Phuket Sandbox July 2021

[nickc]

We have started a new group on phuket sandbox. Official information and info graphics from the TAT, Ministry of Tourism and Tourism Council of Thailand. Also contributing is hoteliers and agents who have been involved in the opening. 
 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/388875605677294/

[stuarty]

Stay at SHA+ accommodations?? I want to stay in my villa.  What is the +?

[RobMuir]

A very good compromise and solution.

Simply it allows tourists who are prepared to follow a few rules to come and keep out those who refuse and are a danger to others.

 

And a good location to trial it and iron out any issues before rolling it out throughout the whole country. 

 

Some will complain, but they wouldn't be going anyway.

 

 

[Upnotover]

39 minutes ago, stuarty said:

Stay at SHA+ accommodations?? I want to stay in my villa.  What is the +?

Acc. the farcebook pages;

[sallecc]

So it's actually 4-5 days quarantine., not "without quarantine"... this sucks...

 

Only good thing now is finally clear that unvaccinated kids can come (<12y: no test, 12-18y: test on arrival).

[billd766]

9 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

A very good compromise and solution.

Simply it allows tourists who are prepared to follow a few rules to come and keep out those who refuse and are a danger to others.

 

And a good location to trial it and iron out any issues before rolling it out throughout the whole country. 

 

Some will complain, but they wouldn't be going anyway.

 

 

Some people will think that the rest of Thailand is equally as important as Phuket, and deserves the same amount of attention.

 

Why are Phuket, Samui et al demanding a higher priority for themselves ALL the time? 

 

Not complaining, simply criticising the me, me, me attitude down there.

[sallecc]

@nickc

 

Thanks for starting this thread and FB group, NIck... I assume FB group will be swamped with questions and many answers & comments, which will be difficult to follow up... As I understand there will be a website from next week with all clear details and rules, correct? (I think I saw this info in one of the messages in FB group)

[nickc]

14 minutes ago, sallecc said:

@nickc

 

Thanks for starting this thread and FB group, NIck... I assume FB group will be swamped with questions and many answers & comments, which will be difficult to follow up... As I understand there will be a website from next week with all clear details and rules, correct? (I think I saw this info in one of the messages in FB group)

Well in the group we have hoteliers and also agents like myself who are involved in the opening. We had several meetings this week so come and join the group and we posted the flights and also pcr tests in phuket coming next week. 

[nickc]

1 hour ago, stuarty said:

Stay at SHA+ accommodations?? I want to stay in my villa.  What is the +?

Plus means that the staff have to be vaccinated. All will be by 24 June 

[nickc]

38 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

A very good compromise and solution.

Simply it allows tourists who are prepared to follow a few rules to come and keep out those who refuse and are a danger to others.

 

And a good location to trial it and iron out any issues before rolling it out throughout the whole country. 

 

Some will complain, but they wouldn't be going anyway.

 

 

You are right. I have been in meetings this week with the TAT, tourism officials and they have a clear plan to open. This starts from the vaccinations, flights, workforce, hotel opening and also PCR tests on day 5. 

[nickc]

32 minutes ago, sallecc said:

So it's actually 4-5 days quarantine., not "without quarantine"... this sucks...

 

Only good thing now is finally clear that unvaccinated kids can come (<12y: no test, 12-18y: test on arrival).

No quarantine. You can stay anywhere on the island and move freely for 7 days in Phuket. Then you can move to other resorts. You are correct about the kids. We confirmed this week. 

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

Some people will think that the rest of Thailand is equally as important as Phuket, and deserves the same amount of attention.

 

Why are Phuket, Samui et al demanding a higher priority for themselves ALL the time? 

 

Not complaining, simply criticising the me, me, me attitude down there.

Because Phuket is an island, therefore a trial there is controllable.

Nothing to do with your negative interferences.

[RobMuir]

3 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

Why are Phuket, Samui et al demanding a higher priority for themselves ALL the time? 

 

 

 

Higher quality tourists.

 

Money talks.

 

And the western sex tourists up in Pattaya are more likely to break social distancing and exchange bodily fluids which is probably the best way to give somebody covid. That's the reason a high proportion of western males go to Pattaya as I am sure you know.

 

And as Steven above says it is an island. Pattaya has too many sneaky roots to get into the backdoor.

So to speak.

 

[Grant Friday]

2 hours ago, nickc said:

Plus means that the staff have to be vaccinated. All will be by 24 June 

 

So if I want to rent a small separate villa on Phuket (or apartment say) with no staff, do I have to check it has a SHA+ Certificate ?

[Chefgno]

Hi

So I’m finally going to come home to Koh Yao Noi on July #2. I have my vaccinations, I have my Retirement Visa Valid, I will get a Covid test done 72 hours before I travel. And I will travel by Air to Phuket.

Is this enough to enter Phuket without any quarantine?

 

I will certainly watch this forum for future changes

 

 

[sallecc]

5 hours ago, nickc said:

No quarantine. You can stay anywhere on the island and move freely for 7 days in Phuket. Then you can move to other resorts. You are correct about the kids. We confirmed this week. 

 

You're right, sorry I saw "PCR test on day 4-5" so I thought it's quarantine last day.

 

No quarantine + and unvaccinated kids welcome = that's actually great news ????

When will all the rules and details be published officially? (is it same COE and insurance as usual or others, etc...)

[richard_smith237]

So... It looks like.... 

 

- Direct flights to Phuket (or Thai Airways ticketed to HKT, transit in Bkk with a dedicated trx / holding area).

- Vaccinated individuals (vaccine >14 days before travel and <1 year)

- No need for Under 18’s to be vaccinated (12-18 years old require antigen test on arrival)

- 7 days in Phuket at SHA+ approved accommodation (= >70% of staff vaccinated)

- Covid-19 RT PCR test on day 5

- Remain on Phuket for 7 days (free to travel around Phuket ?)

