Anyone book a 7 day stay in Phuket beginning July 1st?

[superal]

1 hour ago, aussiexpat said:

Still required from Thai embassy in Australia (may have been removed from other countries)

 

General requirements to go to Thailand

1. Valid visa or re-entry permit, except visitors under the 45-day visa exemption scheme

2. The Certificate of Entry 

3. 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 -- Some airlines do not accept home kit tests so please check specific requirements with the airlines you are travelling with. From 1 April 2021, Fit to Fly health certificate will no longer be required to go to Thailand. Other things remain the same.

Just found this on Thai embassy site in the UK 

[superal]

28 minutes ago, khunPer said:

NO, you need to fly directly onto Phuket. Thai is at the moment selling tickets from four European cities. You need a COE, probably also the mandatory C-19-insurance, and a "rapid antigen tests, or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR) tests, at their place of origin, and to register on www.gophuget.com and the MorChana application".

You can read more HERE, which ti my knowledge is the latest reliable information coming from National News Bureau of Thailand (i.e. the government).

Is proof of hotel booking needed as you have not mentioned it ?

[bolt]

I think some people are forgetting Thailand had a similar New Reduced guidlines for travellers Normal Quarantine which was supposed to help tourism, starting April 1^st.

It was officially released March 28^th I think, I had to get my issued COE changed because of the last minute changes.

 

That new normal lasted 20-21 days I think, and by the time I got out of 10 day quarantine I had 1 full week of normality, then it went back to what it is right now, Schools closed Alcohol ban I’m guessing the Sandbox will be the same, so I’m targeting to arrive 1^st 7 days of July, I truly believe by July 20^th infections will increase and it will be stopped or changed in some way.

 

I hope I’m wrong but time will tell. prepare for the worst with your documents, then you should be ok

Edited May 30, 2021 by bolt

[aussiexpat]

46 minutes ago, superal said:

General requirements to go to Thailand

1. Valid visa or re-entry permit, except visitors under the 45-day visa exemption scheme

2. The Certificate of Entry 

3. 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 -- Some airlines do not accept home kit tests so please check specific requirements with the airlines you are travelling with. From 1 April 2021, Fit to Fly health certificate will no longer be required to go to Thailand. Other things remain the same.

Just found this on Thai embassy site in the UK 

If only the people that informed the UK Thai Embassy would now inform the Australian Thai Embassy as Fit to Fly still required here lol

Edited May 30, 2021 by aussiexpat

[skatewash]

20 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

If only the people that informed the UK Thai Embassy would now inform the Australian Thai Embassy as Fit to Fly still required here lol

It's not beyond the realm of possibility that the Australian Thai Embassy has simply not been updated.  It might be worthwhile to contact the embassy about whether a Fit-2-fly is still required.  If it is required you could do the video telecon with Dr. Donna's office in Bangkok and I believe they can issue you with a valid fit-2-fly certificate stamped with a doctor's license by email, if you pass the examination, for about 900 baht.  So even if they still require the fit-2-fly it's one of the easiest requirements not to mention the cheapest one to acquire.

https://medconsultclinic.wixsite.com/medconsult/medical-certificates

Or maybe you can get one for less in Australia.  Good luck!

[ozfarang]

Fit to fly not required from Australia now, only negative Covid-19 test

 

From the Thai Consulate in Sydney

 

[sallecc]

All will be clear next week, several sources from travel agencies and international airlines (who are having weekly "sandbox" meetings with government) confirmed this, so better wait for next week's official announcement and guidelines.

[khunPer]

1 hour ago, superal said:

Is proof of hotel booking needed as you have not mentioned it ?

Oh, sorry, I realize that I didn't insert the source link in "here" but HERE it is...????

 

The NNT-article doesn't mention pre-booked hotel, but there might appear more facts later than we know now, still a month to go.

[superal]

31 minutes ago, sallecc said:

All will be clear next week, several sources from travel agencies and international airlines (who are having weekly "sandbox" meetings with government) confirmed this, so better wait for next week's official announcement and guidelines.

