Phuket Sandbox - minimum days required in safe country before visiting?

[Genix]

Hello,

I will have to do 2 business trips one in the US and then Mexico.

I was planning to go Phuket from Mexico but I just saw it's not on the country list.
 

What is the minimum day requirement to be in a listed country before flying to Phuket?

I can do 7 days in Turkey if necessary (Turkey is on the list) OR go back to the US for 1-2 days and then to Phuket?

 

Note: I was planning to fly to Phuket September 7.

 

Please advise.

Thanks

Edited July 5, 2021 by Genix

[merijn]

You have to be at least 21 days in your departing country before departure date.

 

[pj123]

I am planning a 2 week trip to the UK. What if I fly to the UK from Bangkok and then return to Phuket. Do I need to stay 21 days in the UK?

[Espanol]

5 hours ago, pj123 said:

I am planning a 2 week trip to the UK. What if I fly to the UK from Bangkok and then return to Phuket. Do I need to stay 21 days in the UK?

I think that UK is in red list now and is not a safe country. 

[merijn]

1 hour ago, Espanol said:

I think that UK is in red list now and is not a safe country. 

The UK is (still) on the country list for the sandbox program.

[merijn]

7 hours ago, pj123 said:

I am planning a 2 week trip to the UK. What if I fly to the UK from Bangkok and then return to Phuket. Do I need to stay 21 days in the UK?

Yes.

[skorts]

1 hour ago, merijn said:

The UK is (still) on the country list for the sandbox program.

The last country list I saw had the U.K. moved to the “red” list. The list is updated on 1st and 16th month. I saw the list on 3rd July. This was not a Phuket sandbox program list though. 

[khunjeff]

9 hours ago, pj123 said:

I am planning a 2 week trip to the UK. What if I fly to the UK from Bangkok and then return to Phuket. Do I need to stay 21 days in the UK?

No. Section 1.2 of the Sandbox decree in the Royal Gazette says specifically that the 21 day rule doesn't apply if you live in Thailand and are just traveling to an approved country and back to Thailand.

[pj123]

3 hours ago, khunjeff said:

No. Section 1.2 of the Sandbox decree in the Royal Gazette says specifically that the 21 day rule doesn't apply if you live in Thailand and are just traveling to an approved country and back to Thailand.

Excellent. Thank you. Can you provide a link to the decree. I looked on the Gazette website but could not find it.

[pj123]

I just got this advice from the Thai Embassy in Switzerland ( as I may also need to visit Switzerland). I said I would be in UK and Switzerland for only 10 days before returning to Thailand.

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for contacting us.

 

Please kindly regularly follow the instruction of how to enter Thailand under Thailand's COVID-19 measures from our official website  https://www.thaiembassy.ch/Content/Embassy/163.htm

 

As mentioned on our official website  " traveler Must come from countries considered as low/medium-risk areas by the Thai Government. At present, travellers from Switzerland are eligible. Travellers must, however, be in these eligible countries for at least 21 consecutive days."

 

We highly recommend you to keep updating for information from our official website before your departure to Thailand.

 

If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,

Visa Section
Royal Thai Embassy, Bern
www.thaiembassy.ch

[Capitano]

 

Is it possible to combine days in allowed countries, like 7 days in the US and 14 days in Germany in a row or is it mandatory to stay 21 days minimum in the same country ? Thank you for your advice. 

[pj123]

1 hour ago, Capitano said:

 

Is it possible to combine days in allowed countries, like 7 days in the US and 14 days in Germany in a row or is it mandatory to stay 21 days minimum in the same country ? Thank you for your advice. 

In the email from the embassy they say "Travellers must, however, be in these eligible countries for at least 21 consecutive days." They don't say: "one of these eligible countries for at least 21 days". It would appear you can stay in multiple countries to reach the requirement of 21 days.  But its not 100% clear.

 

[stevenl]

9 hours ago, skorts said:

The last country list I saw had the U.K. moved to the “red” list. The list is updated on 1st and 16th month. I saw the list on 3rd July. This was not a Phuket sandbox program list though. 

So not relevant for the sandbox program.

[skorts]

13 minutes ago, stevenl said:

So not relevant for the sandbox program.

Perhaps not yet but …..
 

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/brits-could-be-banned-from-joining-thailands-sandbox-program-362223

[pj123]

I asked the embassy for clarification and they replied:

 

Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for contacting us. 

Since Thailand is the country where the Sandbox project takes place, you can count your stay in Thailand as one of the eligible countries.

If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards,
Visa Section
Royal Thai Embassy, Bern
www.thaiembassy.ch

[khunjeff]

12 hours ago, pj123 said:

Excellent. Thank you. Can you provide a link to the decree. I looked on the Gazette website but could not find it.

I've attached the decree here. Sorry, but it's only in the original Thai version - I haven't seen any official translation. In any case, I think the reply from the Thai Embassy in Bern is pretty clear.

T_0076.PDF

[khunjeff]

7 hours ago, pj123 said:

In the email from the embassy they say "Travellers must, however, be in these eligible countries for at least 21 consecutive days." They don't say: "one of these eligible countries for at least 21 days". It would appear you can stay in multiple countries to reach the requirement of 21 days.  But its not 100% clear.

Agreed, the wording about this in the various official communications could be read either way. Logic would dictate that any combination of approved countries should be fine, since the point of the rule is just to be sure that you haven't been in any "dangerous" countries immediately prior to your trip, but one can never assume that logic will be followed!

[jomtienisgood]

18 hours ago, pj123 said:

In the email from the embassy they say "Travellers must, however, be in these eligible countries for at least 21 consecutive days." They don't say: "one of these eligible countries for at least 21 days". It would appear you can stay in multiple countries to reach the requirement of 21 days.  But its not 100% clear.

 

Is anything ever clear in Th. ????????

[Mario666]

1 hour ago, jomtienisgood said:

Is anything ever clear in Th. ????????

NO!

[merijn]

On 7/9/2021 at 2:27 AM, khunjeff said:

No. Section 1.2 of the Sandbox decree in the Royal Gazette says specifically that the 21 day rule doesn't apply if you live in Thailand and are just traveling to an approved country and back to Thailand.

But is that not only applicable for Thai nationals ?

I live in Thailand on Retirement extension but i don't know if this counts.

[jomtienisgood]

2 hours ago, merijn said:

But is that not only applicable for Thai nationals ?

I live in Thailand on Retirement extension but i don't know if this counts.

Don't even know if this would count for PR's ....... The ones judging probably don't know themselves... 

[stevenl]

9 hours ago, merijn said:

But is that not only applicable for Thai nationals ?

I live in Thailand on Retirement extension but i don't know if this counts.

Thai embassy in Bern had also clearly stated that days spent in Thailand count.

[pj123]

I now have this confirmation from the London Consulate. They quoted my question in their reply.

 

Dear Sir

"Can you please confirm I am correct and that if I leave Thailand, fly to the UK, stay there just 14 days, I can then use the Phuket Sandbox; that I do not need to stay in the UK 21 days before returning to Thailand."
-Yes, you can travel to Thailand without staying in this country for 21 days.
 

 

Best regards
Consular Officer,
Royal Thai Embassy, London
29-30 Queen's Gate 
London
SW7 5JB
Tel: 02072255500