- Free to travel to anywhere else in Thailand on day 7

 

 

The Facebook group linked above looks useful. 

 

IMO - this is a far better option than having to quarantine in Bangkok for those returning from overseas work etc.

It's easy enough to catch a flight back up to BKK afterwards.

 

 

[nickc]

11 hours ago, billd766 said:

Some people will think that the rest of Thailand is equally as important as Phuket, and deserves the same amount of attention.

 

Why are Phuket, Samui et al demanding a higher priority for themselves ALL the time? 

 

Not complaining, simply criticising the me, me, me attitude down there.

 

Its because both are islands and both will be tested for roll out for other cities and also flights can fly in from overseas

[nickc]

4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

So... It looks like.... 

 

- Direct flights to Phuket (or Thai Airways ticketed to HKT, transit in Bkk with a dedicated trx / holding area).

- Vaccinated individuals (vaccine >14 days before travel and <1 year)

- No need for Under 18’s to be vaccinated (12-18 years old require antigen test on arrival)

- 7 days in Phuket at SHA+ approved accommodation (= >70% of staff vaccinated)

- Covid-19 RT PCR test on day 5

- Remain on Phuket for 7 days (free to travel around Phuket ?)

- Free to travel to anywhere else in Thailand on day 7

 

 

The Facebook group linked above looks useful. 

 

IMO - this is a far better option than having to quarantine in Bangkok for those returning from overseas work etc.

It's easy enough to catch a flight back up to BKK afterwards.

 

 

Your spot on.  We will also launch RT PCR Test in Patong and also in Phuket Town from next week. Again all details on the group 

[Grant Friday]

Many thanks NickC

 

[nickc]

13 hours ago, sallecc said:

@nickc

 

Thanks for starting this thread and FB group, NIck... I assume FB group will be swamped with questions and many answers & comments, which will be difficult to follow up... As I understand there will be a website from next week with all clear details and rules, correct? (I think I saw this info in one of the messages in FB group)

From 1 June yes details published online and also countdown clock but will be very different. 

[zzzzz]

Nick:
give us ur prices and locations for tests>
same prices or les than the 2 major hospitals currently offering the tests ( 3,500) with hard copy

as u state in ur site you want be transparent.   ????

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, nickc said:

Your spot on.  We will also launch RT PCR Test in Patong and also in Phuket Town from next week. Again all details on the group 

"7 days in Phuket at SHA+ approved accommodation (= >70% of staff vaccinated)"

So I won't be able to return to my home for the first 7 days?

[bolt]

I don’t want to be negative but, expecting everything to be clear and published is 1^st week of June is misleading.

ALL Thai Embassies MUST know about this before any money has changed hands, we had this similar New Normal situation April 1^st, and that wasn’t officially announced until April 2^nd. it was last minute stuff .

 

You can continue to promote this Sandbox concept, but please ensure the Embassies are fully aware about the rules and regulations.

For Example The Certificate of Entry COE some people are saying COE is not required.

Nobody can enter Thailand today without an COE even Thais even need one, and the COE is issued by the Embassies.

[Bvor]

3 hours ago, stevenl said:

"7 days in Phuket at SHA+ approved accommodation (= >70% of staff vaccinated)"

So I won't be able to return to my home for the first 7 days?

nickc.........what is your take on this question?

i have a condo in pattaya which is proposing a similar scheme to phuket re 7 days SHA + approved accommodation. many others also affected.

is this 7 day SHA the 150,000 holiday package that has previously been mooted?

[sallecc]

It seems there will be no forced pricy packages, here is the list of SHA "sandbox" hotels and prices goes from $30 to $350 a night, not bad at all... I guess Nick has a list with more hotels, but this is what I found so far, and we will surely know more next week:

 

https://royalvacationdmc.com/phuket-sandbox-hotels/

[roadpeople]

My country don't have a direct flight to Phuket. Am I allowed to tranfer at the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport?

[Velleman]

Is one allowed to travel to BKK and Isaan after the 7 days in a SHA+ accomodation?

If yes then that beats the mandatory 14-day quarantine in BKK.

[bolt]

2 hours ago, roadpeople said:

My country don't have a direct flight to Phuket. Am I allowed to tranfer at the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport?

Nothing is confirmed yet, however

if you fly from inside Thailand (Bangkok) to Phuket you may have to quarantine in Bangkok before you can fly to Phuket, unless you have been in Thailand for 14 days.

if you fly from outside Thailand to Phuket you will quarantine for 7 days-nights in Phuket

 

wait until June 15^th-20^th-25^th for official confirmation about Transit inside Thailand (Bangkok)

[bolt]

has anyone heard about this.

 

Early next week - CCSA would review the Sandbox and give its approval if satisfied.

 

2 to 3 days later - Announcement in the Royal Gazette

 

That said, there were a couple of disquieting but yet-to-be-confirmed developments that could temper travel demand.  They are:

 

i) A proposal by the Public Health Ministry to increase the mandatory stay in Phuket from 7 to 14 days.  This means that a vaccinated traveller in Phuket under the auspices of the Sandbox must stay in a SHA-certified hotel/resort in Phuket for a minimum of 14 days before they may travel to other parts of Thailand; and

 

ii) "Area Quarantine": instead of allowing vaccinated travellers the freedom to roam around Phuket as per the current plan, he could be confined to the area where he is staying.  For example, if he is staying in a hotel in Patong sub-district, he would have to remain in Patong sub-district for the duration of his stay.  If he wants to travel to other parts of Phuket, he may only do so via "sealed routes".

 

All this is still basically a work-in-progress.  The briefing was bereft of details.