Chill27

Former Spurs and England player Gary Stevens lives in Hua Hin

Hi,

Just found this thread!

Need to travel to Samui from the Phuket Sandbox on the 24th.

Any more details on the minivan service mentioned above, or any additional options, would be gratefully received,

Many thanks

Hi,

Has anyone travelled from the Phuket Sandbox to Koh Samui recently?

No flights, and I'm having a job trying to contact bus companies.

I know private car is most likely a possibility, but that is likely to be expensive.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated,

Thanks

Just been through it all and flying back to Phuket on Monday with my Thai GF, providing we get negative tests before departure.

It wasn't easy, the amount of paperwork and the costs are unnecessary and ridiculous.

They could do away with half the paperwork and much of the expense, yet not increase risk by one iota.

It's a money generating exercise, yet by reducing the unnecessary requirements, they would generate far more money, as many more people would come.

Not good, but still only a daily infection rate of 0.027%, or 2.7 people out of every 10,000 are getting infected each day.

And of those 2.7, only about 2% are likely to die.

So the numbers are still miniscule.

I'd like to see a comparison with the increased suicide rate, to see how they stack up!

Yes, it needs to be brought under control quickly, but the figures need to be seen in perspective.

7 hours ago, khunPer said:

HERE, the official Covid-19 insurance site.

Amazingly, this "Official Insurance" doesn't even comply with their own requirements of 100k US.

3.2 million baht cover, equates to less than 98k US,

29 minutes ago, khunPer said:

HERE, the official Covid-19 insurance site.

Thanks, but at the very top it states Covid Insurance for "Foreigners" not Thai's !

I've since heard back from the Thai Consular in London and a couple of Insurance companies.

No one can answer my specific question regarding duration of Cover, because quite obviously, this rule was imposed without it being thought through.

Stating "For duration of stay in Thailand" is simply not applicable in my Girlfriend's situation.

My best hope is that someone has had personal experience in dealing with this and could kindly inform me of what they did in order to obtain the COE.

Hi,

My Thai Girlfriend's COE has been rejected, because she needs to purchase Covid Insurance.

She's returning home to Thailand permanently following a UK holiday, so I do not know the duration of Insurance cover that I now need to purchase for her, 2 weeks, 30 years!!!

Has anyone else had to deal with this problem?

Also, all the policies seem to be for foreigners, and exclude Thais.

Anyone know where I can purchase this Insurance for her?

Thanks

1 hour ago, Heng said:

Might be a good idea to have a plan B as well, just in case we have to do a total country wide lockdown here, sandbox included.

Yes, but trying to make alternative plans is impossible when you cannot get timely responses from Government departments.

For example my Girlfriend obtained a Covid "exceptional assurance" from the UK Home Office which allowed her to overstay her visa until 10th August.

In light of the third wave sweeping Thailand, I applied for another extension 3 weeks ago. 

I still haven't had a response back.

I just need a yes or no!

If she has to leave on the 10th August, I need to start making arrangements now !

43 minutes ago, treetops said:

If she's going through the sandbox then she will need Covid insurance as mentioned here.  If doing ASQ then no she won't.

 

 

Source:  https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php

 

Also see the graphic at the bottom of this page from the Thai Embassy in London which mentions it.

 

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/requirements-for-foreigners-travelling-to-thailand-during-covid-19-tra?

Thanks for the reply. I'm wondering whether that only applies to Thai Nationals going back to Thailand for a holiday, holding a return ticket to the UK.

If a Thai National is returning to Thailand permanently, how long are they supposed to buy Covid Insurance for? Obviously they cannot purchase Covid insurance to Cover the next 30-60 years!

39 minutes ago, treetops said:

If she's going through the sandbox then she will need Covid insurance as mentioned here.  If doing ASQ then no she won't.

 

 

Source:  https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php

 

Also see the graphic at the bottom of this page from the Thai Embassy in London which mentions it.

 

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/requirements-for-foreigners-travelling-to-thailand-during-covid-19-tra?

Thanks for the reply. I'm wondering whether that only applies to Thai Nationals going back to Thailand for a holiday, holding a return ticket to the UK.

If a Thai National is returning to Thailand permanently, how long are they supposed to buy Covid Insurance for? Obviously they cannot purchase Covid insurance to Cover the next 30-60 years!

Hi,

Please could somebody recommend a good company for Covid insurance for the Phuket Sandbox, to get COE approval from UK?

I'm on a Retirement extension to an original Non OA visa.

I'd need 6 months duration.

I've read some bad things about AXA and it isn't cheap at 21000 baht !

Also will the UK embassy also require me to prove that I have additional long term Thai Medical Insurance?

Lastly, I assume my Thai Girlfriend, returning home after a UK holiday with me, will not be required to also purchase Covid insurance in order to obtain her COE?

