying LHR-HKT direct, but I believe only once a week on Saturdays at the moment. You still have to return via BKK, but that's not an issue.

Personally, I would not declare a sore throat - as long as your pre-flight test is negative then you're good to go. Also, you'll be tested three times in the Sandbox so that will pick anything up.