Fingers crossed that all of the bureaucracy is done away with . Rumour has it that global agreements will allow double jab travellers freedom to travel but the sticking point may be proof of vaccination authenticity .

[Uroller]

15 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Don't think its going to happen either, the Island isn't ready, the majority of Patong , Karon , Kata, is closed and boarded up,  many for sale / rent signs .......... from what I see anyhow.

What Thailand doesn’t seem to realize is that they are considered a high risk country and anybody returning from Thailand to UK has to go into quarantine, that also applies to other western countries, so why risk going to Thailand when there is a list of countries you can go to without going into quarantine when coming home????

[Swimfan]

13 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

This seems too good to be true (for me to get back, not go there as a tourist)

I found a flight from Brisbane to Phuket in July for $761 (3 hr stop in Singapore) and 7 nights hotel can be <$400. Sure beats 15 nights ASQ prison for 60,000 baht ????

 

Here is how it all works

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

Now all you need is an exemption to leave Australia. 

[Poet]

7 hours ago, superal said:

Is the info above your own opinion/ conjecture or an official government plan ?

The phrase "I believe", starting two sentences, and the phrase "I expect", starting another, makes my meaning clear.

[Craigf]

The government has not made the opening of Phuket official yet.  It is contingent upon 70% of the Phuket population being vaccinated.  Maybe it is July 1st, maybe it is September 1st?  

[nattaya09]

22 minutes ago, Craigf said:

The government has not made the opening of Phuket official yet.  It is contingent upon 70% of the Phuket population being vaccinated.  Maybe it is July 1st, maybe it is September 1st?  

Actually, that's the part I'm most confident about, that the govt will declare the 70% goal accomplished.

[shdmn]

Needing to fly direct is still a deal breaker for me.  I hope they are not planning to do the same with Pattaya in October.  I don't think there are a lot of flights to Utapao. May as well just keep everything closed if they are going to do that.

Edited May 30, 2021 by shdmn

[GrandPapillon]

2022 is the only exit date at this stage,

[mikosan]

22 hours ago, Poet said:

The purpose of the Phuket sandbox is prepare Thai public opinion for the idea that fully-vaccinated tourists, from countries will low levels of active cases, pose no biological threat to them.

I believe the Thai government are hoping to re-open the other destinations, in particular Bangkok, far more quickly than they have dared to announce so far. I believe that, during July, they will annouce that the Phuket sandbox has proved to be such a success that, starting on the 1st of August, they are re-opening the whole country to fully-vaccinated tourists with vaccine passport, and dropping all covid-related restrictions such as quarantines, expensive tests, the 7-day rule, CoEs, special insurance etc.

Personally, I would wait one month because things may change rapidly. I would not want to have to stay in Phuket for a week or have a false-positive PCR result in me having an expensive two-week stay in hospital. I would come back when they accept that the vaccination passport is enough, as it appears the US and EU are planning to do. I expect most of the world to follow their lead this summer.

I hope you are right, but I fear not.  We shall see, but if I was a betting man, I would say the Phuket Sandbox will be delayed.  I'm thinking that maybe January 2022 is the earliest we will see things returning to anything like past normality.  I look forward to being proven wrong, but I won't be holding my breath.

[mikosan]

16 hours ago, zzzzz said:

many people that have been unable to return to thailand for the past year will use the sandbox

NOT just tourists

 

7 nights on a beautiful empty island sure beats 14 nights locked in a hotel room somewhere

I agree, but I'm not convinced that there will be many 'REAL' tourists.  As a means to return to Thailand it sounds much more feasible and I have friends who are already looking into it.  Anything would be better than 14 days in an ASQ prison.

[mikosan]

7 hours ago, khunPer said:

NO, you need to fly directly onto Phuket. Thai is at the moment selling tickets from four European cities. You need a COE, probably also the mandatory C-19-insurance, and a "rapid antigen tests, or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR) tests, at their place of origin, and to register on www.gophuget.com and the MorChana application".