Any and all answers greatly appreciated,

Many thanks

Hi,

I've read that the first seven nights must be spent in a Samui Extra Plus (formerly ALQ) hotel, then the following 7 nights in a SHA Plus hotel 

My question is:

Can all 14 nights be spent in just the first Samui Extra Plus (ALQ) hotel ?

The SHA Plus hotel's seem to be more expensive, and I'm thinking it may be cheaper this way,

Thanks

Hoping to return to Samui from UK on OA retirement extension.

Does anyone know, or can recommend Covid 100k insurance that's acceptable for OA visa types? 

My visa expires next Jan so would need 6 months insurance.

Can it be any insurance that is valid in Thailand, or does it need to be purchased from a Thai approved company?

Thanks

So, they've changed it again. A few days ago, Thai Nationals, Expats and diplomats were excluded, now from reading the article, they are allowed to use the Sandbox scheme to return.

Any official confirmation?

9 hours ago, jesimps said:

Guarantee that 20% are farang long-stay visa holders returning to their homes and families via Phuket. It's a better option than a quarantine hotel in Bangkok.

Unless something changes, Thai Nationals, Diplomats and Expats, are excluded from using the scheme. It's only for Foreign Tourist's.

I'm on a retirement visa, my girlfriend Thai and we are trying to return from the UK. We were hoping to use the Sandbox, but are not allowed to, unless something changes at the meeting next week.

1 hour ago, Albert Zweistein said:

She is allowed to enter Thailand but not via Phuket.

On further reading, I also would be excluded as an "expat" holding a retirement visa.

So unless anything changes, the scheme is of no use to us, and it's back to the drawing board.

Plan B is to go to Georgia and hang out there for a while until all this crazyness ends. Might end up being cheaper as well!

I'm waiting to return to Thailand from the UK with my Thai Girlfriend and she has to leave the UK by 10th August.

We were going to use the Sandbox scheme, now this news!

So what are they saying here? If we fly to Phuket together, I'll be admitted, but she, a fully vaccinated Thai, will not.

How can they prevent a Thai from entering Thailand?

1 hour ago, BritTim said:

You entered Thailand using a Non O-A visa that has subsequently expired. The one-year permission to stay that you received when entering Thailand with the visa has subsequently been extended one or more times. The basis for the extension of your permission to stay is "retirement". You are not in Thailand on a "retirement visa". There is no such animal in Thailand. However, your permission to stay is based on retirement which is very similar in practice.

Thanks for clarifying.

As such, if you don't mind me asking, what rules apply to me regarding medical insurance and keeping money in the Bank ?

8 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

It’s an Extension of Stay, not a Visa but is commonly called a Retirement Visa.

Thanks, so it's still the non OA that has been extended and is now simply called "Retirement" ?

My original Non OA visa has now morphed into "Retirement" Visa.

I have non idea whether it's still a Non OA, an O or whether it's ceased to be either, and has become something different ie: Retirement!

If anyone could explain, I'd be extremely grateful?

Does this same issue of funds needing arrive in Thailand as foreign currency, apply if someone is having a villa built and needs to make staged payments during the construction?

The end goal would be to get the building registered in my name, with Thai Girlfriend owning the land and providing me with a 30 year lease.

It's not that long to July 1st, so they need to make it clear what's required.

COE? Insurance? How much?

Covid passport? What's happening with that? How does one prove that they're fully vaccinated and what form of proof is required?

It shouldn't be too difficult to get a list in order, one that is concise and unambiguous, so that people can start getting organised and making their arrangements.

13 hours ago, madmen said:

I did the reverse and am in Oz getting paid in baht from a Bangkok condo. zero tax and great currency conversion on the weaker dollar. 

On the gold coast here both rent and property prices are through the roof as southerners flock here. 

It's impossible to find a condo to rent without 20 applicants and many offering over and above asking prices 

There is zero covid here and life is completely normal like pre covid. 

 

It's completely understandable why ozzies are  desperate to come home and away from the chaos of the rest of the world. I need to get back to Thailand and have a government exemption but not particularly looking forward to it 

How are you managing to pay zero tax, are you non resident for tax purposes in Oz ?

If you're tax resident, you should be paying tax on overseas property rental income !

I'm interested because I'm currently looking into buying a Villa in Samui, but have learned that as an Aussie, and resident for tax purposes in Oz, I will be liable to pay tax on the Thai income if I rent out the Samui Villa.

None of us know how we'd react if we actually found ourselves in this dreadful situation.

I had a similar fight with NICE many years ago over the drug Herceptin for my sister. She died at 41 from breast cancer. We finally got it for her and it had miraculous initial effects, but by the time we finally got it, her cancer was too far advanced.

I admire his fighting spirit and wish him well.

It can be beaten, very rarely. The singer Chris Rea being a good example. He was diagnosed in 2008 and is still making music despite having had his pancreas completely removed.