You can read more HERE, which ti my knowledge is the latest reliable information coming from National News Bureau of Thailand (i.e. the government).

Not correct.  You can transit via Bangkok, as long as you don't change airports.  I really do wish that people would get their facts right before they post misleading information.  

[mikosan]

16 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Exactly, a Swedish fella left here 4 days ago for 2 Pfizer jabs in Sweden, ( June 1 and July 7 ) and returning to the empty island to avoid ASQ again ! 

Pfizer is not a vaccine that is approved for use in Thailand yet.  I hope he doesn't have any problems returning.

[merijn]

7 minutes ago, mikosan said:

Not correct.  You can transit via Bangkok, as long as you don't change airports.  I really do wish that people would get their facts right before they post misleading information.  

That is one of the plans but it was already announced that they would not be ready to implement this.

There is no system in place yet to separate the Phuket inbound people from the rest of the passengers.

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, merijn said:

14 minutes ago, mikosan said:

Not correct.  You can transit via Bangkok, as long as you don't change airports.  I really do wish that people would get their facts right before they post misleading information.  

That is one of the plans but it was already announced that they would not be ready to implement this.

There is no system in place yet to separate the Phuket inbound people from the rest of the passengers.

 

As I understand it there has been a plan in place to handle ‘transit passengers’ to ALQ locations since March. 

https://www.caat.or.th/en/archives/56377

 

The plan seems somewhat convoluted and requires a transfer via concourse E (which means their flight has to land at E Concourse (are all arriving flights docking at E Gates / specifically E10) - the plan then has passengers, re-boarding an onward flight via Gate E9.

 

I’m not sure its even in action, perhaps someone who has carried out their ALQ in Phuket can answer that one (if they transited). 

 

 

The announcements I have read have stated that flights must be direct to Phuket (from an international departure point). But, I have also read an announcement which states that transit to Phuket via Suvarnabumi will be allowed for passengers on Thai Airways flights if the incoming flight is ticketed to Phuket. 

 

 

There - as always, clear as mud. It wont get any clearer than mud until people actually start doing it and someone makes a details report on this forum because we can be sure that any officials involved in this really don’t care to provide anyone with details at all. 

 

Personally: I wouldn’t be taking any chances and would book the flight direct to Phuket (i.e. via Qatar Airways etc) with fully refundable bookings and fully refundable SHA rated hotels. 

 

 

 

 

[irishman25]

23 hours ago, ezzra said:

Anyone taking bets that this 1st of July will not happen? and if it will, it will be in such insignificant way just to safe face...

i take the bat? wrong spelling for legal reasons. two shots of Irish whisky. the 10 yr old stuff but if they open it will not be what they SAY now 

[irishman25]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

As I understand it there has been a plan in place to handle ‘transit passengers’ to ALQ locations since March. 

https://www.caat.or.th/en/archives/56377

 

The plan seems somewhat convoluted and requires a transfer via concourse E (which means their flight has to land at E Concourse (are all arriving flights docking at E Gates / specifically E10) - the plan then has passengers, re-boarding an onward flight via Gate E9.

 

I’m not sure its even in action, perhaps someone who has carried out their ALQ in Phuket can answer that one (if they transited). 

 

 

The announcements I have read have stated that flights must be direct to Phuket (from an international departure point). But, I have also read an announcement which states that transit to Phuket via Suvarnabumi will be allowed for passengers on Thai Airways flights if the incoming flight is ticketed to Phuket. 

 

 

There - as always, clear as mud. It wont get any clearer than mud until people actually start doing it and someone makes a details report on this forum because we can be sure that any officials involved in this really don’t care to provide anyone with details at all. 

 

Personally: I wouldn’t be taking any chances and would book the flight direct to Phuket (i.e. via Qatar Airways etc) with fully refundable bookings and fully refundable SHA rated hotels. 

 

 

 

 

(you wise man) it wont happen as they SAY.    The fully refunded is what I did before this shut down and had cancelled 12 days before had a feeling it was going to happen. I went to ARUBA instead. low covid rate. they vaccine over 10.000. every week. so had relaxing time. hot like Thailand but a great breeze . next trip to Puerto Vallarta,everything is open.  Then maybe at end of July Thailand? always check the #;s weekly    

[CANSIAM]

3 hours ago, mikosan said:

Pfizer is not a vaccine that is approved for use in Thailand yet.  I hope he doesn't have any problems returning.

Correct, the hiccups are endlessly changing for entry to Thailand.......

[skatewash]

7 hours ago, mikosan said:

Pfizer is not a vaccine that is approved for use in Thailand yet.  I hope he doesn't have any problems returning.

Pfizer IS recognized as an approved vaccine for foreign travelers entering Thailand.  He will have no problems having been vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine.

You are confusing two different things, vaccines that are recognized as approved for people entering Thailand and vaccines that are approved by the Thai FDA for administration to people in Thailand.  Those are two separate things.

https://www.traveldailymedia.com/thailand-approves-8-vaccines-for-foreign-travellers/

[skatewash]

3 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Correct, the hiccups are endlessly changing for entry to Thailand.......

Not correct.  Pfizer is recognized as an approved vaccine for travelers entering Thailand, but it is not currently approved by the Thai FDA for administration to people in Thailand.

[bolt]

40 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Agreed! I emailed the embassy and waiting for them to confirm it--getting a bit messy on FB pages now 2k deep.....had one tour guy who started one get upset I posted about a new India-UK variant in Vietnam.....I challenged him as he seem to the the only one standing to profit on that page, as to making wise choices ...

I do feel some sympathy for ALL tour operators, this sandbox could be the last straw for many people and business.

The world will eventually deal with this situation, but I don’t see international tourism recovering for a least 5 years.

 

We will continue to have many bumps in the road.

 

I’m still going 1^st week in July, but will chat to my Thai embassy, the girls in the chat are normally very good and I can book 2-3 days before traveling

[stevenl]

9 hours ago, mikosan said:

Pfizer is not a vaccine that is approved for use in Thailand yet.  I hope he doesn't have any problems returning.

 

5 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Correct, the hiccups are endlessly changing for entry to Thailand.......

Not correct. If you don't know, please don't post.

 

[khunPer]

10 hours ago, mikosan said:

Not correct.  You can transit via Bangkok, as long as you don't change airports.  I really do wish that people would get their facts right before they post misleading information.  

Thanks for correcting me, but do you have a link confirming this?

 

I also thought I've heard so before, but it was not correct facts, on suggestion, or had been changed, and it's in not in accordance with the latest information I've seen about Phuket, the talk is about direct flights only...

Quote

Phuket sandbox is will; be open on1 July
There are 10 airlines will be flying directly to Phuket start for phuket sandbox
1 Singapore Airline operate everyday excwpt Wednesday
2. Qatar Airways Operate Tuesday Thursday Saturday
3. Thai Airways From London to Phuket Every Saturday
From Hongkong To Phuket every Friday
from Copenhagen to Phuket every day FRiday
From India Friday & Sunday
From Frankfurt German to Phuket every Friday
From Paris to Phuket Friday

4.Jin Air ( Korea ) Daily
5. KoreanAirline Daily
6. Hong Kong Airline
7. Cathay Pacific Daily
8 EVA airline Tuesday Thursday Saturday
9 Arab Emirate Sunday
10 Turkish Airline Wednesday Saturday

**Remarks; the above info is basedo on today information 20 Mat by Amadeus Aviation system
It may subject to change by the time you make booking

Source ThailandZ "Phuket sandbox Thailand Direct flight", link HERE.

 

Last I checked about Phuket and sandbox, transit in BKK is allowed if your are travelling to another country, but not allowed for domestic flights; It has however been suggested (in March) to allow Sandbox-transit in BKK, link HERE.

 

But you can transit in another country than Thailand for a direct flight to Phuket.